Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

My name is Tyler. I used to live in a small town in the United States of America. I used to live a calm and simple life… or so I thought. I didn't bother anyone. Nobody bothered me. It was a good life… it was a good life. Now I find myself hunted by my old country for something I can barely comprehend. I feel safe, however… as I now stand on an Island of Steel. The soft rumble of engines vibrate the ground beneath me. And surprisingly enough… I found a girl. Never would have guessed my love life would have led to this however… yeah. I'm currently on a battleship, sailing the high seas with my girlfriend… New Jersey… ironically enough… the captain of Battleship New Jersey. Now I know what you're thinking.

"Tyler. You need help. You're insane."

But I say nay… because I got a story to prove it all. So sit back, relax, and listen to me spin a tale… of how I found a battleship on my doorstep.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Let's see…I guess it all started a few months ago. Back when I worked as a cook in some upscale place in town. Work was decent. Pay was alright. Nothing to write home about, that's for sure. Made just enough to pay my bills and occasionally get drunk at the bar across the way. Life was okay… aside from the typical drama of everyday life and the increasing demands for performance at work. But that's why I drank like I did. I was single, mainly by choice, but not entirely. But unbeknownst to me, that all would change quicker than I could have ever imagined.

I was driving home from the bar one cold winter's night. Snow was starting to stick and was making it quite difficult to drive without actively squinting through the windshield. Despite my difficulties, I managed to make the turn into my driveway, signifying another safe trek from the kitchens. As I let my foot off the brakes to drift slowly down my driveway, I noticed a figure by my front door. I thought nothing much of it until I looked at the clock.

"11:59PM"

What the hell was somebody doing at my door at a minute til midnight? I began to grow nervous. Thankfully, my state allowed me to carry a firearm for defense, so my mind was put at ease when I felt around my truck to find my handgun seated between the seat and the console. Mustering what little courage I needed to place the firearm in my waistband and hop out of my truck, I began walking up the driveway towards my house. As I approached, my hand slid behind my back, eventually clasping my hand around the grip of my handgun. Once I rounded the corner, I got a good look at the person standing on my doorstep. I made sure to stay quiet as I observed her from the shadow cast by my house. She didn't seem like she was trying to break in, more like she was fidgeting trying to keep warm. I slowly moved my hand away from my firearm and walked into the light cast by my door light.

"Is there something I can help you with, Miss?" I asked confidently.

She turned to me with a sad look in her eyes.

"I've tried every house on the block…do you have a room you can spare… just for the night?" The girl asked.

I looked her up and down. She was outside in the dead of winter wearing nothing but a body stocking, a short white dress, and a pair of long white gloves that looked like they did absolutely nothing for keeping her warm. I decided to speak again once I heard the chattering of her teeth. She had been here for a while.

"Well… I guess it wouldn't hurt. You're not going to try and rob me, right?" I asked in a joking tone.

"Not at all. I… I'm just really cold… and a long way from home. I just need a place to stay for the night." The woman replied in a sad but serious tone.

After mulling it over for a bit, I relented.

"Alright. Do you have a coat or anything that you need to bring in with you?" I asked.

The woman shook her head.

"I lost my coat a long time ago. I haven't had one since." She replied.

I moved past her and unlocked the door of my house, opening the door and allowing her to enter before me.

"It ain't much… but welcome to my humble abode." I said with a self-deprecating laugh.

"It's more than I have… thank you for your kindness. I'm sorry to impose… but you wouldn't happen to have food or something to drink that you could spare… right?" The woman asked.

I smiled.

"You're in luck. I just so happen to be a decent cook… considering it's my job to do so. Go ahead and have a seat at the table and I'll whip something together." I said as I got to work scouring my fridge for enough to feed two people.

It didn't take long for me to begin chopping some vegetables and searing the meat for a quick dinner. It made me chuckle a bit as I heard the Woman's stomach growl a bit as I passed her on my way to the fridge for a beer.

"Do you drink?" I asked curiously as she tried to play off the sound of her stomach growls.

"I… I do. But I wouldn't want to take too much…" The woman said. I shook my head and tossed her a beer.

"Twist the top." I warned as I noticed her trying to pry the cap off.

A few minutes later, I had sliced beef fillets and vegetables portioned onto plates and set on the dining room table.

"Go ahead and dig in. It ain't much but I wasn't exactly expecting company." I said as I sat across the table from her.

"No. No. This is more than enough… after being turned away by everyone else in the neighborhood… I was worried that I'd have to walk to the next town over. Much less get a meal." The woman said as she began scarfing down the food she had been presented.

I laughed a bit.

"Slow it down, lady. Nobody's gonna take it from you." I reassured her with a chuckle.

She acknowledged my remark and slowed her chewing, taking time to savor the food.

"So… you got a name?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

"Everyone just calls me NJ." The woman replied.

"NJ, huh? The name's Tyler. Nice to meet you." I said, extending a hand to shake.

She met my hand and shook it.

"So warm." She muttered softly.

I chuckled a bit more at her comment.

"I work in a kitchen. I would hope I'm warm." I said, earning a look from NJ.

"You're a cook?" NJ asked.

I nodded silently.

"I work in an upscale joint in town, down by the square." I replied.

"I used to have cooks… a lot of cooks actually." NJ spoke.

"Your family rich or something?" I asked.

"Well… kinda. But I was cut off a long time ago and have been trying to make it on my own… but I guess you can see where that got me." NJ replied sadly.

"Did you do something to upset them? Surely you could get back in their good graces." I assured her.

My smile faded when she shook her head.

"I worked hard for my family… but eventually they stopped calling on me. They said that they found someone new to take my place and that they could do so much more than I could with my specialized workset. I was cast out." NJ spoke.

This angered me.

"They tossed you aside?! A beauty like you?! If I had the money for a business, I'd make you the face of it! That face could attract just about anyone!" I belted out before I could stop myself.

NJ blushed heavily at my statement.

"Oh god… I'm so sorry… I don't know what came over me." I tried only for her to shake her head.

"It doesn't bother me… it's been a long time since anyone has commented on my looks. Even longer since anyone said I was beautiful." NJ spoke with her hand on her cheek.

"Still… it was inappropriate for me to speak in such a way." I tried again.

Once again, she shook her head.

"I really don't mind. I've wanted to hear someone say something about me like that. It's been so long." NJ said as she turned my way.

I looked down to try and avoid her gaze only to see that her plate was empty.

"There's some leftover. Would you like more?" I asked.

She shook her head a third time.

"Do you have a shower I can use? I'm still feeling a bit chilled." NJ asked.

"Up the stairs on the right is the bathroom. Be careful turning on the hot water, it will burn you." I warned her.

"Thanks for the warning." She called as I filled my plate for the second time.

Sure enough, a few minutes after she had left the kitchen, I heard the shower turn on.

"Why would a wealthy family just toss her aside like that? She seems like a nice enough girl…" I asked myself as I pondered that very question over my rapidly diminishing bottle of beer.

"Do I crack open another?" I thought before shaking my head.

"Better not. Not with her staying here."

I stood up and began putting the dishes in the sink when I heard a thud coming from the bathroom.

"That can't be good…" I say aloud as I walk to the stairs.

"NJ? You okay?" I yelled up the steps.

No reply.

"Ah damn… this could get real bad." I thought as I began climbing the steps to my bathroom. I got to the door and put my ear to the door.

"NJ? I heard something fall, are you alright?" I asked.

No reply.

"Fuuuuuuck." I thought as I knocked on the door.

"I'm coming in." I spoke as I opened the door.

"Son of a bitch…" I muttered as my eyes fell on a naked woman collapsed in my shower. Her skin was rosy red, indicating that the heat was too much for her to take.

"Forgive me…" I whispered as I grabbed a towel and averted my gaze as best I could to grab NJ and get her out of the steaming hot water.

"I told you it would get hot…" I said as I grabbed a smaller cloth and doused it in cool water before placing it on her forehead. Feeling her stir in my grasp gave me some relief.

"Well… I don't have a seperate room… but I can always just sleep on the couch." I spoke to myself as I carried NJ to my room.

"Firepower… for… Freedom." NJ murmured softly.

"Huh… more patriotic than most people I know nowadays…" I thought as I laid her on my bed and turned on the fan before covering her with a fresh sheet.

"You'll be safe here, NJ. Don't worry about a thing." I whispered as I left the room and headed to the living room.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

"Hmm? Where am I?" NJ asked as she awoke the following morning.

"What… happened?" She asked the empty room as she pulled back the covers to see herself wrapped in a towel.

"I don't remember getting out of the… oh no." NJ whispered as she realized what had happened.

Looking around frantically for her clothes, all she found was a note.

"Hey… so you passed out in the shower. I did my best not to peek too much as I got you in bed. Don't worry, I'm on the other end of the house, so nothing untoward happened to you. Your clothes were looking pretty roughed up so I threw them in the wash before checking out for the night. I left an oversized shirt and a pair of shorts that I think fit you on the foot of the bed. If you don't mind waiting, there's eggs, bread, and bacon in the kitchen. Feel free to make yourself some breakfast. Coffee maker has also been set, I don't drink coffee too much, but I figured I'd make it available. That should be about it." The note read.

NJ sighed a sigh of relief.

"Thoughtful to boot… I wonder… I think I'll give him a chance. Can't be worse than the Navy…" NJ whispered, feeling kind of bad for concealing her identity from the man who had taken her in.

She looked to the foot of the bed and found the shirt and shorts that the note had described. NJ couldn't help but giggle at the decal on the shirt.

The shirt was something you would buy at a gift shop, but this particular shirt made her laugh for a whole other reason. On the front was a decal of a US battleship with the words "Battleship New Jersey" wrapped around it. The back had a motto in parentheses.

"Firepower for Freedom: Motto of the Black Dragon."

"He just earned himself a brand new Roommate." NJ said with a small smile as she pulled the shirt on. Thankfully it was oversized just enough to account for her breasts without showing too much midriff. Pulling on the shorts was a bit more time consuming as they hugged every inch.

"Can't blame him… after all, he said he didn't peek. At least they fit… if not a tad snug." NJ spoke as she opened the door to the hallway and walked quietly towards the kitchen.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I woke up to the sound of sizzling eggs and the smell of cooked bacon.

"She must be awake. I hope she doesn't mind me washing her clothes." I spoke as I pulled myself into a sitting position on the couch. It wasn't the most comfortable night of sleep I had experienced, but it wasn't the worst by far. Guess my desire for a comfortable couch helped me there. Reaching out to the floor, I picked up a pair of shorts and pulled them on before walking to the door of the living room and unlocking it. Opening the door, I was met by an almost dreamlike sight.

The woman I had allowed to spend the night in my house was awake, wearing the clothes I had left out for her, and making breakfast with her hair tied back.

"Good morning!" NJ said the moment she saw me.

"Morning… you look well rested. Your clothes should only take a little while longer." I said as I scratched an itch on my lower back.

I watched NJ's face twist a bit before looking at me.

"Hey… so I kinda wanted to talk to you about that." NJ said.

"If I overstepped, I'm sorry." I said as I sat at the table.

"No, not at all. But now that I get a good look around… your home is kinda messy and it seems like you live alone… would that be a correct assumption?" NJ asked.

"It may be true… no need to call me out on it though… I'm super busy at work. I have to work overtime just to afford this place." I said.

NJ looked at me.

"Well… how would you feel about having a roommate? I don't have a job… but I am really good at keeping a place tidy and making sure everything is in tip top shape. I can clean and do chores around the house in return for having a place to stay long term." NJ suggested as she presented me a perfectly plated American Breakfast.

"Well… I don't have a second room. I slept on the couch so you could take my bed." I replied.

"Is the couch comfortable?" NJ asked.

"It's passable… why?" I asked.

"Well… I'll take the couch. I don't need a super comfy bed if it gives me a home. Please consider it. I'll cook, clean, and ensure the home is in tip top shape so that you can focus on relaxing when you come home from work." NJ pleaded.

I sighed a bit as I took a bite for the eggs she had prepared for me. It was light, fluffy and perfectly salted. Delicious even for someone who didn't like eggs.

"Alright. Things are gonna be a bit tight until I can figure out how to budget more food into the house. But if you're fine with that arrangement… I guess Mi Casa es Su Casa." I said as NJ smiled.

"Excellent!" NJ said happily as she bounded over to the chair across the table from me.

"That shirt looks a bit tight… guess even my biggest shirt wasn't enough." I muttered softly.

"That's okay. I don't think you could have chosen a better shirt, honestly." NJ spoke.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"Well… I have a bit of a close relationship with the ship on this shirt." NJ said.

Taking a long look at her, I decided to make an assumption.

"Did you or a family member serve on the New Jersey? I know she was retired back in '91, but that would put you at around 49… you don't look like you're 49 though." I wondered aloud, making it seem like I wasn't directing the question at her.

"I served on the New Jersey, actually. Right up to the day we were retired." NJ spoke.

"We?" I asked.

"My discharge papers were signed the day New Jersey was retired in '91. That's… part of the reason I was cast out, actually…" NJ said as she looked towards the ceiling.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well… my family didn't understand that it wasn't my choice to retire. In addition to them finding someone better suited to help run the business, they felt as if I had dropped out on my own. They didn't know that I was more than willing to continue my service." NJ explained.

I sighed.

"Well… it's their loss. You've done your country proud. Thank you for your service, NJ." I said.

A small but fiercely red blush crossed her cheeks.

"T-thank you. I just did what I felt was right." NJ said.

"Say… where did you get this shirt?" NJ asked.

"Oh? That? It was a souvenir from my trip to visit the Battleship New Jersey museum.” I replied.

“They made it a museum?” NJ asked.

“You didn’t know that? Yeah. All of the Iowa class battleships became museums. As well as a few of the South Dakota class and North Carolina. Texas is under reconstruction to reinforce her structural integrity… but she’s a museum too.” I explained.

“Woah… You seem to know a lot about warships.” NJ said as she ate her breakfast.

“I guess I do. Call it a hobby. I like to research the tales of warships and their feats in battle. Like one about the New Jersey, and the fact that during the Vietnam War, she once shelled a fortified island so badly that the Island was considered a total loss and the American media reported that the New Jersey had sunk an Island.” I explained excitedly.

“I remember those days.” NJ whispered.

“You do?” I asked.

“Uh… yeah. My Father served aboard New Jersey as well. He was present during Korea and Vietnam. He would tell me stories of how he and his crew would shell positions like that Island and leave the enemy terrified of their guns.” NJ explained.

“I see. You come from a military family. That explains the cleanliness.” I said as I turned to the nearly spotless countertop where breakfast had been cooked.

“Yup. I was taught to always keep everything super clean.” NJ said as she sipped her mug of coffee.

A few moments of silence passed as we continued eating.

“Well… you happen to be in luck since you decided to convince me to let you stay here. I have the day off today, so we can possibly go and get you a few things to make living here a bit easier.” I said, eager to find a reason to break the silence.

“Like what? You have everything I could need.” NJ said in an attempt to not be a burden so early on.

“Well, I doubt you’d want to smell like men’s soap everyday. And I have absolutely nothing that a woman could need.” I said.

“You don’t have a partner?” NJ asked.

“I do not. Not many women can handle my work schedule. Leaves next to no time for intimacy.” I explained offhandedly.

“I remember you saying that you work long hours. And I guess having soap that isn’t shared would be nice. But I don’t want to make things difficult for you so soon. If I have to go without for a while, that is alright.” NJ suggested.

“Sorry, but that doesn’t work for me. It’s terrible enough that you had to come to a stranger to find a place to stay. But if I denied you the most basic of necessities, then I would be no better than the ones who tossed you aside. As soon as your clothes are washed, we’ll head out and get you set up for living here.” I said as I finished my breakfast.

“I don’t mind going out in this. I find it comfortable, if not a bit snug.” NJ said as she snapped the waistband of the shorts against her hip.

“Well… I guess it wouldn’t make a difference. That body stocking doesn’t leave much to a perv’s imagination… no offense.” I said.

“It’s alright. I like having something light and flexible. That stocking was the best option. I just put a dress over top to make it more appropriate. If I had my coat, it would look a lot better though…” NJ said.

“You had mentioned not having a coat, why?” I asked.

“It was a special coat I got to wear during my service. I was a special case and got to wear a long white coat, kinda like the Admiral’s coat.” NJ said.

“Really? I didn’t think the Military was so generous in granting special items like that.” I said.

“It was really rare for it to happen, but sadly, it is still government property… so I had to return it upon my retirement.” NJ said.

“That’s sad. They could have at least let you keep your coat.” I said as I sipped the cup of coffee that she had poured me earlier. A strange taste hit my throat.

With a surprised cough, I took a breath.

“Whiskey?!” I asked.

“Yeah. You seemed like the kind of person who would enjoy an Irish Coffee. So I used some of the Irish Whiskey that I found in your cooking cabinet. I hope you don’t mind.” NJ said with a soft smile.

“I don’t mind a nice Irish Coffee… but a warning would have been nice.” I said as I sipped my coffee.

“I’ll make sure to give you a warning next time. How was breakfast?” NJ asked.

“It was good. Nice chew on the bacon and the toast wasn’t burnt. Eggs were great. Coffee is just right. All in all it was a good start to the day.” I said as I placed my plate in the sink before returning to my coffee.

NJ stood up and walked to the sink with her plate and promptly began washing them.

“I guess you really weren’t kidding about being willing to clean…” I said offhandedly.

“Of course not. If I am going to reside in your home, I will do my part to make it comfortable for both of us. If you have to work to make it ours, then I will keep it clean and homey.” NJ said as she began humming a tune I had heard a long time ago.

“Is that… the Hymn of the Marine Corps? Aren’t you a Navy girl?” I asked, semi-shocked at the lighthearted betrayal.

“Of course I’m a Navy Girl. But god… you have to see those Marines in action. I… My grandfather would tell stories before he passed. He said that his time spent shelling Saipan in the war was fun, but being able to see the Marines storm the beaches gave him the chills. I also always loved hearing the Marine bands play their hymn when New Jersey was in port. So I guess that’s just the one that comes to mind.” NJ spoke, doing her best to distract from her slip in vocabulary.

“I see. So did the boys you served with give you shit for liking the Marine hymn more?” I asked curiously.

“Of course they did, but I would set them straight pretty quick. After a few times of them messing with me, I sent one of em to the med bay. They stopped pretty quick after that.” NJ explained.

“How much trouble did that get you?” I asked.

“A week in the brig and extra duties for a week after.” NJ replied shortly.

“Sounds awful.” I commented.

“Not really. Gave me some well deserved peace and quiet." NJ said happily as she placed the plates on the drying rack.

A few moments of silence passed before I spoke up.

"Well, thank you for breakfast, NJ, it was delicious. I'm gonna grab a shower before we head out." I said as I stood from the table.

"No problem. I'll be ready whenever you are." NJ said with quite possibly the biggest smile I had seen on a woman to date.

“Still can’t get over the fact that her family tossed her out like that. She’s gorgeous.” I whispered as I climbed the stairs to my bathroom.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“He… thinks I’m gorgeous?” NJ asked herself, clearly having heard her host compliment her as he walked up the stairs. A soft blush crossed her face as a hand came to her chest. A feeling fluttering about that she had never been able to recall prior. With a small shake of her head, she began humming again as she took to sweeping the floor as the shower upstairs turned on.

By the time NJ had finished the kitchen floor, she heard the water upstairs stop running and several heavy footsteps, indicating that her host was getting ready for the day.

NJ nodded and placed the broom back where she had found it and found her white boots, freshly cleaned and placed neatly by the door.

“He even cleaned my boots?” NJ asked softly as she heard a small chime coming from the basement.

“I guess that means my clothes are done.” NJ said as she looked down at her new favorite shirt before looking at the door to the basement.

“I like this shirt better… I wonder though. Can I convince him to let me see… me again?” NJ asked absentmindedly.

“Let you see you?” I asked as I walked into the kitchen with a towel in my hands to finish drying my hair.

“Oh, welcome back, Tyler. Was your shower alright?” NJ asked, trying to draw the conversation away from her absentminded comment.

“It was decent. What was that weird comment you made?” I asked, pushing the issue.

“It’s really nothing. I must still be a bit tired from looking for a place to stay for so long. Sleeping on the ground is hell compared to your bed, one night in a comfortable home wouldn’t be enough to eliminate such fatigue.” NJ said.

I scratched my head but decided to let the issue go, she clearly didn’t trust me enough to disclose the real reason behind the comment.

“Well. You shouldn’t have to worry about sleeping on the ground. The couch is plenty comfortable. So hopefully that fatigue will resolve itself.” I said with a shrug.

“I gotta be careful. My facade is holding, but he’s smarter than he lets on.” NJ thought to herself as she smiled at me.

“I believe that will be the case. Are you ready to go? I can slip on my shoes if you are.” NJ asked.

“Yeah. We can get going. I hope you don’t mind, the truck is kinda a mess.” I said as I grabbed my keys and allowed NJ to walk out the door, locking the door behind us as we left the house.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

"Wow. I can't believe I didn't notice you driving this last night." NJ spoke as she looked at the pick-up truck I used as my daily driver.

“Really? I guess you were just focused on trying to find a place to stay. Yeah, this is my truck. Sorry it’s such a mess.” I said with an embarrassed look on my face.

“It’s of no concern, Tyler. I’ll take care of this as well.” NJ said with a smile.

“No. You already do enough by cleaning the house. I won’t make you clean the truck.” I said as we left my driveway. As we drove down the road, I caught NJ staring at me out of the corner of my eye.

“Something wrong, NJ?” I asked.

“No. Not at all. I was just wondering… would it be possible to take me to see the New Jersey sometime?” NJ asked.

I thought about it for a moment.

“I can put in for PTO at work, take a weekend off. I don’t see why I couldn’t make the trip. Any particular reason?” I asked.

“I want to see the old girl again. It’s been so long since I have been aboard… back when the black dragon sailed the seas. It would just be a bit of nostalgia. Besides, I can also show you all the cool spots that the tours won’t show you.” NJ said.

“Really?!” I asked, excitedly.

“Yeah! I know that ship like the back of my hand!” NJ said excitedly.

A few moments of fiddling with my phone later, I put my phone down.

“I just got approved for this weekend, which means we can go today since it’s thursday. Did you want to do that instead?” I asked.

“Really?! I’d love that!” NJ exclaimed.

“Then after we stop at the store, we’ll head there.” I said as we drove down the road towards town.

Chapter Text

A short drive into town proved to be quite the endeavor. The snow from the previous night had finally stopped falling, but the roads hadn't been cleared, leaving all major roadways covered in a thick blanket of snow. Thankfully the truck managed this obstacle with ease, transporting NJ and I to our destination at my town's General Purpose store.

"That was exciting! Do you think all the roads will be like that?" NJ asked.

"I hope not. The fact that PennDOT hasn't gotten out here to help clear the snow is kinda annoying. I don't mind driving in the snow… it's the other idiots I find annoying." I said cynically.

"I see. Not a fan of other people?" NJ asked.

"You're a fantastic person, NJ. Kind, helpful… not to mention easy on the eyes. But other than you and a few of my friends… I can't really stand other people." I explained before turning to see a soft patch of rosy skin on her cheeks.

"I see. Well… I'll make sure you don't regret taking me in, that I can promise you." NJ said with a smile.

"Are those boots going to be okay in the snow?" I asked.

"I'll be alright. A little bit of cold won't hurt me too badly." NJ said with a smile.

"We'll get you some warmer clothes. New Jersey is probably snowed in too, so you'll want a jacket and some warmer pants. Maybe a pair of snow boots too…" I began listing off items she could need.

"Well… let's get inside first, Tyler. Otherwise, we're likely to forget what all we need." NJ said.

"You have a point. Let's go." I said as I hopped out of the truck.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

"Easy on the eyes? Does he like me?" NJ thought to herself as she stepped out into the bright morning sun.

"Woah! I didn't realize your hair was so blue. It was a bit dark inside the house… but I'm surprised that I missed such a detail." I said as I looked at her.

"Really? Yeah it's always been like this." NJ spoke.

"It's always been blue?" I asked.

"Well… for as long as I can remember. I remember my parents dying my hair when I said I liked this color." NJ explained.

"Huh... Cool. Anyway, shall we?" I asked as I held out my hand.

"Wouldn't want you to fall." I assured her.

"Of course. Let's go!" NJ said with a happy smile.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Walking inside the store felt odd for me, as this time I wasn’t alone. Having the blue haired vixen in tow earned me plenty of looks from the other patrons.

“Hey… NJ, let’s get moving. I’d like to get what we need and go.” I said as she walked to my side.

“No problem. I’m here and ready when you are.” NJ said as we began making our round through the store. Grabbing a cart, we headed straight for the health and hygiene section of the shop.

After spending a surprisingly short amount of time picking out the soaps and shampoos that NJ liked, we made our way towards the women’s clothing section of the store. This would lead to a small amount of embarrassment.

“Do you need more clothing?” I asked.

“Yeah. Only having one outfit and these clothes that I’m wearing, that gives me two days worth of clothes… maybe can we get a few outfits?” NJ asked.

“Yes. I don’t mind. Just keep in mind that this store is a general purpose store… might not have clothes with you in mind.” I said without thinking.

“With me in mind?” NJ asked.

“You know…” I said as I made a mounding gesture over my chest, causing NJ to laugh hysterically.

“Really?!” NJ asked as she laughed more, drawing attention from several of the women in the section.

I was saved further embarrassment by an associate coming over to us.

“Is there something the matter, Miss?” The woman asked.

“No. Not at all, my friend here made a really funny joke and I couldn’t help but laugh. But, since you’re here, do you think you could help me out? I haven’t needed to buy clothing in quite some time, so could you point me to clothing that would be more of my size?” NJ asked, allowing me to shrink away to hide my embarrassment from the influx of unwanted attention. This… was a mistake.

Several minutes of walking around aimlessly found me in the undergarments section, specifically in the more lacey section of the undergarments department. I was lost in my own thoughts when a voice graced my ears.

“Which ones are your favorite?” NJ’s voice hit my ears.

“Huh?” I asked, unaware of the question or what she was referring to.

“You’re in the underwear section, don’t tell me you’re some kind of perv…” NJ said skeptically.

“I am?” I asked as I took a look around.

“Ah… so I am. No, I just got lost in thought, mere coincidence that you found me here.” I spoke as my face grew red at her comment.

“Well… you don’t seem to be a perv, and I have last night as proof… fine. I’ll believe you. But… while we’re here… what do you think would look good on me?” NJ asked as she pulled several pairs of increasingly skimpy panties from the racks.

“Uh…” I was speechless. My face had turned beet red as my finger went to the middle of the selection, resting on a flower lace pair of black panties.

“Ooo! Black panties. I have to say… you have good taste.” NJ whispered as she placed several pair of the same design in the cart along with the clothing she had chosen before. She then practically dragged me to the bra section to choose a matching set with the sizing numbers the associate had provided her.

“Did they measure you?” I asked, trying to do something to hinder my embarrassment.

“She did… I think I broke her though… she said she hadn’t seen someone like me before.” NJ said as she hugged her hips with a blush.

“Did she explain why?” I asked, now genuinely curious.

“She said I had a perfect figure. Left her speechless… but I heard her grumbling a bit as I came to find you.” NJ explained.

“I see… well, she isn’t exactly wrong, you know. Most women nowadays would kill to have a body like yours.” I said truthfully.

“What do you think?” NJ asked.

“I… well… It’s not hard to look at. I think you look great in all honesty.” I replied as a healthy blush crossed both of our cheeks.

“I see… well… come on then… choose already.” NJ said as she turned around.

“Choose what?” I asked.

“A bra. I haven’t exactly worn one before but if I have to then I want it to be one we can both take pride in.” NJ said.

“You’re acting like I’m your boyfriend, NJ” I said sheepishly.

“Well… I don’t see us not being together in the future… and besides… it’s just a piece of clothing. Just pick one in this size, kay?” NJ asked as she handed me a slip of paper and quickly walked off deeper into the store.

I took a look at the paper.

“46DD”

“Holy fuck!” I screamed internally as I tried my hardest and failed to imagine the true size that this number represented.

A quick look around found me picking out several differing colors of floral lace bras that seemed to match the underwear NJ had chosen.

“Alright… enough of this. Now to go find her.” I said as I quickly made my way out of the woman’s clothing aisles.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“Where did I end up?” NJ asked herself as she looked around. She saw model cars and boats and planes on every shelf.

“Ooo!” NJ said as her eyes were drawn to a pair of models. Picking them both up, she examined them.

“BB-62 Battleship New Jersey.”

“Vought OS2U Kingfisher”

“It’s not narcissistic if I pick it out for him… right?” NJ asked herself with a small giggle. She turned around to see me standing at the end of the aisle.

“Did you find what you went running off for?” I asked with a small smile.

“Yup! I’m gonna get these in addition to the clothes… is that okay?” NJ asked.

“Well… I guess you need some form of personal decorations for your living space… I can accept it, only if you let me help build them.” I said.

“That was the plan.” NJ said with a smile that melted my heart further.

“I see. Well, come on. I picked out what you requested, so we should be able to check out.” I said.

“What about food for when we get home?” NJ asked.

“We’ll pick it up on the way back, it wouldn’t be good to keep it in the truck for too long.” I said.

“I guess you’re the expert, huh?” NJ asked with a giggle as she walked over and placed the two models in the cart.

I turned to walk towards the front of the store only to feel her press against me before looping her arm through mine.

“I think it’s very kind… ya’know? You didn’t even know me, and yet you gave me a place to stay. You fed me. And now you’re here buying things for me that I should be able to get on my own…” NJ said softly as she kept pace with me easily.

“Well… it’s… uh…” I couldn’t form any full thoughts on account of the fact that my mind was racing with her pressed to me like this.

“I hope it’s not too much of a burden.” NJ spoke up after a few seconds.

“Not at all. Even if it was, having an extra person in the house is nice for a change. So even if it means pulling a little extra in terms of overtime, I would rather it be like this than the alternative.” I said in a desperate attempt to distract my mind from the warmth of her body and the two mountains of flesh that were sandwiching my arm.

NJ blushed.

“Really?” NJ asked.

“Yeah. I’d rather have someone there than not.” I replied as we closed in on the checkout lines.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

We made our way through the line and eventually we found ourselves face to face with the cashier at the front.

“Tyler. It’s been a while. Haven’t seen you around. You doing alright?” The cashier asked.

“Yeah. Just pulling a lot of overtime lately. Gotta work to afford rent nowadays. I’m just lucky my boss approved this level of overtime to help me keep food in the house.” I replied with a sigh.

A subtle whistle caught my attention.

“Who’s the hotty?” The cashier asked.

I turned to see NJ blushing heavily. It seemed that she had quickly deduced that the hotty in question was her.

“This is my new roommate. And before you ask, no, she’s not on the market.” I said shortly.

“Shit… you make your move already?” The cashier pushed as he began scanning the items in my cart.

“No. But she has gone through a lot lately. I doubt she’d want to enter a relationship so soon.” I said as NJ came over to me and locked her hand in mine. Turning to her, I could see her blush spreading further. Her eyes were turned away in a way that I could only describe as pure embarrassment.

“Uh-huh. I’m sure. Anyway, total is on the screen. Swipe when ready.” The cashier said as I made an effort to complete the check-out as quickly as possible.

Several seconds pass and a confirming ping from the card reader let me know that the transaction had completed. Grabbing my receipt, I waved goodbye to the cashier and grabbed the bags before turning to NJ.

“Let’s get going. We should be able to make it if we leave right away.” I said as NJ nodded and followed me closely.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“Tyler… who was that?” NJ asked.

“He’s an old acquaintance of mine. We went to school together. Didn’t really get along with him back then, but considering I have my own place, and he still lives with his parents, I think I’m doing pretty good.” I said.

“Was he always so… nosey?” NJ asked.

“Yes. Sorry, I should have avoided that line when I saw him, I’m sorry if it embarrassed you.” I said as I opened the back door of my truck.

“No. No… it’s okay… but… what you said. That isn’t true.” NJ said.

“What I said?” I asked.

“About me not being on the market… I’m single… currently.” NJ said earning a sigh from me.

“Look. I only said that because I know him. If I said you were available, he would have tried to get with you then and there. He’s desperately single. Believe me, you wouldn’t want him.” I said.

“I wouldn’t have went with him anyway…” NJ said with a small huff.

“Are you… upset with me?” I asked.

“No… I can’t really be mad. But the fact that you didn’t take what I said earlier to heart has miffed me a tiny bit.” NJ said.

“What?” I asked, trying to remember.

“I said… that I can’t see us not being together. I may not be ready to completely open up to you… but I know that with the way you are, it’s only a matter of time. I guess… this is me and my wishful thinking. But I wouldn’t be opposed to dating someone like you once we get to know each other more.” NJ said.

Her words resonated deep. She felt something for me. But of course… I overanalyzed

“So you want to wait a bit to make sure it isn’t due to me helping you out?” I asked, internally screaming at myself for even saying it.

“Wow… way to ruin the moment.” NJ said with a chuckle.

I hung my head.

“Sorry… can’t help it.” I said.

NJ came over and gave me a chaste hug.

“It’s not an issue. I like open people. I want you to speak your mind. Don’t change, and we’ll be okay… don’cha think?” NJ said with a smile.

I let out a small chuckle.

“You sure you want to throw your lots in with this?” I asked.

“If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t have said it. I don’t back down, Tyler.” NJ said sternly as she grabbed my cheeks and forced me to look into her eyes.

Her eyes glistened brilliantly in the reflected light of the sun. I found myself lost in them. Something deep inside found a similarity. Her eyes looked as if she had taken in the sights of every ocean and captured their image forever. NJ noticed.

“Hey… are you okay?” NJ asked.

“Your eyes are beautiful.” I said absentmindedly.

NJ’s face turned red as she released me to cover her rapidly spreading blush.

“Shush, dang it… Let’s just get going. We’re burning daylight.” NJ said as we climbed into the truck and began the slow trek towards where the USS New Jersey was anchored.

Chapter Text

As our drive towards Camden progressed, the roads slowly began to clear. Turning from packed down snow to slush and salt.

“Are you okay?” NJ asked as she looked over to me.

“Yeah, why do you ask?” I asked.

“You haven’t said much of anything since we left the store. I was wondering if something was bugging you.” NJ said as she turned slightly in her seat to face me.

“I’m not used to having people in the truck with me, and small talk definitely isn’t my forte.” I admitted.

“I see. I’m kinda the opposite. I was always the source of small talk and rumors back in the service. And you definitely learn to be a people person when you’re packed onto a ship with just under two thousand men.” NJ said with a smile.

“I guess you would. Not like there’s many places to hide when you're on an enclosed vessel like that. There’s only so much boat to hide away in.” I said with a small chuckle.

“Yup. And I know each and every hiding place. You wouldn’t be able to hide from me.” NJ said with a warm smile.

“Not gonna lie… that’s creepy.” I said as I gave her a heaping dose of side-eye.

“Creepy? Why would you think that?” NJ asked.

“The fact that you said you could find me no matter where I hide on that boat? Gotta admit, it’s enough to send a chill up my spine.” I said.

“I guess when you put it that way, it could be a bit creepy…” NJ reflected as she looked out the window.

I sat there and continued to focus on the road, but the aura of unease was growing steadily within the cab.

“So… I guess now’s as good a time as ever, what were you doing before you ended up on my doorstep? Surely you haven't been hitchhiking since the early 90’s.” I said.

NJ smiled sadly.

“It hasn’t been an easy time… I’ll be honest.” NJ said as I realized that she had been doing exactly that for over thirty years.

“I… I’m sorry.” I said.

“Why are you sorry?” NJ asked.

“Because I never expected my fellow Americans to treat a Veteran so poorly. Especially from such a seasoned Military family. Three generations of war fighters and guardians, just left to wander for damn near three decades… just thinking about it makes my blood boil.” I said.

“That’s very sweet, Tyler. But it is unnecessary. I had come to terms with my situation quite a while ago. When I wound up on your doorstep, I honestly thought that I would be turned away again. So to be here now is more than I could have ever hoped for.” NJ said with a much happier smile.

“I see… well still. Nobody will apologize for all those years of loneliness. So I feel like you should hear it regardless.” I said stubbornly.

NJ giggled.

“I doubt I will find myself lonely ever again, Tyler. You fixed that when you agreed to take me in.” NJ said.

I smiled.

“I aim to please.” I said jokingly.

“I will keep that in mind.” NJ said as we continued down the highway towards the Pennsylvania - New Jersey border.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

A few hours of random banter and driving found NJ and I sitting in a small parking lot next to a massive Battleship.

“Here we are, Battleship New Jersey. It’s been a minute since I’ve been here.” I said as I turned to NJ who had her eyes fixated on the vessel.

“Hello Beautiful. It’s been quite some time.” NJ said softly as I chuckled.

“You have a really deep bond with this ship. But hearing you talk to her like that is funny.” I said as she looked at me.

“She looks the same as she did the day we were retired. If we removed the tents on the back and remilitarized her, I have no doubt she would be just as good as I remember.” NJ said.

I gave her a sad smile.

“NJ… The New Jersey is permanently moored here. She’s been retired completely. I doubt we will ever see her sail again.” I said softly.

NJ nodded absentmindedly. Little did I know she would eventually make me eat my words as we sailed from the South Jersey - Camden port. Little did I know that the girl next to me was the embodiment of the massive hulk of steel that I had taken such a fascination to. And most of all… little did I know how much NJ wanted to get back to sailing the high seas. How far she would go… and what she would do to ensure that her… and I could live our lives sailing the oceans of the world.

I managed to snap her out of her trance-like state.

“Hey. I heard online that the Curator of this museum is here today. Maybe if we’re lucky, we can meet him.” I said.

“Curator?” NJ asked.

“He helps keep the ship in showing shape. He reports wear and damage so that the funds from admissions can be used to repair the hull and superstructure. But he also has a channel on Youtube where he documents a lot of stuff about this battleship and her history.” I said.

“What’s his name?” NJ asked.

I think his name is Ryan Szimanski. He has been helpful in maintaining the ship in it’s current form.” I said.

“Perhaps I would like to meet this man. To see if he is really up to snuff, ya’know?” NJ asked.

I chuckled.

“I’m sure he’d like to meet someone like you, NJ.” I said as we got out of the truck.

NJ wordlessly walked over to me and grabbed my hand and practically began dragging me towards the Battleship.

“Okay! Okay! Let me get my wallet out. We still have to pay for admission. Geez. It’s not going anywhere.” I said as I managed to wrench my hand free for a moment to grab the cash from my wallet.

“Come on! I want to get onboard!” NJ said excitedly.

“Alright, I’m coming.” I said as I found myself chasing her down as she bounded up the ramp.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

After paying for admission, I looked around to see if I could find NJ again, only for her to be gone.

“Well… let’s see if she can find me like she said she can.” I said to myself with a small chuckle.

Off to my side, I heard a man talking. Turning to see who he was talking to, I saw a camera. I smiled as I walked over to him and waited for him to click off the camera.

“Is there something I can help you with?” The man asked.

“Nothing really. Just figured I’d come say hi. I’m a big fan of your Youtube channel. You’re Ryan, right?” I asked.

“Yep. That would be me. Here to tour the ship today?” He asked.

“I am. I actually came with a roommate of mine, but it seems she was so excited to get onboard, I seem to have lost her.” I said with a chuckle.

Ryan laughed.

“Well, if she’s onboard, you’ll find her. There's only so many places she could be.” Ryan said as he packed up his equipment.

“Heading out?” I asked.

“Yeah. I try to make my videos when there aren’t too many people around. It’s getting to be about that time when a ton of people like to come visit.” Ryan said.

“I see. Well, I look forward to your next upload.” I said as Ryan walked down the ramp and to a car in the parking lot.

“Alright… now to find NJ.” I said as I picked up a map of the ship and began my search.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“Those bastards.” NJ said as she looked up at a particular case set up within the main superstructure.

Inside the case was a pristine white coat folded with crisp edges and a single anchor on a belt latched over the center.

“So I’d have to steal it to have my coat back…” NJ said as she looked around.

With a sigh, she let it go.

“I’ll be back for you. He’ll make me whole again… I’m sure of it.” NJ whispered to herself.

“NJ!” My voice echoed through the vessel.

“Over here!” NJ yelled back, allowing me to quickly find my way to her.

“Damn… you managed to get this far in in such a short amount of time.” I said as I took a breath.

“You have a bruise on your head…” NJ said as she looked at me.

“Yeah… didn’t heed the low ceiling warning. Ended up banging my head getting in here.” I said as I rubbed my head.

“Yeah. I told you I know this ship. Moving around her is something I pride myself on in terms of speed. It’s not something you can just take away, ya’know?” NJ said.

“Can take the girl away from the Sailor but you can’t take the sailor out of the girl.” I said with a chuckle.

“Exactly!” NJ exclaimed as I looked at the jacket in the case.

“Hey… that Jacket looks a lot like the one you described to me.” I said.

“Yup. That’s because it’s mine.” NJ said.

“Really?” I asked, my tone one of subtle shock.

“Yup. I wore this coat all throughout my service on this boat. We were inseparable.” NJ said as she looked longingly at the coat.

“I see. Maybe I can write a letter to the museum to see if they can turn it over to you. After all, this ship is no longer owned by the Navy. They don’t have a say in the use of the artifacts.” I said.

“Really? You’d do that?” NJ asked.

“It’s worth a shot, don’cha think?” I asked, earning me a giggle from NJ.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

“Don’cha think is something I say a lot. It’s funny to hear other people say it.” NJ said as she turned to me.

“I see.” I said as I rubbed my neck.

“So. What do you want to see? I can show you every single inch of this boat.” NJ said.

“Not every inch… they have stuff blocked off and welded shut.” I said.

“Nonsense. I know this ship like the back of my hand. Where do you want to go?” NJ pushed the issue.

“I’d like to see inside the turrets.” I said with a shrug.

“Straight to the big guns, I like it. You know, they called this ship the black dragon on account of her darker paint. But I have a feeling they had another reason.” NJ said as she took my hand and led me through the convoluted hallways and bulkheads towards the number 2 turret.

“Really? I knew about the darker paint, but was there another reason?” I asked.

“Well yeah! Most shots of this ship were of her firing her guns. And the guns throw out a lot of fire. Like a dragon!” NJ said cheerfully.

I chuckled.

“All of the Iowa class ships did, they all have the same Mark VII guns.” I said.

“Boo! Why you gotta suck the fun out of it!” NJ pouted.

“Sorry… but you’re right. Most media shows the New Jersey putting these guns to use. Quite impressive to imagine.” I said.

“I can describe the feeling if you’d like.” NJ said happily.

“You remember the feeling?” I asked.

“How could I forget? Nine sixteen inch cannons firing in unison. The shockwave through the vessel was immense. I could feel it shake me to my very core. It was… blissful… yeah. If I had to describe the feeling, it would be bliss. It was satisfying to feel the power of the guns even when I wasn’t the target.” NJ explained.

“Huh… quite the odd description, but you know yourself better than anyone else. If you say that’s the feeling, then I’m inclined to believe it.” I said as she gestured to a steep staircase that lead up to the next deck.

“I hate the fact that these are still called stairs…” I said as I climbed the verifiable ladder of a staircase.

NJ chuckled.

“Just imagine that you’re in combat and you have to sprint up and down stairs like this. It takes a special kind to be able to move through these ships.” NJ said.

“You sailors risk breaking your necks every time you switch decks… you’re absolutely insane.” I said.

“That hurts my feelings!” NJ said with a joking tone, giving a hearty laugh as I pulled myself onto the landing, allowing her to take the lead.

“It’s true! I wouldn’t dream of running up these steps, I’d trip and break something.” I said.

“Oh fooey. You’d get used to it, silly. Come on, only two more staircases until we reach the number two turret.” NJ said as she led me through the ship.

Chapter Text

NJ helped me climb into the action area inside the number two turret. Looking around, I saw the shell elevators and breaches for the massive sixteen inch cannons that the Iowa class was famous for.

"This one is actually my favorite turret." NJ said as she looked at me.

"Really? Why?" I asked, curious as to her reasoning.

"It's the most accurate gun on the vessel, if you'd believe that." NJ said with a smile.

"How… would you know that?" I asked.

"Well, think about it, silly. It's in the center of the boat. That means it is unlikely to be thrown off its aim by the movement of the ship or the recoil. Plus with the New Jersey's fire control systems, the shells are super accurate to begin with." NJ explained happily.

"Huh. I never thought about it like that. Say, what exactly did you do on this vessel? I never heard you mention your title or rank." I said offhandedly.

"Well… I did a little bit of everything. As for my rank, I held rank on par with the ship's captain." NJ said, it was obvious that she was hiding more.

"A captain? Hmm. What was it like, commanding this vessel? I'm sure it was stressful, especially during the Vietnam, Korea, and Gulf Wars when the threat of missile strikes were constant." I said.

"It was pretty stressful. But I lived everyday like my last. So at the end of the day, it didn't matter. I had a job to do." NJ said, skirting the question again.

"What was it like? Being part of the crew of the last battleships known to mankind?" I asked as I explored the turret, touching the various gun breaches.

"It… it was sad. Especially when word came down that I was no longer needed. All my hard work… gone in the blink of an eye. It was hard saying goodbye to the old girl." NJ said as she laid her hand on the gun breach next to mine.

I was about to say something when I noticed a small glowing light coming from under her hand.

"NJ? What's that?" I asked, pointing to her hand.

NJ looked and quickly took her hand away.

"It's nothing! I don't know what you're talking about!" NJ said as she put her hands in her pants pocket.

"NJ… we both saw that light… did you press that button?" I asked, pointing to the small red button near where she had put her hand.

"Oh… yeah. I must have. My mistake." NJ said with a chuckle as she tried to play it off.

"You're lucky the guns are deactivated… I don't know what that button does, but it could have been bad." I said as I grabbed her hand.

"Yeah… hey, let's go somewhere else. Why don't we head to one of the five inch gun turrets? That would be pretty cool, don'cha think?" NJ asked.

"Yeah. Let's get out of here. Don't want to get in trouble just in case pushing that button did anything.” I said with a sigh as I led NJ out from the Number two turret.

NJ looked back at the gun breach.

“Gotta be careful… but at least I know she still reacts.” NJ thought as I led her towards the main deck.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“Say, did you happen to find that Curator guy? I remember you telling me about him on the way here.” NJ asked as we emerged from the superstructure into the brisk winter breeze.

“I did actually, you walked right by him in your rush to get to your jacket. I managed to get a moment to talk to him before he left for the day.” I said as I looked around and located one of the five inch gun turrets that were open to the public.

“Aww shoot… I was hoping to talk to him. I wanted to know what happened to the old girl after she was retired, as I had to leave pretty much the moment they broke the news.” NJ said with a slight pout.

“Well, maybe this will teach you something about taking your time. You walked right past him, it’s not like he was hiding.” I said with a chuckle as we made our way towards the open turret.

“Rude!” NJ cried as she punched my arm, causing me to laugh more.

“What? I’m just stating the facts here. If you would have stayed with me, you could have met the guy.” I said as I rubbed my arm.

“Still… rude.” NJ said with a more pronounced pout as we entered the open door on the five inch turret.

“Isn’t this turret the same type that you’d find on the U.S.S. Lexington in Texas?” I asked as I looked around the turret.

NJ shook her head.

“Nope. These turrets are Mark 28 mod 2 turrets. Very similar, but the Lexington has the restored Mark 32 turrets from the Des Moines.” NJ explained.

“What’s the difference? They look a lot alike.” I asked, scratching my head.

“Well… New Jersey’s turrets are heavier by about twenty five tons. Other than that… nothing.” NJ said with a smile.

“WHAT?! That’s it?!” I asked, dumbfounded by how simple the change between the two was.

“Well I guess the later versions would have a tiny bit more space considering a solid portion of the armor was shaved off… but other than that, You are correct in that they appear similar.” NJ explained.

“Why shave off the armor? Weren’t the Mark 32’s meant for cruisers?” I asked.

“Well, cruisers can’t operate properly if they’re too heavy. Cruisers are meant for speed and the ability to be where they are needed when they are needed the most. So cutting weight where possible is a must.” NJ said.

“Okay… but if these turrets are on the Lexington, then that means the Lexington also had them… why wouldn’t you keep the armor there? Wouldn’t that be important?” I asked.

“Not really… A carrier would never be within range of the enemy defenses. So the need for armor would be drastically reduced. Considering that the guns on the Lexington were used primarily for self defense… the armor they had was enough for the purpose they served. The reduced weight, while doing little for the speed of the ship, still helped a tiny bit.” NJ explained.

“Huh… never would have guessed… Say, you said you did a little bit of everything on the boat… you ever get to use these?” I asked.

“Of course. I used these more often than the main guns. After all, sixteen inch shells are expensive.” NJ said with a smile.

“I can only imagine. I read that the shells used on this ship weigh over a ton each.” I said.

“They do! Wanna go see one? I know where they’re kept!” NJ said excitedly.

“Is… the magazine open to the public?” I asked skeptically.

“Who cares? It’s not like we could do anything in there anyway. The shells weigh over a ton and the elevators are locked up tight, not to mention that the guns are completely deactivated and the turrets locked in their forward positions.” NJ said.

“How… do you know all that? You didn’t even know that the New Jersey was preserved…” I asked.

“Oh… uh… well, that would be standard procedure for turning a warship into a museum, right?” NJ asked with a smile.

“Yeah… you’re not wrong.” I said, deciding not to push the issue any further.

“Well, you want to go see the magazine? The closest one would be turret number three’s magazine.” NJ said.

“Sure. Let’s go.” I said as I followed NJ back into the superstructure.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

After about twenty minutes of walking, NJ and I found ourselves at a barrier with a sign.

“Do Not Cross.”

“NJ we can’t go this way.” I said as she lifted the chain barrier.

“Nonsense. As I said, it’s not like we can do anything. It’s just one deck below us.” NJ said.

“The tour says we can’t go further than two decks down. If the magazine is three decks down, it’s obviously off limits.” I said as NJ walked into the off limits section of the ship.

“Don’t be such a sour sport, Tyler. Come on. Let’s go.” NJ said as she grabbed my hand and dragged me beyond the barrier and into the off limits section of the ship.

“NJ! We really shouldn’t be here!” I said as I tried to pull against her, only for my best efforts to go unrewarded as she dragged me further into the ship.

“It’ll be fine. Nobody knows we’re down here. Stop worrying so much. The ship is in pristine condition too, so we won’t get stuck.” NJ said.

“And how do you know that? Nobody’s been beyond these barriers except for the workers who maintain the vessel!” I said as we walked down a clearly worn staircase.

“Just… trust me, okay? Please, just trust me.” NJ said as she turned on the stairs to face me, trapping me from moving around her.

After a moment of apprehension, I caved.

“Fine… but if we get in trouble, I’m not taking the blame. I won’t ask how you know about the status of the ship so long as we can make it back safely.” I said.

“That’s all I ask. I want to show you the things they won’t. This ship is so much more than what they allow you to see. If the limit is two decks down, you’re still missing over half of the ship, including the powder storage and shell magazines, which are some of the most interesting places onboard.” NJ promised.

“Alright… only because I really want to know what’s down here… you piqued my interest.” I said begrudgingly.

“Yay! Come along. Make sure to watch your step. We’re below the waterline now, so the bulkheads have higher clearance. You can do some real damage to your legs if you don’t be careful.” NJ said as I nodded, prompting her to turn and finish descending the stairs, taking us into the deeper parts of the vessel.

Chapter Text

Sure enough, NJ was right. The bulkheads this deep in the ship were higher than the ones up on the touring decks. I found myself having to high step over almost every bulkhead.

"How did you do it?" I asked as I struggled to keep up with NJ, who was strutting her way through the halls like she owned the place.

"Do what?" NJ asked cheerfully.

"How did you run through these halls when the ship was under attack? These bulkheads would take out your legs if you didn't maneuver correctly." I said as I banged my shin on one of the bulkhead steps.

"You get used to it. When you know a ship for so long, it becomes muscle memory. Every sailor onboard knew how to maneuver this ship with their eyes closed… at least that's how it was the last time I checked." NJ explained as she came back towards me to help me through the halls.

"How far is the Magazine?" I asked as I looked behind us to make sure we weren't being followed.

"Not far. Only a few more bulkheads this way and we should be right outside the main watertight door.” NJ said with a smile.

“For someone breaking the rules, you’re awfully chipper.” I said as she turned and pouted at me.

“Is it so wrong for me to want to see how they have maintained my old home? My family has served this country since 1943… I feel like it’s my right to be here.” NJ said.

I struggled internally between outright denying her objection and rolling with it. After a few moments of silence, my compassion chose the latter.

“I guess you have a point. You and your family have served this nation through the end of World War 2, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, and Desert Storm. That’s five wars, more than any family should see.” I reasoned.

“It wasn’t the wars. I did not mind fighting for my country. But I want to be able to explore my old home in any fashion I choose, instead of only being relegated to the top two decks…” New Jersey whined as I caught up to her.

“I understand that sentiment. Look. As long as we’re back before the museum closes, I won’t be too upset.” I said as NJ smiled softly.

“Thank you for indulging me… I know this has to feel uncomfortable for you.” NJ said as she gripped my hand.

I thought for a moment.

“NJ… I have a question for you.” I said.

“Hmm?” NJ asked as we continued walking down the corridor towards the magazine.

“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. But there are a few things that aren’t adding up.” I said.

“Oh? How so?” NJ asked.

“Well… you’ve made a couple comments since you have shown up on my doorstep. The “me seeing me” comment. The slips when you talk about your family. I was trying to wait until you were comfortable enough to tell me… but the moment we came aboard, you seem like you’re obsessed with this ship. Is… there something I need to know?” I asked. Looking at her face, I immediately realized I had made a mistake. She turned away and began fidgeting with her hands.

“I-if it’s something that’s not important, then you don’t have to say anything. I just felt like maybe there was something I should know.” I tried, only for her to raise her hand to silence me.

“I… I didn’t tell you because you seem like a real nice guy, Tyler. I didn’t want to ruin what we had… as little as it was. I like you, ya’know. You’re one of the very few people who treat me well. I… was scared to tell you, in fear of being cast out again.” NJ said.

“Cast out? Come on, NJ… There is nothing short of murder that could make me do that to you. You know how I feel about that.” I said as I walked over to her to see a tear rolling from her eye.

“I-if I tell you… can you promise me that you’ll stay with me? That you won’t run away?” NJ asked.

“NJ… if that is what you require, I won’t leave… regardless of what you have to say.” I said as she looked at me with a soft smile.

“My name… is New Jersey.” NJ said.

“What?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“My name is New Jersey.” NJ repeated as she scratched her head before wiping her eye.

“How do I explain this…” NJ whispered to herself as she turned to the wall of the corridor.

“So… your name is New Jersey? What’s so bad about that?” I asked with a chuckle.

“Tyler… that’s not all. Take a moment and think. What ship are we on right now?” NJ asked.

“We’re on the Battleship known as USS New Jersey. Why is that so important?” I asked.

NJ pointed to the wall.

“It’s a plain wall. So what?” I asked, now slightly concerned.

NJ touched the wall where she had pointed. I had looked in the exact spot before and knew for a fact that there were no light bulbs or buttons to press, yet the moment her hand touched the bulkhead, a soft blue light began to emanate from where her hand was in contact.

“Tyler… I am the USS New Jersey. I am what the military calls a Kansen. I… am a top secret project from the highest echelons of the military. When this vessel was retired from service… I was sworn to secrecy that I would never reveal my identity to anyone for any reason. That is why I didn’t tell you.” NJ said as she looked at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

“So… what you’re saying… is that you are somehow… connected to this ship?” I asked, trying to make sense of it all.

“Tyler… I’m not connected to this ship. I AM this ship. This ship and I are one in the same. If this ship did not exist, I would never have been created.” NJ explained.

I sat on the floor, only to have NJ rush over to me.

“Are you okay?!” NJ asked.

“I guess…it’s no wonder you’re so pretty then.” I said with a small chuckle.

“What?!” NJ cried as her face flushed red.

“This ship was built back during world war two. Back when they used to paint pretty girls on the sides of planes. I guess the same could be said for our warships.” I said as I chuckled a bit more.

NJ looked at me with a look of concern.

“Tyler… are you okay? I mean it…” NJ said.

“It’s… insanity to believe that you’re some kind of embodiment to this warship… but at the same time… I can’t refuse you. You showed me proof. What I’m seeing can’t be real, yet it is.” I said as a tear rolled down my cheek.

NJ hugged me the moment she saw my tear.

“It’s okay. Just… forget I said anything. We can go back to how it was.” NJ said.

I shook my head.

“I…It’s not as easy to forget something like that, NJ. Or should I call you New Jersey?” I asked, trying hard to use humor to alleviate the pounding headache I was having trying to comprehend this.

“Tyler… just call me NJ. I prefer that. Maybe we should go. You seem to be taking this news…poorly.” NJ said softly.

I shook my head.

“And take you away from here? After you worked so hard to come back. I…just have a headache is all. Trying to comprehend all this… is seeming to be quite the challenge.” I said.

“I was trying to keep you from this… I had a feeling you’d react like this…” NJ said as she sat with me.

“So all that stuff about your family?” I asked.

“Cover story. I have been a part of this ship since the day she hit the water in 1942. I did not have a father or grandfather who served. It was all me.” NJ admitted softly.

“And your family casting you out?” I asked.

“I’m a museum… Uncle Sam chose aircraft carriers over me and my sisters. That wasn’t an outright lie… I was tossed aside.” NJ said as I leaned over and hugged her.

“Well… you still have a fan in me.” I whispered.

NJ blushed again as she leaned into my hug.

“Everyone calls me an old warship. A product of a bygone age. You truly were the first to call me beautiful in this day and age. Tyler… you will never be able to understand how that made me feel.” NJ spoke softly.

“Well… I guess this means that I have a brand new appreciation for this ship.” I said as NJ looked at me.

“Why is that?” NJ asked curiously.

“Well. America considers its warships to be female. It’s hard to imagine a ship as a girl in a literal sense. But… you exist. You are New Jersey. You are this ship… and this ship is you. This ship really is a girl.” I said as NJ tittered at my assessment.

“I guess when you put it like that, it would make you look at things differently.” NJ said as she brought her hands to my cheeks.

“NJ?” I asked.

“I was scared… dummy. I knew the question would come… I’m not the best at lying to someone I like. I knew you would piece it together… even if it took you a bit longer than I anticipated. But I knew you would ask… but when you didn’t… I let my guard down. And then when I told you… I thought I had ruined everything.” NJ said as she looked me dead in the eyes.

I smiled.

“It was definitely a shock to the system. But… I don’t mind. If anything… it makes me even more curious about you. I want to keep you close… because now I want to learn more about you.” I said as NJ pulled my face close to hers and laid a kiss on my forehead.

“Are you willing to help me keep my secret?” NJ asked.

I nodded.

“Nobody can know. This is top secret. When I say upper echelon… I mean top of the top. Only the SecNav and President know everything about the Kansen project. Why I was created… not even I know that. But I do know that there are others. But before I tell you anything else, I want you to promise me that you’ll keep quiet.” NJ said sternly.

“I promise to keep your secret, New Jersey. I will not betray your trust.” I said honestly.

“Good. Thank you, Tyler. I feel as if a weight has been lifted from my chest.” NJ said as she touched the wall again.

“What are you doing?” I asked softly.

“Checking to see where people are. Perks to being… well… me, is that I can connect with this ship to such a degree that I can tell where every single person on this ship is.” NJ said as she closed her eyes.

“Why are you doing that?” I asked.

“Checking to see if anyone is coming this way. I understand that you’re still nervous about the ramifications of being found down here, so I am ensuring that we are not being tailed.” NJ said.

“This is so cool.” I whispered.

“Hmm?” NJ asked.

“I feel like James Bond. Got the pretty girl and the sixth sense to avoid capture. All that’s left is a hair raising shootout as we make our escape.” I said jokingly.

“If I had my coat, I could provide that.” NJ said.

“What?” I asked.

“Yeah. Every Kansen operates the same way.” NJ said.

“Oh?” I asked.

“The human can control the ship. But we are all given a certain accessory that contains a powerful weapon known as rigging.” NJ said.

“Wait… you can control this behemoth?” I asked instinctually.

“Behemoth?!” NJ cried.

“Well… to be fair, the Iowa class is averaging 48,000 tons…” I said.

“I may be just shy of 50,500 tons but to call me a behemoth?!” NJ cried again, punching my arm.

“You’re 2,500 tons heavier than average?!” I cried.

NJ pouted as she folded her arms.

“So what? I have a bit more meat on my bones than my sisters. A couple extra pounds isn’t important.” NJ said as she held a hand to her chest, drawing my eyes downward.

“Two and a half thousand tons… where did it all go?” I asked.

“Torpedo protection.” NJ said shortly.

“Torpedo protection?” I asked as NJ accentuated her chest.

“Oh…” I said as she met my gaze.

“My eyes are up here, silly.” NJ spoke softly.

“R-right. Sorry.” I said as I wrenched my eyes away from her chest.

“Anyway, you can control this ship?” I asked.

“Yeah. I can operate fully without a crew.” NJ said.

“Is America the only country to produce Kansen?” I asked.

NJ shook her head.

“No. The major powers in the Second World War all had them. Even the Mighty Bismarck had a Kansen.” NJ said.

“No shit!” I said, more out of surprise.

“Yeah. Bismarck. Tirpitz. Prinz Eugen. Belfast. Enterprise. Yorktown. Hundreds of ships had a girl that was disguised as part of the crew. We worked just like any other crew member, but when things went wrong or something absolutely needed done, we were called upon to either fix it, or make sure the objective was achieved.” NJ said.

“So… what now? Your vessel is locked up here.” I said.

NJ shook her head.

“The moment I get my coat, I will have the ability to return this ship to combat readiness. With that coat, I can sail once more.” NJ said.

I looked at the floor.

“So if you get that coat… you’d leave?” I asked.

NJ looked at me.

“I would take you with me… if that’s what you’re concerned about.” NJ said.

I looked at her.

“Why? You’d finally be free.” I said.

“Because… I decided the day I woke up in your bed… that I’d give you a chance. And… you haven’t disappointed. If I ever decide that I no longer wish to be cooped up here. I will take you in the dead of night and we will set sail for the open sea.” NJ explained.

“We’d be criminals. The military would come for us.” I said.

“I have guns, missiles, cannons and radar. Plus… Kansens have something that normal ships do not. Our presence on our vessels makes us far more durable. They’d have to throw an entire carrier group at me to slow me down.” NJ said.

I looked at NJ.

She was dead serious.

“Well… if that day comes… I’ll leave my safety in your hands, New Jersey.” I said, earning a smile from the battleship in front of me.

“I’m getting tired. Perhaps we should begin heading back.” NJ said.

“Alright. Let’s get back. I’m starting to get hungry.” I said as I stood and then helped NJ to her feet.

“We clear to head back?” I asked.

NJ touched the wall again.

“Nobody is nearby. We will be fine.” NJ said as we made our way back towards the stairs to the second deck.

Chapter Text

Several tense moments of walking through abandoned bulkheads lead us back to the stairs to the second deck. NJ touched the wall again, checking the ship and the positions of the people on it. When she determined that the coast was clear, she took my hand, and we made our way up the stairs and back under the chain into the part of the ship that was open to tourists.

“See? Looks like you worried for nothing.” NJ said softly, careful not to raise her voice too loud.

“I guess…” I said as I looked at her.

“Tyler… are you sure you’re okay? I know it can’t be easy to know…the truth.” NJ whispered hesitantly..

“I’ll be okay... I think. It’s just funny to think I managed to stumble across someone like you by pure chance… this is the kind of thing you’d only see in those cheesy Sci-fi movies.” I said with a chuckle.

“Like Star Wars?” NJ asked.

“Yeah. Just like Star Wars. Wait… you know about Star Wars but you didn’t know that this ship became a museum?” I asked as we made our way towards the stairs to the top deck.

“Don’t patronize me!” NJ cried. After a moment, we both broke down laughing. We continued walking until we came to a familiar corridor.

As we walked, we passed the case with her Jacket hung up inside.

NJ locked eyes with her coat again.

"NJ. I'll ask if they can release it to you. It's yours after all." I said as she shook her head.

"They won't. I know that for sure. This museum likely has been given strict orders from the military to not release this coat to anyone. We will not be getting this coat legally." NJ said softly.

"I… We can't steal it… not right now." I whispered after looking around to make sure I wasn’t overheard.

"Tyler. I don't want it right now. It would be nice… to have my rigging again. But for now. I have you. I don't mind playing human for a little while longer when I have you looking out for me." NJ whispered happily as she hugged me.

I blushed slightly at her words.

"Are… you sure? It's not gonna be the best life ever…" I whispered.

"So? I have lived nearly eighty years at this point. Most of that time was split between war and boredom. Living a normal life for a while… I don't mind it." NJ said as she looked up at me.

“Well… I guess there’s no changing your mind on the matter.” I said as we walked out onto the open deck, looking out towards the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

Taking a quick look to my right, towards my truck, I noticed that my truck was in a lot that had a dwindling number of cars remaining.

“We should get going. It seems like the museum is getting ready to close. Maybe we can go out to dinner.” I said.

“I’d like that. Is there anything good close by? I wouldn’t mind staying in my home state for a little longer.” NJ said with a smile.

I pulled out my phone and did a quick search. NJ watched in stifled amusement. I noticed this out of the corner of my eye.

“NJ… do you not have a phone?” I asked.

NJ shook her head.

“Never needed one… didn’t have anyone to talk to.” NJ admitted.

“I see. We should probably get one for you so you can at least keep in contact with me.” I said.

NJ shook her head as she touched my phone. My phone vibrated wildly for a moment before falling silent.

“What did you do?” I asked as I turned and saw NJ’s eyes moving oddly.

“NJ?” I asked.

“Shh. I’m trying something.” NJ said as she closed her eyes and opened them again. Moments later an unknown number popped up on my phone with a simple message.

“Test.”

“Who is this?” I wondered aloud.

“It’s me, silly.” NJ said with a smile.

“What?!” I cried.

“Yeah. I didn’t actually think your phone would translate morse code… but it totally worked!” NJ said happily.

“So… you can just… think that? And it sends a message to my phone?” I asked.

A moment of silence and a message popped up on my phone from the same number.

“Yup! Pretty cool, Don’cha think?”

“This is insane…” I spoke softly as I replied to the text.

“That’s pretty cool actually.”

NJ shivered a bit.

“That tickles a bit actually… feels weird to receive messages after so long.” NJ said as I looked at her.

“That is going to take time to get used to.” I said.

“Maybe, but now I can keep in contact with you! And since 1967 I received the ability to encrypt and decrypt messages, I can make sure our messages are seen only by us…. And the military…” NJ said as she trailed off.

“Shit.” NJ spat quietly

“Well… that just means we need to keep our nose clean. Don’t give them a reason to look our way, right?” I asked with a smile.

“Right!” NJ said with a smile as she tugged at her shirt.

I stifled a laugh as I remembered that she was wearing a Battleship New Jersey shirt.

“Did you want to stop at the gift shop and get one that fits you a little better?” I asked.

“I’d love that. Not to say your shirt isn’t comfortable… but your size doesn’t account for my… torpedo bulges if you catch my drift.” NJ said with a cheeky smile.

“Yeah. Yeah. It’s no wonder the stork clerk was jealous. Any woman would be. Do you ever get back pain?” I asked.

“I have a keel of steel, silly. Of course not.” NJ said as we made our way towards the gift shop.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

We made it to the gift shop just as it was getting ready to close. I could see the cashier roll her eyes a bit as she saw us walk in.

“We won’t be long. Actually, if you could just direct us to a bigger size of this shirt, we can be in and out really quick.” I said. This seemed to alleviate her annoyance considerably.

“Right over here, Sir. If you are buying one for the lady, it looks like she might need one that’s two sizes bigger. Do you happen to know the size so I can check our stock?” The cashier asked.

“It’s a double extra large. It was initially my shirt, but she seems to have claimed it as her own.” I said with a chuckle. Not a moment later, my phone buzzed.

“Rude.”

I looked over at NJ and saw she was puffing her cheeks at me.

I smiled and looked down at my phone as we waited for the cashier to return from her stockroom.

“You’re a 50,500 ton warship and you’re complaining that you are going to have to wear a 4XL? Come on now.”

NJ’s cheeks lit up a bright red as she received the message. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the return of the Cashier.

“We have one left… but not in black. It’s red, is that okay?” The cashier asked.

“Sure! Haven’t worn red in quite a while.” NJ said happily as the cashier took the shirt behind the counter and worked quickly to check us out.

“Here you go, that’ll be 12 dollars.” The cashier said.

I handed her the money as NJ took the shirt.

“Have a good day, be sure to visit us again.” The Cashier said with as much fake enthusiasm as she could muster.

My phone buzzed again.

I looked down and saw the message.

“Oh we’ll be back alright… you might want to look for another job.”

I looked at NJ and she showed no signs of hostility despite the ominous message.

“Alright NJ, let’s get going. I found what I think is a neat place in town.” I said as she smiled and looked at me.

“Sure thing!” NJ said as we left the store.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“I found a nice beer garden we could go to.” I suggested only for NJ to look at the map I had pulled up on my phone and locate a diner down the road from it.

“Call me old fashioned… but I kinda want our first date to be in a diner.” NJ said cheerfully.

“Date?!” I asked, thoroughly surprised.

“Yeah, date. I told you my secret… you promised you wouldn’t leave. You’re stuck with me now!” NJ said happily.

I smiled at her reasoning.

“I guess I did say that. Oh well, if it’s my fate to be paired up with a fine woman like yourself, then this is a fate I’d say I will very much enjoy.” I said with a smile.

NJ squealed happily at my acceptance. Taking my hand she pulled me gently down the ramp from the ship and towards the truck. Right before we reached the truck, she turned back to look at her vessel.

“I’ll be back for you. If things get bad for us here. I will not rest until we are back on the open sea.” NJ said as I looked at her.

“I’ll be with you every step of the way, NJ. Just make sure I make it too…” I said as we hopped into the truck.

“There are perks to being who I am, Tyler. Consider yourself the most protected man on the planet, aside from the President of course. I may not have my rigging, but I still get some use of my instruments, even if I’m not onboard.” NJ said as we pulled out of the spot.

“Instruments?” I asked.

“Well, aside from be being able to message you with a thought. I can see better and hear things clearer and from further away since I’ve reconnected with the old girl. I’ll be able to hear anything in the house at any hour, asleep or awake. And… I get the benefit of being bullet resistant.” NJ said happily.

“What?!” I asked as I shot her a heaping dose of side eye.

“Yeah. I’m a battleship. I was built to take punishment and then dish it back tenfold. I’m like your own personal supergirl!” NJ explained happily.

“It seems there is much for me to learn about you, NJ.” I said as we pulled into the parking lot of the Camden Diner, where I hung my head.

“You have plenty of time to learn! That’s the great thing about our agreement.” NJ said as we looked at the entrance of the diner.

“Shall we?” I asked.

“Lead the way, Honey!”

Chapter Text

NJ and I got out of the truck and walked towards the door of the diner. True to its name, the diner had a shiny exterior with neon lights flashing, letting the world know they were open for business.

“See, Honey? It feels super homey. I love diners. Always have.” NJ said happily as I smiled at her.

“I can see that.” I said as I opened the door for her.

“Ladies first.” I spoke.

NJ blushed a bit.

“Such a gentleman. Thank you.” NJ said as she made a show of swaying her hips as she walked past. I shook my head in subtle embarrassment, as well as an attempt to hide my slowly growing interest in what she was keeping locked up beneath her clothes. Pushing those thoughts from my head, I followed her in and walked up next to her as we waited by the host stand.

“Smells like bacon.” I said as I took in my surroundings. The pseudo bar was packed with men wearing high visibility vests, looking like they had just come from a hard shift on a construction job site. Most of the tables were full as well. We both looked around for a potential table away from everyone when the host came up to us.

“Is it just the two of you today?” He asked.

“Yes. Just the two of us.” I spoke up after a moment.

“Do you have any table you’d prefer? I have a few open.” The host said.

“Preferably one away from people… well, as best you can.” I said.

“Hmm. How about that one in the corner?” The host asked, gesturing to the corner of the restaurant by the door to the kitchen.

“Sure. That works for me.” NJ spoke up with a smile.

I was about to walk forward to follow the host when I felt NJ’s hand slip into mine. I smiled softly and grasped her hand, allowing her to walk alongside me as we went to the table. I allowed her to sit first before taking the seat across the table from her.

The host set down two menus and left us as we waited for our server to come greet us.

“See? This is nice and comfy.” NJ said happily.

“I won’t lie. It’s a nice familiar feeling. It’s got a nice atmosphere to it.” I said as I looked at the menu.

NJ took her time perusing the menu until the waitress came over to us.

“Hi, my name is Becky and I’ll be your waitress today. Can I get you two started with something to drink?” The waitress asked.

NJ was the first to speak up.

“I’ll take a chocolate milkshake.” NJ said with a subtle hint of pride.

“Alright, and for you sir?” Becky asked.

“I’ll have a lemonade.” I said shortly as I continued to look at the menu.

“No problem, I’ll go and take care of that for you right now.” Becky said as she walked off to prepare our drinks.

NJ smiled at me.

“Lemonade? I didn’t think you were one for it.” NJ said.

“Really? Why do you say that?” I asked.

“I checked your refrigerator when I made breakfast this morning. You didn’t have any in a jug or even any store bought. I wasn’t expecting that.” NJ said happily.

“Yeah, sometimes when the mood strikes I’ll sit and have a glass. I just don’t do it often because my tongue is sensitive to all the acid.” I admitted.

“Really? I’ll have to keep that in mind for when I cook then.” NJ said.

“Hey. Don’t go encroaching on my job.” I said in a joking tone.

“You work all day, Honey. I told you, if you let me stay with you, I will do work around the house to make your life as easy as I can. That was the agreement. Part of that work is me taking on the cooking.” NJ explained.

“I will happily disagree with that, NJ. I still enjoy cooking at home. It’s just a matter of saving enough money to get good ingredients.” I said as I scratched my neck.

“Save? What do you mean by that?” NJ asked.

“The meal I made last night for the two of us took a solid amount of my leftover money from my last paycheck. And to buy everything I did at the store before we came here, I had to pull money from savings to do so. It’s just going to be tight for a while.” I said as Becky returned with our drinks.

“Are you two ready to order?” Becky asked with a smile.

“I’ll take the burger, no lettuce, tomato, or onion please.” I said as NJ looked at me.

“I’ll have the same please.” NJ said as I looked at her.

Becky wrote down our order and walked off to deliver it to the kitchen.

“You could have gotten something more, NJ.” I said.

NJ shook her head.

“I didn’t realize just how bad things were for you financially. It didn’t sink in when you said you had to work overtime just to make rent. I’m sorry for being so selfish.” NJ said as she looked down at her drink.

“Don’t worry about it, NJ. I did it because I wanted to. It just means that I’ll have to see if my boss is willing to give me a raise.” I said as I took a sip of my lemonade.

NJ shook her head before reaching into the pocket on her shorts. She pulled out a small wallet with a tiny anchor on it. Looking at it, she sighed.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“It’s my wallet.” NJ said as she opened the wallet.

Much to my surprise I saw a black card branded with the Centurion from American Express sitting next to an official looking ID badge.

“NJ… what is that?” I asked.

“One of the few perks of being replaced. Trust me… it’s not something I really like possessing, but considering all the fees are paid for by the government and the charges aren’t monitored so long as they are within the US… It’s free money, call it a pension.” NJ said softly.

“But… you said you spent so long without a home… you could have bought anything with that.” I said.

“You’re right. I could have. But as I said, it’s not something I enjoy possessing. I get an allowance from Uncle Sam to the tune of $10,000 per month. I could have gotten a home long ago, but I never wanted to rely on them for anything.” NJ said.

“Don’t put yourself through the internal conflict of using it. I’ll talk to my boss and try to secure a raise.” I said as I placed my hand on hers.

“No. I won’t let you work yourself to the bone, Honey. I have $10k a month to help cover costs. So long as we don’t go over that amount, we won’t owe anything to anyone. I will take care of keeping the house stocked.” NJ said.

“You know I can’t let you do that.” I said. My rebuttal was taken poorly as NJ grabbed my hand tightly.

“I will take no argument, Tyler. You work hard as is. I can see the circles under your eyes. I hear the sighs and grunts when you move due to all the aching muscles and joints. You put more strain on your body than any non-military civilian should. You will not be able to work any harder than you already do. I will not allow you to. Do I make myself clear?” NJ asked as she put her wallet back in her pocket.

“NJ… you’re not my mother.” I said as I tried to avoid her gaze.

“But I am your roommate. I am also your girlfriend, now… do I make myself clear?” NJ asked again.

“Fine… But I will pay you for whatever you bring into the house.” I said.

“I won’t accept it. You’ll find the cash right back in your bank account.” NJ said shortly.

“I can’t let you saddle everything, NJ.” I complained in a hushed tone.

“I don’t care what you can and can’t let happen. I have made my choice on this matter, Honey. Now you won’t have to save money to buy groceries.” NJ said as she sipped at her milkshake, shivering slightly at the feeling of the frozen drink passing her core.

I sat back and looked down at my lap. My callused hands were what my eyes had decided to focus on. I looked over my hands. Thick skin from all of the chemical burns. Cuts from mishaps with knives. Scars from oil and contact burns covered the back of my hands. Flexing my fingers, my skin remained tight as a result of using an industrial cleaner without gloves the day before.

I had become so engrossed in my hands that I didn’t notice NJ moving from her seat across from me and moving to the empty spot right next to me. Suddenly, the view of my hands was invaded by the milky white and silky smooth skin of NJ who laid her hand on mine.

“Tyler. Don’t think any less of yourself. You’re a good man. A very good man. A template for what I believe a good person is. You work hard. You try to please others. You suffer so others do not have to. It’s inspiring, ya’know. Look at these.” NJ said as she grabbed my hands and held them together in her own.

“These are the hands of a hard working man. A man who thinks little of himself in his service to others. You’re a chef. You cook for strangers without thinking about what they think of you. You pour your blood, sweat, and tears into your work just for the opportunity to hear them say it was delicious. I can’t help but admire that about you.” NJ said softly.

“But these hands don’t make money…” I whispered.

“So? Do you enjoy it?” NJ asked.

“Yeah.”

“Does it make you happy when someone says your food is delicious?” NJ asked.

“Yeah.”

“Then so what if it doesn’t make the most money ever? You work hard, you do something you love. And you were even prepared to work to the bone to provide for someone you didn’t have to take in. Don’t think of this as you failing. You haven’t failed, Honey.
Think of this as… karma giving you what you deserve for all your hard work. Don’t think that this makes you less of a man. It doesn’t. And I will never let you go long enough for you to think like that.” NJ said as she hugged me gently, allowing me to lean into her.

Several moments of silence later, Becky returned to the table with our meal.

“Two Burgers, no lettuce, tomato, or onion. The cooks also threw in an extra for you. It’s a potential new item on the menu and they wanted your opinion of it.” Becky said.

“Oooo! What are they?” NJ asked as she looked at the deep fried balls on the plate that was set in front of us.

“They have explained it as a deep fried risotto ball stuffed with cheese.” Becky said.

“Suppli Al Telefono.” I said softly.

“Hmm?” Becky asked.

“It’s an Italian dish. The name of the dish your cooks made. It’s called Suppli Al Telefono. Basically cheese filled risotto balls.” I repeated myself.

“I see… well… would you mind giving them a try so I can provide feedback to the kitchen?” Becky asked as I took one of the balls and pulled it apart, stretching a long strand of mozzarella between the two halves.

“It does the telefono part right.” I said as I ate one half of the ball while extending the other half to NJ, who happily ate it from my fingers.

“The taste is good. Rice is cooked properly. All in all it’s solid. Give them a thumbs up from me.” I said as Becky nodded.

“Thank you, sir. Please enjoy your meal.” Becky said as she took my cup and refilled it before heading off to check her other tables.

“How did you know the name of this?” NJ asked.

“I went to culinary school. It was one of the best days of the curriculum. Everyone would pay the class making the dish to save some for them to eat, myself included.” I said.

“And you knew the name… how? That was Italian wasn’t it?” NJ asked as she took another risotto ball and bit into it, pulling away with another long string of mozzarella.

“It’s one of my favorite dishes. I took extra care to remember the lessons pertaining to it, so I memorized the name.” I said.

“I like these… but I want you to make your own for me.” NJ said as she took another drink of her milkshake.

“I can do that. I just have to buy the stuff to make it.” I said.

NJ shook her head.

“I will buy it, Honey. Give me a list of things we need and I will buy them.” NJ spoke sternly as I took a bite of my burger.

“Fine.” I said as we spent the rest of the meal making small talk and learning more about each other.

Chapter Text

As NJ and I finished our meal, the small talk began to die down.

"Not a half bad burger if I do say so myself." I said with a satisfied smile. Looking over at NJ's plate, her plate was completely clean, not a single crumb or smear of sauce.

NJ noticed my gaze and spoke up.

"I was hungry, alright?" She said with a giggle.

"I didn't say anything. Did you want anything for dessert?" I asked.

"You mean other than you?" NJ asked in a joking tone, leaving me beet red.

"Yes! Ice cream, cake, pie? Did you want anything of that nature?" I clarified, trying to put my embarrassment behind me.

"Hmm. I guess a cream pie wouldn't be too bad." NJ said, casting side eye my way to see me search the menu for the item in question.

NJ laughed a bit more.

"I'm only kidding, Honey. They don't have that here. I'll have a slice of Boston cream cake. I saw it in the cooler when we walked in." NJ said as I finally understood the cream pie she was refering to.

I pulled out my phone and texted her.

"For a battleship, you are really raunchy." My message read.

"Do you blame me? I was created in 1942. I haven't been with anyone in 80 years. Hell… I'm still a virgin." NJ's message retorted.

"Seriously?" I asked.

NJ nodded.

"Never saw a need to take a partner. But my life has changed now. So… things can be different, don'cha think?" NJ asked.

"We can discuss this further when we get home. For now, let's finish dinner." I said as Becky came back to the table.

"Can I get you two anything for dessert?" Becky asked as she balanced our empty plates on one hand.

"A slice of the Boston cream cake and two forks please." I said.

"One slice of cake, coming right up, Sir." Becky said as she walked away from the table.

I sat there looking at NJ as she twirled her hair around her finger.

"Did you always look like this? Or did you have to grow up?" I asked in a hushed tone, on account of the table behind us being sat.

"Nope. I appeared looking like this. Was quite the spectacle really. You should have seen the workers who put the finishing touches on my hull. I swear one of them almost jumped overboard." NJ whispered back with a smile.

"So you weren't initially a state secret?" I asked.

NJ looked to the ceiling as she tried to find a way to explain her situation.

"Basically when the New Jersey was constructed, there were always feds around. They would oversee the construction of the vessel, ensuring it met the standards that had been set forth by Iowa, my sister ship. But they didn't tell the workers that deep in the bowels of the ship, there were a few suits that had brought aboard something they called a wisdom cube. They placed the cube on the keel and it just… vanished. According to the documents they allowed me to see when I finally came to be, it was the wisdom cube that brought me to life once the construction of my vessel was complete. So none of the workers were expecting a fully grown woman to appear out of nowhere." NJ explained, doing her best to keep her voice low. Thankfully, the kids in the seats behind us were making it so our conversation was going unheard.

"So… you just poofed into existence, fully grown and ready for war?" I asked.

"No, silly. Nobody is born ready for war. I still had to attend boot camp for the Navy. What the Government wanted was for me to learn how to blend in with the crew. So I did the whole thing. PT, rifle, everything that they did in basic training, I did. I excelled in PT… because when you command a battleship of that magnitude, you tend to have plenty of juice in reserve. It was actually really funny. One time the drill instructor got upset with me for tripping up one of the other recruits on our march that day, so when we got back to the barracks, he told me to do push-ups until he got tired of watching. I lost count somewhere after 500 but I thought watching him stand there tapping his foot for an hour while waiting for me to fail was funny. He didn't pick on me much after that." NJ explained, causing me to laugh a bit.

"You seriously pushed until he got tired… That is the best thing I've ever heard… aside from getting a roommate." I said, causing a soft red to cross her cheeks.

Becky came by to save NJ from further embarrassment, setting a decent sized slice of Boston cream cake on our table with a pair of forks.

"I sliced it just a tad bit bigger since the two of you are sharing. Please enjoy." Becky said as she left a black check holder on the table. I went to reach for it but NJ snatched it away from me before I could grab it.

"Hand it over." I said with my hand extended.

"Nope. You paid for my stuff at the store and for admission to see… me. So I got dinner." NJ said as I reached further for the check holder.

"Just hand it over. I said I'd get dinner." I argued.

"You said no such thing, mister. I will take care of it." NJ said as she pushed the check holder into her shirt.

"There. Now if you want it, you can grab it." NJ said, sticking out her tongue at me.

"You know damn well I can't grab you there!" I hissed.

"Oh you can, I might even like it." NJ said with as evil a smirk as she could pull off.

"We are in public! You know I can't do that!" I hissed again.

"Well then I guess you better just shut your lips and let me take care of dinner. No use complaining if you can't do anything about it, don'cha think?" NJ asked as she took a piece of cake and ate it, watching me closely to see how I'd react.

I grumbled a bit as I took a piece of cake and ate it.

NJ hummed to herself, happy to have had the last laugh.

“To think you’d go so far. I seem to have underestimated you.” I said as I sipped my drink, washing down the cake while keeping my eyes on her.

“I have sixty years of experience over you in making sure I get things done, honey. You never stood a chance of paying for dinner.” NJ said as she pulled the check holder out of her shirt and put her black card inside before handing it to Becky, who seemed unphased by what she had witnessed.

I grumbled further.

“Fine. But I’m paying you for my portion.” I said.

“As I said before, you’ll find that money back in your bank account. No use in trying. You lose.” NJ said as she stuck her tongue out again.

“Keep sticking that out at me and I’ll bite it.” I shot.

“Oh? That sounds interesting. You think you’d be able to pull it off?” NJ teased.

“I know I would be able to.” I spoke as we finished our cake.

Becky returned a moment later with the receipt for our meal. NJ signed what I could only assume was her initials, considering she never gave me a cover name. The signature itself looked quite professional despite it only being two letters.

“Thank you for your business and we hope to see you again.” Becky said with a smile as she took our plate.

“Thank you for the food!” NJ said as she stood and helped me to my feet.

I remained silent as we walked towards the door of the restaurant and back out into the heat of the afternoon sun.

“That was a good meal.” NJ said happily.

“I call dibs on the next meal.” I said, earning myself a look of shock from NJ.

“That’s not fair!” NJ cried.

“Neither is stuffing the check down your shirt, forcing me to fondle you if I want to pay the bill. That was childish!” I said in an annoyed tone.

“You should have seen your face though. It was really cute to see you get flustered like that.” NJ said with a smile.

I looked at her smile for a few moments. I couldn’t stay mad at a smile like that.

“I’m still paying for the next one, damn it.” I said as I opened the passenger door for her, allowing her to get into the truck. I closed her door and walked around to the other side, hopping into the driver's seat before heading towards the exit.

“Such a stubborn man.” NJ said as we took to the main road heading back for Pennsylvania.

“And you’re a stubborn woman. It takes one to know one.” I said as I looked her way, sticking out my tongue in an attempt to tease her. What I did not expect was for her lips to be on mine at that moment. After a few seconds of keeping the wheel straight to ensure we didn’t crash, she pulled away.

“So that’s what you meant by biting my tongue. Such a sneaky guy, aren’t you, Honey?” NJ said as she wiped her mouth as I sat in a state of shock.

NJ laughed as she saw my face grow redder and redder with each passing moment.

I remained quiet as I kept us moving back towards home. It was at that moment that I finally realized I had found someone special.

Chapter Text

The majority of the drive back to Pennsylvania was quiet. NJ had fallen asleep in the passenger's seat as the food we had eaten settled in her stomach. I kept looking at her as we drove. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her for too long, something about her kept drawing me in.

“It’s still really hard to think this is real. I’m scared that this is nothing more than a dream.” I whispered to myself as I saw NJ shift in the corner of my vision. Once again, my eyes were drawn to her. This, however, would be a mistake.

The moment I took my eyes off the road, the sound of tires squealing was heard. And in the time it took me to turn my eyes back, I was suddenly facing down a pickup truck similar to mine. The driver, who had somehow managed to leave their lane and was now driving head on towards me, wasn’t paying attention to the road. In the split second before impact, I instinctively threw my arms over to the side to cover NJ and closed my eyes.

“This is it.” My mind raced with that exact thought as the two trucks collided head on in the middle of the highway. I blacked out the moments after impact as the airbags deployed.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I woke up some time later. My eyes opened and all I saw was the gray overcast sky of Pennsylvania in the winter.

“Did… I die?” I asked, unsure of if anyone could hear me.

“No. You’re okay, honey.” NJ’s voice graced my ears as I tried to turn my head, only to feel a strap holding me against something.

“I… can’t move. What’s going on, what happened?” I asked.

“Honey. Please just calm down. I got the ambulance here as quickly as I could. They’re taking you to the hospital. I’m so sorry.” NJ spoke as her face came into view. Tear tracks had marred her face as did a smear of red.

“NJ… there’s blood on your face. Are you okay?” I asked as the steel ceiling of the ambulance filled my vision.

“My arms took a lot of the impact, but thankfully I only took a few cuts to the arm.” NJ explained.

“What happened?” I asked again.

“Ma’am, if you’re coming with him, you need to get in. You should honestly come anyway, that cut on your arm is going to need stitches.” The paramedic spoke.

“Stitches!?” I cried as a shot of pain went down my back.

I hissed in pain only for NJ to scold me seconds later as she climbed into the ambulance.

“You need to relax, honey. They believe that there was damage done to your back in the accident. I couldn’t fully cover you.” NJ said as her face came into view again.

“Accident? Cover? You were asleep. I was covering you… the other truck was on the wrong side of the road.” I spoke as I tried to recall the events before my blackout.

“I heard the tires and immediately moved to cover you. You had your eyes closed at the moment of impact and you didn’t open them until just a minute ago. That other truck hit us head on. Thankfully the medics said that they all made it out without major injury. Unfortunately, the police on scene said the driver was intoxicated, which is likely what saved his life. Your truck… is totaled. I don’t think you’d be able to drive with the engine poking into the crew compartment.” NJ explained.

“My truck is not any of my concern. Insurance will completely cover it. What about you? Are you okay?” I asked as the paramedic leaned down to look at me before looking at NJ.

“You have a good man here, miss.” The paramedic said as she looked back at me.

“She has a nasty looking cut on her arm, but it looks worse than it is. She’ll be just fine. You, however, should be worried about yourself. We didn’t do much in terms of an exam, but we have reason to believe that you have some damage to your spine, as your positioning inside the wreckage required our use of the jaws of life and a backboard just to get you out. I don’t know how she did it, but this fine lady is likely what kept you from dying today.” The paramedic explained.

“I’m okay, honey. I’m tougher than I look. I’m just happy I was able to keep you relatively safe.” NJ said as the doors of the ambulance closed and we headed away from the scene of the accident.

I laid back on the board they had placed me on, not that I had much of a choice in the matter. They had me strapped down tight to keep my spine in place.

“In your opinion, how bad are his injuries?” NJ asked.

“Well… I’m no doctor, but based on the tenderness of the area, I have reason to believe that several of his vertebrae have been damaged. An X-ray would give the doctors a better idea. I would say that you should be ready to take care of him for a few weeks since he will likely be bedridden until his back heals.” The paramedic spoke.

“I can do so handily.” NJ said as her face popped into view.

“I’ll take real good care of you, Honey. I promise.” NJ said as she gave me the biggest smile she could.

That damn smile… even as the pain was finally beginning to find purchase in my mind, I found myself smiling at how positive NJ was in light of all of this.

“I trust you… NJ.” I said as I found myself being pulled back into a state of unconsciousness.

I awoke again. I tried to move, only to find that I was still tied to the backboard. I became acutely aware of a small pinch in my left arm as I managed to catch a clear tube leading down to where my arm was.

“Where are we?” I asked, startling the paramedic who was in the middle of reading the heart monitor.

“We’re pulling into the hospital now. I put an IV in your arm to help administer some pain medication. Your vitals look good for someone who was pulled out of a wreck like that. I’ll be frank, it’s a miracle you’re still here. That truck was almost folded back on itself. I’d be sure to thank your lady when you get back on your feet.” The paramedic spoke.

“I’ll be sure to do that. Where is she?” I asked.

“She’s next to the cart here. Can’t you feel her hand? She’s been holding your hand the entire time.” The paramedic explained.

My eyes went wide.

“No… now that you mention it… I can’t really feel my right arm.” I said as the paramedic spoke quickly into her radio, updating the doctors on my condition.

“I’m here, Honey. Don’t you worry, ‘kay?” NJ asked.

“I couldn’t see you. I can’t exactly move my head.” I said.

“Don’t worry. They won’t be separating you from me. I’ll be right here with you.” NJ said as I felt the ambulance come to a stop.

“Ma’am, we’re going to be taking him in, please stick close to us so we can get you taken care of as well.” The paramedic said as the doors to the ambulance opened. I felt myself being moved.

I watched as the sky was slowly overtaken by bright white lights and off-white ceilings as I was rolled into the Emergency room.

A voice I had never heard before spoke.

“What do we got?” The voice asked.

“Motor Vehicle accident. Heart Rate elevated. Blood pressure elevated. Suspected spinal injury. Patient reports loss of feeling in the right arm. The woman has a laceration to her arm from the same vehicle accident. We administered a single dose of Morphine En route to manage pain.” The paramedic spoke.

The voice then addressed NJ.

“Who are you to him?” The voice asked.

“I’m his girlfriend.” NJ spoke shortly.

“Did he lose consciousness?” The voice asked.

“Yes. Several times between the scene and here.” The paramedic spoke.

“Got it. We’ll take it from here.” The voice spoke as I felt a small jolt in the cart, indicating a change of hands as I was wheeled into a room where I felt a whole bunch of hands working to transfer me to what I could only assume was a hospital bed.

“Get him a head CT and Spinal X-ray stat. Also get me a nurse to tend to the girlfriend’s arm.” The voice spoke. I felt the darkness closing in again as I closed my eyes.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Several hours later, I awoke in a dimly lit room. I was finally able to move my head, so I took the liberty of looking around the room, only to find NJ’s head resting on the left side of the bed as she had pulled a chair over to keep watch.

I lifted my left hand and put it on her head, getting a few rubs in before she awoke.

“Good evening, Honey.” NJ spoke softly as she stretched her arms, giving me a view of her stitched-up arm.

“Evening? What time is it?” I asked.

“Twenty Hundred hours.” NJ spoke shortly.

“Eight at night… I’ve been out for a while, haven’t I?” I asked.

“You have. You’ve been fully admitted to the hospital in the time you were out.” NJ explained.

“Did the doc’s say anything?” I asked.

“Yes. A mild concussion from the sudden stop. You also have two broken vertebrae, one of which is pinching on the main nerve leading to your right arm. The doctor said you are going to need surgery to set the vertebrae and release the pinched nerve. I explained what had happened and they all agreed that you are lucky to be alive. But… I like to think I had a lot to do with it.” NJ said as I looked at her.

“I know you had everything to do with it. You said it yourself, you’re practically bulletproof. I wouldn’t be surprised if your body is harder than the truck was.” I said as she giggled softly.

“You’re not too far off, honey.” NJ said with a soft smile as she laid an arm over me.

“When is my surgery?” I asked.

“They are in the middle of attempting to get an OR open for you. That aside, I got a call from someone named Max on your phone.” NJ said.

“That’s my boss… what did he want?” I asked.

“He wanted to know if you were able to make it into work tomorrow. He said he knew he gave you that day off per your request but someone else called off due to a family emergency.” NJ said.

“What did you tell him?” I asked.

“I handed the phone to the doctor who explained that you had been in a severe vehicle accident and that work would be off the table for at least two to three months. Max seemed to understand and, when the phone was handed back to me, said he would be sending you a packet to fill out to apply for long term medical leave.” NJ said.

“They do that? How did I not know that?” I asked.

NJ shrugged.

“Doesn’t matter. He’s going to have it sent out. I used your fingerprint to get into your phone and contacted the person named “mom” who I assume is your mother. I let her know what was going on and she said she is on her way from South Carolina right now
to come and see you.” NJ said.

“You talked to my mother?!” I asked as I tried to get up, only to be gently pushed back down by NJ who shook her head.

“You’re not going anywhere, mister. Yes. I spoke to Mrs. Sweigart. That is your mother, correct?” NJ asked.

“Yes. That’s my mom. What did she say?” I asked.

“She thanked me for calling and asked me to keep an eye on you until she gets here. She didn’t seem to mind when I introduced myself as your girlfriend. In fact, before I told her about the accident, she seemed excited to know you had one.” NJ said.

I looked away.

“It was always hard for me to connect with someone on that level. So of course she’d be happy.” I said as a doctor came into the room.

“Ah, good. You’re awake. How are you feeling?” The doctor asked.

“My right arm is numb and there’s a bit of pain coming from my upper middle back. Other than that, just trying to recollect what’s happened.” I said.

“I can understand that. We just managed to get you an OR to go in and get your broken vertebrae off your nerve so you can regain feeling in your right arm. So, if you’re ready, we can get you in there before the damage becomes permanent.” The doctor explained.

I nodded.

“Let’s go then… the quicker we get this done… the quicker I can get my arm back.” I said as the doctor nodded. He unlocked the wheels on my bed after having NJ sit in the chair. In an instant, we were headed down the hall towards the operation wing of the hospital.

Chapter Text

I was wheeled into a decently large operating theater. With the ability to turn my head for the moment, I was able to get a full look at my surroundings. This looked like a teaching hospital where they would send medical students to do their residency. The large
bay window above the operating area proved as much, as through the glass I could see several younger adults all wearing white lab coats and holding what looked like notebooks and PDA's. What looked like a senior medical professional stood in the room with
them, no doubt going over with them the procedure that was about to occur.

I sighed and craned my neck around to look at the doctor who had pushed me in here.

"What are the possible outcomes here?" I asked.

"You don't need to worry about it. Some of the best doctors in the state are here to ensure the safety of all of our patients. You'll be just fine and well on the road to recovery after all this is over." The doctor said.

I resigned myself to the possibility of permanent paralysis of my arm should the surgery not go as planned. The thoughts rolled through my mind like a convoy, unable to be stopped by anything.

"What wouldn't I be able to do? What would I do for work? What would NJ think?"

My mind settled on the last question.

"What would NJ think if I could no longer use both of my arms? I took her in on a whim and we've become great friends. She has even indicated a desire for a longer, more in-depth partnership than just being friends." My mind went wild thinking of all of the
possible situations when a movement in the gallery caught my eye.

My internal clock told me it was around twenty-two hundred, but yet, from South Carolina to Pennsylvania, my mother had made the drive. And taking into account all of the possibilities of when NJ called her, she made the trip in under ten hours at the most.

Standing away from the students in the gallery, my mother and NJ were escorted in by a doctor who had permitted them to sit in on the operation. I smiled slightly as the anesthesiologist slid a mask over my face and told me to count backwards from ten.

"Ten."

"Nine."

"Eight."

"Seven."

I didn't make it to one.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I awoke an unknown amount of time later back in my hospital room. A sluggish look around the room saw NJ and my mother chatting quietly in the corner. The sight made me smile a bit.

"She's over there talking her ear off about me… isn't she?" I thought to myself as I listened in.

Just as they were about to speak, a knock came to the door. NJ stood up and opened the door, allowing several police officers into the room.

"Oh good, he's awake. Do either of you know if he's able to answer a few questions?" One of the officers asked.

"He should be fine to talk… Do I need to contact our lawyer?" My mother asked.

"Not at all. He's not in any trouble. The other party was found to be at fault. Not only because the accident occurred on this man's side of the road, but also because the man who caused the accident was found to have a BAC of nearly three times the legal limit.
We wanted to drop by and ask if this man and the woman he was with would like to press any additional charges on top of what the state will be pressing." The officer clarified.

I cleared my throat as NJ rushed to my side with a cup of water. Taking a drink, I finally found my voice.

"I would. The doctors here said I was lucky to survive, even with these injuries. So, I want this guy to be punished to the full extent of the law." I said.

"We have also provided your insurance company a copy of the police report. You'll have to speak with them, or have a representative speak on your behalf, which I personally would recommend. As one man to another, take some time to recover before putting yourself through this, if someone can speak on your behalf, let them. As one of the responding officers to that accident… I have no clue how you managed to get out of there in this good of shape." The officer spoke.

I smiled.

"I guess someone was looking out for me. Ain’t my time to go yet.” I said.

The officers smiled.

“If you are going to go ahead with pressing charges, I would contact your lawyer and get your argument ready for the courts.” The officer said.

“How was the other guy?” I asked, purely out of curiosity.

“He got away with a few minor cuts from his windshield shattering. His passengers, a wife and kid, got out without injury. But they were pretty shaken up by the whole thing.” The officer said.

“He was drinking with his kid in the car… I hope they throw the book at him.” I said spitefully.

The officer nodded.

“Do you mind if we ask a few more questions regarding the incident? Just to clarify the report?” The officer asked.

“Go for it.” I said.

“Would you say that you were in any way intoxicated or impaired at the time of the accident?” The officer asked.

“No. I had a burger and soda before leaving New Jersey. And I had bacon and eggs for breakfast with my coffee.” I replied.

“Do you recall being distracted in any way? Examples being that you were on your phone or were reaching for something instead of focusing on the road?” The officer asked.

“No. My eyes only left the road once impact was imminent and there was nothing I could do. I used my right arm to cover NJ and then the airbags deployed. I woke up when I was loaded into the ambulance.” I replied.

“Right. Last question, this one more for legal reasons. We found a firearm in your vehicle when we went through it for your insurance information. Do you have your concealed carry license that would allow you to transport that firearm?” The officer asked.

“I do. It is in my wallet.” I said as NJ walked to my clothes and pulled out my wallet, handing over a white card.

“You got lucky again, son. Thankfully you were on the PA side of the state line when this occurred. New Jersey wouldn’t recognize this card and you could have been arrested.” The officer spoke as he returned the card to NJ.

“I never leave without it.” I said.

“Well just be careful. Virginia and West Virginia are the only states connected to us that recognize our Concealed Carry Permits.” The officer said.

“Not a problem.” I said as the officer tipped his hat.

“Good luck on your recovery. I’ll likely be meeting you again in court to testify on behalf of the police department.” The officer said.

“Thanks. I guess I’ll be seeing you then.” I said as the officer left the room. The door clicked, indicating that the three of us were alone again.

I looked over to see my mom looking at me.

“Hi mom… how was the trip?” I asked, trying to inject a small bit of humor to the situation.

“How was the… boy! I had a police escort the entire way up the coast. We got up here in just under ten hours! You were in an accident that could have killed you!” My mother cried.

“But yet, here I am. My luck continues to hold.” I spoke.

My mother let out a disgruntled sigh.

“One of these days that luck isn’t going to save you. You need to be a little bit more careful.” My mother said.

“You heard the officer; the guy was drunk. I wasn’t at fault.” I retorted.

“Be that as it may, you still should remain vigilant.” My mother spoke as I chuckled.

“Yeah… I guess I should be.” I said as NJ spoke up.

“He is a good man, Mrs. Sweigart. It is clear you raised him well.” NJ said.

“I like to think I did a good job… he managed to land a woman like you.” My mother said.

“He did. He had no reason to take me in, but he did. And I will make sure he is well taken care of.” NJ said as my mother looked at me.

“I’ll be sticking around up here for a few days just to make sure you’re alright. The doctors said they’d come by later once you’re awake to see if they managed to fix your arm.” My mother said.

I smiled and nodded.

“Thank you.” I said as I looked at NJ.

“Hmm?” NJ hummed.

“How is your arm?” I asked.

“My arm is fine. They stitched it up really nice.” NJ said as she showed me the stitch work the doctors had done.

“I’m just thankful you’re alright.” I said as a nurse came into the room.

“Visiting hours are coming to an end. We will allow visitors again at Eight in the morning, but until then, I must ask that you prepare to leave for the evening.” The nurse spoke.

I looked at my mother and NJ.

“Where will you two go?” I asked.

“I booked your mother and I a hotel in the city, right down the street. Walking distance.” NJ said.

“In the city? Which city?” I asked.

“You’re in Philadelphia.” My mother said.

“NJ! Philadelphia hotels are expensive!” I spoke in a raised tone, doing my best to keep from moving my back.

“Black card, honey.” NJ said as my mom looked at her.

“We’ll have plenty of time to talk tonight. Let’s say goodnight and let him rest.” My mother said as she stood and walked over to me. With a quick kiss on the cheek, she said goodnight and left the room.

“We’ll have to buy your clothes again… and your little models. I’m sorry.” I whispered to NJ as she hugged me.

“It’s okay, honey. Those are replaceable. You are not. I’m just glad you’re safe, okay?” NJ asked as she kissed my forehead.

“Rest up, ‘kay?” NJ whispered as she moved down and laid a chaste kiss on my lips.

“I’ll be here at 0800 on the dot with breakfast for you, honey. So don’t you worry. I’ll take care of you.” NJ said as she left the room.

Chapter Text

2200 rolled around quickly after NJ had left with my mother. My mind kept going back to the crash.

"Two months of recovery. It's going to be hell trying to get back to work." I said to myself as I laid in bed, resting mostly on my left side to keep my eye on the door. Just as I was about to fall asleep, the door opened.

"Mr. Sweigart?" A man in a lab coat spoke.

"That would be me…" I said as I struggled to sit up.

"Don't exert yourself. I'm just dropping by to introduce myself. I'm your physical therapy practitioner here at the hospital. Me and my assistants will be in tomorrow afternoon to check on your arm and ensure that the surgery was a success. My name is Dr. Marcus Smith. I look forward to working with you." Dr. Smith spoke.

"Likewise." I said tiredly as I allowed myself to lay back down and relax. Dr. Smith left a few seconds later.

I fell asleep shortly after that.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I was awoken to the sound of my hospital door opening and the blinds of my room being opened just enough to light up the darkened room.

After a quick look around, I saw NJ pulling a chair over to my bedside. Taking a look at the clock, I saw that the time was exactly 0800, just as she had said the night prior.

"You weren't kidding." I said softly.

"Nope! 0800 on the dot, honey. I told you I'd take care of you." NJ said.

"Where's my mom?" I asked.

"She's out grabbing breakfast from one of the cafés in the city. She should be here in a few minutes." NJ said

"I wonder what she's grabbing. I'd kill for a bagel and cream cheese." I said as I laid in bed.

"Done! I got your mother's number from your phone last night. I just messaged her what you want." NJ said.

"From my phone? You didn't have my phone." I said.

"I memorized the number, just in case." NJ said.

"If it were any other situation, that would be creepy. But… I'll allow it. Just don't let it get out of hand." I requested.

"Not an issue, Honey. Is there anything I can do to help right now?" NJ asked.

"Could you poke my right hand?" I asked.

NJ smiled as she pushed a finger against the back of my hand.

"Feel that?" NJ asked.

"Thankfully, yes. I was a bit nervous." I said.

"About what, honey? They had the best doctors in the building working your case. What would you be nervous about?” NJ asked.

“I got worried about what you would think if I lost the ability to use my arm. I was worried that if this wouldn’t be fixed, you’d be disappointed and leave.” I said.

NJ leaned over and kissed my cheek.

“That wouldn’t have happened, honey. I already knew that if you did lose the arm, I would be there to support you the whole time. Don’t think that I would leave you over something so trivial.” NJ whispered as she ran a hand through my hair.

“It would have meant that I wouldn’t have been able to work. I would be home all the time.” I retorted.

“So? That makes it easy. Living on 10k a month would be really easy and rent could be subsidized by the state.” NJ said.

“Wait what?” I asked.

“I never gave the government an address. But they said they would subsidize my housing in addition to the black card. Pretty neat perks of being the most decorated battleship in US history, don’cha think?” NJ said with a smile.

“It’s like you get to live life on easy mode.” I said with a chuckle.

NJ smiled.

“I did a lot to earn this life. But now I actually have a reason to live it, ya’know?” NJ said as she rested her head on my chest.

I felt my face get hot.

“NJ?” I asked.

“No… I want to say something. Tyler. You are the reason I want to live this life, ya’know? I want to use the perks that I earned through years and years of service and help you in making our life better. You took me in and showed me, in the course of a few days, how to value my life more than I have. You gave me the time of day and opened your home to me. I am fully and completely in your debt.” NJ said as she continued to stroke my hair while looking up at me.

“You aren’t in my debt. I don’t want you to feel like you're obligated to be here. I took you in to be kind. And I like to think that we formed a relationship off of our mutual respect. You saving my life would have already cleared your debt anyway.” I said.

NJ shook her head.

“I won’t leave. Being with you makes me happy, even if it’s like this. I find myself happy just to be here.” NJ said as the door opened. NJ quickly sat up straight as my mother entered the room.

“Good morning.” My mother said as she handed me a bag with my bagel on the inside.

“Morning. How did you sleep?” I asked.

“Surprisingly well. Your girlfriend managed to get us the penthouse suite when she showed them her ID. No clue what you got yourself into, but you had better keep a hold on this one. She’s special.” My mother said.

“I fully intend to.” I said as NJ turned to my mother.

“I don’t plan on leaving him, Mrs. Sweigart. He helped me out quite a bit, as we talked about last night. I think it might be time for me to settle down… and he wouldn’t be the worst person to do so with.” NJ said.

“I hope to get an invitation to that wedding.” My mother said.

“You will, mom.” I said as NJ looked at me. The light behind her eyes shining brighter than ever as I could only imagine her beginning to plan out her perfect wedding.

The mood was thwarted shortly after by a team of doctors coming into the room.

“Good morning, Mr. Sweigart.” Smith said.

“Morning, doc. Is it that time already?” I asked.

“It is. But we have to do it a bit differently. The surgeon and the main doctor covering your case have both advised against removing you from bed since your spine needs time to heal. That said, we will have to do your physical therapy here. Have you been able to ascertain if feeling has returned to your arm?” The doctor asked.

“Yeah. I was able to feel her poking my hand, my arm just feels a bit heavy at the moment.” I spoke.

“That’s completely normal. You haven’t moved your arm in well over 30 hours so it may be stiff from inactivity. That’s fine though, since that’s what we’re here for. That said, do you have a preference for medical staff on the basis of gender?” Smith asked.

“Not really. Just as long as nobody gets handsy.” I said as NJ smiled at me.

“Not an issue, sir. I assure you they are all very professional.” Smith said as several female nurses walked into the room.

“Oh wow, look at that Ty. Now you got the attention of all the ladies.” My mother said.

“Mom! Just stop!” I said as my face turned beet red.

“What’s the matter, Honey? Embarrassed to have the attention of all these pretty nurses?” NJ asked.

“NJ!? Not you too…” I said as Smith looked at me.

“You got a great support team here, Mr. Sweigart. Don’t take it too hard.” Smith said as he turned to NJ and my mother.

“That said, I would like to ask you two to head out to the cafeteria for a while so that we can get the first session of Physical therapy under way, that way we can at least get him using his arm again.” Smith said.

“Not a problem.” My mother said as she looked at me. Let me know when you’re done and
I’ll bring the two of us back.” My mother said as she and NJ stood up.

“Behave yourself, Honey!” NJ said as the two of them left the room.

I used my good hand to cover my face.

“Shall we get started?” Smith asked as we began the torturous process of loosening up my arm.

Chapter Text

As my physical therapy was going on, my mother and NJ sat in the cafeteria and talked.

"So, you haven't really explained this whole thing. How did you meet my son?" My mother asked.

"Funny enough, Mrs. Sweigart, he found me standing outside in the cold on his doorstep. He offered me a place to stay for the night, made me food and gave me a drink. Even allowed me to take a hot shower. He slept on the couch while I took his bed for the evening. After showing such generosity to someone he didn't know, I knew that he had to be special. So I proposed that if I stayed with him and took care of the house, the food situation, and general upkeep, that he would let me live there with him. Thankfully he agreed." NJ said.

"I see. Did you not have a place to stay before all this?" My mother asked.

NJ shook her head.

"I was kicked out of my last place and have been roaming around without a home. Landlord said they found someone who was a better fit for their development and evicted me." NJ said.

"Well that's just awful. I know the feeling of being evicted, so does Tyler. He lived with us for a while after he turned 18, but before then, we had been evicted numerous times, once even on Christmas due to the landlord selling the property. He hasn't had an easy life, so finding you likely has been the best thing for him. I know you'll take good care of my son." My mother spoke.

NJ nodded.

"I will do everything I can to make his life just that tiny bit easier. He took me in and saved my life, so now it's my turn to return the favor." NJ spoke as a shock of pink hair drew her attention.

NJ followed the pink haired woman with her eyes, trying to discern who she was.

"Everything okay, NJ?" My mother asked.

"Yeah… I thought there was someone here that I knew from a long time ago. But perhaps I am mistaken." NJ said as the woman turned and NJ froze.

Sure enough, the pink hair did look familiar, as it was attached to a very familiar person.

"Could you excuse me for a moment, Mrs. Sweigart?" NJ asked as she stood up and walked over to the woman with pink hair before she managed to leave the cafeteria.

"Hey." NJ spoke, grabbing the woman's attention.

"Yes?" The woman asked as she turned to face NJ. It was then that NJ realized just exactly who she was talking to.

"Vestal?" NJ asked as the woman narrowed her eyes.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" The woman asked in a low tone to avoid being overheard.

"It's me… New Jersey." NJ whispered as the woman looked her up and down before realizing the truth of the situation.

"No way!" Vestal spoke happily as she hugged NJ tightly.

"It's been such a long time, girl. How have you been?" Vestal spoke, keeping the facade of a normal person.

"I've been… doing well as of late, but since we last spoke it's been a bit of a crap shoot." NJ admitted.

"I see. What brings you to the Thomas Jefferson University hospital?" Vestal asked.

"Well… my boyfriend and I were caught in a major vehicle accident. I was lucky to escape with just a cut on my arm. He's upstairs in physical therapy with a fractured spine and a concussion." NJ said.

"Concussion and Spinal fracture… that wouldn't be a Mr. Sweigart, would it?" Vestal asked.

"That's correct. He took me in. And I have just barely begun living my life with him." NJ said with a smile.

"Does he know?" Vestal asked suddenly in a low tone.

"Yes. He was asking a lot of questions, so I had to spill or risk losing him." NJ whispered.

"NJ! You know you have to keep tight-lipped about that! The navy forced all of us to sign that paper upon our discharge!" Vestal said.

"And if you don't say anything, nobody but him will know. Deal?" NJ spoke in a low tone.

"You know I wouldn't rat you out, NJ. Not after your years of escorting Miss Enterprise. But just be careful, okay? I heard that they just locked up California because word got out about her. They tried her under Article 18 section 798 and she was forced into witness protection to take her from her family. Just… be careful who you tell." Vestal said softly.

NJ nodded.

"He'll be the only one to know. And I told him how important that secret is. He won't tell." NJ said.

"Perhaps I can visit him. After all, I am the head Administrator here for this hospital." Vestal said.

"No way! How did you manage that?!" NJ asked.

"Played my cards right, faked my identity to get through medical school and worked my way up. Having to move around every thirty years or so gets annoying, but I just took this job here, so I should be good." Vestal explained.

"Why every thirty years?" NJ asked.

Vestal held her head in her hand.

"Jersey… we don't age, remember?" Vestal whispered.

"Oh right…" NJ said softly.

"I'll head to his room; they should be getting done with his physical therapy right about now." Vestal said as she turned and walked down the hall towards my room.

NJ turned back to my mom.

"We can head back. Doc said they should be getting done with his physical therapy right about now." NJ said as my mother got up and followed NJ back towards my room.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

After nearly two hours of avoiding eye contact and trying to keep myself from staring at the chests of the nurses, the first session of physical therapy came to an end.

"How does that feel, Mr. Sweigart?" Smith asked as the girls left the room.

"Feels better. My arm doesn't feel so heavy." I replied.

"That's good. I'm glad to hear it. It says we have two more sessions left for this week, so we will likely be seeing each other again." Smith said as the door to my room opened.

"Actually, Doctor Smith, I just spoke with his primary care doctor. I'll be taking this case over as a favor for a friend of mine." A woman with light pink hair spoke as she walked into my room with NJ and my mother right behind her.

"Of course. Then I will leave him to your care, Administrator." Smith said as he looked at me.

"Well… it was nice working with you then and I hope your recovery goes well." Smith said as he handed my chart to the pink haired woman.

"It was nice meeting you." I said as he gave me a wave before he left.

"How was it, Honey?" NJ asked as the woman in pink helped me sit up so she could take my vitals.

"Painful. My entire arm was really stiff so doing much of anything hurt like a son of a bitch." I said as I looked at the woman with pink hair.

"I didn't catch your name, doc." I spoke with a neutral tone.

"Nancy Collier. I am the head administrator here at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. I am also a highly certified doctor that deals primarily with trauma patients, so you fit the bill." 'Nancy' spoke.

"I see. And whose friend are you that you just so happened to take my case?" I asked as 'Nancy' pointed to NJ.

"NJ is a very old friend of mine. Back from before her deployment in the early nineties." 'Nancy' said.

I turned to NJ who nodded.

"Mom. I need to speak privately with the doctor. Could you step out for a moment?" I asked.

"Sure thing." My mother said as she stepped out of the room.

"You're another one… aren't you?" I asked.

'Nancy' smiled.

"What gave it away?" She asked.

"The 'very old friend' part. Don't worry. NJ already told me how important it is to keep your identity secret. But… as a huge fan of naval history… Who are you?" I asked.

"Vestal. My name is Vestal. Repair ship who served as a collier in the first world war and was deployed to aid Miss Enterprise during the second world war." Vestal spoke softly.

"So, NJ isn't the only one?" I asked.

"Nope. There's a lot of us. But we are bound to keep it a secret. NJ has probably told you that we ship-girls are a classified project. In all reality, you shouldn't know this and I should have reported her for telling you. But, I will not. She kept Enterprise safe for many years. So I will keep my mouth shut on her behalf. But you have to keep quiet about me. Understand?" Vestal asked.

"Yes ma'am." I said as I looked towards NJ.

"You find the most interesting people, NJ." I said with a smile.

"I almost didn't believe my eyes, honey." NJ said.

I turned back to Vestal who was flipping through my chart.

"By the looks of things here, you should only be laid up for another two weeks. You'll likely experience back pain and weakness in your legs, so when your next time for physical therapy comes, I'll have them work your legs, so you don't lose muscle there. As for your spine, your x-ray shows that it wasn't a complete break, but several chunks of bone did pinch your nerve, which was resolved through surgical means. I take it the Black Dragon here did her part in protecting her treasure?" Vestal asked.

"The doctor's said I was lucky to survive. NJ said she threw her arm over me to protect me, so… yeah. I guess you could say that." I said as NJ blushed.

"You treat her well, you hear me? The Navy doesn't have a use for battleships anymore, so she has been well and truly abandoned. Don't do her wrong." Vestal said as she hung my chart on my bed.

"I wouldn't dream of it. I guess I'll be seeing more of you?" I asked.

"Up until your discharge. Have to limit people coming in so you don't accidentally leak information. That, and it gives me time to check up on NJ and see how she's been. But for now, I have other patients I need to see for one reason or another. So, I shall be back in a while to check in, alright?" Vestal asked.

"Sure thing, Doctor Collier. Nice meeting you." I said as she walked out the door, allowing my mother to re-enter.

Chapter Text

My mother came back carrying a black leatherbound notebook.

“While you were talking with the doctor, I found this in my bag. I don’t know how it ended up at my place in South Carolina, but this is your old notebook.” My mother spoke.

I took the notebook from her grasp and flipped through the pages. Inside were old stories I had written with an old friend, where we had passed the notebook back and forth to write in tandem. The memories of writing with her made me smile. This piqued NJ’s attention.

“What’re you smiling at, Honey?” NJ asked as she moved her chair closer to the head of my hospital bed.

“Stories I used to write with an old friend of mine. She moved to Japan several years ago, so it would be absurd to think I could send this notebook back and forth again.” I said with a chuckle.

NJ smiled.

“You could always use it as a journal. Fill it with a bunch of fun things, ya’know?” NJ asked.

“I might just go ahead and do that.” I said as my mother looked at her watch.

“I think I’ll give you two some time to get to know each other. After all, gotta make sure that wedding happens at some point in my lifetime.” My mother said with a smile.

“Where will you go then?” I asked.

“I’ll drop by your place and tidy it up, since I guarantee that you haven’t given NJ any time to clean or anything, and I have a strong feeling that your cleaning habits haven’t changed since you were a kid.” My mother spoke pointedly.

I averted her gaze.

“I assume then you’ll be heading back down home?” I asked.

“Probably. I managed to get a few days off work to come up and see you, but that time is coming to an end, and I won’t be getting an escort heading back down like I did heading up the coast. I’m mainly just happy that you’re okay. That accident could have been so much worse, so when I came up here, I expected the worst.” My mother spoke.

“Well, I guess my guardian angel was working overtime. I’m glad you made the trip to come see me.” I said as my mother came closer for a hug.

“When you manage to get your hands on a vehicle and you’re feeling better, you should bring NJ down to South Carolina. It’s warmer than Pennsylvania at this time of the year.” MY mother said.

“I think I can manage. Max is likely giving me three months of paid leave to get my life back in order, so I could come down around June.” I said as my mother nodded.

“I’ll make sure your place is clean so that you and NJ can focus solely on your recovery…” My mother said before turning to NJ.

“And I’m sure you know that strenuous activity should not be on top of the list for things necessary for recovery.” My mother said.

“Mom!” I barked as NJ giggled.

“Of course not, Mom. Don’t worry, I have no intentions of doing anything like that until he is fully recovered. And like you said, I may be his girlfriend, but I still want to know all there is about him before making a choice like that.” NJ said.

My mother nodded.

“Good. That said, I’ll be going. Behave, you hear me boy?” My mother asked as she looked pointedly at me.

“Yes Mother.” I said in a sarcastic tone as she walked out the door.

“Have I told you how much I enjoy the type of person your Mom is?” NJ asked.

“I can only imagine how well you two hit it off.” I said as I opened the notebook in my hands again.

“Do you have any writing instruments?” I asked.

“I can ask Dr. Collier if she has one.” NJ asked with a wink.

“Please do. I think I’m going to begin using this as my new Journal. Nothing better to do when waiting two weeks for my back to heal.” I said with a chuckle.

NJ smiled before standing up to go and find Vestal.

“I guess I can start looking for a new truck.” I said to myself as I picked up my phone from the bedside table. Opening the lock screen, I saw the icon for a new Email. Unlocking my phone, I went to read the Email.

“Mr. Sweigart.

This Email is meant to inform you that your claim of total loss on your 2020 Toyota Tacoma has been confirmed via photo evidence. You will be receiving a full value payout for the current depreciation on your truck. Please expect a wait time of 3-5 business
days for the amount displayed below to be credited to your account.

Amount to be credited : $38,900
Account Number: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Policy Number: 123456

If the amount is not credited within the aforementioned time frame, please do not hesitate to contact us so we can work to resolve the issue. We have also sent a paper copy of the full documentation for this case to your address on file. This Email is written specifically to highlight the most important parts of that documentation.

Thank you for trusting us with your insurance needs, and we look forward to covering you should anything happen in the future.

Best Regards,

Samantha Lions”

I read the Email again to ensure the information was correct.

“Thirty-nine thousand to replace my truck. Thank God.” I whispered to myself as the door opened to my room.

“I found a pen, Honey!” NJ said happily.

I smiled at her.

“Thank you, NJ. I appreciate it.” I said as she saw the Email on my phone.

“You got the payout for your truck?” NJ asked.

“Thirty-nine thousand dollars. I haven’t gotten anything from health insurance yet, hopefully they’ll cover this.” I said.

“I can always ask to see if Dr. Collier can check with the billing department. They’re likely already in contact with your health insurance so she should be able to tell you.” NJ suggested.

I shook my head.

“Knowing you, you’d try to get her to fudge the numbers if you found out that my insurance wouldn’t cover it. I won’t put Dr. Collier under that kind of pressure.” I said, noting that the door was still open.

NJ pouted.

“Am I becoming that predictable?” NJ asked.

I chuckled happily.

“Yes. Yes, you are, NJ. But that’s one of the things I like about you. We’ll wait and see if insurance covers it, if not, I’ll defer payments until we see if the courts will force that drunk driver to cover my medical expenses. There are many routes to take here, NJ” I
explained.

NJ smiled.

“All of that doesn’t really matter to me anyway. I’m just happy that you’re okay.” NJ said happily as she embraced me.

I managed to look at the clock while she hugged me.

“Damn… where did the day go? It’s already 2100. I’m surprised that the nurse hasn’t come to shoo the visitors away.” I said as a knock came to the door.

“Mr. Sweigart. How are you feeling?” Vestal asked as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her.

“I’m feeling as good as I can be at the moment, Doc.” I said as she shot me a smile.

“Surely it has nothing to do with the warm blankets and everything to do with your plush partner.” Vestal quipped.

NJ blushed madly.

“Vestal!” She hissed as she covered her chest with her arms.

Vestal and I chuckled.

“You’re still so easy to fluster, New Jersey. I’m glad to see that time hasn’t changed you.” Vestal said.

“Vestal… it’s 2100, why hasn’t the Nurse come by like she did last night?” I asked.

“Hospital rules dictate that visitors must vacate by 8 PM. This rule is void when the visitors in question are the patient’s partner or the police. I figured that since your mother isn’t here at the hospital anymore, that I could list NJ here as your partner, allowing
her to stay here in your room with you.” Vestal said as NJ smiled.

“I appreciate it, Vestal. I’d hate to have to stay in a hotel again by myself. I feel calmer when I’m here with him.” NJ said as she took my hand in hers.

“I figured that would be the case.” Vestal said.

“Hey… Vestal. I have a question, but you can refuse to answer it if you want.” I said.

“I’ll hear it.” Vestal said as she sat back in the chair and crossed her legs.

“You were really close with Enterprise. What happened to her? Her ship was scrapped in 1960.” I said.

Vestal breathed a sigh.

I figured that would be the nature of it.” Vestal said.

I shot my hands up and waved them about in an attempt to try and accentuate my words.

“You don’t have to say anything. I was just wondering.” I said frantically.

“She is still alive. And I’m sure you heard about the new Ford Class carriers being built. CVN-80 is taking on the name Enterprise. Interpret that as you will.” Vestal said, choosing her words carefully.

“So she’s still serving, huh?” I asked.

“She deserves it. She carried our asses back in the second world war. She’s the legitimate “Most Decorated Ship” in our history. I’m only considered such because my hull still exists. Her CV-6 hull, as you said, was dismantled completely by 1960. But during the second world war alone, she earned 20 Battle stars and several awards, including the Presidential Unit Citation. I, on the other hand, had to serve in WW2, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf to earn my 19 battle stars. Enty is quite the warrior, despite her non-violent demeanor.” NJ explained.

Vestal chuckled.

“Non-violent, huh? I guess you only say that because you never saw her during Santa Cruz… when the wounds were still raw.” Vestal said as she thought back to the days where she sailed the high seas with Enterprise.

“Enty got violent?” NJ asked.

“Oh, absolutely. When you watch both of your sisters go down, one at Santa Cruz, and the other at Midway… you tend to lose a bit of restraint. I watched… I saw how she coped. I have only heard Enty yell out of anger once… and that was during the Battle of Santa Cruz when she yelled as she launched her pilots off the flight deck, screaming at them to take down and kill the fifth carrier division.” Vestal spoke softly.

NJ swallowed.

“Damn… they actually managed to piss off Enterprise. My sisters and I might have guts… but not even I would do such a thing.” NJ said.

“A wise choice.” Vestal said as I scratched my chin.

“So… does that mean there are others outside the US then?” I asked.

“Yes. While I cannot disclose any of our own Ship-girls, there is no precedent set that says that I cannot tell you about ones that survive outside of our nation. But, just to cover my ass, just assume that there are ship-girls that are around that have seen the
world evolve since the end of the first world war. And that if they weren’t sunk in combat, they will likely still be around. Two that I know for sure… are Belfast and Warspite” Vestal said as she brought a finger to her lips.

I smiled.

“The Grand old lady lives then.” I said with a soft smile.

“She does. And she works with Belfast in London.” Vestal said.

“They work together? What do they do?” I asked.

“Tour guides for Belfast’s vessel. However, if you decide to go over there and visit, I didn’t tell you anything.” Vestal warned.

“Tell me what?” I asked coyly.

“Exactly.” Vestal said as I turned to NJ.

“Well… depending on when I’m able to get out of bed here, you want to take a trip to London? I can always downsize to a car and use the rest of the money to get us there.” I said.

“I’d love to go see Belfast. And I would definitely love to meet one known as The Grand Old Lady.” NJ said happily.

“Sounds like you two have quite the plan. Just remember, you never met me once you leave this hospital. I am not Vestal. I am Dr. Nancy Collier. Understand?” Vestal asked as she pushed a finger to my chest.

“Yes ma’am.” I replied quickly.

“Good. Be ready around 0900 tomorrow morning. I’ll be bringing the girls by for another round of physical therapy. We are planning to work your legs and do a little more work on your arm to ensure you are set for your last phase of therapy, where we get you
up and out of bed to put weight on your legs and spine.” Vestal spoke.

“Not an issue. Thank you for taking such good care of me, Doc.” I said as Vestal stood from her chair.

“It’s part of my job. But you’re quite welcome. I feel a bit lighter now that I got the weight of this secret off my chest. Don’t make me regret it.” Vestal said as she put her hand on the door.

“You won’t, Dr. Collier.” I said as she smiled and left the room.

“Well… how are you going to sleep then? The bed has a sensor if it detects too much weight.” I said as NJ walked to the closet and pulled out a foldable cot.

“She let me know that there was one of these in here. This will work for me.” NJ said as she unfolded the cot and placed it as close to my bed as she could. Within moments, I could hear her breathing steadily.

Smiling to myself, I opened my notebook.

“April 2nd, 2022.

Still in the hospital from an accident several days ago. Dr. Collier is a fantastic doctor, a deep wealth of knowledge that I no doubt attribute to her years of study. Got my insurance payout today. Decided to downsize to a car and use the rest of the money for a trip to London once I am well enough to move unaided. Definitely going to visit the Museum ship Belfast. Dr. Collier said that some friends of hers work there, so I might run into them on my travels. Only time will tell.” I wrote before heading off to sleep myself.

Chapter Text

I awoke the next morning to a knock on my door. NJ got up and answered it, only to be surprised by the appearance of the officer who had come by a few days prior to ask about charges.

"Good morning, Mr. Sweigart." The man spoke.

"Good morning to you as well, Officer. What can I do for you?" I asked.

"Just dropping by to give you an update. The wreckage of your truck was submitted to evidence, mainly for photographs to show the court. As you claimed, we found nothing amiss in your vehicle. But we did manage to get a few things out." The officer
said as he pointed to a plastic bag on the sink in my room.

"Those are her clothes that I bought." I said.

"We managed to save the clothes and one of the models. The airplane model didn't survive the crash." The officer said as he handed NJ the box containing the model battleship.

"Something tells me you're not just here to give me our stuff." I said curiously.

"Correct. We found what remains of a dashcam. Thankfully the SD card is intact. Our forensics team is pulling the footage to submit to evidence." The officer said.

My spine nearly froze. I remembered all the conversations between myself and NJ when I found out about her being a warship.

"Please let me know what you get. There are some private conversations that have been had in that vehicle." I said quickly.

The officer looked at me.

"No worries. Due to the forensics lab's lack of audio files, we believe that the audio recording feature was turned off." The officer said.

Internally I cheered, but externally I could only nod as to not make myself appear suspicious.

"I see. Well, I appreciate you bringing the clothes and her model. And thank you for reminding me to replace my dashcam, I'm sure it's cracked and broken after the accident." I spoke.

"No worries. And yeah, that dashcam is done. We managed to save the SD card, but I think I counted three distinct pieces that the camera was shattered into." The officer spoke with a chuckle.

"Hey, I don't know if this is out of line or not, but in your opinion, will that footage help my case at all?" I asked.

"Absolutely. We reviewed the footage and the only thing we saw that you did wrong was going a bit too slow on the freeway. That intoxicated driver is completely at fault and you should be expecting a positive outcome. I don't think any defense lawyer
worth his salt would be able to defend this guy." The officer said bluntly.

"That's good. Not even for my own sake, but he has a kid that was in his car. Why would you drink and drive with a kid in the car?" I asked.

"Who knows? He can explain himself in court." The officer said.

"Will there be anything else you need from me, officer?" I asked.

"No, that should just about cover it. I'll leave my card just in case anything comes up. You should be getting information about a court date soon." The officer said as NJ accepted his card on my behalf.

"You fine people have a good day now." The officer said as he tipped his hat and left.

"What was all that about, honey?" NJ asked.

"What was what about?" I asked.

"You froze up when he mentioned the dashcam." NJ said.

"Because of all of our conversations after I found out about that thing you have?" I spoke, noting that the officer had left the door open.

NJ nodded.

"Oh. Yeah… that would be really embarrassing if they found that in the audio files. But not to worry, I turned off Audio recording when I saw that you had one." NJ said.

"You did? I thought I did…" I said as NJ giggled.

"Nope. That was me. Your memory must be pretty bad if you forget things so easily." NJ said cheerfully.

I smiled sadly.

"You hit the nail on the head there, NJ…" I said softly.

NJ frowned.

"I'm sorry… I didn't actually mean that. I was playing around, ya'know." NJ said.

"I know. But it doesn't change the fact that my memory is shot. It doesn't usually affect day to day life, but some things seem to be harder to commit to memory than others." I said as she looked at me with her deep blue eyes.

"Then I will do everything and more to ensure that you have no problems committing our lives to memory, I promise." NJ said as she slowly approached my face.

I panicked a bit. It didn't show, but I knew what she was doing. I was saved from embarrassment by Vestal who knocked on the door.

"Am I interrupting?" Vestal asked.

"Not at all!" I said quickly, earning me a look from NJ who pouted quietly.

"NJ, need I remind you that this is a hospital and not a hotel?" Vestal asked sternly.

NJ sat quietly, refusing to entertain the question with a response.

Seeing her dismay, I leaned over as best I could to talk to her.

"Let's leave that for the plane to London, okay?" I whispered.

NJ took this moment to grab my cheeks and kiss me, much to my and Vestal's surprise.

"I don't want to wait that long for a kiss, silly." NJ said when she finally let me go.

Vestal cleared her throat as I recovered from almost being pulled from my bed.

"Anyway. I have the girls waiting outside for your physical therapy. So, if NJ can decide if she wants to watch or not, we can get started.” Vestal said as several girls walked into the room.

“I think I’ll stay. Maybe I’ll learn something.” NJ said mischievously.

I looked at Vestal for any form of assistance, only for her to shrug.

“If she wants to stay, I can’t force her out.” Vestal said as if she didn’t have complete control of the situation.

With a betrayed and defeated look on my face, I laid back and accepted what was coming.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

After a few hours of painful and stressful physical therapy, I laid back into my pillow, breathing heavily.

“Looking at your timeline here, I can say that since you didn’t have a full break in your back, you can be ready to be up and about tomorrow for another round of therapy. That way we can gauge how much you can handle in terms of moving around and
if we have to prescribe something for the pain.” Vestal said as NJ rubbed my legs, massaging away the pain of having my legs moved in ways that they had no business being moved in.

“That sounds…ouch… great. If I can move, then that means I can speed through my recovery.” I said, interrupted by pain when NJ pressed hard on a knot that had formed in my calf.

Vestal nodded before sending the girls out of the room, making sure the door shut before turning back to us to speak.

“You know… I think I’m going to miss having you here, Mr. Sweigart.” Vestal said.

“Why is that?” I asked as NJ looked at Vestal with a look that I could only identify as terrified.

“Because… it’s been liberating, having someone who knows about me. Someone who cares to know about the things I have done before I signed that accursed document all those years ago. Signed my life into many layers of red tape and bureaucratic
secrecy. It’s lifted quite the weight from my shoulders. Don’t be surprised, but I may drop by your place once I know you’re back home. I did a quick search of the area and there are several hospitals that I could pick up a job in. After all, I have to
monitor you considering you have knowledge of highly classified military secrets.” Vestal said as NJ sulked quietly, upset at a possible interruption to her life with me.

“I wouldn’t mind visitors. Just make sure NJ knows about it because I don’t live alone anymore.” I said as Vestal looked at my chart.

“Huh… it says here you live alone though.” Vestal said.

“NJ moved in just a few days before my accident. She lives with me at my house, I haven’t been able to update anything.” I said.

“I see. Well, NJ, I hope you don’t mind me dropping by. After all, I dislike the idea of having to bottle everything back up again, so being able to discuss my old life like this would necessitate me seeing him every now and then. I can cover it under the
guise of a home visit.” Vestal said as NJ pouted.

“Fine. But he’s mine, you hear me?” NJ said curtly.

“But of course. I have no desire for something like that. Plus, he’s a patient. It’s illegal.” Vestal said. This seemed to ease NJ’s mind as her expression softened.

“Fine… then I’ll allow it. Just let me know so I can cook more for dinner that night.” NJ said as Vestal nodded.

“Oh, just a heads up, nurses will be coming in later to take your vitals. So keep your interaction PG please.” Vestal said with a smile as she walked for the door.

NJ pouted again as she watched the repair ship walk from the room.

“Well… that was quite the conversation.” I said with a chuckle.

“Let’s just hope this doesn’t become a thing.” NJ said softly as she laid her head on my chest.

“I’m sure this won’t become anything we can’t manage, NJ.” I said hopefully as I used my good hand to stroke her head.

“I hope you’re right, Honey.” NJ said softly as I felt her fall asleep on my chest.

Chapter Text

The day passed uneventfully. Nurses came in every now and then to check my vitals, but every time they checked, they were normal. With NJ asleep on my chest, I decided that the best use of my time was to write in my journal.

I picked up the pen and began writing.

"April 3rd, 2022

Still in the hospital. Police came in earlier to disclose that they had seized my truck for evidence in their case against the driver who had nearly killed me. They found my dashcam. Not gonna lie, I was scared as to what they would find on it. NJ and I had a few small chats on what her life was like with her being a Battleship and all. Thankfully, NJ had the presence of mind to deactivate audio recording. On a semi-related note… My memory is getting worse by the day. I had originally thought that I had deactivated the recording myself, but after really thinking back, I realized that it wasn't the case. I'm beginning to suspect that I don't have memory loss, but instead, I create false memories without intent. I hope this is not the case.

Vestal said that tomorrow I'm going to be up on my feet for a round of physical therapy. This should help her see if more bedrest is required or if I can walk with help from painkillers. I like to think that even if it hurts, I should be able to handle the pain. But on the other hand, this is the first time I’ve broken a bone… so we shall see.” I wrote.

After a while of writing, I set the pen down as I felt my eyelids getting heavy.

“She’s been sleeping most of the day. I wonder if she’ll be able to sleep through the night.” I whispered to myself as I let myself fall into slumber.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

A nightmare forced me from my sleep early the following morning. Looking to my left, NJ was gone. A torrent of panic set in as I searched the darkened room. I couldn’t see her anywhere. I began to feel scared… genuinely scared. NJ was gone and I hadn’t the slightest hint of a clue as to where she had gone. It was as if she had vanished.

I decided then and there to go looking for her, pain and suffering be damned. I managed to turn my body on the bed and eased myself onto the cold tile floor of the hospital. The pain coming from my back screamed in every empty crevice in my mind, but as expected, it wasn’t anywhere close to the limit of my pain tolerance. It was manageable. Thankfully I hadn’t been connected to any IV’s as I was eating and drinking fine. No pain medicine had been administered after my admission due to possible complications in post-op. With all that, I was able to move out of the room without lugging around the IV pole that was sitting next to my bed. I slowly stretched my arms and legs before moving towards the door of the room.

Unknown to me, the moment I left my bed, an alarm had gone off in the nurse's station at the end of the ward, alerting the early morning staff to my departure.

I walked to the door and looked out, checking both sides of the hallway outside my room before deciding to take the hall leading to the right, as I had noticed all of my visitors leaving the room heading in that direction. I left the room and moved quietly but quickly through the halls, stopping every few doors to take a breath to ease the pain coming from my back.

In my panic, I had completely forgotten the fact that my phone was linked to NJ and that any text sent to her would be received immediately, likely prompting her return. This would come to bite me in the ass later in the day.

Moving down the hall, I came to the main hallway that led to the main nurse's station. I turned towards the station when an announcement came over the loudspeaker.

“Code Green.”

“Code green?” I whispered to myself as the nurses poured out of the station and began sweeping the building. Starting with the wards furthest from me.

“What the hell is a code green?” I asked as I made my way towards the nurse's station. As expected, all of the nurses were gone, leaving nobody behind to answer my questions.

“Maybe she’s in the cafeteria.” I thought to myself as I nodded. Looking around, I saw the elevators directly behind me to my right. Looking at the directory next to the doors, I quickly found the cafeteria and pressed the button on the elevator. The elevator door opened almost instantly and closed quickly once I was inside.

I looked at a clock that had been set up inside the elevator car.

“Five in the morning. Gift shop wouldn’t be open. Cafeteria might be doing self-serve coffee and cereals… maybe she went for a coffee?” I convinced myself as I pressed the button to take me to the first floor of the hospital.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Vestal and NJ were sitting in Vestal’s office. NJ had left my room at Vestal’s request at around three in the morning.

“So what’s up?” NJ asked.

“If you’re going to be living this type of life, I need you to understand that there is risk. The government has people who check on us now and then. Just to make sure that our secrets are being kept. You and Tyler have something beautiful, and I am happy for you. But you two are extremely open about who you are. If you give the government your living address, the Government is very likely to send agents to drop by his house once we discharge him. You need to let him know that they can and will remove you from his life. And that he could be arrested for possession of state secrets. You could be arrested for disclosing state secrets. You do understand that, right?” Vestal explained.

“I know, Vestal. But I have a plan should things go south. And now, it’s your turn to keep a secret.” NJ said.

“I am keeping you telling him about yourself a secret, NJ. Don’t go overstepping here. If you plan on hurting anyone, I will be forced to report you. I won’t be able to keep that a secret.” Vestal spoke sternly.

“I don’t plan on hurting anyone. If we’re found out, I’m going to take him and we are going to make a break for my vessel, docked in Camden. They have my jacket on display as an artifact.” NJ said.

Vestal immediately realized what she was hinting at.

“NJ! You can’t just steal a battleship!” Vestal cried, thankful for the soundproof walls in her office.

“I am allowed to do as I please with my own property. That vessel no longer belongs to the Navy. That vessel was thrown aside for the likes of Essex and Enterprise, and Yorktown and Hornet. Battleships died after the war, Vestal. I was only activated to be a show of force in Vietnam, Korea and the Gulf. If they turn on us, then he and I will leave the country. I will sail him around the world until we find a place where nobody will bother us.” NJ spoke coldly.

“NJ… you know the might of the military. You'll be harassed by carrier groups unless you hole up in a country in direct opposition to the US. And then that would make you and him traitors to the United States. You would be wanted criminals.” Vestal spoke as she laid a hand on NJ’s clenched fist.

“So be it.” NJ spoke shortly.

Vestal took a breath.

“Just… tell him that if anyone official comes knocking, to act as if you are a normal woman. He doesn’t know about you, only that you are his girlfriend. If they suspect anything, I already told you what happened to California.” Vestal said.

“Believe me, Vestal. I love this country, and I will do what I can to remain here and live a happy life with Tyler. But if they come with the intention of destroying the life I finally am happy to have, what I do falls squarely on them.” NJ said as a beeping sound drew Vestal’s attention.

“What’s that?” NJ asked.

“My pager. It lets my staff get a hold of me faster than calling.” Vestal said.

“Don’t you have their phones linked to your sensors?” NJ asked.

Vestal looked at NJ with a deadpan stare.

“My vessel was broken up years ago. Not all of us were lucky enough to have our vessels be turned into museums.” Vestal spoke flatly.

NJ nodded.

“What do they want?” NJ asked.

Vestal jumped to her feet.

“Code Green… your Boyfriend has gone missing.” Vestal said as NJ shot to her feet.

“We need to find him, now.” NJ spoke as she took off out the door.

Chapter Text

NJ and Vestal pushed in the door to my room. NJ threw the switch to turn on the lights, confirming that I, in fact, was not in the room.

"He couldn't have gone far. He's not in any condition to move." Vestal said as she checked the room for clues of where I had gone. Her eyes fell on my phone.

"He left his phone." Vestal said as she picked it up and handed it to NJ.

One of the nurses ran past the room, turning around and entering once she caught a glimpse of Vestal in the room.

"Administrator. We cannot find him on this floor. We have cleared the other rooms as well as closets, restrooms, and other spaces where one could hide. We need to completely lock down the hospital." The nurse said frantically.

"Understood." Vestal said as she reached into her pocket and produced a small handheld transceiver.

"Security." Vestal spoke.

"Copy, over." A man spoke.

"Lock down the hospital. Divert all ambulance traffic to the surrounding medical facilities. We have a code green that has escaped the 4th floor, over." Vestal said.

"Copy that, over." The man spoke as Vestal slipped the walkie talkie back into her pocket.

"Ma'am?" The nurse asked.

"Check the other floors. He doesn't know anyone here besides myself and NJ. Sweep the building. NJ and I will head to the first floor to begin our search." Vestal said as NJ turned to her.

"We have to hurry. I can only imagine how much pain he's in if he's walking on his own like that." NJ said as she held my phone tightly.

Vestal nodded.

"Then let's get to the first floor. Maybe if we're lucky, we'll cut him off." Vestal said as the two took off down the hall towards the elevators.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I found myself outside the cafeteria. My back was now screaming at me, demanding that I rest. I looked at the two sets of double doors that led to the cafeteria. The lights were on, but only one of the doors was open. Without a second thought, I walked through the door and into the cafeteria.

The room was empty aside from a few workers cleaning tables. NJ was nowhere to be found. My heart sank. It was then that I realized that I could text NJ and she would answer. I felt around the pockets of my clothes only to further realize the fact that I had forgotten my phone in my hospital room.

"Son of a bitch!" I spat as I lowered myself into one of the many seats scattered around the cafeteria.

One of the workers came over to me.

"Sir. We don't open our doors for another half an hour." The cleaner said.

"I'm sorry. Can I just take a few minutes to rest my back and legs? Walking down here is one hell of a chore, especially with a fractured spine." I said

"Fractured spine? Sir, you shouldn't be walking then. Are you a patient here?" The cleaner asked as he sat in the chair across from me.

"Yeah. I woke up and my girlfriend was gone. I figured she may have come down here, but since she didn't say anything before leaving, I didn't want to risk her not coming back." I said.

"Why wouldn't she? It'd be a bit of a dick move for her to leave you in your condition." The cleaner said.

"I know… but even despite her telling me that she doesn't care about my injuries, and that she wouldn't leave me because of them, I still get scared that this will all end abruptly." I said as I folded my arms on the table and laid my chin down on top of them. This took further pressure off my back, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief.

The man looked at me before a beep drew our attention to his hip.

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's a pager. The entire hospital staff has one when on shift. The doctors keep theirs 24/7." The man explained as he looked at his pager. He then looked at me.

"Can I grab you something to eat or drink while you're down here? I can have the cooks make you a sandwich." The man asked.

"That sounds great. I need to rest before continuing my search anyway. My back is killing me." I said as the man walked back to the kitchen.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Unknown to me, in addition to grabbing me something to drink and eat, the cleaner was also speaking with security.

"Yeah. I have him in the cafeteria." The cleaner said into the phone.

"What's his condition?" The security guard asked.

"Stable. From what I gathered; he's looking for his girlfriend who was here with him. I'm stalling for time by getting him something to eat. He likely will be reluctant to move on account of his back." The cleaner said.

"Understood. I'll let the Administrator know." The security guard spoke.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Vestal's walkie talkie beeped as she and NJ hopped off the elevator.

"This is Nancy, over." Vestal answered.

"Code green is currently in the cafeteria. Heading that way now, over." The Security guard spoke.

"Remain on post. I'll handle it. Who found him?" Vestal asked.

"One of the cleaners, over." The security guard replied.

"Copy. I'm heading that way now." Vestal said as she turned to NJ.

"He's in the cafeteria. I told security to back off and that we will handle it." Vestal said.

NJ looked ready to cry.

"Thank you!" She wailed as she hugged Vestal tightly.

"Any idea why he would go off like this without telling anyone?" Vestal asked as they made their way towards the cafeteria.

NJ shook her head. Upon reaching the doors to the cafeteria, the two women looked in to see me sitting alone at a table, eating a sandwich. They took a moment to observe.

"I don't know. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy to do something like this." NJ said as Vestal opened the door to the cafeteria.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I didn't hear the door to the cafeteria open. Nor did I hear the soft clacking of Vestal's high heels on the floor as they approached my table. It was no surprise that I jumped the moment my vision was blocked by a pair of hands.

"Guess who?" A woman's voice spoke.

Without any concern for the pain in my back, I spun in my seat and embraced the woman who had covered my eyes. All the pent-up stress vanished in that one moment.

"Geez… now you're embarrassing me. You're acting as if you weren't gonna see me again." NJ spoke softly as she rubbed my head.

"You left without saying anything. I didn't know where you went. I didn't want this to be over, not like that." I cried as the pain from my back mixed with the tidal wave of emotions, forcing tears from my eyes as I hugged NJ for all I was worth.

"You didn't leave him a note? Shame on you NJ." Vestal scolded as she took out her walkie talkie.

"Cancel code green. We got him." Vestal spoke as NJ moved to the seat next to me, moving slowly to avoid hurting me as I refused to let go.

"Note or not… sending the whole building into lockdown is a bit overkill, honey." NJ scolded me lightly.

"How was I supposed to know?! For all I knew, you left while I was sleeping, never to come back!" I cried again.

"Never to come ba… why would you even think that? I told you, I will not be leaving your side, no matter what happens." NJ said.

Vestal looked at me.

"NJ. He might hear you say that, but he might not be allowing himself to believe it." Vestal said as NJ looked at her.

"What do you mean?" NJ asked.

"His medical chart indicates severe anxiety and depression, among other neurological issues. I can't say for certain, but maybe his anxiety or perhaps a prior experience is refusing to allow him to believe you." Vestal said as she scratched her head.

NJ looked down at me as she felt my arms relax, allowing her some space to move.

"Is that why?" NJ asked softly.

I nodded slowly.

"I had a girlfriend once before. She was kind and caring to a degree. But with my depression and general lack of filter, I would often find myself saying some really depressing things. One day she got tired of it and told me to kill myself… I had to kick her out of my house. But… she also told me she would love me forever. That we would marry." I said softly

NJ was appalled.

"That's awful!" NJ cried as she stroked my hair.

"It is what it is." I whispered as I finally let go of NJ's waist. I no sooner returned to my sandwich when I felt her arms encircle my waist.

"Then let me make this clear to you, Tyler. I, New Jersey, will never leave you. You will always have me on your side and in your corner. You're stuck with me, come hell or high water." NJ said as she rested her head on my shoulder.

I smiled as a single tear fell from my eye.

"I'll… keep that in mind." I said as Vestal stood up.

"You had best do so, Mr. Sweigart. We had a talk earlier, which is why she was absent from your room. She openly declared intent to betray the government on your behalf should someone come knocking. Not many people would be willing to brand themselves a traitor for the person they love." Vestal said as she headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" NJ asked.

"To get a wheelchair. I'm not going to force him to walk back to his room. And he's already done his physical therapy for the day. Best thing for him is a couple of ibuprofens and some more bedrest. A few more days of physical therapy and he should be ready to head out." Vestal said as she exited the cafeteria.

"I found your phone, silly." NJ said as she reached into her shirt and produced my phone.

"You have pockets…" I said.

"Yeah? So? Tell me it doesn't make you smile." NJ said as I cracked the smallest of smiles.

"Fine… I do find it slightly amusing… I'm sorry for acting so rash." I said softly.

NJ smiled.

"Think nothing of it. Just as long as you remember that I ain't gonna leave you like that. I don't want to leave. And God help anyone who tries to take you from me." NJ said as she laid another kiss on my cheek.

I felt my face get hot as Vestal returned with a wheelchair.

"If you're done eating, let's get you back to your room." Vestal said as NJ helped move me into the chair.

"Sorry for all the trouble, Vestal." I said as I looked up at her.

"Just… make sure you think before doing something like that again. You've become the sole treasure in the black dragon's horde. She won't be letting you go without a fight." Vestal said. The analogy made me smile.

"She really does like me." I thought to myself as the three of us headed back to the elevator.

Chapter Text

Several days passed. More days spent in bed, only to be interrupted by Vestal and my care team coming in to put me through the pain of physical therapy. But once the pain was gone, back in bed. As promised, NJ didn't leave my side once. And if she needed to leave for any reason, she made it a point to tell me that she would be absent for a few minutes. Of course, I told her she didn't have to narrate everything. But she brushed off my suggestion under the guise of helping relieve my anxiety. As far as I could tell, she didn't mind, but it made me feel bad for throwing her and Vestal into a panic.

With the code green several days behind us, the time had come. With Vestal approving of my overall health and wellness, plus a full physical to ensure nothing else had occurred during my stay, it was finally time for discharge. With a bottle of painkillers and my discharge papers in the other, I was wheeled from my room by NJ after a lengthy discussion about secrecy and what Vestal planned to do in the coming weeks.

"So… how do we get home?" I asked.

NJ paused for a moment.

"I didn't really think of that." She said with a thoughtful expression.

I sighed.

"Well, the insurance company just deposited the money from my claim into my account, so if we hitch a ride to a car dealership, we could probably get our hands on something." I said as I held onto the bag of clothes and the model of the New Jersey that had survived the crash.

"Don'cha think it's a bit late to be dealing with that? We can go in the morning to pick out a new car. Right now the best thing we can do is get a cab and head back to our house. Remember, Dr. Collier said that despite being out of the hospital, you shouldn't push yourself." NJ said sternly.

After a moment's consideration, I relented.

"I guess you're right. We could pick up an Uber." I said as I pulled out my phone to hail one. As soon as I got to the screen to input payment information, NJ snatched my phone and typed in her card's information and requesting the ride before I could protest.

"NJ… I could have taken care of it." I said.

"Save it for the champagne in first class, honey. After all, we have a trip to London. The Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and as Dr. Collier mentioned, the HMS Belfast. There's so much to do!" NJ said excitedly.

"I see you're excited to travel." I said with a smile.

"Of course I am! Especially to meet people just like me." NJ said as a black SUV rolled up. NJ and I both tensed and held our breath until a woman in a decal t-shirt and shorts hopped out.

"Ride for Tyler?" The woman asked.

NJ and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, that's us." I said as she walked over.

"Do you need assistance getting in? I can see you're in a wheelchair." The woman asked.

"I'll take it. My back is still sore so moving isn't something I'll enjoy." I said as the woman helped me into the back of the SUV after I managed to push myself from the wheelchair. NJ returned the wheelchair and hopped in right beside me.

"Where to?" The woman asked as she hopped into the driver's seat.

I gave her my address.

"Sorry for the long drive, miss. I wasn't anticipating being without a vehicle." I said.

"It's no worries, but you can do something for me. Take a look at this." The woman said as she showed me her phone. On it was a picture of the screen she had taken with a weird message taken after she accepted the ride. On it, the message read:

"This ride can be written off completely as a tax deduction. To ensure proper tax deduction, please document the trip with miles, fuel consumption, and fuel purchased as a result of accepting this ride."

"Huh… that's definitely an odd message." I said.

"That's what I thought. I am trying to figure out why this popped up, any ideas?" The woman asked.

"Not a clue. NJ?" I asked.

NJ shook her head.

"Huh… I'll document it just in case. Can't hurt not having to pay taxes." The woman said as I turned to NJ. Several seconds later, my phone buzzed. Looking at it, I saw a text from NJ.

"We'll talk about it later. It's one of the things that happens when I use my black card. That's how everything I do from Hotels to Car rentals gets upgraded, because every transaction comes with a tax write-off." The message read.

Reading it, my eyebrows disappeared into my hairline.

"That is an insane fucking credit card, NJ!" I replied.

Several seconds later, another message.

"That's why it's capped at 10k before the government begins checking my purchases. Can't give tax breaks to everyone." The message read. Looking over at her, I caught a wink.

I shook my head as I thought of everything she had used the card for.

"Anyway, my name is Amy, I'll be your driver today. Mind if I ask what landed you in the hospital?" Amy asked as we took off from the hospital.

"Victim of a drunk driver. He totaled my truck and landed me in the hospital for a week and a half due to several fractured vertebrae and a concussion. I was going to go for a new car, but it seems I left it too late and I'll have to take care of it tomorrow." I said.

"Damn. I'm sorry to hear that. Thank goodness you made it out relatively safely." Amy said.

"Yeah. Paramedics were sure I should have died considering the state of the wreck, but I had a guardian angel watching over me that day." I said as I looked at NJ.

"I'm assuming that's the girlfriend?" Amy asked, noting the affection in my gaze.

"Yeah. She was with me when I was hit. Thankfully her side of the truck was relatively intact. They didn't have to cut her out of the wreckage like they did me." I said as we made it to the highway that would take us home.

"She's gorgeous, I hope you don't mind me saying. I think you found a good one." Amy said as NJ blushed heavily.

I smiled.

"Yeah. Definitely found a keeper." I said as we drove quickly away from Philadelphia and back towards Lancaster. We would arrive at home no more than an hour later.

To my surprise, my mother was still there, albeit she was packing her car, looking like she was ready to head out.

Hopping out of the SUV with help from NJ, I walked over to my mom.

"Heading out?" I asked.

"Yeah. I have to get back. I have work the day after tomorrow." My mother said.

"Do you have someone to take over the firm? You're about ready to retire, no?" I asked.

With a sigh, my mother spoke.

"No… but as soon as I can find someone in the company to step up, I'll be handing the business off to them and keeping a 10% stake. I shouldn't have to worry about finances." My mother said.

"I see. Sorry it's taking so long. But at least you'll be able to retire." I said with a smile.

"Yep. And then I can make the drive to check in on you crazy kids, make sure I don't have any grandkids I don't know about." My mom said as both NJ and I turned beet red.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Sweigart, doctor has ordered no strenuous activity for a bit so his back can finish healing properly. So it wouldn't be for a while anyway." NJ offered.

"Uh huh. And with how well my son listens, it could be next week when you test positive." My mother shot back.

"Mom!" I yelled as NJ blushed even redder.

"What? I'm not lying. You listen about as well as a hollow tube. It goes in one ear and out the other." My mother said, shutting down any argument I had.

"Well, I assure you that grandchildren will be a ways off. Neither of us has any plans for children at the moment." NJ said, fighting the urge to bury her face in her hands.

My mother looked at us.

"Uh huh. Well don't keep me waiting too long. I still want to meet them before I die." My mother said as she hopped into her car and headed up the driveway.

After waving goodbye, she was gone.

I yawned as I began walking up the small staircase to my front door. Stopping just shy of putting my hand on the knob.

"Not even two weeks ago, I found you here. Now look at us." I said with a smile.

NJ remained quiet.

I turned and gave her a hug.

"And despite you being here only two weeks, I don't know what I'd do without you." I said as I unlocked the door.

With a smile, I spoke.

"Welcome home, NJ."

Chapter Text

I shut the door behind me after NJ took the bags of clothes and other items from me and set them on the dinner table. With a small bit of effort, I walked to one of the chairs and sat down, resting my head on the table.

NJ took her clothes into the living room and set about taking the tags off of her clothes.

"NJ, don't forget that your clothes are still in the dryer. I think they finished up right before we left." I spoke loud enough for her to hear in the other room.

"Nope! I think your mom took care of it, it's hung up nicely in here." NJ replied.

With a happy sigh, I stood to begin making dinner.

"That sounds just like her." I said as I opened the fridge to begin looking for food. It was at that moment that I remembered that we never went to the store.

"Son of a bitch…" I muttered.

"What's the matter, honey?" NJ asked as she came into the kitchen wearing one of her new outfits.

"I was going to make dinner, but because of the accident, we never got to the grocery store. There's nothing here that's still fresh." I said as I showed off a mushy tomato and spoiled vegetables.

"That is a bit of a predicament." NJ said as she began looking through the freezer.

"You won't find much. I don’t keep much in the freezer.” I said as she pulled out a frozen pork loin.

“I see you have noodles here. We won’t have any green onions, but how about some pork Ramen?” New Jersey asked.

“Pork ramen? I didn’t know you knew how to make it.” I said.

“I learned from a rather old friend of mine after a tour in Vietnam in ‘69. You may know her as Pre-Dreadnought Battleship Mikasa.” New Jersey said with a smile.

“Mikasa has a woman attached to her hull too?!” I asked in a wildly surprised tone.

“Of course. She was one of the first if I remember her story properly. She’s been around since the 1890’s. It has been quite a while since I’ve seen her.” New Jersey reminisced.

“Well… we can visit her too. I would love to meet girls like you, get to learn the history and know how they felt during their respective wars. It’s just a matter of finding them.” I said.

“And that would be the only reason… right?” New Jersey asked.

I thought for a moment and realized that she may have mistaken what I had said.

“NJ, you are the only one for me. Yes, I just want to meet them. I’m not looking to go foreign if you catch my drift.” I said with a smile.

NJ nodded and smiled.

“Then I guess I can allow it. But if you ever decide to visit Alabama or Massachusetts, know that I will be watching you… I tend to feel a bit inadequate when those two are involved.” New Jersey said.

“Why do you say that? You’re an Iowa girl. You’re bigger, faster, and stronger. And you have a figure that women would kill for.” I said.

“Because… you’d have to see them to understand. Just… know that it makes me uneasy now that I think about you meeting them.” NJ said.

I smiled.

“It won’t be an issue, NJ. I promise. Besides, unless you have business in either of those areas, we don’t have to go there. I’ve already visited those two museums, so the desire to go there just to see the ships isn’t really at the top of the list.” I said.

“So you definitely saw them then… You know what girls I’m talking about, right?” NJ asked.

“Not really. I was more interested in touring the vessels as opposed to the people on it. Maybe a description could jog my memory?” I asked as NJ thawed out the pork to make our ramen.

NJ sighed.

“Caramel skin, stark white hair, tribal markings, might be covered with makeup to cover said markings. Does any of that ring a bell?” NJ asked.

“Huh… now that you mention it, my tour guides for both vessels match that description. Taller ladies, tend to speak with softer tones and carry similar accents?” I asked.

“That would be them… what do you think about them?” NJ asked as she opened the sealed pack of pork and began searing it on the stove.

“I thought they were pretty and they were very knowledgeable about the vessels, but I didn’t think anything more than that. I just figured that they were just some really pretty college students working to pay their way through school.” I said.

“Nope. You ran into Massachusetts and Alabama on their respective vessels.” New Jersey said.

“So Alabama wore a black jacket during her service? There was a black jacket in a case on the Alabama just like yours.” I said.

“No… that was Massachusetts. She was the one who wore black. What did you see on the Massachusetts?” New Jersey asked.

“A burned up blue and white officer’s jacket, similar to yours. But the blue was more of a teal.” I said.

“Huh… so Alabama works as a tour guide on the Massachusetts, and Massachusetts works on the Alabama… interesting. I had thought that they had remained with their own vessels.” NJ said with a bit of a happier tone.

“Huh… interesting indeed. But they are sister ships, so it wouldn’t be difficult for them to switch places and still be really good at their tours.” I said.

“Did they do a good job?” NJ asked.

I smiled.

“Checking on the underclassmen, huh? Yeah, they were extremely knowledgeable and answered all questions I had to the best of their ability. They even got permission from their museums to take special people past the cordoned off areas so long as the area was well maintained. I managed to be on one of those tours for both vessels, so I guess I’m not as saintly as I claimed to be when we went past the ropes on the New Jersey.” I said.

“Well… you also had permission those times, I kinda just dragged you along to be selfish…” NJ said as she got a pot of water boiling to cook the noodles.

“Yeah, but without that, I wouldn’t have learned that my girlfriend is some kind of god among men.” I said with a chuckle.

“I’m not a god, silly. I’m just a battleship.” NJ said humbly.

“Yeah… but what can a mere human do in the face of a battleship that weighs in at over fifty thousand tons? Might as well be a god.” I said with a shrug.

“Well… you have a point. I was never really allowed to fight hand to hand and was mainly kept aboard the ship. So I guess that’s what the Navy thought too.” NJ said as she finished the noodles and sliced up the pork to put into the bowls. She portioned the pork and noodles into the bowls before bringing over the broth and pouring it over the ingredients in the bowl, finishing our dinner for the evening.

“So, this is your take on Ramen, taken straight from the pages of Mikasa?” I asked as I examined the bowl of ramen.

“Yup. I did what I could with what we had. Mikasa would probably beat me for such a poor showing, but without fresh vegetables and proper stock, I had to make do.” NJ said as she sat next to me.

I smiled.

“It looks delicious, NJ. Thank you for dinner.” I said as I dug in, happy to have such a well-made meal made by NJ.

After dinner and a few rounds of canned vodka, NJ and I hugged one another before breaking away for the evening. I trudged up the stairs, leaning heavily on the railing to aid me in my ascent. I didn’t bother with a shower as I was exhausted from getting home. I decided to strip down to a pair of shorts and crawl into bed. I tried to lay on my back, but the pain in my upper spine made such a feat impossible. I turned on my side and went to sleep, woefully unaware of what the morning would bring.

Chapter Text

My dreams that night were surprisingly pleasant. Despite nearly being killed by a drunk driver and having my life ended before I got to experience what it was like to truly love someone who felt the same towards me, my dreams were filled with a subtle warmth that relaxed my soul and healed the wounds on my heart.

Around 7 in the morning the following day, my alarm went off like it usually did. What was different this time was the feeling of something in my bed moving and my alarm being swiftly dismissed, returning my room to a palace of warmth and blissful silence. And in spite of the fact that I definitely felt something moving next to me, and the fact that it wasn’t me who shut off the alarm, dreamland pulled me back for a couple more hours of blissful ignorance.

Around 9 in the morning, my anxiety got the best of me, forcing me to open my eyes in the darkened room. Upon opening my eyes, I realized that there was a cool presence that was in contact with my skin in several areas. It was only upon waking up fully that I realized that all the cool patches on my body could be attributed to a mostly disrobed woman cuddled up close to me, hugging my shorts-clad body for dear life. It was NJ, and by the smell on her breath, she was still intoxicated from the night before.

I was paralyzed. I knew we were growing closer by the day, and we had made great headway during my tenure in the hospital, but what was completely unexpected was for her to be clad in only a pair of panties pressing every available inch of her body against mine. By the time I ventured a look around, her glistening blue eyes were greeting the world and she began the slow process of waking up. Unlike me however, she did not seem phased by the idea of her being in such a state next to me on what could only be described as our second official night together.

“Good morning, Honey.” NJ spoke softly as she buried her head in the crook of my neck, seeming to draw in as much heat as she could steal from me.

“G-good morning to you as well, NJ… quick question… What's going on here?” I asked, trying my best to keep composed despite the fact that I could now feel her pressing her chest firmly against mine.

NJ smiled softly as she pulled back to look me in the eye.

“The space heater in the living room broke last night. I went down to see if the breaker had blown, but that wasn’t the case… and with little recourse to stay warm without coming to wake you up for another blanket… I decided it would be a fair trade for you to see me like this if I could spend the rest of the evening cuddling up to you to keep warm.” NJ explained as she sat up in bed, hitting me with a full frontal view of her prestigious assets.

For the second time in one morning, I laid there paralyzed. I was struggling to make heads or tails of the situation. But NJ seemed to have thought of that as well as she then returned to my side and covered herself with the blanket.

“You can’t tell me that you didn’t like that.” NJ said with a teasing tone and innocent smile.

“I mean… I can’t say I’ve seen anything better… I’m still trying to figure out why you chose not to wake me up though… I could have given you plenty of blankets…” I said as I found myself drawn to her pale skin and deep blue eyes.

“Well… it’s simple really. I tend to have a lower core temperature… most Kansen I know do. You know, on account of our vessels being fashioned entirely from steel sitting in waters around the US. So even with blankets, I would have been really cold. But… you are really warm… like almost burning hot as I discovered last night. I had to sleep with a leg outside the covers just to regulate. I figured that since you would be a better source of heat than a blanket, that I would sleep with you. Besides, getting to see me naked is a proper payment for doing such a thing.” NJ said as her cheeks began to grow red.

I noticed this and capitalized on it to dispel the tension.

“You’re just as embarrassed as I am, aren’t you?” I teased.

NJ covered her head with the blanket and squeaked softly.

“Knock it off… It was only fair for me intruding. Don’t expect it too often.” NJ said.

“I’m not upset, NJ. If you want, we can keep this kind of thing going. I wouldn’t mind having someone here with me, the bed does feel a tad bit empty every now and then.” I said.

NJ thought for a moment.

“And you won’t get handsy?” NJ accused.

“Only if you ask me to.” I deadpanned.

NJ tittered at my rebuttal.

“Then… I guess we can keep going like this. I don’t mind, so long as you don’t try to pull anything on me.” NJ said.

“I’m not like that, NJ.” I replied as I felt my face growing red at the prospect of a night of coital debauchery with her.

NJ noticed this and took advantage.

“You’re thinking about it though, aren’t you.” NJ teased, bringing a finger up and poking my nose.

“I wouldn’t be a healthy young man if I wasn’t.” I replied. This gave us both pause before busting out in a fit of laughter.

“Maybe when your back is healed up, maybe we can toy with the idea. But until then, let’s keep night battles off the table, kay?” NJ asked as she leaned up just enough to lay a soft kiss on my lips.

“That’ll have to hold you over until then.” NJ said as she crawled to the foot of the bed and stood up, gracing my eyes with a glorious view of her toned back and voluptuous rear before grabbing a towel from one of the hooks on my door.

“I’m gonna grab a shower first and then get started on breakfast. Let me know when you’re ready to get up and I will come and help you.” NJ spoke in a caring tone.

“NJ… I’m not helpless.” I complained.

“And I don’t care if that is or isn’t the case. You will call for help if you want to get up and out of bed. Remember, Vestal said to take it easy. You should really listen to the medic who has served in the medical field since the outbreak of World War two. She might know just a tad more about the human body than you, Honey.” NJ scolded.

I smiled at the thought of Vestal drilling NJ on first aid and pounding it into her head that now she has someone that she needs to take care of.

“Alright. Fine. What are you gonna do for breakfast?” I asked.

“French toast. I want to do something light so that we are better focused on the day ahead, we have to go and pick out a new vehicle, and we want to make sure we aren’t getting scammed or oversold.” NJ said seriously.

“Damn… you really know your stuff, huh?” I asked.

“Been around the block since ‘42 Honey. I know every little nook that America has to offer.” NJ spoke proudly.

“I had one more question before you go, something I was thinking about yesterday when you were talking about Mikasa and the South Dakota class girls. I thought Kansen were supposed to be super top secret and whatnot. How do you know about Mikasa and why does Vestal know about Belfast and Warspite? Wouldn’t secrecy be a factor?” I asked.

“American Kansen are a secret from the American population. Same as British Kansen for the Brits. And Japanese Kansen for the Japanese. And even the German Kansen for the Germans. But because of the massive spy race that was the Cold War, each country knows about each other’s Kansen. With spy networks like that, it would be impossible for Kansen to remain a mystery to other nations. But each nation has told its Kansen that they are to remain anonymous to the general population. As you heard with California… someone found her out and word got around that she was a Kansen. She was taken from her family and placed in witness protection to be monitored by the FBI for the disclosure of classified material… namely her identity.” NJ explained.

“But why is it like that? Why must you be a secret? And how did they manage to keep your crew from spilling the beans?” I asked.

“The same contract I signed was the one that they signed. They would be imprisoned for leaking classified material… as to why our existence is classified… I do not have that answer. My only guess would be domestic terrorists. That or maybe there’s something that we don’t know going on behind the scenes. All I know is that they made me sign a paper saying that I wouldn’t reveal my identity to anyone for any reason. A rule that I broke for you.” NJ said, sending a shiver down my spine.

“I swear not to tell a soul.” I muttered.

“I know you wouldn’t tell anyone, Honey. But if they come knocking… you are going to have to get real comfortable living on the ocean. I will not lose you. Not when someone finally loves me for who I am, and not for what I can do. I was abandoned by the Military. Cast aside and preserved as a museum. That’s the thanks I get for serving my nation. The Persian Gulf was my last hurrah… and even then I was using missiles and jamming technology. My guns were hardly fired in that conflict. The world has outgrown its need for battleships like me.” NJ lamented.

I felt something in my heart tug as I willed myself into a sitting position, much to NJ’s agitation.

“Honey! Take it easy!” NJ cried as she wrapped the towel around herself and came over to me.

“Carriers might be the future… but you will always be my number one, NJ. Battleships are my favorite by far. Bar none. Powerful guns. Heavy Armor. The sheer presence of a mammoth of steel. It screams power. The world may not have use for a battleship, but I sure do.” I said as I hugged her as tightly as my back would allow.

A soft hand on my head let me know that she appreciated my kind words.

“Thank you, Honey. I’ll keep that in mind.” NJ said as she knelt down and gave me another kiss before easing me back down into bed.

“You rest up a bit more. I’ll come and get you after my shower, kay?” NJ asked.

“I’ll be here. Promise.” I said with a smile.

And with that NJ walked out of my room. The sway in her hips was no doubt added to tease me further as she could likely tell where my eyes were gravitating to.

“She’s definitely the one.” I muttered softly as I heard the shower turn on from the bathroom down the hall.

Chapter Text

I laid in bed, looking through my phone at the local dealers to see where the best place to start on a new car would be. I smiled to myself as I heard NJ humming in the shower down the hall.

“This… is real. This is really real… right?” I asked myself as I pinched my side. After confirming that I was not, in fact, clinically insane, I continued my search for a vehicle. My eyes fell on the local Toyota dealer. I had a buddy who worked there that got me a really good deal on my Tacoma… that was now sitting in a scrapyard somewhere between my house and New Jersey. Shaking off the feeling of sadness, I decided that we would begin our search at the Toyota dealership. Thinking to myself, I imagined how cool it would be to be driving around in a brand new Supra. It was in the midst of my thinking that I heard the shower turn off, followed by a satisfied sigh from NJ, who seemed pleased to have made it through her shower without blacking out this time.

“I see you’ve figured out the hot water situation.” I called from our bed.

“Shut it, Tyler! I underestimated how hot the water could get last time, it wasn’t my fault!” NJ cried as I heard her step out of the bathtub.

“Hey, it isn’t my fault either. I did warn you about the hot water the first time.” I said as NJ walked back into the room with her towel wrapped around her chest. She had brought in another towel to dry her hair as she sat down next to me on the bed.

NJ looked over at my phone and saw the screen showing the customization menu for a 3.0 Supra.

“Going for a sports car, Honey?” NJ asked.

“I have a buddy who works at the Toyota dealership. He was the one that got me a really good deal on my Tacoma.” I said as I showed her the phone screen.

“Hmm… can’t say I’m a fan of it. What do you think about a GT500 or the Ford GT?” New Jersey said.

I grimaced.

“NJ… those cars tend to tip into the six figure price range. I only got thirty-nine thousand dollars from the insurance company. I can put a decent chunk down on the Supra and still have money to get us to London and Japan before I have to go back to work.” I said.

NJ puffed out her cheeks.

“Fine… I guess I can accept the reasoning. But can we get it in black? With the red leather seats?” NJ asked.

I smiled.

“You read my mind. That’s what I was going to go with. Are you sure you’ll be okay with it? I can always look somewhere else.” I offered.

“Well… I wouldn’t be opposed to a Dodge Challenger either. I was gifted a Charger in 1969… but due to my constant on-call status from the military, I figured it would be better to just sell the thing for cash. This was before I got my black card, so money was pretty hard to come by, aside from my pay rate onboard the ship.” NJ said.

“You had a 1969 Dodge Charger?! I love those things!” I said excitedly.

NJ’s eyes fell.

“I just remember selling it to some guy in the midwest for about two-thousand dollars. Bringing that to today’s money… that would be approaching seventeen-thousand. I was able to live fairly well for a while off that money. I don’t even know the name of the guy I sold it to.” NJ said sadly.

I smiled softly.

“That’s okay. We can look at Challengers. I actually like them as well, I only settled for Toyota due to a friend of mine working there.” I spoke as I pulled up the page to begin customizing a Dodge Challenger. NJ and I spent the next half hour going through all the customization options for the vehicle.

“Is that what we want?” I asked.

“Did you save the Supra? Do you have it on a different page?” NJ asked.

“You want to compare the two?” I asked.

“Well… there’s what I prefer, versus our ability to leverage your relationship with Toyota to get a better deal. I guess I just wanted to compare what would be easier for you to do. Looks like it would be the Supra. And they also provide a small discount for Military Service. I have my DD-214 from my discharge.” NJ said as she pulled a key out of her wallet.

“Safety Deposit box. I moved my belongings to the bank near here for safe keeping. All my paperwork and stuff of that nature.” NJ said.

“Well, looking at the calculator here, monthly payments would be five hundred and seventy-nine dollars a month if we put down twenty thousand. That leaves us with nineteen thousand to travel.” I said with a smile. NJ smiled as well.

“Then that’s what we will do.” NJ concluded as she stood up and walked over to me. She helped me up out of bed and got me to my feet.

“Did you need help getting a shower?” NJ inquired teasingly.

“What would you do if I said yes?” I teased back, causing a soft blush to cross her face as she was hit with thoughts of all the possibilities that could occur.

“I… take it you’ll be okay?” NJ asked.

“I’ll be alright. I think the hot water will be beneficial. I’ll be able to stretch without pain.” I admitted as she nodded.

“I’ll have one of your pain pills waiting downstairs. No coffee or whiskey this morning, I’ll squeeze us some orange juice to go with the french toast, then we can catch a ride to the bank to pick up my DD-214.” NJ said happily.

“That sounds like a plan. Thank you for all your help, NJ. Despite the fact that I wouldn’t be here without you, I have no idea where I’d be without you.” I said with a smile.

NJ smiled in return.

“That smile of yours gets better every time I see it, Honey.” NJ said as she helped me down the hall to the bathroom.

“This is the most I have smiled in years… all thanks to you.” I said as I closed the door to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

NJ walked downstairs and into the living room where her clothes were folded neatly on the coffee table. Picking out her clothes for the day, she slipped into her red bra and panties that she had shown me at the store. She got dressed and quickly tied her hair back to begin cooking breakfast.

She began making the custard for the french toast as she heard the shower upstairs turn on.

“If only Captain Tucker could see me now. I wonder if he’d be proud.” NJ whispered to herself as the french toast cooked to a perfect golden brown. She made nearly half a loaf of bread’s worth of french toast before she covered the plate with foil to begin squeezing the orange juice for breakfast.

Several minutes of squeezing later, NJ heard the shower shut off.

“He’s done. Which means it’s time to set the table.” NJ said with a smile as she happily went about setting the table.

About ten minutes after that, I walked into the kitchen to see the table set for breakfast and NJ patiently waiting for me to take my seat next to her.

“How was your shower, Honey?” NJ asked.

“It was alright. Still have some lingering pain… hopefully the pills Vestal prescribed will help.” I said as I eased myself into the chair.

“They should. She said that while she wasn’t going to give you opioids, at my request, she gave you some pretty strong Ibuprofen. I think they’re 800mg. Should be pretty decent for dealing with the pain you have.” NJ said as she handed me the pill from a bottle that she returned to the medicine cabinet in the kitchen.

“Thank you.” I said as I took the pill, leading to NJ opening the foil that covered the plate of french toast.

“We eat and then we head out.” I said with a nod as we both piled our plates high and dug in to NJ’s perfect French toast.

Chapter Text

The rest of breakfast was spent polishing off what was left of NJ's french toast.

"How was it, Honey?" NJ asked happily as she stood from her chair and collected her plate.

I look at her as I finish off my glass of orange juice.

"It was very good. Crisp and deceptively sweet. Didn't even need syrup for it. Where did you learn to make french toast like that?" I asked as I pushed myself from my chair, grabbing my own plate to help NJ even just a little.

"I used to help the boys in the kitchen back in '44. Sugar was relegated more for the military, so I was able to sweeten up the breakfast for them and make it more enjoyable. Who would have thought that just a tad more sugar would make such a difference in terms of morale? The boys really seemed to like it." NJ explained as she took the plates and washed them by hand before placing them in the drying rack.

"Should we be off then? We can hail the Uber now, right?" NJ asked.

"Yeah. I'm requesting a ride now." I said as NJ looked my way.

"Make sure it's my credit card." NJ said.

I rolled my eyes and backed out of the confirmation page and re-entered her information.

"I'm gonna have to break you of taking care of every little expense. I can't let everything fall on you." I spoke as I confirmed the ride request.

"I really don't mind, Honey…" NJ tried.

"But I do. A man is supposed to be the one to provide for his family, right? If my girlfriend is taking care of all the expenses, then what am I providing?" I asked.

NJ thought for a moment.

"I didn't think about it like that. I guess I've been a bit pushy when it comes to paying for things lately, huh?" NJ said as she took my empty hand into hers.

"Yes. If you really want to pay for something, I won't stop you, it's your money… but it makes me feel better knowing that I'm towing my share of the line as well. You're not my ATM, NJ. I will never expect you to be, either. You're my girlfriend. You're a part of my family at this point for all I'm concerned." I explained as we walked out the door, locking it behind us.

Walking out to the front porch, we see a familiar face. Parked in the driveway was a Black SUV and standing next to it was a friendly looking woman.

"Amy, it's nice to see you again." NJ exclaimed as soon as we remembered the face.

"Tyler and Nicole. It's nice to see you as well." Amy spoke with a smile.

"Nicole?" I asked.

"Yeah? The name on her card. Nicole Jackson. Don't you know your own girlfriend's name?" Amy asked.

My phone buzzed in my hand.

"Sorry! I guess I really didn't give you my cover name. That's what it says on my ID." The message spoke.

"Ah… No, when I met her, she introduced herself as NJ. So that's what I've been calling her. More importantly, what are you doing here? I thought you were more in the Philadelphia area."

"I was in Philadelphia as a result of another ride. I actually live in the area. And when I saw the notification coming from this address, I knew I had to be the one to pick it up." Amy said cheerfully.

"Had to be, huh?" I asked.

"It wouldn't be a stretch to assume I did it because of that crazy notification I got again… but also, I quite enjoyed taking care of you and Nicole yesterday. So I figured that I'd take your ride request again." Amy said.

"I see… Now I feel bad because today's agenda is picking out a new car to replace my wrecked truck." I said.

"That's okay. Just know that if you need an Uber, I'll likely be the one to pick you up. That said, where are we off to today?" Amy asked.

I turned to NJ.

"Where is your safe deposit box?" I asked.

"The PNC bank in town." NJ answered quickly.

"Not a problem. Hop on in. Will you need assistance again, Tyler?" Amy asked.

"I should be able to manage. Just took one of my pain management pills." I spoke confidently as I tried to enter the vehicle. Despite the sheer amount of ibuprofen flowing through my body, a spike of pain shot through my arm, causing me to lose grip on the handle I was using to pull myself into the SUV. My subsequent fall was arrested by NJ who caught me and gave me a gentle push to get me completely inside the vehicle.

"Are you alright?" Amy asked as she had witnessed the fall.

"Yeah… just a bit of pain. I'll be alright." I said as NJ slid into the seat next to me, leaning against me so she could rub the sore spot on my back that had formed as a result of my body tensing up due to the fall.

Amy nodded and walked around the vehicle, hopping into the vehicle without problem.

"How does such a small girl operate a vehicle of this size so easily?" I asked.

"Years of practice. Also, it's not my fault I only grew to 5'4." Amy said as she looked at me through her rear view.

"I see. Sorry for assuming." I said as we began our trek towards the bank.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Upon arrival to the bank, Amy pulled into the spot closest to the door and put the SUV in park.

"I'll be right back, okay, Honey?" NJ announced as she kissed my cheek and jogged quickly up the ramp to the bank.

This left me and Amy alone.

"So how did you two meet? She seems to be damn near a perfect match for you." Amy commented.

I thought for a moment.

"She was standing outside my front door when I got home from work the other week. Back when the area was blanketed in snow. She was outside without a jacket at midnight and it was cold as hell… she asked if she could stay the night. I figured… why not? I know myself well enough to let a stranger into my home, and I know how to handle myself should things go wrong. So I let her in. One thing led to another and the following morning, after she had passed out in the shower, she asked me if she could live with me full time in exchange for being… a housekeeper for all intents and purposes." I explained.

"And I take it that things just went from there?" Amy asked.

"Basically. I feel comfortable around her, which doesn't happen for a lot of people I interact with. She doesn't question my way of thinking, but she also isn't afraid to speak her mind. She's intelligent, hardworking, and is quite easy on the eyes. Looking back, I would find it next to impossible to find myself not chasing after her had she just left the morning after as I'm sure she initially intended to." I replied.

"Sounds like you forged something rather strong in this relationship. I think the two of you will do just fine." Amy said as NJ emerged from the bank with two envelopes in hand. As she got in the car, I turned to her.

"I thought you were getting your DD-214… what's the other envelope for?" I asked.

"Half of the down payment." NJ spoke neutrally.

I looked at her with wide eyes.

"And how did you just have 10 grand laying around?" I asked.

"Another part of my pension. Don't worry about it. This is the last of the cash." NJ spoke shortly.

I frowned at her.

"Then you keep that money. Maybe you can treat us to a wonderful dinner in London. I'll put the down payment on the car. That's what the insurance money is there for." I said sternly, metaphorically putting my foot down.

NJ smiled in response.

"Fine. But only because you're so adamant about it." NJ spoke as she folded the envelope with the cash and put it in her pocket.

"You sure have some deep pockets there, Nicole." Amy spoke jovially.

"Perks of being a veteran with family in the Government. Every available benefit the government can afford a veteran, I got." NJ said with a smile.

Looking at her now, knowing what I knew, she was deceptively good at maintaining a facade. Why she slipped up around me was still a mystery… or was it? She had told me back on the boat that she had a hard time lying to those she liked. With that in mind, I smiled again.

"Well either way, it's a pleasure driving the two of you around. You two are by far the cutest couple I have seen in my time driving for Uber." Amy said as she put the vehicle in reverse.

"Where are we off to now?" Amy asked.

"Toyota dealership in town, please." I said as Amy nodded and input the directions into the GPS.

Chapter Text

After a twenty minute drive, we arrived at the Toyota dealership. The majority of the ride was quiet as NJ and I looked over the details of the car we were about to purchase. Amy had remained quiet on this ride, which I found odd, but attributed it to it being an early morning drive, and her not being in the mood for a bunch of idle chit chat.

"We got here a bit early. They don't open for about twenty more minutes. You guys wanna hang out? Keep warm while you wait?" Amy offered as she pulled into a parking spot close to the entrance of the building.

"That would be great! Thanks Amy." NJ said happily as she scooted over to sit right beside me.

"I appreciate everything you've done the past two days. Thanks." I added as I continued to look over the specs of my new car.

"What are you thinking of getting?" Amy asked, causing me to look up from my phone.

"A Supra… why?" I asked curiously.

"Just curious is all. Didn't take you for a sports car guy, especially since you drove a truck before." Amy said with a shrug.

"I guess it's just time for a change in pace. After all, I should have died back in that accident. Before… I thought I had time to play it safe. But my view on life has changed in light of seeing how lucky I was. I could die at any time. So… I want to make the most of what time I've been given. Do the things I always wanted to do, you know what I mean?" I asked.

"It makes sense. If I'd survived something like that, I'd hate to go back to the daily grind." Amy admitted.

I could only nod in response. Despite Amy being a friendly presence, I felt my anxiety build, forcing me to keep quiet as I waited.

NJ noticed and filled the uncomfortable silence.

"I'm just thankful that he made it. Doctors had said that he got really lucky. The condition of the cab made it seem like he was a goner." NJ said.

"Really? Did they say what happened? If it was that bad, it must have been quite the crash." Amy asked.

I sat silently and listened. With my anxiety high, I felt something in the back of my head nagging me. Telling me that this woman, a friend to both me and NJ, was asking far too many questions. I decided to ignore this thought, but didn't dismiss it outright, opting to keep it in the back of my head and to be careful of what was said around her.

NJ on the other hand was forthcoming with the non-sensitive information.

"Yeah. Police said that it was a head-on collision with an older pickup truck, which is why there was so much damage. As to what kept my honey alive… they said it was nothing short of a miracle. As for myself, I took a decent cut to the arm, but not much else considering his side took almost the entire impact." NJ said.

"Pretty strong guy, huh?" Amy asked.

NJ smiled.

"Yeah, you could say that." NJ said as she looked at me.

"Everything okay, Honey?" NJ whispered.

"Hmm? Yeah… just spaced out a bit. Still a bit early to be fully awake." I said, coupling it with a yawn to show the lingering drowsiness.

NJ looked at me for a few seconds before my phone buzzed in my hand.

"What's wrong?" NJ's message asked.

"She's asking a lot of personal questions. It's making me uneasy." I replied.

"Say, who was that woman that was at your house yesterday? She looked like she could have been your mom." Amy said out of the blue.

"That's because it was my mom. She's been living in South Carolina for the past ten years running her accounting firm. She left here when she divorced my dad." I spoke bluntly.

"Oh… I'm sorry to hear that." Amy said as NJ looked out the window.

"Oh, honey, look! They're opening the doors." NJ said as she hopped out of the vehicle and came around to help me.

"Thanks for the ride, Amy. Don't know if we'll see each other again, but if we do, I'll see you then." I said.

"See you around, Tyler. It was my pleasure." Amy admitted as I closed the door to her vehicle. I didn't take my eyes off her vehicle until it had driven off, away from the dealership.

"See what I mean?" I asked as we walked towards the door.

"I guess so. But maybe she's just really interested in being our friend. Where does being a friend stop and being creepy begin?" NJ asked.

"I don't think she's creepy. But considering you are… well… you, someone asking a lot of questions like that could just as easily be a Fed. And with her living so close by… one can't be too careful." I spoke.

"While that is a possibility, Honey… I think you're reading into it a bit too much. Nobody knows anything about me. And even if they have pictures from back then, all the ones I know of don't show color or my face clearly. So they'd be grasping at straws even trying to pin me." NJ explained.

"Maybe…" I tried.

"Tyler. I mean it. If I catch wind of anything going on, we'd be gone before they could do anything to stop us. And right now, I'm not getting anything from her." NJ spoke sternly.

I waved my hand.

"Fine. Fine. I'll trust your judgment. Just wanted to vent my concerns is all." I said as we were approached by one of the salesmen.

"Howdy folks, what brings you in today?" The man asked.

"Hey is Alissa in this morning?" I asked.

"Ali? Yeah she just got here. You know her?" The man asked curiously.

"Yeah, she's a good friend of mine. I actually bought my truck off her the last time I was here." I said confidently.

“I see. Well, I can go and grab Ali for you if you’d like.” The man said.

“If you could, that would be great.” I said as NJ and I went to sit in the waiting area.

“Don’t lose your nerve, honey. You could get one hell of a deal out of this arrangement.” NJ said with a soft smile.

I smiled in return.

“Ever the capitalist, aren’t you?” I asked.

“Hey!” NJ exclaimed as a woman in a fresh business suit walked over to us.

“Ah, Tyler. When I was requested, I almost didn’t believe it was you.” Ali said cheerfully.

“Yeah. I was kinda hoping to not be back in here for a while… but I guess a year counts for something, right?” I asked.

“If you don’t mind, What happened? That was a top of the line Tacoma.” Ali said in a lightly scolding tone.

“I was as safe as one could be, Ali. But unfortunately, my safety doesn’t account for getting hit by a drunk driver in an 86 Ford. Completely totaled. Engine in the cab type shit from what the paramedics were saying.” I said.

“Jesus… and you managed to live through that? Tough man.” Ali said.

“They said it was a miracle. But… it was a good truck. I’ll miss it dearly.” I said, jokingly reminiscing on the year of truck ownership.

“Well… do you want me to get you set up in another one, or are you looking for something new? Gas is getting up there, so maybe something like a Corolla or a Camry?” Ali asked.

“Nah. What do you have in stock for Supras?” I asked as NJ bounced happily in the seat next to me.

“A Supra, huh? We have several on the lot. What kind are you in the market for?” Ali asked.

“Preferably a 3.0 model?” I asked.

Ali typed on her tablet and waited for a few seconds.

“We have everything but a 3.0. We have the A91 in stock, as well as the Premium 3.0 and the 2.0 models. Is there any way to convince you to change?” Ali asked.

“The A91 sounds cool… but how much more is it?” I asked.

“Would be about $8,000 more, but I could see about knocking it down to fit your price range. We have a little bit of wiggle room.” Ali said.

“I have Twenty Grand in cash to put down, and I want a six year finance on the rest. Do what you can on the final price and we’ll talk about it.” I said as NJ watched quietly.

“I’ll see what I can do. Come on back to the desk and we’ll hammer out the details.” Ali said as she led the way to her desk.

NJ and I sat down on one side while Ali sat at her computer.

“I can knock it down to fifty-two thousand for you. And with a twenty thousand dollar down payment and six year financing, that would bring payments to four hundred and forty-four dollars a month.” Ali said while turning the screen to show us her work.

“I also have a DD-214 that we can put on the file.” NJ said.

“We can only do that if the car is placed in your name. Your name would go on the title when the car is paid for.” Ali said as she looked at NJ.

NJ looked over at me.

“It’s your choice, honey.” NJ said.

I thought about it for a moment.

“I’d hate for our trip to the bank to be all for nothing… but it sounds like putting your documents on the financing would complicate things when it comes to registration.” I said. NJ nodded.

“Then I guess we will proceed without it.” I said.

“Well… does she live in the house with you as a legal resident?” Ali asked.

“Not yet. I haven’t changed my address yet to reflect my new living arrangements.” NJ said.

“But you do live with him, right?” Ali asked.

“Yes… but…”

“I can fudge it a little bit. Call it clearing the favor I owe your boyfriend. With the military discount applied to the total, your monthly drops to four hundred and thirty- four dollars. Did we want to modify the one we have in stock before you sign the paperwork?” Ali asked.

“Just make sure it has the black exterior with the red interior. We’ll make it work from there.” I said.

“We have hazelnut. Does that work for the interior?” Ali asked.

“We’ll take it.” NJ said happily.

“Excellent. We’ve been trying to get this one sold, actually. But with gas prices on the rise, people aren’t buying for performance. We’ve sold out of Corolla’s and are just about out of Camry’s according to our latest invoice. Just need a few signatures and you can be on your way.” Ali said with a smile.

After about thirty minutes of signatures and waiting for the bank to approve the loan, I was handed the keys to my brand new A91 Supra.

“Congrats on your new ride, Tyler. Try to keep your eyes on the road with this one. From what I hear, she likes to ride fast.” Ali said as she led NJ and I to the departure bay as the techs finished making sure the car was ready to go.

“Love the choice, sir. Hope she treats you well.” One of the techs said as I opened the door for NJ to slide into the passenger's seat. After closing her door, I walked around to the drivers side and slid into the driver's seat. I put the key in the ignition and turned the car on… but then I stopped.

“Honey?” NJ asked as she noticed our lack of movement.

Silence.

“Honey?” NJ asked as she turned to me and grabbed my arm.

I shivered at her touch.

“Could… you drive us home please?” I asked softly

NJ smiled softly.

“Still a bit nervous, huh? It’s understandable. I’ll drive home, honey.” NJ said as she got out of the car and switched places with me.

Despite my nerves, I smiled hearing the engine roar to life as NJ took us from the dealership and onto the highway back towards home.

Chapter Text

“Look, what makes you think this guy is dirty?” Amy spoke into her phone as she sat in her SUV observing the dealership from a distance.

“We’ve been tracking her spending considering her spending habits have changed radically in the past two weeks. She’s gone from survival mode into living a relatively normal life. Plus, your intel has laid the framework for us to launch an investigation. Do we need to run down the list again, Amy? Her spending habits put her visiting her vessel in New Jersey nearly a week ago. Then the two of them are caught in an accident, and the male should have been declared DOA based on the incident report and the pictures of the accident. He is then transferred to a hospital where we have another Kansen working as a hospital Administrator. After some time on bedrest, you pick him up as part of our deep cover surveillance, where you report that the two of them seem exceptionally close in such a short amount of time. And right after you dropped him off at the dealership, you reported that she was discussing her DD-214 and her military service. That is enough for a pretty solid foundation to begin an investigation.” A male voice spoke from the other end.

“Why do we even go after them? They aren’t hurting anybody… if anything, we are. Remember when we ripped California from her family while they were on vacation in Albuquerque? We had to arrest the husband for assaulting an officer and the child got sent with CPS all the while crying for his mother. What did we even do with her?” Amy asked dejectedly.

“I’ll humor your question because you’ve fed us enough information to build a case against New Jersey. California is being held in protective custody in an off-shore facility until we can conduct an investigation into how many people knew of her existence. Once those people are dealt with and buried under NDA’s and other litigation, she will be released in a different city with a retainer as is standard protocol for these girls. As for why we do this, they are a national security risk. Plain and simple.” The man spoke.

“Really? A national security risk? How? Most of the girls don’t have vessels afloat anymore. And the ones that do are either retired or are in service for the Navy. Why are we depriving them of a happy life when that is all they want?” Amy asked.

“Amy… I don’t need to tell you about the risks of a bulletproof superwoman being used against the nation. New Jersey is quite possibly the most dangerous. She is no longer monitored by the Navy, her vessel is still afloat, her artifact is easy for her to obtain if she so chooses, and she now has a reason to fight back if we make a move on her. The fact that she visited her vessel with him should have been enough for us to drag her away, but because the higher ups are dragging their feet, we missed our window.” The man argued.

“So you’d be willing to kill the boy over this? He relies on her after that accident. If she’s removed from the picture, he could very well spiral into a suicide that will paint the entire department as the bad guy. And call it my intuition, but if someone hurts him, she will, very quickly, lose that kind and calm demeanor and use the resulting rage to destroy whoever hurt him. Boss… I have kids and a family. I’m not going to put myself in harm's way to help you destroy something like what they have. I am officially requesting a transfer to a different case.” Amy spoke clearly with a hint of defiance.

The phone was silent for a few seconds.

“Your request has been accepted, Amy. We will be sending a more capable UC to take over your position. You will turn over everything you know pertaining to this case and you will not contact the target. Remember, we have your phone tapped.” The man said.

“You think I don’t know that, Mark? I’m not going to poke this battleship anymore. He’s already suspicious of me. And if he flips her, this operation goes bust. So I’m done working on this case. Get my replacement here and I’m gone.” Amy spat angrily as she hung up the phone.

Amy huffed as a single tear fell from her eye.

“I hate it… you girls aren’t doing anything, and yet we’re punishing you for it.” Amy lamented as she pulled out a cheap looking phone from her center console. Pushing in a new sim card, she turned the phone on and typed in a number. With the number entered, she typed a message.

“Tyler. Be Careful. Eyes are Everywhere. Stay clean and keep her safe.” The message read.

With the message sent, Amy shut off the phone, removed the sim card and destroyed it before tossing the phone into the middle of the street just as a bus was passing by, smashing the phone completely, leaving it unusable.

“I won’t be a part of this anymore. Good luck Tyler. Maybe someday you can forgive me.” Amy whispered as she drove away from her lookout spot.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

My phone buzzed just as we pulled into the driveway.

“Tyler. Be Careful. Eyes are Everywhere. Stay Clean and keep her safe.”

“I knew it.” I said softly.

“Hmm?” NJ asked as she crept down the driveway and into the open parking space.

“I can’t be too sure, but I just got confirmation of my suspicions about Amy. Look.” I said as I showed the message to NJ.

NJ’s expression turned dour and all the happiness in her eyes drained away.

“So she really was suspicious after all. We didn’t do anything to attract attention though. Why would she do this to us?” NJ asked.

“Well, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. We don’t know who sent this. The phone number is one I don’t recognize. All this is… is a warning. Meaning that if we are being watched, they don’t have enough to move in… at least that’s what I’m hoping.” I said as I hugged NJ.

“She was so nice… how could she do this to us?” NJ asked.

“She’s known us for two days. I might go as far to say as you became friendly with her really quick. Which isn’t a terrible thing, but we need to be careful with who we let in.” I said softly.

“So what do we do? I can’t lose you. I don’t want to lose you. You’ve given me more to look forward to in two weeks than my entire life of service. I can live a normal life… a happy life in a home with someone who loves me.” NJ cried as I reached over and shut off the car.

“It’s okay, NJ. It’s okay. Don’t cry. What we’re going to do is continue to live like we have been. We have our court date coming up and we’re also going to London and Japan. We aren’t going to worry about this sort of stuff until the black SUV’s start rolling up. From there…My life is in your hands. We don’t make the first move. If my time watching crime dramas taught me anything, if we make a shady move, they’ll use that as a reason to push their timeline ahead and move in. We live life normally, but now we are going to be extra careful about who we let into our friend circle. And if anyone stands out, we stay away. Okay?” I asked.

“Like the spy movies. Gotta keep it secret, huh?” NJ asked as she dried her eyes.

“Yup. We’re now living the spy lifestyle. We gotta act like we’re being watched all the time. Which means we need to make a hardware store run tomorrow.” I said.

“Why there?” NJ asked.

“Change the locks, and make sure that nobody can get in and tap the house without our knowing.” I said.

NJ smiled.

“Sounds like fun.” NJ said as we got out of the car and headed into the house.

Chapter Text

The event with Amy lingered heavily on our minds as NJ and I sat at the kitchen eating a small lunch.

“I still can’t believe that Amy was a federal agent… she was so nice. She really seemed to care.” NJ said softly as she pushed her food around the plate with her fork.

“I hear ya. But getting close to us was likely her objective. And let’s not forget that she may still be a really nice person… just forced by duty to do some not so nice things. We can’t hold it against her. Besides, this message is a completely different number than any around here, it’s an Oklahoma area code, so I’m going to guess that this was a throwaway phone that Amy had, assuming she is actually a federal agent. She warned us ahead of time, meaning now we know what to look for if someone else tries to get close.” I said.

NJ nodded.

“I guess you have a point. Maybe someday she can be our friend.” NJ said hopefully.

I wanted to tell her that it was likely impossible that we could have a meaningful relationship with Amy, but I figured that the revelation of our perceived friend was a spy was enough for her to have on her mind.

“We’ll see how things play out. Maybe someday the restrictions will lift on Kansen and we’ll be able to be her friend again.” I said.

“Doubtful… they’d never allow us to reveal our identities. It’s too dangerous.” NJ said.

“But why? You have wills of your own. You could do what you want, nobody is forcing you.” I said.

“If some terrorist got a hold of you… they’d have me by the neck until I figured out a way to get you back without them hurting you… which could include my weapons being used to cause mass destruction and casualties in the name of terror. My armaments could destabilize a solid portion of the American government by decimating enough property and forcing the government to negotiate with the terrorists… all because they got a hold of you. On one hand, I love you more than anything. Being with you is one of the few things I actually hold dear. On the other hand… being with you makes me a liability to the Government… and a danger to society at large if you were used as a bargaining chip. That’s why they don’t want anyone knowing our identities. Because if they find us… they find our loved ones… and they use our loved ones against us. That’s why their reaction is so extreme when a Kansen is ‘discovered’ by the general public.” NJ explained, spilling everything she knew about the topic.

I sat back in my chair with a sad look sprawled across my face.

“I guess I didn’t think about it that way. They have every reason to fear the disclosure of your identities. I guess I’ve managed to screw up yet another good thing, huh?” I said without a second thought.

“Not at all. Don’t even say such a thing. I won’t stand for it.” NJ said as she reached her hand across the table and grabbed my own, rubbing the back of my hand with her thumb.

“Coming into contact with me has put so much more strain on your life. There has to be some part of you that believes that all of this could have been avoided had I turned you away.” I said, my tone taking a depressively dark tone.

“You’re absolutely right. There is a small portion that says that if I had been turned away, my life wouldn’t have been changed. The government wouldn’t have half a clue of where I am and I’d still be a homeless Kansen with nobody who cares enough to love her. I’d still be a woman who feels unloved and abandoned with no purpose left in life other than to find a cozy underpass to die under when my vessel finally rusts to nothing in the next century. You’re absolutely right that there is a part of my mind that says these things… and the fact that I allow myself to think like that terrifies me. Don’t you dare try and convince me that meeting you that night wasn’t the best damn thing that’s happened to me since the day I hit the water back during the second world war. I swear to god, Tyler, you need to listen when I talk. I love you! I owe you my fucking life! There is nothing that you could say that will make me admit that I’d be better off without this.” NJ snapped, forcing me to reflect carefully on my next few words.

“But…”

“No buts, Tyler. You took me in. You showed me that people still care about the ships that represent not only myself… but my sisters in arms. My friends. You showed me that there is still good in this country… in this world. I’ve fought in five separate engagements… I’ve seen the worst that humanity can produce. I’ve seen gruesome and abhorrent acts that would scar the minds of anyone unfortunate enough to witness. But yet… you. Your life. Normalcy, mundane daily life. Somehow this type of living helps mask all the pain and suffering I witnessed in all my years. Don’t you understand? I don’t want this to go away… because I have nothing left to look forward to. I have nothing, no home, no family, no job, no hobbies… nothing. Honey… I want nothing more than to face this new life with you. And if they come for us… I will not rest until we are free on the waves of the oceans. I will not hesitate to turn my guns and arms against my former comrades who would stand in the way of living this new life. I refuse to go back to being a homeless nobody.” NJ said as she took the first real bite of her lunch during the totality of the conversation.

Any rebuttal or form of acceptance was put on hold by a sudden knock on the door.

I shot a look to NJ who quietly made her way towards the back of the kitchen, just out of sight but where she could still hear what was going on.

I stood up and went to the door, opening it to see a man with a briefcase and a black suit.

“Good morning.” The man said.

“Good morning? Who are you?” I asked.

“I am an attorney representing the family of the man who struck your vehicle and landed you in the hospital. Mind you that this is a rather unorthodox situation as I usually would not make a house call of this nature, but the family insisted on this approach to keep any wind of court appearance out of the papers. We’ve worked behind the scenes with the state attorney and several other agencies to draw up a settlement that works for the family that, in my opinion, would be favorable to you as well. May I come in?” The man asked.

“Sure… Nicole, there’s a lawyer here.” I said, signaling NJ to come back into the kitchen proper, where the three of us sat down around the table.

“So this is Nicole, the other plaintiff on the settlement. Good. So, basically, this meeting here is to settle any monetary action that could result from this horrific incident. While no formal lawsuit has been filed from your side, the family wants to ensure that there is no formal declaration of a suit or any negative press. In exchange for your signatures on an NDA, the family will settle any medical bills you incurred as well as a lump sum of one hundred thousand dollars for any emotional distress, pain and suffering, and loss of property.” The lawyer explained.

“One hundred thousand?!” I cried as I sat back in my chair.

“Is there an issue with the amount?” The lawyer asked.

“No! No… not at all. I wasn’t expecting such a result. I was going to go after my medical expenses, and maybe something for my inability to work, but that’s more than I thought I’d get.” I said as NJ watched quietly.

“Well, off the books, the NDA is required for this action or else it’d look like they bribed you to keep quiet about the whole incident. They want to make this disappear, and they are paying me handsomely to ensure this goes well. I can’t disclose much, but the clients are the owners of a massive distillery chain on the east coast. So it shouldn’t be too hard to see how bad they want this to go away.” The lawyer said.

“Quite unprofessional for a lawyer to speak ill of his client.” NJ piped up.

“True. But at the same time, what happened to you, and the news it could have generated could have ruined them, and with your signatures on this NDA, their worry goes away and they can deal with the criminal ramifications. I saw what the papers wanted to print, and let me tell you, a literal miracle keeping you alive, the company would have foundered overnight and the family would have been ruined. This settlement is a win-win.” The Lawyer explained.

“What does the NDA entail?” NJ piped up again.

“The terms are simple. You are not to disclose the monetary amount of the settlement, nor any incriminating dialogue that could identify my client. This NDA covers interaction with media and news outlets. If questioned, my personal advice would be to deflect the question, or make no comment. This NDA will be in effect for a term of five years. I have a copy here that you can look over, or I can explain further.” The Lawyer said.

NJ accepted the paper and looked over it closely.

“Nicole?” I asked.

“It’s sound. Ironclad, even. We sign this, we keep quiet about the accident for five years, you get the money from the settlement. No trickly language, no tricks, no fine print. There’s even a clause written in that wouldn’t prevent us from testifying in the criminal trial should we be subpoenaed.” NJ said as she looked at me.

“Then I guess the choice is obvious. We sign it.” I said as the Lawyer handed me a pen. NJ watched me sign the document and followed it up by signing it herself.

The Lawyer looked over the document and signed it as well, sealing the contract before opening the briefcase and spilling the contents onto the kitchen table.

My eyes went wide as I eyed one hundred thousand dollars in fresh twenty dollar bills.

“Glad to see that we could solve this potential dispute before things got out of hand. I’ll leave you two to your lunch. Have a wonderful day.” The Lawyer said as he walked out the door, locking it behind him.

NJ and I sat quietly, our eyes locked on the small fortune that had been dumped on our kitchen table.

“What do we do with it?” I asked.

“Buy a safe. After all, we’re living a spy type lifestyle. Any weird moves, right?” NJ asked.

“You’re right. We should get a safe for this. We’ll pick it up at the hardware store.” I said as we returned to our lunch, picking the last bits off our plates before sending the dishes to the sink.

“I’ll pull the car up.” NJ said with a smile.

“Thank you… honey.” I said with a smile, earning me a kiss on the cheek from a blushing battleship.

Chapter Text

After triple checking the lock on the door, I walked out to the driveway to see NJ standing next to the passenger side door, holding it open so I could slide in.

NJ shut the door once I was inside and then walked around the front to get into the driver’s seat.

“I don’t mind driving, ya’know… but you should try to get back behind the wheel again. What happened to us was nothing short of bad luck. There was nothing you did wrong, or could have done differently.” NJ spoke candidly.

I looked at the floor as she pulled out of the driveway and onto the main road.

“Just… a little longer. It still hasn’t been lost on me that I should be dead. You heard the EMS and the doctors. Without your intervention, I would be in the morgue. I’m not exactly ready to commit to being behind the wheel again… not so soon after the fact.” I replied in a defeated tone.

NJ remained silent at my admission.

“I know it’s selfish. But I don’t mind you driving. If you don’t have an issue with it, I’d like you to continue doing so.” I added, earning me a look from NJ.

“If that’s what you want, you just tell me when you’re ready to get back in the driver’s seat okay, Honey?" NJ asked as we took off from the driveway. Despite the clouded emotions, I felt happy to be riding along with New Jersey.

Several minutes down the road, we turned off into a gravel parking lot outside the local hardware store. The store itself was nondescript with only a sign on the road identifying it.

"Pretty sketchy for a hardware store, Honey…" NJ quipped.

"It's alright. I know the owner. He and his wife drop by the restaurant almost weekly. I've made quite a bit in tips because they tip the kitchen as well as the servers. So ever since he and I hit it off, I've come here for anything hardware related." I replied as we hopped out of the car.

NJ flinched when we heard the voice of a woman coming from a deck chair outside the entrance.

"Tyler? Tyler! It's been so long!" The woman said as she waved us over.

"It's been three weeks, Martha. You act like I've been gone for years." I said with a smile as I hugged the older woman.

"Honey? Mind introducing me?" NJ asked.

I smiled.

"Of course. Nicole, this is Martha, the owner's wife. Martha, this is my girlfriend, Nicole." I said as NJ walked up and the two women engaged in a chaste hug.

"You finally got yourself a woman, huh? I'm so happy to hear that." Martha said cheerfully.

"Is Martin in today?" I asked.

"Yes he is. Where have you been? The food at the restaurant hasn't been the same without you there." Martha inquired.

"I'm recovering from an accident." I spoke, unsure of how to word what had happened.

"An accident? Are you okay?" Martha asked.

"Fractured vertebrae and a really bad concussion. They got me on some strong Tylenol since Nicole here practically strong-armed the doctor into not prescribing opiates." I said with a shrug.

"Oh honey… you broke your back? Are you doing okay? Should you be out of bed so soon?" Martha asked.

"It wasn't a complete break, so the bones healed quickly. I just need to be careful since the doc said my bone density in that part of my back would be weak for a while. So while there is pain, I'm able to get around. If anything, I'm lucky. The doctor and emergency personnel said I should have died on impact." I said.

Martha wordlessly gave me another hug.

"I'm glad to see that the good lord protected you. You have a good soul, hon." Martha said softly as she released me and went back to her chair.

"I definitely had a guardian angel that day." I said as I looked at NJ, who's cheeks had turned a slight shade of red.

"Martin's inside restocking the paint section. Though you know this store like the back of your hand, I doubt you'll have trouble finding what you need." Martha said with a smile.

"I'm still going to drop by and say hello. By the way, I'm heading for Europe, so I won't be at work for a while." I said as we walked towards the door.

"Thanks for the heads up. Give us a chance to refill the Coffers so Martin and I can have a nice date night when you come back." Martha replied.

"I'll be ready for when that day comes." I said as NJ and I went inside the store.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

With it being so early in the day, there weren't many people inside the store. NJ and I made our way towards the paint section for the express purpose of seeing Martin before continuing our shopping trip.

"Martin?" I called from one of the aisles.

"Is that Tyler?" Martin asked as he poked his head into the aisle I was in.

"The one and only." I said with a smile as the burley shop owner walked down the hall towards me.

"It's good to see you, boy. Haven't seen you around lately, had me thinking you skipped town." Martin said as he extended his hand, allowing me to shake it.

"Been in recovery." I replied shortly.

"I bet. Your lady friend there seems like she keeps you real busy." Martin said before laughing with NJ and I.

"Nicole, this is Martin, owner of the store. Martin, this is my girlfriend, Nicole. You can say she's made my life quite a bit easier in our relatively short relationship." I said as Martin turned to look at NJ.

"Happy to meet you, missy." Martin said as he extended a hand. NJ took it and shook.

"Quite the grip you got there, ma'am. What do you do for work?" Martin asked.

"I'm retired Navy." NJ said with a smile.

"A machinist?" Martin asked.

"You could say that." NJ said as Martin laughed. He pulled up his sleeve, revealing a tattoo with two stylized A's.

"Retired Army. Staff Sergeant 82nd Airborne. Served from the Persian Gulf through to the end of the Iraq war." Martin said.

"Gotta love the All American." NJ said.

"Damn right. Enough about that though. Those are stories for sitting on the porch. What can I do for you?" Martin asked.

"We need new deadbolts, door locks, window locks, a security system and a safe." I said without skipping a beat.

"Sounds like fortification work. You expecting company?" Martin asked.

"Something like that. Came into a bit of money as a result of a settlement from my accident. Wanna make sure that I ain't another statistic." I replied.

"Gotcha. Well, I'll give you the best then. Nothing short of a battering ram will beat this stuff." Martin assured me.

"You got steel doors?" I asked.

"You're really diggin in, ain't ya. Not an issue. I got you covered." Martin said as he led us through the store, picking up all of the items I had requested, including a rather robust security system. After filling our cart, we walked to the register.

"Locks are on me, boy. I'm all for beefing up security. You can repay me by getting me the best steak this side of the Mississippi when my wife and I come in for dinner." Martin said.

"Not a problem. But that might be a while. I'm off to Europe and Japan for a small vacation." I said.

"I'll be eagerly awaiting my steak upon your return." Martin said as I paid cash for the door and the security system.

I suddenly remembered something as we prepared to walk out the door.

"Uh… Martin. If I give 100 bucks, you think you could deliver the door to my place? I kinda forgot that I don't have my truck anymore." I said as I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Not a problem, boy. I'll take a six pack instead of your money. Mind if I drop it off after I close up shop?" Martin asked.

"Not at all. You're doing me a favor, so take all the time you need." I said as NJ and I took our leave. We took our supplies out to the car and quickly made our way back towards the house.

Chapter Text

After leaving the store, we made our way directly back to the house, NJ being sure to take a different route than the one we used to get to the hardware store in the first place. She pulled into the driveway and allowed me to get out at the door. I grabbed several of the bags that we had gotten from the hardware store.

“I’ll grab the safe and bring it up. It’s quite heavy, don’t want you to strain yourself, honey.” NJ said with a soft smile.

“How considerate.” I replied as I closed the door to the car, allowing her to drive the car down back and park it.

Heading inside, I left the bags on the kitchen table and walked up to my room where the money from the lawyer was left sitting on my bed. I took it upon myself to recount all the banded stacks of cash that totaled to the one hundred-thousand dollars that had been given to me by the lawyer. I looked at each band of cash, ten in total, noting nothing out of the ordinary. I even went as far as to cut each band and spread out the cash, noting that there was nothing present besides the discarded bands and the now thoroughly ruffled mountain of hundred dollar bills. My counting was interrupted by NJ who walked into the room with the safe we had bought from Martin.

“What are you up to, honey?” NJ asked as she set the safe on the floor by the closet.

“It struck me on the way home that the lawyer came by suspiciously close to the time of us finding out that Amy was working for the feds. I wanted to check the cash for any possible tracking devices or RFID chips that they could be using to keep tabs on me or you. But from the looks of it, it was all a coincidence. The money is clean. Lawyer man is unaffiliated.” I replied as I pulled out a small handful of rubber bands from my dresser and re-banded the cash in stacks of one thousand dollars.

“I could have told you that, Honey… all those items give off radio and electromagnetic frequencies that can be detected by… well… me. It would work a whole lot better if I had my rigging, but I could have at least told you that there were no bugs in the house.” NJ said with a small sigh.

“Electronic warfare?” I asked.

“I was only retired in 1991, honey. I got a lot more than just big guns and a spunky attitude.” NJ replied with a pout.

“You’re right. You know, you and I should sit down and discuss all these abilities you have. That way I don’t keep stepping on your toes, so to speak.” I said.

“We could do that, but all you really have to do is look back at what they did to my vessel to see what I can do. I had quite the electronic countermeasure array installed on account of the Slick-32 system. Helped me keep eyes and ears on everything in my vicinity. Scaled down, it helps me know exactly what’s in my immediate area.” NJ explained.

“So all the equipment mounted on the New Jersey currently is available to you in form of… intuition?” I asked.

“If that’s how you want to say it, then yeah. But enough of that nonsense… we’re home. We have a safe. We can work on getting ready for Martin to drop by. Do you have a case of beer for him?” NJ asked.

“I have a case in the back fridge. Did… you ever run into Martin… during the gulf war?” I asked curiously.

“No. The ground invasion by US forces was only enacted in January of 1991. I left the Gulf in 1989. But still, alongside the Marines, I love the 82nd. The All Americans. He seems like a really down-to-earth kinda guy, don’cha think?” NJ asked.

“He is. Him and his wife are two of the nicest people in town, but their kind demeanor shouldn’t be an invitation to fuck with them. Last I counted, Martin has three cases that ended in him being innocent on the grounds of self-defense.” I said with a shrug.

“What kind of cases?” NJ asked nervously.

“I never asked. I assume all of them had something to do with the arsenal he keeps in his basement.” I replied.

“That’s… disconcerting.” NJ said with a small chuckle.

“That’s why he’s a friend of mine. Rather be friends with the local armorer than an enemy.” I replied with a laugh.

“Well… that aside, where would you like to have the safe?” NJ asked as she turned to present the nearly two and a half foot tall safe that she had managed to lug inside from the car.

I pointed over to the corner of the room next to the bed.

“We can put it there. How heavy is that thing?” I asked.

“It’s about three hundred pounds, why?” NJ asked as she effortlessly picked up the safe and put it in the corner of the room before unlocking the safe and writing down the code for me to memorize.

“I guess you weren't kidding when you said it was heavy.” I muttered.

“Why would that be something to joke about? Nevermind that, here.” NJ said as she handed me the note with the code as I started passing her the stacks of banded twenties.

“How much do you think we’ll need for our trip?” I asked.

“Well, we should be prepared to keep twenty thousand dollars available. Britain will be easy to do for cheap. Japan will not be. And I won’t be able to use my card willy nilly. Abroad, I will have to use my ID in conjunction with the card, which then the Government will be able to track my spending. That… and it’s likely we will be escorted by the secret services of each nation upon arrival.” NJ said.

“Uh… why?” I asked.

“Remember when I said that each country knows about each other’s Kansen? Well… they want to ensure that their own safety is upheld by keeping me under surveillance. It shouldn’t interfere with our ability to visit Belfast in London, but we have to keep in mind that we will be watched by MI6 in London and the Naicho in Japan. The laws get real fuzzy, but so long as you don’t let on that you know what I am and what Belfast is and any other Kansen we come across, we should be in the clear.” NJ said as she scratched her head, clearly thinking hard about what information she was conveying.

“So… business as usual then?” I asked as I set aside twenty grand and allowed NJ to lock the safe.

“Basically.” NJ said as a stern knock came to the door.

“You in, boy?” Martin’s voice came from the front door.

“Coming right now!” I yelled as NJ and I ran down the stairs to let Martin and Martha inside.

“We decided to close up early today. Martha informed me you broke your back in that accident you mentioned, so I figured I’d come by and fix up your house while you relax.” Martin said with a smile.

“That’s really nice! Can I get you two something to drink? I can get something put together for lunch too.” NJ offered.

“I’ll take that beer. I brought the door with me so I can get the door and locks assembled and replace your door. You have the keys with you?” Martin asked as he and Martha stepped inside with Martin dragging in the steel door.

“We have the two keys that came with the lock.” I said as I showed him the keys.

"Good. Martha, mind helping Nicole fix some food?" Martin asked.

"Not at all. Come along sweetie, let's get something fixed up so the men can do their work." Martha said with a smile as she and NJ got to work cooking lunch.

"I can help out too, just can't do a bunch of heavy lifting." I said as I walked over to Martin with a beer in each hand.

"Then I'll have you put the locks on the door. I made sure to cut the recesses where you need them for the deadbolt and the locks. So it should line up nice for ya." Martin said as he cracked the top on his beer.

"Did you manage to get the safe inside? That one wasn't exactly the most portable." Martin asked as he and I set about building the new door.

"Yeah. NJ managed to get it in without much trouble." I replied.

"She did? All by herself?" Martin asked as he looked back at NJ who had tied back her hair and was helping Martha put together some grilled chicken cheese steaks.

"No clue how she did it." I lied.

"Boy… I ain't stupid. I won't ask what kind of special she is, but you know me well enough to keep my trap shut." Martin spoke as he took a swig of his beer.

With a sigh, I relented.

"To give you plausible deniability… she's a LOT stronger than she looks. Her intuition is spot on. And she's the reason I didn't die in my truck on the way back from New Jersey. Anything more than that, and you'll be at risk of the feds kicking in your door." I spoke in a low tone.

"Got it. You found yourself quite the specimen then. Might be my old army instincts, but I could tell she was dangerous the moment I saw her, navy girl or not." Martin said as I sipped my own beer.

"She's made it clear that I am an important person to her. So maybe she puts off that vibe when she's around new people?" I spoke as we finished putting the door together. Not long after, the food was ready and we all took a break to sit down and eat. What I wasn't ready for, was another knock at my door.

"Tyler? Nicole? It's Nancy. You guys in?"

Chapter Text

“You know this Nancy?” Martin asked suspiciously.

“Yeah… she’s the head administrator at the hospital that I was treated at.” I said as I walked to the door and opened it. Lo and behold, the retired repair ship stood on my doorstep, bundled up in a dark fur coat to stave off the cold.

“Nancy… what are you doing here?” I asked as I moved to the side to allow her entry.

“I told you at the hospital that I was going to be moving into the area. I already have an interview set up at the local hospital for their head administrator position, so I figured I’d drop by.” ‘Nancy’ said.

“That was a quick turnaround, Nancy. I last saw you only two days ago.” I said as Martin watched intently.

“Yeah… well when the federal government decided to harass me and my staff not even twenty-four hours after your discharge, I figured it would be prudent of me to remove myself from their all seeing eye. So I used a bunch of the cash I had and bought a house in the area. I have my interview tomorrow.” ‘Nancy’ said.

“Boy, you care to introduce me to your friend there?” Martin asked as he stood and walked over to me.

“Martin, this is Doctor Collier. She was the one who took on my case at the hospital and helped me recover after my accident.” I said.

“Well, I guess I owe you a thanks for saving my favorite chef, little lady.” Martin said as he extended his hand towards her.

‘Nancy’ took his hand and shook it.

“Nancy, this is my friend Martin. He owns the local hardware store with his wife Martha. Not a big fan of the government so your position is safe here.” I said as she looked at me.

“And how is Nicole doing? Did her arm heal up nice?” ‘Nancy’ asked.

NJ poked her head out from behind my back.

“I’m alright, the stitches are still holding, doc.” NJ said as she ate her cheesesteak.

“She’s also a good friend of Nicole’s.” I said as I turned to Martin.

Martin pulled me over and whispered a question in my ear.

“Is she like Nicole then? I’m getting the same feeling from her as I do from your lady friend.” Martin said in a hushed tone.

“Yes. She’s a very special friend as well. But as I said, I can’t elaborate or the feds will be kicking in your door. Just understand that she can be trusted.” I said in an equally hushed tone.

“Gotcha. You really have dug yourself a massive hole, haven’t you?” Martin asked.

“Yeah…” I said with a sigh.

“I’ll bring by a shovel… make it easier for ya.” Martin joked as he stood up straight.

“Well, the door is assembled and in place. I can drop by another time to set up the security system. Thanks for the beer, boy.” Martin said as he and Martha placed their dishes in the sink.

“Are you heading out already?” I asked.

“You seem to be quite popular today, figured that since the work is done, I can go home and relax with the rest of the six pack you gave me.” Martin said as he turned to NJ.

“You’re a talented cook as well, Nicole. Lunch was delicious. You make sure to keep an eye on the boy now, ya hear?” Martin said with a finger pointed in my direction.

“Don’t worry about that, Martin. I won’t be letting him out of my sight.” NJ said as Martin nodded and smiled.

“And it was a pleasure to meet you as well, Doc. I’ll be getting out of your way now, so take a load off. Martha helped make a little extra for lunch so there should be some leftovers.” Martin said as he and Martha moved around ‘Nancy’ and headed out the door with a wave and a flurry of farewells.

‘Nancy’ waited until the sound of Martin’s vehicle had left the driveway before she finally took off her coat and took a seat next to NJ.

“What does he know?” Vestal accused.

“Nothing. He has his intuition and it says you two are special, but nothing more. He doesn’t know anything that would have the feds kicking in his door.” I said as I made Vestal a sandwich with the leftover chicken.

“You play a dangerous game, Tyler.” Vestal said with a sigh.

“He was the one that came to me asking about NJ. I didn’t offer the information.” I replied.

“Be that as it may, what I said was true. The feds are keeping tabs on you.” Vestal said.

“Yeah, we kinda figured. The girl that picked me and NJ up from the hospital sent us a message and it basically told us that the government is already on our case. She told us to be careful and to watch our backs. So it doesn’t surprise me that the feds showed up at the hospital that I was treated at.” I said.

“Yeah… they showed up with warrants and tried to harass my staff. They demanded interviews and scoured your medical records. I tried pulling the HIPAA card but the warrant trumped it as it had been signed by a federal court judge. I didn’t tell them anything about you and NJ, just the more mundane things that we had discussed and things like the code green incident prior to your discharge, but other than that, I didn’t say anything.” Vestal said as she tucked into her sandwich.

“Wait, they turned over the hospital?!” NJ cried.

“Yeah. You tend to forget, Jersey, you’re special. You are the only Kansen that I know of that has a vessel still afloat, has easy-ish access to your artifact, is not being constantly monitored by the military, and has the full benefits of a retired Kansen. So when the government figured out that you met with someone and changed your habits to someone who has settled into a domestic style of living, you raised a really big red flag.” Vestal said.

“So they want to harass me and Tyler because they can’t control me?” NJ exclaimed angrily.

“That’s the long and short of it, Jersey. They flipped the hospital and the staff. I resigned the moment they left and I have yet to sell my place in Philadelphia. I bought a place here with the cash I had stashed away when they paid me after scrapping my vessel. So, as a result of the choice you made, I basically was forced to flip my life upside down.” Vestal said.

This made NJ shrink into her seat.

“Vestal, I understand where you’re coming from, but telling her that isn’t going to change anything. All you’ve done is made her feel bad for finally fighting for herself. I took her in with no regard for my own safety. I let her in when I had every right to turn her away. I do not regret anything for even a moment. She has a right to have a roof over her head. She has a right to be happy. She has a right to live a normal life.” I said as I stood up to face Vestal.

This gave the repair ship pause.

“I know… it was selfish to make this about myself. But it was not my intent to make her feel bad for trying to live a normal life. I was just trying to make it clear to her that the actions she is taking have very real consequences and that if she is going to continue down this path of defiance, she needs to send it with full intent. She can’t feel bad for making these choices. Looking at her right now, she’s feeling awful based on the things I have said.” Vestal said.

“That is a really messed up way to make a point, Vestal. I don’t know much about Enterprise, but if her conduct reflects her actions in the second world war, I don’t think she’d be too happy to know that her old friend and comrade would be using such a deceitful tactic just to get a point across. NJ and I understand that there will be consequences for our actions. We already know that what we want will eventually lead to us being forced to flee the country. We know that we need to involve as few people as possible so that our actions affect as few people as we can until such time that we choose to leave. But guilting her like this is fucked up.” I said in an upset tone.

“Fine. Fine. I’m sorry. But you do need to understand. None of my staff have ever had any run-ins with the law aside from the occasional officer coming in to collect a drunk driver or a murder suspect or what have you. But for them, this was a horrifying experience. They were all interviewed by the KIB division of the FBI. Every nurse you had contact with was grilled for hours. This path you two have chosen is not one where there are no victims.” Vestal explained.

“We get it. We’ll make sure to keep to ourselves.” I spoke as NJ slowly drank her soda, more than content to not have to be involved in the conversation.

“All that aside… how are you feeling? Are the pills working?” Vestal asked, casting away any remaining emotion from the previous conversation.

“I’m doing alright. The pain pills work for now, but I build tolerance quickly. So, it’s likely they won’t be effective for much longer than a week.” I said.

“I see. Well just be careful not to abuse the medicine. Ibuprofen damages the liver.” Vestal said as she finished her food.

“Well, I should be going. Have to get furniture for the new place.” Vestal said.

“Have a good evening, Nancy.” I said as Vestal quickly put her plate in the sink and left the house.

I got up and locked the new door lock and the deadbolt before turning to NJ.

“Don’t let it get under your skin, NJ” I said softly as I walked over to her and rubbed her shoulders.

“I know… it just sucks that I can’t live a normal life without affecting other people.” NJ said sadly.

“We’re not going to worry about that. We have our plans, and we have the ability to leave if things get hot. Once we’re gone, nobody will be affected by us.” I said with a soft smile. NJ returned the smile.

“It’s getting a bit late. Should we turn in for the day?” NJ asked.

“I like that idea. Let’s get some rest. We can buy our plane tickets tomorrow.” I said as I took her plate and my own and placed them in the sink.

“You go ahead and get a shower first while I do the dishes. I’ll be up shortly.” NJ said with a soft smile as I did what I was told.

Chapter Text

I had just barely gotten into the shower and turned the water on when the door to the bathroom opened.

“NJ?” I asked as I peeked my head out from the curtain. As soon as I did so, a partially disrobed NJ ducked behind the wall that separated the toilet from the shower. Seeing that, I quickly ducked my head back into the shower. A few seconds later, NJ replied.

“Yes?”

“Did you need something?” I asked as a small red hue crossed my face, remembering what I had just seen.

“No... I’m just getting undressed and ready to grab a shower when you’re done.” NJ replied. The slight hesitation in her tone made me think she was embarrassed to disclose such information.

“Sorry about that… force of habit. You tend to be a bit skittish when you’re still a bit used to living alone.” I said as I returned to washing my hair, forcing me to close my eyes.

Before I could react, I heard the shower curtain rustle as if someone was getting into the shower with me. I tried to turn around but a pair of firm hands on my shoulders prevented me from turning even an inch. I tried to turn again, only to be met with a soft sensation on my back.

“Stop trying to turn around… I’m not really ready for you to see me completely exposed like this… but you’re not alone anymore… I want you to let that sink in… even if I have to do something like this to get it through your thick skull.” NJ whispered in my ear as a pair of soft hands massaged my head.

“Are you… washing me?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“Just… hush. This is embarrassing for me too, okay?” NJ asked as she ran her hands through my hair, being sure not to move the suds from my eyes, forcing me to keep my eyes closed.

I stood under the shower, internally screaming as NJ’s hands worked the soap into my hair. Just as I was getting used to her doing that, I heard a soap bottle open, and the sound of soap being squeezed out filled the air. I nearly hit the ceiling when I felt the cold sensation hit my back, but once again I was helpless to do anything but allow NJ to do what she wanted.

After five intense minutes of not being allowed to view my surroundings, I felt the water wash over me, freeing my eyes from their sudsy prison.

“All clean… can… you please go without turning around?” NJ requested as she pressed her chest against my back, hugging me from behind.

I stood frozen for a few seconds as I allowed myself to look down at the slightly reddened skin on the arms that had wrapped themselves around my chest. I pulled one of the hands up to my lips and kissed the back of it, earning myself another whisper in my ear.

“You’re never going to be alone again… not if I can help it… kay?”

With a soft nod, the arms released me, allowing me to hop out of the shower and wrap a towel around my waist.

“You sure you don’t want me to return the favor? Washing your back can be a real pain.” I offered, only to be slapped in the back of the head by a wet washcloth that had been chucked in my direction.

“Shush! I can wash myself just fine!” NJ cried as I chuckled.

“Alright. Alright. I’ll be in the room if you need anything.” I said as I walked out of the bathroom and closed the door behind me.

I sank into my bed, making sure to leave some empty space on either side, just in case NJ was serious about sleeping in my room going forward. Just as I was about to doze off, I heard the shower turn off, followed by the satisfied sigh of NJ who had just been hit with the cool air being kept out by the escaping steam.

The smile on my face was unmissable as I heard the light footfalls pacing around the bathroom. I allowed sleep to overtake me as the sound of a hair dryer emanated from the bathroom. One last look at my phone saw the time being 22:47.

What felt like hours later, I felt the bed shift enough to stir me from my light slumber. A quick check of my phone, however, showed that only twenty minutes had passed. What surprised me more was the scent of flowers that was caressing my nose. Taking a second to take account of my limbs, I realized that NJ had decided that she wished to be the one being cuddled, as opposed to doing the cuddling. It also caught my attention that she was wearing a pair of black lace panties and the red BB-62 shirt we had picked up in New Jersey. The perceived desire to be cuddled lit a small flame in my mind.

"It's not wrong to want to live your life. I'll make sure you enjoy every minute." I whispered in my sleep-addled voice. This seemed to do more than put her mind at ease, as I saw a soft glow emanating from her luscious blue eyes.

"I know you will, Honey." NJ said in a velvety smooth tone as she rolled over in my loosely held grip. The light from her eyes stirred something deep within me, fight, flight, or freeze. In this situation… I froze. Her lips approached mine. My body, having a mind all on its own, invited her in as I captured her lips with mine. The soft squeak of surprise muffled by our locked lips broke my trance, allowing me to pull her closer, firmly pressing her against my stomach and chest.

I felt her hands grip my back and shoulder simultaneously as she dug her nails in, refusing to lose to me in any sense. Our lips only parted when I tapped out, handing her a win willingly given. Between heavy breaths, she spoke.

"Is… that what… I get… to look… forward to?"

I pulled her head to the crook of my neck before answering.

"Anything you want… I will give you willingly. I love you, New Jersey." I whispered, using the same tone that turned her lips onto mine.

Another squeak, this one more frustrated.

"If I knew I wouldn't hurt you… you wouldn't be getting a wink of sleep tonight. Count yourself lucky that my armaments are still neutered by my desire to keep you safe." NJ spoke in a tone that screamed pouty.

"Armaments? Well… I guess that we could count those nights as night battles?" I joked, earning my ears a loving caress from her soft hands before a sultry whisper.

"With all my equipment… you won't stand a chance, Honey." NJ threatened as she bit the shell of my ear. This act of sheer eroticism sent shivers down my spine.

She really could lay me out… and would not hesitate to do so. With that squarely in the forefront of my mind, I gave her a small chuckle.

“When the time comes, hit me with your best shot.” I issued. NJ gave me a smile that stirred my loins further.

“May the best warrior prevail.” NJ whispered as she settled into my arms, the sexual tension still very much lingering in the air around us. I let my body settle upon hearing the soft rhythmic breathing of NJ in my arms.

“Goodnight, NJ. I’ll see you in the morning.” I whispered before kissing her forehead and allowing sleep to take me once more. The time read 23:38.

Chapter Text

The night flew by without incident. I woke up well before my alarm to the sight of the red t-shirt that NJ had worn to bed sitting haphazardly on top of the covers, the most notable detail was that NJ was not inside it. Without a shred of emotion or decency, I looked down into the covers to confirm my suspicion. NJ had removed herself from her shirt in the middle of the night and proceeded to snuggle back up to me, leaving me no space to slip her back into her shirt. Despite my lack of surprise, it was still unexpected to see NJ without a bra underneath her shirt, especially with her demeanor in the bathroom earlier in the evening.

In spite of the dense sexual tension mere hours earlier, I did not look at her with lust in my heart. She looked peaceful… serene even. It took my mind to a space where I envisioned her and I standing on the tip of the bow of her vessel as we sailed effortlessly across the waves. She emanated grace and power all at once.

“How did a guy like me get so lucky?” I whispered softly. NJ stirred the moment I opened my mouth.

“The same way a girl like me got lucky finding a guy like you.” NJ whispered in response without opening her eyes.

“Are you awake?” I asked with a small chuckle.

“I can be… but I don’t want to be… because that means we have to get up and leave this nice warm bed of yours.” NJ said as she pulled herself as close as she could while still giving herself room to breathe.

“Ours. It’s not just mine anymore.” I corrected her with a light pat on the head, something she eagerly leaned into despite still being half asleep. Despite my better judgment, I pushed the issue of her being shirtless.

“Did you get hot last night?” I asked softly.

“I did. How could you tell?” NJ asked sleepily.

“Because you’re not wearing your shirt…” I whispered as she immediately began feeling around the blankets for her absent shirt.

“You could’ve said something sooner!” NJ hissed as she scrambled to get back into her shirt as it took all I had not to bust out laughing.

“I could have. But then again… why would I waste such a gorgeous view?” I asked as I settled back into bed.

NJ pouted as she stuck her head through the top of her shirt.

“You should have said so sooner. You know that I’m not an exhibitionist.” NJ said as she put her arms through her shirt and cuddled back up to me, making sure this time to not give herself room to remove it.

“Alright. I understand. It’s only 4… should we catch a few more hours of sleep?” I asked.

NJ nodded wordlessly and it was soon made even more apparent that despite her quick movements, she was half asleep the entire time. The feeling of her chest rising and falling next to me lulled me back to a blissful slumber that would last until the morning sun pierced my windows.

I opened my eyes only to be met with the blinding light of the sun. I felt the bed next to me and confirmed that NJ was still fast asleep beside me.

I couldn’t help but smile once more as I reached over her and picked up my phone. With the cash I had in hand, all we had to do today was pack and head for the airport. As soon as I thought that, however, it occurred to me that if the Government wanted to bug my home, they’d use the time we were away to do so. So, being as quiet as I could, I scrolled through my phone and found Martin’s number. I called him and hoped he wouldn’t be too upset for me calling so early in the morning.

After a short ring tone, Martin picked up the phone.

“Do you realize what time it is, boy? I ought to wring your neck for waking me up so damn early on my day off.” Martin grumbled.

“Yeah… I figured that would be the case. I have a favor to ask you. With Nicole and I heading to London tonight, I need someone to watch the house while I’m gone. Would you be willing to stay here until her and I get back to the states?” I asked.

Martin grumbled a bit more.

“Fine. Wanted to get some work done on my house anyway, and the company I got to do it would like Martha and I to vacate the place while they work. So I guess having a place to stay that isn’t a motel is better. Just don’t expect me to shop for ya or anything.” Martin said seriously.

“That’s fine. I just want to make sure nothing happens to the house while I’m gone. After all, there’s a safe full of cash I’m not able to drag on the plane with me, so that’ll have to stay.” I said as I shrugged on my end.

“Alright. What time do you plan on heading out?” Martin asked.

“I’m thinking here in about three or so hours. Gotta wait for Nicole to wake up and everything.” I said.

“Alright. That’s fine. We’ll be over in a bit after we get some stuff packed.” Martin said as he hung up the phone.

“Great… now we need to pack.” I said as I tried to sit up, only to be pulled back down into the covers by force.

“Not yet.” NJ spoke as she opened her eyes and lifted her body so she could look down at me.

“We have to get up and get ready. We have to pack our bags and get to the airport to buy our tickets.” I tried.

“Okay? Five more minutes isn’t going to make or break those plans, are they?” NJ asked as she adjusted herself to be completely on top of me.

I swallowed hard as the telltale glow became more present in her eyes.

“NJ… we have to get up and get moving.” I reasoned.

“It’ll cost you then.” NJ said with a pout.

“Name your price.” I said quickly.

NJ smiled as she leaned down and locked lips with me. The same sparks from the night before rekindled as my brain went alight from the sensation of her lips and tongue. Just as my hands began to drift down towards her rear from their place on her back, she broke contact and sat back up on my hips.

“That should do.” NJ said with a teasing smile.

It was my turn to pout.

“Pull away right before it gets good?” I asked.

NJ smiled.

“Maybe I just want to deny you long enough to make you want it more and more. That way when we get down to it, you can give me everything without hesitation with all that pent up frustration.” NJ said as she stuck out her tongue, a fatal mistake.

The moment her tongue left her mouth, I grabbed her shirt and pulled her down to the bed and pinned her arms down with my hands.

“You’re playing with fire, little miss Iowa class.” I said as I leaned down and kissed her cheek, earning me a squeak from a now completely flipped NJ.

I could see a mighty battle behind her eyes as she fought the urge to completely let me have at her. But with our travel plans at stake, I capped my own libido and released her hands.

“Oh, come on!” NJ cried as she pounded my chest.

I snickered.

“Well, maybe I just want to get you all riled up and leave you hanging so that when the time comes, you can come at me with every bit of that pent up frustration.” I said in a slightly mocking tone.

NJ paused.

“Okay… I deserved that. But still!” NJ cried.

“Maybe when we get to London. I’m sure that the hotel won’t mind.” I said as NJ pouted.

“You had better hope there’s no turbulence on the plane.” NJ threatened.

“How ironic… a battleship joining the mile high club.” I said with a snicker as she smiled.

“It’s on my bucket list.” NJ said as I got off her legs and allowed her to sit up.

“Shall we get ready?” I asked.

“Fine. Let’s get going.” NJ said as we set about packing our bags to leave.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t long before our bags were packed and we were dressed for our trip to the airport.

“Are you ready to go, Honey? Martin and Martha just pulled up.” NJ called from downstairs.

"Yeah. Just double checking everything. Do you have your passport?" I asked.

"Yup. As well as my exception paperwork." NJ said as I dragged my suitcase down the stairs into the kitchen.

"Exception paperwork?" I asked.

"Well, due to some… questionable cargo I used to carry. I may be ever so slightly radioactive." NJ admitted.

"Radioactive?! I'm not going to get cancer from being near you, right?" I asked nervously.

"What? No, of course not. It's less about how radioactive I am, and more than I produce it. Carrying the… questionable cargo… kinda made a slight permanent change." NJ explained.

"Questionable cargo… the W23's?" I asked.

"Yes. I produce less radiation than what's considered background radiation, but since I am a source, I need these papers to fly. The moment they scan my ID at security, they will be prompted to ask for these papers as part of a procedural process. You're not in danger of radiation poisoning." NJ said.

"Well… that's a relief… but you'd think that would be something to tell me… like when I found out about you?" I said with a hand on my hip.

NJ did a playful knock to the side of her head.

"I kinda forgot about it until I saw the papers in my safe deposit box. My bad." NJ said with a smile.

"Well… as long as kids aren't out of the question, I guess it'll be okay." I said as NJ blushed fiercely.

"K-kids?!" NJ cried, her tone of surprise clearly indicating that she never thought I'd broach the subject.

"You bet your Iowa class ass, NJ. Don't think for a moment that I ain't gonna try." I said firmly.

NJ fidgeted a bit.

"Well… I guess… I wouldn't mind giving it a go. But not right now! I want to live a little before we… have a little one." NJ said shyly. I gave her a soft smile, more amused by the shy behavior than the content of her words.

"That's fine by me. Don't really have the capacity to have a child at the moment. Enough chatting about that, we should get going, like you said." I affirmed as a knock came to the door.

NJ followed me to the door and I opened it to see Martin and Martha standing there.

"Ready to go, boy?" Martin asked.

"Yup. The place is yours until we get back. Shotgun in the master closet, pistol in the top drawer of the dresser. Ammo everywhere so it shouldn't be hard to find. I also have a few streaming services active if you want to watch anything." I said, earning a nod from the former serviceman.

"Good to know. We'll keep the place warm for ya. Now get going or you'll miss all the outgoing flights for the day." Martin said as he shook my hand. He opted to do the same for NJ while Martha graced us both with a chaste, yet sincere hug.

"You two be safe now, ya hear? I don't want our best customer winding up hurt or worse. We’d take a huge loss to the profits." Martha teased.

"Don't worry, not a single ill-intended scratch will befall him." NJ assured Martha who gave me a look of understanding. The look in her eyes, while soft, gave me a looming sense of nervousness when it came to how NJ worded her last phrase.

“That’s good to hear. But like Martin said, you two better run along. You don’t want to miss all the outgoing flights for the day. It would be a shame for your vacation to start off with an extended stay at the airport.” Marthat said as I nodded.

“Thanks for watching the house. If you see anything suspicious, send me a text so I know what to look for when I come back.” I said.

“You got it. I’ll use my private phone instead of the work phone. And I’ll have Martha run the store so I can keep the place under lock. So you should be alright when you come back.” Martin said as NJ looked at me.

“I really appreciate you going through the trouble, you guys. Thanks again. See you when we return.” I said as I placed NJ and my suitcases in the trunk of the Supra.

“You want me to drive again, Honey?” NJ asked.

After a few seconds of hesitation, I gave my answer.

“I’ll drive. I need to get over the fear of being on the road again anyway.” I said as NJ hopped into the passenger’s seat while I slid behind the wheel. The hesitation was washed away the moment I sat in my seat. Like riding a bike, every feeling I used to have while driving returned, boosting my confidence immensely. I turned the key and started the car for the first time with me in the driver’s seat. The power from the engine rumbled the frame and sent vibrations through the steering wheel into my hand. It felt magnificent. The power. The sound. The feel. It was immaculate. It felt as if the car yearned for the road. With the concerningly pleasant feeling now fading into the distance, I threw the car into gear and we rolled up the driveway before hitting the main road that ran just outside my house. Our destination, Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

The drive to the airport was uneventful, much to my approval. The car handled immaculately and the feeling of pride of being able to drive my own car once more made for a great start to my holiday. NJ picked up on this and looked at me.

“Good job, honey.” She said with a supportive smile.

I blushed a bit at the sudden praise and kept quiet, unable to find words to respond to her with. I ended up settling with a nod as I pulled the car into the long term parking area. We put the ticket that we pulled at the entrance onto the dashboard and left the vehicle, making sure to lock it twice as a precaution. Walking into the airport, we immediately headed for the British Airways kiosk by the front entrance.

“Good morning, how can I help you two?” The lady at the desk asked.

“We’d like two economy class tickets to London, please.” I said as NJ and I presented our ID’s.

“I’ll take those for just a second.” The lady said as she scanned NJ’s ID first.

“I can give you economy, but as a VIP with British Airways, you are eligible to take any seat on the plane provided that they are available at no extra charge, aside from First class, which carries an upcharge.” The lady said.

I looked at NJ as she looked at the woman with a neutral expression.

“Does that apply only to me, or does my travel partner get the same benefit?” NJ asked seriously.

“While it would usually only apply to you, we need to fill the seats on this flight, so I am willing to make an exception for your partner. Will you be upgrading your tickets to First class?” The lady asked.

“We will.” NJ said seriously as I watched in concealed awe.

“The upcharge brings the price up from 3,700 to 7,700. Will you be using a card today?” The lady asked.

It was my turn to speak as I pulled out nearly 8,000 in one-hundred dollar bills.

“Cash if you will.” I said as I handed the money to the lady.

“Cash. Alrighty then. Let me get your information put onto the tickets here.” The lady spoke as she returned our ID’s and printed our first class tickets.

“You should be all set. Safe travels and thank you for choosing British airways for your traveling needs today.” The lady said with a smile and a wave.

I took my ticket and NJ took hers as we waved to the lady before heading towards security.

It was then that my phone buzzed. Two new messages. One from Martin, and another from a random assortment of icons.

I looked at the message from Martin and it showed a video of a blacked out SUV passing by the house slowly. With him providing a bit of commentary.

“If what you said is true, boy, you really pissed someone off. They were going to pull into the driveway but as soon as I opened the curtain, they left. Keep your eyes open. They really are watching you.” Martin said as the video ended.

“Jesus… we haven’t even been gone four hours.” I whispered as NJ looked over.

“I guess that message really was true then… from Amy, I mean.” NJ said.

“I guess so. If we see her again, we should thank her for the heads up.” I said.

NJ nodded from my assessment.

“I got a weird text.” I said.

“Oh? Let me see?” NJ asked as she looked at the message I received from the unknown user.

“Oh! It’s encrypted! Gimme.” NJ said as she took my phone from me. The moment she did, the message and user name changed to something legible.

“HMS Belfast. Hello, Madame New Jersey. I have received your forward message and have sent proper communications to the correct individuals. Lady Warspite will meet you at London Heathrow International as well as plainclothes members of MI5. We look forward to you and your partner’s visit.” The message read.

“Belfast?!” I asked out of confusion and shock.

“I sent a trial message out using the same technique I use to text you. I told her we were on our way. Looks like she heard me.” NJ said with a smile.

“But… how did this message get onto my phone?” I asked.

“Oh… well… I kinda use your phone as a base to send and receive messages. So your number is always buried in the encryption data. She probably used that as the destination for her message.” NJ said.

“Do I respond?” I asked.

“No. do not respond. In fact, you should probably delete that message before we get to security.” NJ warned. I quickly did as I was told, being sure to keep the number unsaved.

We made our way through to security to find that there was hardly a line, despite it being nearly 9 in the morning. I went through security first and was pulled aside when they saw the large amount of cash I had pulled from my pocket. NJ also got pulled aside after showing her ID and exception papers.

“You have a reason to be carrying this much cash?” The TSA agent asked sternly.

“Got it as a payout from an injury settlement. Haven’t gotten around to putting it in the bank yet.” I spoke firmly.

“You have proof for that?” The agent asked as I provided the man with the business card that I had received from the lawyer. He passed the card off to his assistant who quickly dialed the number on the card. After a few minutes, the assistant nodded.

“Looks like it checks out. Might want to put that in the back. People out there don’t have any problem taking money these days.” The TSA officer said as he handed me my roll of cash and allowed me to pass through security. I stayed and waited for NJ, who seemed to be getting a thorough pat down and a talking to, as she nodded her way through the conversation. But eventually, she too was allowed to pass through security.

“What was all that about?” I asked.

“They warned me to keep my mouth shut about potential state secrets that I may be privy to. All the usual bureaucratic bullshit.” NJ said as we made our way towards our gate to wait for our flight.

Chapter Text

We sat down in the seating area at our gate. I double checked my ticket and confirmed we were in the right place. Looking at my phone, I saw that our flight would be boarding within the hour.

I had just settled into my seat when I heard my stomach growl, and a few seconds later, the same sound came from a clearly embarrassed NJ.

"You hungry too?" I asked as I looked at her.

"I could go for something to eat. What do they have nearby? I'd rather keep you in my sight while I watch our bags." NJ said.

"You act like I'm gonna get myself kidnapped." I deadpanned.

"Well… we are being monitored. It wouldn't be the strangest thing to happen to you if you're left unsupervised." NJ said with a small shrug.

"I see a pretzel shop and a coffee stand. Anything pique your interest?" I asked.

"I could eat a pretzel. Could you make sure to get cheese with it please? Love some warm cheddar on a pretzel." NJ said cheerfully.

“Pretzel with cheddar, anything else? It’s a 7 hour flight.” I said.

“We have first class tickets, honey. We’ll have decent food during the flight.” NJ said.

“Ah… I guess you have a point. I can settle on a pretzel too.” I said as I walked over to the pretzel shop and got in line. With it being so early in the morning, the line moved quickly and I was soon able to place my order and pay as the workers behind the counter prepared our food. NJ’s words echoed in my mind as I made sure to carefully watch the workers as they prepared our food.

With nothing seeming to be amiss, the workers handed me the food and I quickly made my way back to NJ. I handed NJ her food and she quickly scrambled to get something in her stomach, neglecting the spray of cheddar cheese that fell onto the upper part of her shirt when she popped open the lid to dip her pretzel.

With a sigh, I took a napkin and proceeded to wipe up the cheese as best as I could, earning a surprised squeak and a small cough from a choking NJ who did not realize that I had intended to fix her mess.

“I can dress you up but I can’t take you out, can I?” I asked jokingly as I put the soiled napkin in the empty food bag.

NJ recovered from her coughing fit and turned to me.

“What was that for!? We’re in public!” She whispered about as loud as she could without attracting attention.

“You’re right, we are in public. All the more reason not to go around with cheese on your chest… unless you’re into that kind of thing.” I said with a shrug.

NJ blushed as she realized her overreaction.

“Furthermore, wasn’t it you who insinuated that you’d take the initiative to induct us both to the mile high club? You realize that I’d be doing a lot more than modestly rubbing that chest of yours, and we’d still be in public. So you can hop off your high horse, little lady.” I whispered, deepening her blush considerably.

“Shush…” NJ said as she nibbled on her pretzel in an attempt to hide from her embarrassment.

Seeing her like this sparked a very intrusive thought in the back of my mind.

“She’s a battleship… king… well queen of the seas in her day. Why the hell is she acting so…sheepish?” I thought as I dug into my pretzel, allowing NJ some peace from her torment.

It wasn’t too long afterwards that a worker from British Airways walked over to the ticket reader and began tapping away on the computer. Having flown once before, it was a way of saying that we were going to begin boarding. I made it a point to quickly finish my food so that I could toss the trash before boarding. NJ wasn’t too far behind. When she was done, I stood and got rid of the trash. By the time I returned to where NJ was, the lady at the reader had her hand on the microphone.

“Now boarding British Airways flight 183B for 12:48 PM departure.” The woman spoke. Her voice was heard throughout the terminal. She then flipped a switch to isolate her voice to the boarding area.

“We will be boarding the First class and Business class passengers first. Please make your way up to the podium so we can get you situated.” The woman spoke again. NJ and I both grabbed our bags and headed up to the podium. After a few moments of letting others board, it was finally our turn. We scanned our tickets and were ushered onto the plane by a female flight attendant. NJ eyed me as I followed the attendant. I cracked a small smile just a few seconds before my phone buzzed.

“Stop staring at her ass. Mine’s better anyway.”

I shut off my phone and acted like nothing happened, all the while another battle was being waged in my mind.

“What the hell?! She’s shy and sheepish in public, but turns around and says this kind of shit in a text?! Is… she a closet nympho?” I thought to myself, shuddering at that very thought.

After boarding, the flight attendant guided us to a pair of seats towards the cockpit of the plane.

“Here you are, you two. I can place your bags in the overhead compartment as you get settled in. Another flight attendant will be around to offer you beverages and to take your order for the in-flight meal.” The lady spoke as she took my bag and placed it in the overhead bin above my seat. She did the same for NJ as we took our seats.

The seats themselves were quite unique. Each chair had its own suite that could be closed off from the rest of the cabin should the person sitting in it desire to sleep in privacy. The seats could recline all the way down to be completely flat to allow for a better sleeping experience. There was a small screen for in-flight movies as well as a map of the intended path of travel.

I was just getting settled when NJ came over and sat on my lap, closing the shade to my suite. She remained like that for a few seconds before shaking her head and returning to her own seat just across the aisle from me.

“What was that all about?” I asked.

“Nothing, don’t worry about it. I’ll be calling in a favor for our flight to Japan though.” NJ said. I detected a small pout towards the end of her comment.

“Were you…”

“Shut it.” She spoke sternly as she glared in my direction.

“Gotcha… you’re so cute when you get angry like that.” I said with a chuckle. NJ glared even more harshly at my lighthearted jab.

“Alright! Geez. I’m sorry.” I said as I closed my shade. After a few minutes, my shade was opened and NJ leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“This area doesn't have enough space. That will have to do for your explanation.” NJ said as she returned to her seat once more. I checked my phone.

“12:47”

“Looks like we’re boarded. We’re probably going to be taking off here.” I whispered to myself as the seatbelt sign came on in the cabin.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are going to be taxiing out to the runway and taking off for our trip to London in the United Kingdom. I’d like to take this time to turn your attention to the dashing flight attendants who will go over the usual safety briefing.” The captain spoke as the female flight attendant who ushered us onboard stood between me and NJ.

She went through her spiel about making sure that our seatbelts were fastened properly, the location of the emergency exits and the ability to deploy the slide from each emergency door in the event of a water landing. The entire time, I made an effort to stare at the flight attendant’s rear just to see what NJ would do. It was only after the briefing that I saw her looking at me as if her eyes were accusing me of having the audacity to stare at anyone besides her.

We soon began rolling down the runway and eventually we took to the skies and turned out towards the ocean. By the time we reached cruising altitude, I looked at my phone to see a text from NJ.

“She can text me on a plane?” I wondered as I opened her message.

“WHY DON'T YOU STARE AT MY ASS LIKE THAT?!” The message read.

“I’m only kidding. I was doing it to see what you would do.” I sent back, earning myself an angry emoji in reply.

“She can emote too?!” I thought to myself, now wondering what else she could do despite her lack of a phone. My answer came in the form of a picture that looked as if it was taken directly from her point of view. The picture showed her back contorted so that her ass was in full view of her field of vision.

“Where is the camera?” I texted back.

“Secret. But see? My ass is better.” NJ replied with a smug emoji.

“I will admit… that is one fine stern you have on you, NJ.” I replied after an embarrassed sigh. She seemed to have heard me as she let out a chuckle while we waited for the seatbelt sign to turn off.

Chapter Text

The flight was long and boring. Despite the sign for the seatbelts being shut off, neither NJ or I wanted to get up and walk around. The flight attendant that I had stared at previously turned out to be the one who was meant to provide service to our section of the plane, meaning she was the one coming around every so often with a bottle of champagne and asking if we needed anything to make the flight more enjoyable. I took full advantage of the champagne, as did NJ. With her perks of being a VIP, the flight attendant made sure to keep her glass topped up and practically catered to her every whim as we crossed the Atlantic. It got to the point that she was spending so much time with NJ that I began to feel a little jealous. NJ, on the other hand, was getting too wasted to really care. By the time we had hit the halfway point in the flight, she had been served 4 glasses of champagne, practically a bottle all to herself.

I trusted NJ to not allow the alcohol to impair her judgment too much as I decided to recline my seat to a lying position and close my shade to allow me some privacy to catch a quick nap before landing. It seemed like NJ did the same, based on the hushed conversation I heard between her and the flight attendant. I was about to close my eyes and take a nap when my phone buzzed. I knew it had to be NJ. I was expecting her to ask me something… about what, I hadn’t a clue. But when I opened the message she sent me, my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

The picture she had sent was from her POV once more. But it wasn’t the POV I was concerned with. It was the content. My faith in her alcohol tolerance was shattered as my eyes were graced with a top-down view of my girlfriend using one of her hands to grope her chest, while the other hand was being used a bit further south, hidden by the waist of her shorts that she had worn to the airport. Despite my lack of sight, I knew exactly where that other hand was. The picture was paired with a text message.

“I’m excited… Can you tell?”

I was stunned. Almost too stunned to reply, but gathering whatever dignity I could, I managed a reply regardless.

“NJ? What are you doing?” I asked in a message.

“Thinking about what I want to do when we get to London tonight. Just the thought gets me all hot and bothered… so if I’m like this, I’m gonna make it hard for you too. Although… in hindsight, I guess the alcohol made this easier than it would have been without. Do you like what you see?” NJ asked as she sent another picture, this time both of her hands were in frame, squeezing her breasts together around a bottle of water that she had requested earlier. My curiosity drew my eyes to her right hand, where a slight wetness of her skin confirmed my suspicions from minutes prior. With a cheeky grin, I quietly saved the pictures to my phone.

“If I ever say no to that, I want you to kill me.” I replied, hitting send before I could stop myself. It seems this answer was enough as I heard a small, yet very aroused squeak coming from her suite across the hall.
A few moments later, I felt the urge to get up and walk around. That urge was swiftly followed by a need to use the facilities. I raised my chair and stood up, opening my screen and walked to the other side of the aisle and peeked into NJ’s suite. I stifled a chuckle as I saw a blushing red-faced battleship passed out cold in her chair with the water bottle from her picture still resting between her breasts.

“Lightweight.” I whispered as another buzz came to my phone.

I checked my phone.

“Lightweight my ass. I’ll drink you under the table.” NJ’s message read.

“She can text in her sleep? That’s… hilarious. I wonder if that’s how she sleep talks.” I thought to myself as I shut her suite and made my way to the restroom onboard.

I finished my business quickly and headed back towards my seat. The flight attendant was standing by NJ’s suite again with a cart that had the inflight meals on it. NJ was awake and receiving her food by the time I finally got back to my seat. NJ took a plate with what looked like an Asian inspired fish dish. I could smell the soy sauce and varying spices from my seat. Part of me wondered if she actually enjoyed it, or if there was something in the dish that interested her. The flight attendant then made her way over to me.

“Today’s main course meals consist of a soy marinated halibut, Braised beef stew, or an artichoke tortellini in white sauce. What would you like to eat this afternoon, sir?” The flight attendant asked.

“I’ll take the tortellini. Could I also get another glass of champagne when you have the time?” I asked as she handed me my plate. She quickly reached below the cart and pulled a chilled bottle of champagne from what sounded like an ice bucket being held beneath the cart. She quickly popped the cork and refilled my glass.

“Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?” The attendant asked.

“Not at the moment. Thank you.” I said as the flight attendant moved on to the other passengers. I looked over at NJ, who was busy scarfing down her food like she had never seen food before.

“Can you even taste it with how fast you’re eating it?” I texted her.

“Yes… I just want the world to stop spinning. Drinking on an empty stomach wasn’t a good idea. I actually really enjoy cuisine from Asia… considering all the time I spent in the area.” NJ replied as she looked over at my food.

“You prefer Italian?” NJ asked via message.

“Yeah. I’m part Italian thanks to my dad. But the cuisine just feels so homey. It’s comforting, filling and all around just really good.” I texted back as I put my phone away and began eating.

We finished eating just as the captain came over the intercom.

“Alright, ladies and gentlemen. We are within the airspace of London Heathrow international. I will be turning on the seatbelt lights here shortly as we make our final approach. I’d like to thank you all for flying with British Airways today and I hope you’ll fly with us again soon. Have a great day and please remain seated until we reach the terminal.” The captain spoke as the seatbelt lights came on.

As the flight attendants finished clearing away plates and helping people prepare for landing, I felt the plane begin its descent. The attendants quickly packed everything away and made it to their own seats as we broke through the clouds. Within a few minutes, we touched down and rolled our way to the end of the runway to begin taxiing to the terminal.

Another twenty minutes later, I found myself practically carrying NJ off the plane since she was struggling to stand and walk straight. With our bags slung over my shoulder, I helped her off the plane and down the sky bridge to the terminal proper where she and I were escorted away from the gate by several security officers.

“Mr. Tyler Sweigart? Miss Nicole Jackson?” The security personnel asked as we were escorted to a small room away from the majority of the people in the airport.

“That would be us. Did we do something wrong?” I asked, knowing full well this was likely a way for them to get us to where Warspite and the members of MI5 were waiting.

“Not at all. We have been instructed to escort you to a different exit in the airport for you to be picked up and taken to your hotel.” The guard said.

“Hotel? I haven’t booked one yet…” I whispered to myself as we were led through a pair of doors and met by a blacked out Rolls Royce and several people standing around in average looking clothing. Knowing what I knew ahead of time, my heart rate spiked knowing that these people were members of Britain's Secret Service, and while they weren’t there for me, the fact that I was with NJ meant I would be watched closely. NJ and I approached the Rolls Royce to see a petite woman with blonde hair getting out of the driver’s seat. I found it odd that two tufts of hair on her head stood up to look like the ears of a dog, but I figured it was some kind of fashion statement. I kept looking around, looking for a woman that matched NJ in stature, as I assumed that Warspite would be a tall grandiose woman based on her history.

I was about to be proven very VERY wrong.

Chapter Text

The petite blond opened the door for NJ and I and even went so far as to lend a hand to help me get NJ in the car.

"Thank you, miss. She had a bit too much to drink on the plane, so having a bit of help is appreciated." I said in a pleasant tone.

The woman scoffed under her breath, just loud enough for me to hear.

I was confused. Had I done something to upset her? Was she having a bad day? Was this just her natural demeanor? I was unaware of anything I had done.That was until I heard something spoken under her breath.

"Of course the bloody dragon overindulged. Just like a bloody yank." The woman spoke.

"Dragon? She's referring to NJ without a doubt. But if she knows about NJ… she's got to be… Warspite." I thought as my face visibly lost color. Warspite was quick to notice.

"Is everything alright, sir?" The woman asked in a slightly annoyed tone that she was doing her best to hide.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine. This is just a bit odd. I was told that I'm being taken to a hotel… but I don't recall booking a hotel." I said as I tried to hide any evidence of my suspicion.

"Special accommodations have been made. I am not at liberty to discuss further." The woman spoke as I got into the car, becoming acutely aware of the fact that the number of eyes that were watching me had suddenly jumped from two to twelve.

The woman closed the door and walked gracefully to the driver's seat. The moment she sat down, NJ stirred and a high pitched white noise began to play in the vehicle.

"You know, don't you?" The woman asked as we drove away. One look out the window showed several of the plainclothes agents holding their hand to their ear.

"Know what?" I asked as I grimaced at the white noise.

"Don't play coy with me, Yank. There is no way that you are traveling with the black dragon of the union and you don't know her secret." The woman said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I replied as the woman glared at me through the rear view mirror.

"I am jamming the bugs they put in the car, Yank. Show some respect and answer my question." The woman said.

"So I was right… You're Warspite… the Grand Old Lady, Queen Elizabeth class battleship that served in both world wars." I spoke as any remaining color in my face drained.

"It took you long enough to figure it out. Didn't New Jersey tell you what to look for?" Warspite snapped.

"N-no. All I know is that Belfast said that you'd be at the airport waiting for us with MI5. I don't know anything else." I said truthfully.

"Belfast? How did you get a hold of that missive? That was an encrypted message sent directly to New Jersey." Warspite snapped, this time more aggressively than before.

I pointed to NJ.

"She explained it like using my phone as a basis for her communications equipment. Anything she sends out has my phone number in the encryption data. So when Belfast replied, I got the encrypted message. She decrypted it and we read it together back in Virginia." I explained.

"So that's why you looked like you were searching for someone. How did you come to suspect me as the one Belfast had mentioned?" Warspite asked.

"To be fair, I didn't know until you commented on NJ being passed out drunk." I admitted, causing Warspite to narrow her eyes at me.

"You didn't think it was me based on my appearance?" Warspite accused.

"How would I?! I was going off the name and the situation!" I cried in my defense.

Warspite narrowed her gaze further, prompting a panicked response from me.

"I'm sorry! NJ and Vestal are the only Kansens I know! I was expecting someone… oh… I don't know…taller maybe?" I tried.

"You brutish Yankee! I am here on orders of Her Majesty and this is the respect I am given?!" Warspite growled angrily, our vehicle almost swerving off the road in response to her whipping her head around to face me.

"I said I was sorry! For someone as legendary as The Grand Old Lady, I didn't exactly know what to expect! I just wasn't ready for a petite woman with what looks like dog ears on her head!" I spoke hastily in return, hoping she'd turn her head back to face the road, thankfully she did.

"They don't look like dog ears, Yank. They're real. And… I suppose that since you don't have a large sample size for Kansen, I can forgive you. But you had best not make that mistake with Her Majesty or you will not live to regret it." Warspite spoke.

"You keep mentioning Her Majesty. Are you talking about Queen Elizabeth the second?" I asked.

"What? No. The Queen is far too busy to meddle in business such as this. I am referring to Her Majesty, once-battleship Queen Elizabeth, Kansen of the Aircraft Carrier Queen Elizabeth. Her vessel is in drydock so she has come to visit Belfast and I… and since she heard the Black Dragon was coming, she's refusing to leave until she meets both of you." Warspite spoke.

"Her Majesty knows… that I'm here?" I asked.

"She does. She is interested in knowing the man who clipped the wings on the mighty dragon." Warspite spoke.

"Clipped? You must be mistaken. I did not clip her wings… she's been homeless since the Gulf war. I took her in. She's become my girlfriend… I'm trying to put her back on her feet." I spoke, clearly surprising Warspite.

"They did what? She's been homeless? What of the others? Massachusetts, North Carolina, Alabama? What of them?" Warspite asked.

"I don't know… from what I recall during my tours of the museum ships in the states, NJ informed me that they're all working as tour guides for their own museums. So they have income… kinda." I replied sadly.

"You sound upset." Warspite spoke as we turned towards the center of London.

"The museum ships need a lot more patronage. All the museum ships are living on borrowed time. The states don't fund their restoration and upkeep, it's all via donations. Those girls can't be making much. I don't even know if they have a home." I rambled. The information seemed to anger Warspite.

"Always the same, those bastards. Never thankful for what has been done for them." Warspite spoke as we neared a very expensive looking hotel.

"Yeah. And now we're being watched by my nation's intelligence agency. From what NJ said, they aim to do away with me and keep her under lock and key." I said, my voice loud enough to accidentally cause NJ to stir, in turn waking up and glaring at Warspite.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Warspite… but did you threaten my partner here? I think the words were 'don't make that mistake with her or you won't live long enough to regret it.' Did I hear that properly?" NJ asked. I took one look at her and could tell she was still way too plastered to be engaging in any form of fight.

"NJ… calm down. It's fine. It was my mistake for not recognizing Warspite when we arrived." I said as I put a hand on her shoulder, a critical error as I was pulled tightly against her chest.

"I don't care. She will apologize or she will deal with me." NJ spat as Warspite locked eyes with her through the rear view.

"Had you bothered to listen further, I offered him my forgiveness and no longer harbor ill will, Dragon. I merely wished to instill a sense of demeanor before we meet her Majesty. This is the first time she has met a commoner out of pure curiosity and I’d prefer that her first encounter be one that she wouldn’t regret.” Warspite spoke.

“I could care less, Corgi. He’s my partner. I’ve sworn to face off against the entire US Navy for his sake. Don’t think I won’t act if you even think of laying a hand on him.” NJ spoke as she held me close, refusing to let me go.

Warspite turned her gaze to me.

“It seems that you were telling the truth. You didn’t clip her wings… you’ve become her hoard. An enviable position, I’m sure.” Warspite said as NJ thought for a moment before looking down at me with lust swimming in her eyes.

“There’s going to be many enviable positions if I have my way. Certainly nothing a proud and proper Royal would consider attempting should she have a man.” NJ said as her finger cupped my chin, forcing my head up from between her breasts to look at her.

Warspite was stunned at NJ’s brazen tone.

“Perhaps Belfast could give you a few pointers on proper decorum. To openly speak of one’s sex life is most improper to say the least.” Warspite said as she pulled in front of a red brick building.

“This hotel room was paid for by her Majesty. She reserved only the finest room in the Claridge’s hotel. I hope that will be up to your standards.” Warspite said as the white noise stopped. NJ quietly held a finger up to her lips, prompting me to keep quiet as Warspite opened the car door on my side.

“Right this way, sir.” Warspite spoke, her demeanor now completely different considering that she could no longer control the situation. NJ and I grabbed our bags and followed without question. The feeling of being watched returned as NJ and I followed Warspite to the front desk, where two keys were waiting for us on a spotless silver platter.

I took both of the keys as Warspite grabbed our bags. The lady behind the desk came around to greet NJ and I.

“Welcome Mr. Sweigart and Ms. Jackson, to the Claridge's Hotel. Our books say that you have booked the Royal Suite for the duration of your stay in Britain. Our staff are more than ready to serve, just give us a ring if you need anything and we will provide you the utmost service. I hope you enjoy your stay with us.” The lady said as I looked down at the chain hanging from my key. The tag itself was a work of art. Black leather and gold stitching embroidered a small plate with my initials on it. While the signs in the lobby weren’t obvious, it was easy for NJ, Warspite and I to find the path to the suite that had been selected for us.

Once we reached the door for the room, I slid the key into the door and unlocked it.

Warspite put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a look that sparked fear in my mind. I focused on her lips as she mouthed something to me.

“You must bow.”

My eyes went wide as I felt the door handle being pulled from my grasp, opened by someone on the inside of the room. The next few seconds were a blur as NJ and I found ourselves in the main section of the suite facing a woman with long blonde hair and a small crown on her head.

“Finally, you’ve come. Took you long enough to find yourselves before me. You may bow before me, for it is your pleasure to be met by someone such as myself.” The blonde woman spoke as I watched Warspite walk to her side.

The moment she spoke, I felt my knee give way, dropping me to the floor on my right knee.

“Tyler?!” NJ spoke as she looked down at me.

“I… can’t… help it.” I whispered, unable to find my voice enough to speak.

NJ looked over at the blonde woman who was quietly conversing with Warspite.

“It’s been quite a while, Your Majesty.” NJ said as she stood tall before the two blonde women, any signs of her intoxication now long gone.

“It surely has. Too long, if I may say. The Black Dragon of the Union graces me with her presence once more.” The woman spoke, her tone bleeding with a royal air that kept my body held in place.

“Indeed I have, Queen Elizabeth.”

Chapter Text

NJ remained steadfast as Queen Elizabeth looked at me.

“Who’s the Commoner, Black Dragon?” Elizabeth asked as New Jersey’s demeanor soured.

“Hasn’t your lapdog already told you?” NJ asked as she walked over to me and helped me to my feet.

“She has. But I would like the mighty dragon to spill her secrets. Is that too much to ask?” Queen Elizabeth spoke inquisitively.

“My name… your highness… is Tyler. Tyler Sweigart. I am New Jersey’s boyfriend. She lives with me back in the states.” I said as I fought an odd feeling in my throat. I looked over and saw Warspite looking at me with a mix of horror and disdain.

“Such a bold Commoner you are… to speak without being spoken to. Has your family not taught you such manners?” Queen Elizabeth spoke neutrally. The tone she took cut surprisingly deep. She wasn’t even trying to insult me, yet I was boiling beneath the surface. It was then that a certain skill of mine found its way into the spotlight. My silver blade of a tongue.

“Bold? Not at all, your Highness. After all, I came out here on a vacation without any true intentions of meeting with anyone. Yet here you are, making plans on your own accord to ensure our stay is one of utmost comfort and even taking time out of what I can only assume is an extremely busy schedule to come see the Black Dragon and myself as Warspite so elegantly put it on the way from the airport. I merely think that had I run into you more naturally, your comment would’ve held some water… but considering that you went so far as to curate something this extravagant without incentive…” I stopped there, allowing Queen Elizabeth to finish the thought on her own, earning me a stern look for a few seconds before she cracked a soft smile.

“I see. You have the courage to stand against one such as myself. I applaud you, Mr. Sweigart. I will apologize for my remarks and confirm your suspicions. I did take time out of my schedule to set this up for you, as Belfast informed me of your imminent arrival. It isn’t very often that something like this happens… this being someone who not only is aware of Kansen like us but is actively engaged in everyday life with one of us as a partner. I find it intriguing to say the least. And before your doubt takes hold, I have no intentions of reporting you to anyone. I have this room booked simply because MI5 is not allowed to bug this room. After all, this is the Royal suite. I find the rules placed upon us Kansen to be quite… unfair so to speak. So anything I can do to push back, I will do.” Queen Elizabeth said with a smile as she looked back at NJ, who was conflicted between smiling back and staring down Warspite who looked about ready to rip my head off.

Queen Elizabeth noticed and turned to Warspite.

“It is alright, Warspite. I do not mind his brazen behavior. I find it slightly endearing that he found the resolve to stand against me. It is a nice change of pace. Let him be.” Queen Elizabeth ordered as Warspite’s expression mellowed.

“Your highness.” I spoke up.

“Hm?” Queen Elizabeth asked as she turned to me.

“I have a question, if I may ask it.” I asked, being sure to play along as to not give Warspite an aneurysm.

“I’ll allow it. Ask away.” Queen Elizabeth replied, this time more cheerfully.

“If my memory serves me correctly, you used to be the Kansen of the Queen Elizabeth Class battleships that were put into service before the First World War. Would my memory be correct?” I asked.

“It would be. I used to command a super-dreadnaught that carried my name. Why do you ask?” Queen Elizabeth asked.

“What is it like? Your hull was scrapped in the 40’s and now in the early 21st century, you’ve been placed in command of an Aircraft carrier. What is that experience like?” I asked. This question caused Queen Elizabeth’s eyes to light up and a wide smile to cross her face.

“Ooo I knew there was something to you! I must say, I have always wanted to share the experience. But you know about how secretive we have to be. It was… weird. Weird is how I would put it. Having to stand by and watch your vessel be scrapped over the period of a few years was a sad experience. It also came with a slight bit of pain, as the vessel is technically a part of the Kansen. After my vessel was scrapped, I just… lived. I had no rules to follow… no commander to report to. I lived a nice life in the outskirts of London for a while. But as you can see, they built another ship bearing my name. So, I was recalled to service, in secret of course, and bound to the Aircraft carrier that you know as the Queen Elizabeth.” Queen Elizabeth explained happily.

I nodded in agreement.

“That’s quite an interesting story. I wonder if that’s the same for all Kansen.” I wondered aloud.

“I would assume it would be. After all, I have spoken to Enterprise on the topic quite a bit as we have been in contact. She is currently shadowing operations onboard the Gerald R Ford. I am sure you know of her new Hull being built.” Queen Elizabeth spoke as I turned to NJ.

“We had a feeling it would be something like that. But it’s cool that you’ve spoken to her, what’s she like?” I asked.

“Very serious. Almost frighteningly so. She seems to still carry the resolve she did all those years ago. The Grey Ghost. During my furlough, I traveled around a bit and happened to be in New York in the 60’s when they finally finished scrapping CV-6. The dock workers would speak as if they had seen a ghost standing by the Statue of Liberty, saying that it was Enterprise watching over the states, even after being scrapped. Perhaps they had a point.” Queen Elizabeth lamented.

“If I may… what do you mean by that?” I asked.

“Well, I assume you are an avid naval historian… at least from World War one onward. And I have no doubt that you know that she took over the hull of the world’s first nuclear powered Aircraft Carrier, CVN-65. You are at least aware of that, yes?” Queen Elizabeth asked.

“I had a feeling after talking with a friend of New Jersey. How does that tie in?” I asked.

“Well, you are familiar with the September 11th attacks in New York, yes?” Queen Elizabeth pushed.

“Of course. How could I ever forget that?” I asked.

“Well. As it was happening, news was rapidly spread throughout the armed forces of your nation, and it eventually fell upon the ears of the Grey Ghost once more… to say she was angry… was a severe understatement. From what I understand, she was on her way home from the Persian Gulf when news of the attacks reached her. Without orders or a single fuck to give, she and her crew turned the ship back towards the gulf and applied full power to her reactors, pushing her to out speed even her destroyer escorts as she coordinated the arming and preparation of her aircraft for sorties. Her wrath didn’t subside for three entire weeks as she oversaw 700 combat sorties and logged well over 350,000 kilograms of munitions. She became a shining beacon once more as the Iraq war began.” Queen Elizabeth said.

I smiled.

“Ever our great protector.” I whispered.

“I am happy that you are here, Mr. Sweigart. And I hope my country serves you as it has served me. Warspite will be available for the duration of your stay. She will give you the information needed to contact her. I must be going. I have a meeting with the Illustrious Sisters in South Wales.” Queen Elizabeth said as she stood from her seat.

“Wait… the Illustrious sisters? The Illustrious class carriers?” I asked.

“Correct.” Queen Elizabeth said with a smile.

“How? They were torn apart in the fifties…” I wondered.

“Surely you can’t be that daft. I was torn apart in the forties. They are alive and well. I cannot take you to them. Formidable is quite the dramatic and has reported several people during her years. However, … I may say a word to Illustrious, Indomitable and Unicorn. So, you may have visitors, or you may not. Who is to say?” Queen Elizabeth said as Warspite opened the door to the room for her.

“I pray thee well, Mr. Sweigart. Enjoy your time in my country.” Queen Elizabeth said as she left the room, lifting the weight from my shoulders and chest.

Warspite turned to look at me.

“You are lucky she finds you such an amusing character. Had anyone else done what you did, they would not have survived the encounter.” Warspite said as she handed me a small envelope.

“Call that number if you wish to leave the hotel. I will pick you up. MI5 will be watching you. So, keep that in mind. And if you see anyone that you suspect is a Kansen, do not make it obvious that you know about us.” Warspite said as she too took her leave, leaving me alone with New Jersey.

I turned to her only to see her staring directly at me. It unnerved me slightly until I noticed a slight blue glow to her eyes.

“Let’s get unpacked here and then we can see what to do, sound good?” I asked.

NJ nodded wordlessly as she and I headed for the portion of the suite that had the bedroom.

Chapter Text

NJ and I reached a luxurious bedroom with a decent view of London. I could feel her eyes devouring me whole as I set my bags on the ground next to the bed. I took a seat on the plush blankets and removed my shoes before laying down on the bed, noting that her eyes were brighter than they were minutes prior. I smiled knowingly.

"Just remember, I'm not entirely healed. Be gentle with me." I teased as her eyes narrowed and a smile crossed her face.

"I will… I promise." She spoke in a soft tone as she kicked off her boots and began crawling across the king sized bed on her hands and knees. She closed the distance slowly as I saw a blush cross her cheeks. She was nervous, and that feeling was clashing hard with the obvious elevation in her libido.

"What's the matter?" I asked as my hand came up to cup her cheek.

The blush became fierce and hot to the touch.

"N-nothing! Shush!" NJ retorted quickly as she gingerly grabbed my wrist. I became slightly confused as she leaned against my hand.

"Everything okay?" I asked, now slightly concerned.

"I'm… just overwhelmed. I want this more than anything… to make you mine. But even the soft touch of your hand has my heart fluttering. If I get like this… just from your touch. I don't know how I'll survive actually… ya'know… doing it…" NJ said as she inched herself closer to me.

I smirked. Now was the time to take revenge for the pictures on the plane. Not that it was a bad thing… but seeing a strong, independent Kansen like NJ acting like a naive schoolgirl made me want to bully her, if only a little.

"Doing what?" I asked coyly, putting an innocent smile on my face to sell the facade.

NJ gasped softly, likely not anticipating such a response.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" She said as the blush slowly took over the remaining pale skin on her cheeks.

"Do I? Those drinks on the plane really did a number on me… you might have to spell things out for me." I lied, knowing full well that she had drank far more than I had.

NJ pouted.

"You know… sex…" NJ whispered as she turned her head in embarrassment.

I feigned a gasp, leading to an agitated look from NJ. The moment I saw her angry face, I could do nothing more to keep the facade as I busted out laughing.

"You really are a virgin, aren't you?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Shut up! I told you this already! Fraternizing with the crew was forbidden and I didn't seek out anyone after retirement… you'll be my first… if we can ever get down to it." NJ said in an annoyed tone.

I laughed again.

"So what I'm hearing… is that while you want this more than anything… you're too nervous to make the move?" I asked.

NJ clammed up and could manage only a slight nod.

"The mighty black dragon, afraid to get down and dirty with a common man. It's almost laughable." I said as I moved my hand from her cheek to her chin, gently leading her closer to me by pulling with my finger. The closer she got to me, the more I could tell that her libido was rising. The glow in her eyes was now significantly more pronounced, as if the seas on earth had been replaced by a sea of brilliantly shining stars. Her breathing was shallow and fast. I could only assume that her heart was beating a mile a minute as my lips grazed hers.

"I can see the battle behind your eyes. Come get me, dragon." I whispered as she pressed her lips against mine. The clash of lips quickly gave way to a novice but passionate duel of tongues as NJ slowly figured out how to articulate her current desires in the moment. I reciprocated in kind. In my mind, despite us not having a proper discussion about things as they stood and how we wanted the day to go, I figured that I would go along with whatever she wanted to try to make the experience of her first time as good as it could be.

Between the long drawn-out kisses and the breathy breaks in between, I could tell she was slowly warming up to the idea of branching out from just our lips. My thoughts were validated as her hand reached down to my chest and undid all the buttons on my shirt before slipping out of her own. With her shirt flung across the room, and my shirt lying beneath me, she straddled my hips and guided my hands to the mountains of supple flesh on her chest.

"Touch me… I want you to touch me… I want you to feel me… feel the heat coming from my body. Do you feel it?" NJ asked as her breathing had grown even more shallow. Her excitement level was on the rise with no signs of stopping.

I was speechless as my hands massaged the soft fair skin of NJ's breasts. Despite my soft approach to the matter, she soon became frustrated with the fact that there was a piece of fabric separating her and I. With a snap of her fingers, she undid the clasp on the front and shrugged the offending article away before taking my wrists and planting my hands firmly on her chest. The immediate relief in her eyes and tone were almost palpable as she leaned heavily into my touch.

"Your hands are so hot… it feels like they're burning my skin… but it feels so good. Don't you dare stop." NJ whined lustfully, the empty space in the room being slowly filled with her moans of pleasure as my hands rubbed her sensitive nipples.

"Do you like it like this?" I asked as she seemed lost in an ocean of her own pleasure. My comment seemed to center her for a moment as she looked at me knowingly and nodded. This nod was accompanied by another moan as her nipples rolled along the spaces between my fingers.

By now, the erection being contained within my pants was impossible to miss. As such, NJ soon felt it herself and centered herself directly over it. After a quick few seconds of experimentation, she began moving and grinding her hips against me, adding a new dimension to her already growing pleasure.

"You're quite the energetic lovemaker, NJ. Are you sure you haven't had practice?" I teased, a lesson quickly learned as she leaned down and kissed me again, shutting down my teasing with her passion and desire.

When she finally loosed my lips, she shook lightly while continuing to work her hips against me.

"I won't get too graphic, honey… but a girl does have needs… even at war." NJ said as she leaned down next to my ear.

"You're already a much better partner than my hands ever were. And this is much less terrifying when you consider that I had to lie to the Cadre about a pipe leaking in my quarters when I kept taking my pillows to the laundry… if you understand my meaning. It only took them three times checking my bunk before they realized and decided to just go with it rather than reprimanding me for lying… Can you imagine how embarrassing that was?!" NJ cried as I began to feel a cold sensation seeping into the fabric of my pants. Stealing a glimpse downward, I could see that there was a small spot of moisture that had grown in the nether regions of her shorts.

I shook my head with a soft chuckle as my hands moved down from her breasts and rubbed down her flanks before settling on her hips. Her hiss of pleasure being a sound so soft and sweet, I felt as if it had torn down any remaining restraint I had to resist her. The incident at the hospital… the doubt… the fear… her sounds in this moment melted it all away.

"Let's do away with the rest of these detestable clothes, shall we?" I asked softly, earning me a blush filled nod from NJ who fumbled around unbuttoning my jeans as I dug my fingers into the elastic of her shorts, pulling them away from her waist. We both moved quickly to remove each other's clothes to preserve the built up pleasure coursing through our bodies.

This was the first time I had seen NJ stark naked. I tried and failed to keep my jaw from hitting the sheets as she brought her arms to cover her nipples and her exposed nethers.

"Tyler… stop staring so much, it's embarrassing." NJ whined as a slight movement drew her eyes downward.

"Who's staring now?" I asked as her eyes widened at the sight of my member standing tall and at attention just for her.

"You've… seen plenty of stuff like this… I saw your internet history! But I haven't seen a man's… you know… thing before… not naked like this." NJ cried as I stifled a chuckle.

"Well, it's here only for you, NJ. You made it like this." I said as she nodded slowly and dropped her hand from her chest and reached towards my member. With an unsteady hand, she touched it. I twitched reflexively, causing her to quickly pull her hand away.

"It moved!" She cried. I couldn't help but laugh again at her naivety.

"Didn't they teach you about anatomy in the Navy, NJ?" I asked.

Surprisingly, she shook her head.

"They didn't need to. I wasn't in charge of medical onboard. That was the one thing they didn't have me do, since we had corpsmen for that. I… didn't know it would do that. Did I hurt you? Is that why it… twitched like that?" NJ asked as she looked at me with a subtly frightened expression.

"No. Not at all, despite us being this far along, I wasn't… anticipating how it would feel. It feels good… you can continue if you want." I explained as I could almost see the lightbulb in her mind lighting up.

"So… if I do this…" She started as she gingerly wrapped her hand around my penis, causing me to brace myself from the sudden heat and sensation. Her body was hot. Her hands even more so. I stopped her before she continued.

"If you're going to rub it, you need to lubricate it. Our skin creates friction, and it can hurt me if there isn't enough substance to keep friction down." I said. She gave me an inquisitive look for a second before connecting the dots. Opening her mouth, she allowed a clumsy stream of saliva to coat her hand and the head of my cock before smearing it around until it became slippery in her hand.

"How does that feel?" NJ asked nervously as she looked up at me.

"Even if we were to call it quits here, I could die a happy man, NJ. I feel as if you've shown me the gates of heaven." I said as she smiled and her eyes lit up excitedly.

"So… if I do this?" NJ spoke as she began to move her hand up and down the length of my shaft.

"That… feels amazing, NJ. Despite your inexperience, I don't think there is a better feeling than this." I said as my own breathing began to match hers as my excitement level began to rise rapidly.

NJ smiled.

"Remember how I said I saw your… internet history, Honey?" She asked without stopping the motion of her hands. For the briefest of moments, I felt fear creeping into my mind. She had found a way to safely interrogate me. I couldn't leave as she had me practically pinned.

"Y-yeah?" I replied as I stifled a moan. Despite my efforts to silence myself, an embarrassing groan escaped my lips, causing NJ to gasp excitedly. She leaned down next to my ear while continuing to stroke me, although now it was getting faster in line with her excitement levels.

"The sounds you're making are giving me a really nice fuzzy feeling, Honey~. Please make more of them… I think… it's turning me on." NJ whispered as she rested her empty hand on my chest.

I gulped.

"It's embarrassing…" I tried.

NJ shook her head.

"If there was ever a safe place to do embarrassing things without a care… It's here and now. I promise… I won't judge you… But you can't judge me either!" NJ said, her tone being one of sincerity and comfort.

"I saw the things you looked up when I wasn't around. You have some… strange tastes. But nothing I can't… attempt. I won't lie… I've only gotten this far by watching some of the things you… viewed." NJ explained as her hand slowed, stalling the forthcoming climax and halting any further progress.

I became flush immediately.

"I thought I deleted that stuff!" I exclaimed, silenced by a finger on my lips.

"You did… but I can see that stuff too. Remember, Honey. Electronic warfare." NJ explained.

I realized that she had seen everything. And only one word came to mind.

"Sorry." I whispered in horror.

NJ smiled softly.

"I'll admit… There were some things that I'll be overlooking. But… there's also things that I am curious about." NJ said as she removed her hand from my penis, the sudden chill of the air caused me to shiver, much to her delight.

I had no idea what she was referring to among a sea of adult content and my deep dives on various media sights. What I was treated to shocked me to my core. The hand that had been holding me firm went towards pulling her hair away from her face as she leaned down and wrapped her lips around the head of my cock. After a second of shock from me and a few seconds of contemplation on her end, she made a choice. She parted her lips and took me into her mouth as far as she could, which was a little over halfway, but was more than enough to have me gripping the sheets as the sudden wave of pleasure, mixed with my outright bewilderment, overloaded my mind as her tongue did unmentionable things to my head and shaft whilst obstructed from view by her gorgeous face.

"There is no way you haven't done something like this before!" I said more out of desperation in an attempt to get her to relax from her tongue's assault. It did nothing. In fact, it did less than nothing as in addition to the most sensitive spot of my member being assaulted by her tongue, she began to slowly bob her head as she slowly took more and more of me inside her mouth until eventually, she had taken the entire thing to the base. With little warning, she began to move the entire length of the shaft as she rested her hands on the outside of my thighs. I could feel her left hand flexing as she did all of this, meaning she was focusing on keeping what I could only assume was her gag reflex in check.

Any words I wanted to say were lost to my failing efforts to keep my voice under control. A mere novice just twenty minutes prior had become someone dangerously capable of milking me for lewd sounds. These sounds only fed her lust for pleasure as I felt her hand shift beside me. I watched her hand disappear between her legs as she continued to suck my cock, moaning as she touched herself.

My mind began going blank. The scene before me was nothing less than my wildest fantasy come to life. NJ had single-handedly turned my endless hours of porn-watching into a distant memory.

"Ah… NJ… I'm…" I managed before she pulled her head away from my cock and used her free hand to stroke me to completion, sending strings of white all over her hand, chest and face.

NJ's face was bright red as she smiled up at me.

"Honey~ You made a mess all over me~" NJ said with a giggle.

"I… I'm sorry." I said as I scrambled to try and find a towel in the room, only to see her lap up one of the strands with her finger and taste it. My heart skipped a beat as she smiled.

"I have a request." NJ said as she crawled up my body, bringing her face close to mine.

"Anything." I said seriously as I decided sacrificing my shirt was better than leaving NJ a mess.

She took the shirt and tossed it aside before grabbing a towel from her bag.

"I saw a video in your history. And I'm curious as to how it would feel if…" NJ stopped.

"If what?" I asked.

"Would you be willing to… geez… I went through all that and I'm still so embarrassed!" NJ pouted as her frustration grew at her inability to say what she wanted.

"Well… as you said. This is a safe place. It's okay to be embarrassed. Just like you didn't judge me… i won't judge you. What do you want me to do, my dear?" I asked, the name at the end causing her to shift her body so I could see everything. She still couldn't outright say it, but she pointed to her pussy.

"I want your mouth here… is… that okay?" NJ asked as her face turned redder than I had ever seen it before.

I smiled.

"If I can be honest, I was hoping you'd ask." I said as her teary eyes lit up once more.

"R-really?" She stammered, excited but still caught off guard by my immediate approval.

"You took excellent care of me, and did so much more than I expected. Now it's my turn." I said as I sat up and guided her down to the sheets. I put a pillow under her head and made her as comfortable as I could.

"Do you feel comfortable like this?" I asked softly as I rubbed her thighs tenderly. Even now, I could see that she was dripping. I took a moment to put the towel beneath us as she looked up at me.

"I do… I… don't know what to expect, so please bear with me. Aside from my fingers… nothing has touched this part of me… If I ask you to stop… will you?" NJ asked worriedly.

"I will. You let me know if it hurts and we'll stop right away, okay?" I assured her. This gave her a bit of confidence as she braced herself. She grabbed the pillow and looked at me.

"Whenever you're ready… I'm at your mercy." NJ whispered.

I smiled as I put my hands between her legs and gently parted them before wrapping my arms around her thighs and lifting so that the entrance to her paradise was mere inches from my face. I turned to my left and graced her inner thigh with a flurry of slow kisses, each one getting closer to her center until my lips touched. I felt her body twitch as my tongue lapped up the juices flowing freely from inside her, much to her embarrassment.

"Tyler… please…"

That was all she could manage as I maneuvered my hands to gently spread her vulva open to reveal the pink flesh that laid beneath her perfectly sculpted lips. With her tender flesh exposed, I kissed it tenderly before massaging the area with my tongue, causing a new but constant tremble in NJ's body as I narrowed in on her most vulnerable spot. My tongue explored until it found what I had been looking for, confirmed audibly by a muffled squeak from NJ. I looked up to see why it was muffled and saw that she had taken to biting one of the pillows to keep quiet.

"Oh no. You can't do that to me, missy." I teased as my fingers kept massaging her clitoris.

"You said you liked my sounds, but I want to hear yours too." I said as she looked at me, trembling as her body was assaulted by waves of pleasure that, despite being capable of rubbing herself, she was unable to attain. She eventually nodded and released her death grip on the pillow and allowed her soft moans to once again fill the empty room. I watched her as my tongue danced around her lips again, taking in the beautiful sight of a woman experiencing something so erotically exciting for the first time. Her torso was tense as her muscles flexed and relaxed. Her knuckles white as she gripped the bedsheets. Her breathing loud as each exhale brought another sugar sweet moan into existence. I took to gently sucking on her clit and watched as she struggled to contain herself as I brought her right to the top of a mountain of pleasure, and with a few more flicks of my tongue, sent her tumbling over the edge as her body completely tensed.

"Tyler!" She cried out as her body was racked with tremors. I set her down flat on her back and moved up beside her while keeping a hand between her legs. As I spread her lips again, she turned to me and kissed me deep. With the high still coursing through her veins, I slowly eased my middle finger inside and bent it so that I could mount an attack on another vulnerable spot. The moment I touched it, she gasped so suddenly that I felt like she would steal the breath from my lungs. It took all of a few seconds to bring her back up to the heights she had been and push her over again, only this time it was met with a small stream of clear liquid shooting onto the blanket and towel I had placed.

She released my lips and looked at me with a mix of shock, arousal and horror.

"What… what did you do to me?!" NJ cried as I removed my hand from between her legs, allowing her to turn her body and squish every possible inch against me.

"What? You haven't had an orgasm like that before?" I asked, confused.

NJ was appalled.

"THAT was an ORGASM?! I feel like I just took a torpedo!" NJ cried as she hugged me for everything she had.

"Did I hurt you?! I'm so sorry!" I spoke quickly as I returned the hug.

"No! No no… you didn't. But it was… explosive. I feel like I've eaten the full force of a Japanese torpedo." NJ said as she breathed heavily.

I was confused.

"How would you know what that feels like? You… never took a torpedo hit." I replied with a chuckle as I wiped a tear from her face.

"Well… according to Nevada and how she described it, I felt the explosive energy with none of the pain. You've caused me more sensation than my entire career in the military… and you did it in an act of lovemaking. Your hands are dangerous." NJ said with a soft smile as I continued to feel the soft tremble of her legs against mine.

I checked the clock. The time read 4:30 pm. We had been at it for almost two hours.

"What do you say, satisfied?" I asked. The glare I got was immediate.

"No. All we've done is touch each other. But… now I want you to put it in me. I want to feel what it's like to have sex. I want you to have sex with me, right here… right now. And I don't care how many times I feel that explosion… I will not let you stop until we're both too tired to move another inch. You made a joke… back home. About considering this to be a night battle. If we want to play it that way… you're my battle buddy… let's go to war." NJ said, stifling her overwhelming embarrassment with the sheer amount of adrenaline in her system after an orgasm of that magnitude.

A cheeky smile crossed my face and I began to laugh uncontrollably.

NJ blushed.

"What are you laughing for!? I'm seriously embarrassed right now! Why would you laugh at me!?" NJ pouted as she pounded my chest with closed fists.

I collected myself quickly and put on the most serious tone I could.

"General Quarters. General Quarters. All hands man your battlestations. This is not a drill." I said before busting out laughing again. I was joined by NJ who also found it amusing how far I was willing to take the bit.

"Aye Aye, Commander. Steam is built in all boilers… let's put it to use." NJ replied as she laid on her back and spread her legs for me. I moved to place myself between her legs and rubbed her lower lips again, only to see that they were even wetter than before.

"If it hurts, you stop me." I said sternly.

"And if I want you to go?" NJ asked.

"You can… tell me that too." I said.

"Then please… go ahead. I'm ready." NJ said as I pushed my sword slowly into her depths, watching and listening to her as her lips and walls were spread wider than they had ever been before. Before I hit my base, she spoke up.

"Don't push any further… you're hitting something that's a bit painful." NJ said softly as I could see a bit of discomfort on her face. I knew I was only slightly above average, but if I was hitting this deep, then maybe it would be wise to take it slower with her.

"Got it. Remember… stop me if it hurts and you want me to stop." I reiterated.

NJ shook her head.

"Just don't push too deep. I can't be certain, but I believe you hit my cervix. And it isn't a pleasant feeling. Please keep that in mind." NJ said softly as I leaned down to steady myself by bracing against the bed. She gingerly grabbed my wrists and looked up at me.

"It feels good. Please… move whenever you're ready." NJ said. With a nod, I began to slowly move my hips, being sure to stay conscious of what I was feeling so I wouldn't hurt her. As her moans filled the air, I felt her walls moving and tensing, almost as if they were massaging me and trying to keep me in. I leaned down and kissed her, silencing her moans, but allowing her to wrap her arms around my neck.

We parted lips and she pushed her forehead against mine.

"I… I'm gonna…" NJ tried before heightened squeaks took her voice.

"It's okay. Nobody is holding you back. If you want to cum, I won't stop you." I assured her. A few moments later, her walls clenched hard as she stifled a scream, only letting a squeak and a massive gasp escape as I continued to move my hips.

"Are you close?" NJ asked softly as her body continued to tremble from her string of orgasms thus far.

"Almost. Can you endure just a little while more?" I asked as I cupped her cheek.

"Anything for you, Honey. But please pull out when you do… I don't know if pregnancy is a thing for me… but I don't want to find out right now. Okay?" NJ asked as her breathing made it hard for her to speak.

"I will. I'm almost there. Hang in there a little longer." I assured her again. As the knot in my loins built, I counted 2 more tight clenches from NJ before I pulled out and finished myself off on her stomach as she had requested.

I allowed myself to lay on the bed next to her legs before looking up at her.

"Satisfied?" I asked, wondering how I'd go another round if she said no. Thankfully she nodded lightly before covering herself with a towel. As soon as the words left my mouth, the fatigue set in and knocked me out.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

"I… didn't expect it to be so… draining." NJ said as she looked down at me, only to find my eyes closed and my breathing deep and slow.

She sighed.

"I guess he's tuckered out too." NJ said as she looked at me. The thoughts in her mind were no longer on sex, but on making sure that I was okay.

She fought the tremors in her body and cleaned herself up before moving down next to my sleeping form and gently guiding me up to the head of the bed, putting my head on a pillow.

"Honey~" NJ whispered softly as my face twitched. She smiled as my arms encircled her and held her close, my body begging for her to cuddle up to me.

"Thank you. I… I can't thank you enough. You made this experience more than anything I could have imagined. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have given my first to. I love you." NJ whispered as she stroked my hair and laid a kiss on my cheek.

Shortly after, with her body pressed against mine, trembling as she came down from her high, she too fell asleep. The time read 7 pm.

Chapter Text

I was the first to awaken the following morning, wincing as the morning sun broke the horizon and beamed light into our room. NJ was sleeping happily. Had I not known better, I'd assume she was part cat, as she sounded like she was purring like the happiest of kittens while she slept, likely dreaming about our battle mere hours before. I smiled.

I was going to grab a shower, but decided against it. I wanted to shower with the woman of my dreams. So instead I picked up the phone next to the bed and rang the front desk. Surprisingly, someone picked up.

"Good Morning, Master Sweigart. Is there something we can do for you?" The lady at the desk asked.

"Yes please. I'd like to order room service… and schedule a change of bed sheets." I said softly.

"Not at all a problem, sir. I assume you will be out of the room during the changing of sheets?" The lady asked.

"No, but the missus and I will be grabbing a shower after breakfast. Will that suffice?" I asked.

"Of course. If that is your wish, we will accommodate. I will transfer you to the kitchen line so that they may take your order. I will also send instructions to the maid to prepare a fresh change of sheets. Will that be all for right now?" The lady asked.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you." I spoke softly again as the line clicked.

"Restaurant hostess speaking. Good Morning, Master Sweigart. I have been informed that you wish to order breakfast for room service?" The lady asked.

"That is correct. I took a look at the menu and I think I'm ready to order." I replied.

There was a moment of hesitation.

"If I may suggest something, sir." The lady spoke.

"Oh? Alright. Please." I said, remembering how this all came to be. Queen Elizabeth set this up for me. It would be rude to not listen to what the workers here had to say.

"Our Head chef and Pastry chef are in the building today. We've received an order to cater to you the best we have to offer. As such, our chef and pastry chef have curated a special menu for you and Miss Jackson to enjoy. It has also been paid for in advance by a very generous benefactor of the hotel. I will alert the chefs and they will personally be up to serve you breakfast within the hour." The lady said.

"Oh… wow. Uh… yeah, that'd be great actually. I'll accept this. Thank you very much." I stammered, unsure of just how much Elizabeth had put into our adventure.

"Excellent. Please relax and do not trouble yourself. They shall be up soon." The lady said as the line hung up. I placed the phone on the holder and settled back down into the bed.

"Who was that, honey?" NJ asked sleepily.

"I just placed an order for breakfast. Apparently, Elizabeth thought about that as well and had them prepare a meal for us with the Hotel's best Chef and Pastry chef. All we have to do is wait here. They'll be bringing it up to us." I said with a smile.

"Good. I don't want to leave this bed just yet. You're still way too hot for me to want to get up." NJ said as she cuddled up against me. I placed my arm around her shoulders and held her close.

"I also requested a change of sheets for when we get up to shower." I said, causing NJ to blush heavily.

"If you weren't such a… shut up. It wasn't my fault!" NJ cried as she pounded my chest. I laughed at her reaction.

"Guilty conscious, my love?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Shut it… not my fault you made me… do that." NJ said as she covered her face with the sheets. Before I could tease her more, there was a knock at the door.

"Mr. Sweigart. Room service." A woman's voice spoke.

"Come in. We're covered." I called as I heard the door open. A few seconds later, three women entered the doorway separating the bedroom from the rest of the suite.

NJ took one look and all the color drained from her face. One of the women went to close and lock the door before any of them spoke. The woman in the chef's coat with long blonde hair was the first to speak.

"Well. Well. Well. Her Majesty said we had a special guest. But I was not expecting to be graced by the presence of the black dragon." The chef spoke.

I was confused.

"Nicole… Do you know them?" I asked, trying to keep the facade going. NJ held her hand up.

"No need to pretend, Honey. We are in the presence of Elizabeth's finest." NJ said.

"Honey? How sweet! You finally settled down, Jersey?" The other woman, the pastry chef, spoke.

NJ went stark white as the third woman returned from closing the door.

"If you're talking like that, I now understand why they sent me to change the sheets." The maid with short white hair spoke, the hint of disdain was hard to miss, but she remained professional.

It was my turn to blush.

"If I may ask… who are you three and how do you know my girlfriend?" I asked.

The Chef let down her hair before speaking.

"An honor to meet you, Mr. Sweigart. I am George. King George the Fifth, Namesake of the KGV class fast battleships of the Royal Navy." George spoke with a small bow.

Just as it had with NJ, the color drained from my face as the Pastry Chef spoke.

"I am Howe, KGV class Battleship of the Royal Navy. It is my pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sweigart." Howe spoke with a heartwarming smile.

Lastly, the Maid spoke.

"Good Morning, Master Sweigart. I am Sheffield. Town class light cruiser of the Royal Navy and Second hand to the Head Maid Belfast." Sheffield spoke. The grimace as she said the word 'master' was easy to see.

I stared for a few seconds before turning to NJ.

"You recognized them right away… didn't you?" I asked. She nodded softly.

"I didn't spend much time with them… but I never forget a face." NJ said softly.

George took the opportunity to lighten the mood.

"So. According to how she is acting with you, and the fact that Sheffy said something interesting a few moments ago… what's it like, Mr. Sweigart? How does it feel to join legendary names like Sigurd, King Arthur, and Saint George as a dragon slayer?" George asked with a chuckle as I swore NJ was about to expire from embarrassment.

"I… uh… well… to be fair, I didn't so much slay a dragon as I laid a dragon… so… I'd have to say I'm feeling pretty good." I said with a nervous chuckle.

"Tyler!" NJ cried as she hit my chest again before hiding under the covers.

Even Sheffield stole a chuckle as the other battleships laughed at her embarrassment.

"Her majesty was right about you. You are quite the character. We will set the table in the other room and wait for you to join us. Sheffy, do you have their robes?" George asked.

"I do." Sheffield spoke as she walked over to NJ's side of the bed and left a plush black robe before coming to me and handing me a similarly plush red robe.

"Please make yourselves presentable while we set the table for you." Sheffield spoke as the three of them headed for the dining area of the suite.

Chapter Text

We were tied snuggly into our robes as NJ and I walked from the bedroom towards the dining area. As we walked towards the table, Sheffield left the room and headed for the bedroom, likely taking that time to change the sheets and make the bed. I could hear Sheffield muttering something under her breath and I silently apologized for her inconvenience. We entered the dining area and immediately drew the attention of the KGV battleships.

“No matter how much I look at you like this, Jersey, I can’t believe you finally found yourself a man. I’m so happy for you.” Howe spoke as NJ blushed.

“Mister Sweigart. I have received word that we will be entertaining two more guests for this morning’s breakfast. As such, the spread I prepared is enough to reflect the number of people who will be dining with you two.” George said as she gestured to the long table practically overflowing with food. My mind was shattered at the sheer amount of food that had been presented.

I didn’t like to brag about it too often, but before my dive into the culinary industry, I was trained in one of the top culinary schools in America. And while the years had done a number on my memory, I could tell immediately that George was a master above the rest. The table before me was set with dishes that spanned every conceivable inch of the British Empire. Canadian, British, Australian, Island colonies and even Indian and African influence littered the table. After my moment of shock, I returned my mind to her comment.

“Guests? Just how many will be here this morning?” I asked.

“Well, Myself and Howe. Sheffield. You two. And I got word that Victorious and Warspite will be dropping by as well. Warspite will be spending the day with you, of course.” George spoke.

“I get to meet Victorious?” I asked, shocked.

George nodded.

“Illustrious was going to come, but with her having a closer relationship with Formidable, it was decided that she would stay behind to keep Formidable from derailing anything. Considering her propensity for reporting those who violate the Kansen Secrecy laws, it was an unfortunate but necessary decision. Victorious on the other hand does not spend all of her time around her sisters, so she has a much longer leash so to say.” George said.

I was shocked as I took my seat. George shot me a glance that practically forced me from my seat at the side of the table. She then indicated to the head of the table where the view of early morning London backlit my new seat.

I quickly moved to the head of the table, where George’s warm smile once again graced the room. NJ took her seat next to me as Sheffield returned to the dining room.

“Fresh sheets have been fitted. I hope you will find them to your standards, Master Sweigart.” Sheffield spoke flatly.

I rubbed my neck in a display of mild discomfort.

“Sheffield… if I may call you as such… you can drop the ‘master’ bit. Please just call me Tyler or Mister, like George and Howe, if you don’t wish to use my first name. I can tell the idea of using that term with me is causing you just as much discomfort as it is causing me.” I said with a small smile.

Sheffield paused.

“Huh… a colonist with some humility. So be it, Mister Sweigart.” Sheffield said as her tone took on a more defined Yorkshire accent. I could immediately sense the level of disdain drop to near zero as Sheffield relaxed visibly for the first time since I had met her.

George was surprised. If Howe was too, she hid it well.

“Huh… I guess you really do have something special about you, Mister Sweigart. There isn’t a single soul that I’ve met that has made Sheffield speak in her natural accent. Forgive me for saying, Sheffy, but you aren’t exactly the warmest person to sail the seven seas.” George said, earning herself a glare from the light cruiser.

“He has proven himself worthy of my respect, something few people in my history have even bothered to attempt to do before talking with me. Maybe if people were more considerate, then maybe I’d be a bit warmer.” Sheffield shot back.

NJ looked over at me and yawned before slipping her hand into mine under the table.

“This… is nice.” NJ said softly, but loud enough for the room to hear. She followed up with a soft chuckle as the others in the room looked among themselves.

“Hmm? What is, Dragon?” George asked.

“This feels like it used to be. Remember the times we stood around while the Generals and Admirals and Leaders would discuss the state of the war. We spoke like old friends. All those years ago. And now sitting here, all of us retired and well into our new lives, we can still reach back and grab that feeling and drag it into a hotel room in London when all of us are sharing the same risk once again.” NJ said in a surprisingly deep moment of clarity.

George, Sheffield and Howe smiled as they all understood immediately.

I was the odd one out.

“NJ… What do you mean? We’re not at war.” I said, confused.

“The world may not be, Mister Sweigart, but you and your partner sure are stirring something up. The fact that you know about us like this is enough to have all of us removed from society and in New Jersey's case apparently, treated like a second-rate citizen. Warspite has informed us that you’ve managed to get the most powerful Kansen left alive today to be ready to commit treason at the drop of a hat. Do you… understand the gravity of this?” George asked seriously, turning the warm tone of the room frigid in an instant.

I shook my head as I shuddered at the near palpable drop in temperature.

“Apparently not. I know I’d become a fugitive. I know that if caught, I’d be executed for treason, but apparently there’s more to this that I’m not comprehending.” I spoke.

George nodded.

“You know that New Jersey has special traveling papers, right?” George asked.

“Yeah. She produces radiation because of the W23’s she allegedly used to carry.” I spoke.

“Right. And do you know how Kansens operate?” George asked.

I shook my head.

“All she said is that she can control the USS New Jersey and that her jacket contains her rigging. Was there more?” I asked.

George nodded as a knock came to the door.

“That’s probably Warspite and Victorious. Could you let them in, Sheffy?” Howe asked.

Sheffield nodded and went to the door. Warspite, Sheffield and a tall, gorgeous blonde woman returned shortly after. Before anyone spoke further, the royal navy girls all took their seats.

“To answer your question… If you and New Jersey revolt, the world will have a new Nuclear power. What isn’t commonly known is that Kansen can recreate certain amounts of ammunition to ensure they never are left defenseless. Basically, a bottomless reservoir of ammunition in the way of shells, powder, you name it. New Jersey… is special. Because part of her subset of ammunition… is W23 nuclear artillery shells… and TLAM-N Nuclear Tomahawk Cruise Missiles. Your girlfriend is a nuclear superpower and you’ve managed to get her so incurably fixated on a life with you, that she has sworn to deploy these weapons if need be.” George said, sending a chill up my spine.

NJ retorted immediately.

"I cannot produce Nuclear Armaments without the support of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier or submarine. I do not have the capability to recreate the nuclear material. So what I have in reserve is all I have!" NJ spoke firmly before looking at me with a look of concern.

"I'm sorry you had to learn about it like this, Honey." NJ said as she rubbed my hand. I remained wide eyed and shocked at the revelation.

"You…have nukes in reserve?" Warspite asked as she narrowed her eyes.

"Yes. A full salvo of W23's and 8 TLAN missiles. But… as I said, I cannot construct more without support." NJ said.

"And do you have a contact for that?" Sheffield asked, her tone matching Warspite's.

"Yes. I will not disclose who. Not even here, where Elizabeth has promised that I'm not being watched. But should I need to escape, I have a contact who can meet with me on the high seas." NJ promised. I doubt this did much to ease Warspite and Sheffield however.

This was getting close to a very dangerous situation. I wished more than anything to change the topic. My eyes settled on the newest visitor who was looking me up and down.

"You must be Victorious. George had said you'd be joining us this morning. I am honored to meet such a decorated woman." I spoke politely, changing the atmosphere in the room away from the talk of nuclear Armageddon.

"Oh stop it… you have so many more decorated war veterans here to talk with. I'm sure Warspite would like to speak of her deeds at Jutland. Or Sheffy on her escape from death during the Falklands conflict." Victorious spoke in a calm demeanor.

"Nonsense. No offense to Warspite or Sheffield, but I'm sure I'll be seeing more of them than I will of you on my trip. It would almost be rude of me to not ask about your life while I had the chance." I replied with a smile. Victorious smiled back at me.

"No wonder why Her Majesty spoke so highly of you. Are you sure you're from the colonies?" Victorious joked.

"As red blooded American as they come, Victorious. And proud of it." I said firmly, never removing the smile from my face.

"Alright. I'll relent. Ask me anything you wish to know about me. My memory still remains clear after all these years, so I won't hold anything back." Victorious said with a little victory style dance. I chuckled a bit at her enthusiasm, as did the other girls in the room.

"Alright then, I'll start with what I know. From what I recall, you were imperative in weakening the Battleship Tirpitz during your many bombing raids. And not only that, you saved Enterprise from being the only fleet carrier in the Pacific when you toured as USS Robin." I said with a smile.

She offered nothing but a pained smile.

"She was beauty incarnate… and while we were adversaries, I took no pleasure in hurting her. If only you could have met her. Tirpitz… the lonely queen of the North. She had nobody. Bismarck had been done in by Ark Royal, then Rodney, George, Dorsetshire and Norfolk pounded her into submission. The mad leader kept her locked away in the fjords of Norway until our servicemen sank her with Tall Boy bombs." Victorious spoke somberly.

"I see… I am sorry to have painted the act in such a jovial light… I had no idea." I said as I wretched my eyes away from the carrier and bore my vision into the still steaming cup of tea that had been poured for me.

Victorious spoke again.

"It was for the betterment of mankind. The Kriegsmarine posed a threat to the world. But… at the end of the day… We were just following orders. She didn't deserve to die. Bismarck didn't deserve to die. None of them deserved it… at least that is what I want to believe. I do not condone the message or actions of the Nazi party… I only wish that the girls who fought on their side would have surrendered." Victorious retorted in a long winded attempt to lighten the mood.

I nodded softly.

"On that we can agree. I would have loved to meet the mighty Bismarck and tour her ship. I've heard so many things from so many historians that it's almost impossible to believe that such a ship existed." I said as George smiled softly.

"We were at war. And of course, as Vicky so put it, I was part of the task force that landed the killing blow. I believe that Bismarck would have been a wonderful woman had she surrendered and allowed her vessel to be turned into a museum. I say this, as while she sank, all who were present watched as she aided her men in getting overboard. She worked tirelessly to save who she could. Sadly… despite her hard work, she only managed 114 of the 2200 men. They stayed with her until the end. I watched as they set the scuttling charges and I saw her take her place on the bridge of her vessel. She did not move as it slipped below the waves. She died with honor." George spoke as she took the first bite of food from her plate.

This signaled everyone else to begin eating as well. The conversation continued as we ate, however.

"Sadly, Tirpitz was another story. According to the bomber crews who were credited with her sinking, she was frantic… scared even. She put on a tough face for her men to keep up morale. But in the face of certain death, she cracked. She frantically tried to get men off her vessel, but the damage had been too great. We believe that while she was attempting to rescue her men, she was caught in the detonation of Caesar turret and perished, according to the account of a woman in white being seen motionless on deck moments before the vessel capsized. The death toll… was similar to her sister, with only 200 known survivors." Victorious spoke, her tone one of sadness and regret.

I once again sat still. I felt small and insignificant. These girls were talking about the deaths of thousands, knowing they had been partially responsible, and here I was… caught between all of them. Howe and NJ were the ones to notice and decided to change tune once more.

"So, do you and your boyfriend have any plans while you're here?" Howe asked, immediately turning all attention to NJ.

"Well, after we eat and get showered, I think Honey and I are going to see Belfast today. He's a very avid Naval Historian, as you can likely tell. So he wants to see Belfast's vessel. We might make a day of it since we'll likely be talking with Belfast. Then I would like to see Buckingham Palace and the Parliament building. The Big Ben is an obvious tourist thing to do. And he's a chef, so we'll be going to all the fancy restaurants." NJ said, causing George to look directly at me.

"Is that so? You've landed a chef as a boyfriend, Black Dragon?" George spoke excitedly.

NJ's cheeks turned rosy red.

"Yes. He's an excellent cook. Make even the simplest of dishes taste like heaven." NJ said as George nodded.

"I'll give you my number. Wherever you go out to eat here in London, text me where you're going. I'll drop by and join you. I'll drag Howe along as well." George said as Howe giggled.

"You don't have to drag me, George. I'll come willingly." Howe said as I turned to her.

"I also am a talented baker. Decorator not so much, but I do make some amazing bread from time to time." I said truthfully.

"Honey… Now it's starting to sound like you're flirting." NJ said as I turned back to her and kissed her cheek, much to the shock of everyone present.

"Of course not, My dear. You're my one and only." I said as her blush deepened considerably.

Howe decided to jump on the opportunity to tease NJ.

"You know, since you're his girlfriend, you could always test his ability as a baker. After all, what's it called when a woman has a bun in the oven?" Howe asked as I cracked a smile.

"Shut it!" NJ cried as she took a bite of her food.

"I dunno, Honey… I am quite the talented baker. Might accidentally bake more than one." I whispered, causing NJ to choke on her bite of food, forcing her to wash it down with the tea next to her.

Everyone laughed once it was clear NJ wasn't going to choke to death.

From that point forward, Breakfast was uneventful. We talked about mundane parts of everyday life while the girls kept relating everything to the 40's when 'times were simpler'. By the end of breakfast, I was stuffed. Victorious had said her goodbyes and thanked me for allowing her to tell her story. She left soon after with Warspite escorting her out.

"We'll get this cleaned up. You two go ahead and relax or do what you will. We'll be around if you need anything, and I'll be sure to be on call for room service if requested." George said. I nodded and stood with NJ.

"Shall we grab a shower and get ready for the day?" I asked.

NJ nodded.

As George, Howe and Sheffield cleaned up breakfast, NJ and I stepped into the bathroom and locked the door behind us before dropping our robes. Immediately NJ's eyes began to glow a dull blue.

"Honey… you've turned me into some kind of deviant." NJ whispered as she pushed herself against me.

"Not my fault." I said simply as we stepped into the shower and turned on the hot water.

Chapter Text

NJ stood in front of me as we let the hot water stream down our bodies. The fair skin on her back was beyond alluring as I found myself helplessly drawn in. A soft sigh was heard escaping her lips as she felt my chest push against her back.

In a single smooth movement, she arched one of her arms back and gently grasped my head before craning her neck to kiss me.

“I can’t say this enough… this is like a dream come true, Honey. I’ve never felt so alive… so wanted… I’ve never felt so desired.” NJ whispered as she released my lips, her voice just barely audible over the streaming water.

“Desired, huh?” I whispered in her ear as I lowered my head and kissed the crook of her neck as my hands lovingly clasped her hips. Her lips held back a moan as she leaned heavily against my lips.

“Honey~ Stop~ If you do something like that… We’ll end up wasting another day here.” NJ whined as her other hand held my head against her neck. While I could not speak, I opted to toy with her further as my kisses soon turned into sucking the supple skin on her neck, something I would pay for later. When my lungs ultimately decided to force my hand, I pulled away just enough to get right back against her ear.

“Wasting another day here with you would be nothing short of heaven, my love. Don’t tempt me with another night like that… you might just get what you asked for.” I said as her face went red.

I couldn’t hear what she said next, but I could almost swear that her lips spelled out what I was practically begging to hear.

“Please”

I smiled at her, a mix of desire and joy coursing through my body as she turned her deep blue eyes at me, her lips curled in a cute smile of her own. She spoke up a bit as she faced me.

“At least that’s what I would say… if my legs weren’t still sore from last night. You worked muscles I didn’t realize I had…” NJ whined softly as she pressed herself against me, allowing the hot water to fall further down her body so that the streams were landing directly on her thighs.

“Is that the only issue?” I teased, my eyes being drawn to the now hilariously obvious hickey I had put on her neck.

“So pushy… not that I mind, Honey~” NJ said as her finger traced unrecognizable shapes across my chest.

With nothing more than a smile, I turned to put NJ’s back to the wall with a gentle thud before kneeling down in front of her and taking one of her legs onto my knee. Her blush was undeniable as once again, she was completely exposed and at my mercy. Rubbing her thigh, I could feel the tense muscles underneath.

“You really are quite tense, my love. I’m surprised the hot water didn’t do more.” I said as I firmly pressed against one of the tense muscles in her leg, immediately resulting in a loud squeal paired with her putting pressure on my knee in an attempt to press herself further against the wall to keep herself from collapsing.

“Did that feel good?” I asked with a chuckle as I could see tears in her eyes.

“You jerk! Stop making me make noises like that! I’m a battleship for god’s sake! You’ve had me moaning like some… carefree floozy for the better part of the last 12 hours!” NJ cried in a tone somewhere between childish whining and genuine upsetness.

I couldn’t contain my laughter as I pressed another tough knot in her leg, earning me another groan of relief.

“You say that, but you can’t tell me that you don’t enjoy the things I do to you.” I said as I gently rubbed her leg, checking for more tense muscles.

“I do! I love what you do to me! But it would be nice for me to try to keep some of my dignity when… when… when they are listening to us!” NJ cried as I heard three sets of feet scramble to get away from the bathroom door.

I laughed even harder.

“Who knew Elizabeth’s finest were all such pervs!” I laughed as NJ covered her face.

I couldn’t feel any more knots in the leg I had started with, so I took a few seconds to switch legs and began working the knots out of that one as well, earning several more syrupy groans and the return of the slight tremble in her legs for my troubles.

NJ glared at me when she finally recovered.

"Turn around." NJ spoke firmly.

"Oh?" I asked.

"Just do it… dummy." NJ said as she poured soap onto her hands.

"I am capable of washing myself, NJ." I said as I did as ordered.

"I don't care. You took care of me… I'll take care of you." NJ retorted shortly. A peek over my shoulder witnessed a healthy blush spread across her cheeks as she applied a generous amount of soap to her breasts before kneeling down behind me.

I accepted my fate as she pushed herself against me and used her hands and body as a whole to wash every inch of my body that she could reach. I forced down several chuckles as I heard her moan ever so slightly with each long stroke against my back. I had gotten my fill of teasing her for the morning.

Several long sensual minutes later, I shut the water off and grabbed a fluffy towel that had been hung on a small rack for us. I grabbed the ends and opened it before enveloping NJ in a hug that also left her with the towel so she could dry herself off. I grabbed my own towel and stepped out before slipping my robe on over top. NJ on the other hand, quickly dried herself and put on her robe before putting her hair up in the towel she had used to dry off.

"Think they're still here?" I asked.

“No… at least not all three of them. I believe Howe and George have left. Sheffield is waiting in the main room.” NJ said as we exited the restroom.

“Sheffield, I know you’re here.” NJ spoke up. A few seconds passed before the light cruiser appeared in the doorway to the bedroom.

“May I ask how?” Sheffield asked.

“She’s connected to her vessel back in the Delaware river. She has some sort of personal radar. She likely saw the three of you outside the door.” I explained with a shrug.

“I see. I did not know such a feat was possible… but it explains a lot. Either way, I was left behind to apologize for our morbid curiosity, and to inform you that Lady Warspite is waiting for you in the lobby. She already has been informed of your plans for the day so she knows to take you to where Belfast is moored. I am also to inform you that three confirmed members of MI5 are in the building with two more outside. So whatever facade you two portray in public, ensure that it is ironclad." Sheffield warned.

Her warning pushed the thoughts of the three royals peeping out of my mind. If NJ still had something to say, she didn't make it known.

"I understand. Thank you, Sheffield." I said as I walked to my bag and pulled out my roll of cash. Taking a rubber band from my bag, I rolled up $1000 and handed it to the maid.

"Keep us up to date on stuff like that, and that'll be yours to keep." I said as NJ looked at me. Sheffield nodded and whisked the cash into her uniform.

"I will request to utilize the room adjacent. I can ensure that you are well cared for here. It wouldn't be too far for me to say that you two will be seeing a lot more of me during your stay, Mr. Sweigart." Sheffield spoke with a bow.

"Tyler. My name is Tyler, you may use that if you want." I spoke.

"With all due respect, I will refrain. It is improper for a maid to utilize her… Master's first name." Sheffield spoke, forcing the word out.

"We talked about this…" I retorted.

"I know. But while I do not say the word, it is currently our power dynamic. I am not incorrect here. Should we remain in contact after your departure, I will allow myself to utilize your first name. But until then, you… for better or worse… are playing the part of master." Sheffield explained.

"I see… that's the angle we're working with." I said as NJ spoke up.

"I am sorry to be causing you and the others so much trouble." NJ said as she sat on the bed.

"Think nothing of it, Black Dragon. Navigating her Master's obstacles is all part of a maid's duties. Speaking of… I would recommend you wear a scarf or use some makeup today, Miss Jackson." Sheffield spoke.

"Is it cold today?" NJ asked me as she turned and I saw just how visible her hickey was.

"Uh…"

"It is not. Mr. Sweigart seems to have… marked your body, specially your neck. I did not see this mark during breakfast." Sheffield spoke, selling me out in a heartbeat.

"Sheffield!?" I cried as NJ glared at me.

"Honey?! You gave me a hickey?!" NJ cried as she stood up and walked over to me, slowly pushing me towards the wall. It wasn't too long before she had me pinned.

Sheffield stood in the doorway, seemingly unphased, but I could see her eyes looking over at NJ as she pinned me.

"You did this on purpose! How bad is it?" NJ demanded.

"It's… not bad." I lied.

"It looks as if someone had dropped a steel pipe on your neck. It is very dark and noticeable." Sheffield spoke truthfully.

"Sheffield! She's going to murder me!" I exclaimed frantically.

"Well… you did lay the Black Dragon. You shouldn't be surprised if she rakes your body with her teeth now and again." Sheffield spoke with a bow.

"With that said, I shall bid you farewell for now. Try not to die, Dragonslayer." Sheffield teased as she left the suite.

I was flabbergasted.

"NJ we can talk about this…" I tried, only for her to pounce and sink her teeth into the skin on my neck. I tried to pry her off of me, but her grip was ironclad. After what felt like a pain filled eternity, she released me. My hand immediately went to my neck to check for bleeding, thankfully, she hadn't pierced the skin.

"There… now you have a mark too." NJ said with a pout as she turned away and walked to her bag. I watched quietly as she dropped her robe and reached into her bag to begin getting dressed. I saw something fall from her pants pocket and scrambled to pick it up. It was an anchor cufflink. In fact, I saw two more in her bag.

"NJ?" I asked.

"Hmm?" NJ asked as she turned to see me holding the cufflink. She quickly snatched it away.

"Be careful with that!" NJ exclaimed.

"What is it… and why do you have it?" I asked.

NJ hesitated.

"It's… part of my coat. I took the cufflinks before handing in my coat to the Navy. I wanted them as a souvenir. I had four in total." NJ said.

"Where's the last one?" I asked.

"It broke in New York back in 1993. I found out that they… still have some power left in them. So now I have to be really careful with them." NJ explained.

"Power?" I asked.

NJ grimaced.

"I want to show you… I really really do… but I only have 3 left. If I waste them… we'd be forced to steal my jacket." NJ whined.

"Just tell me. No need to demonstrate." I said supportively.

"They allow me to use my rigging for as long as I have the strength to keep it deployed. One of them broke when I was in Manhattan in 1993. Thankfully, all the law enforcement officers and federal agents were too preoccupied with the World Trade Center bombing to notice some random girl with massive guns." NJ explained.

"I see… well, it feels good knowing that we have some form of defense, right?" I asked as I quickly got dressed.

"It's impractical indoors. I can't segment my rigging without my coat. With these… it's all or nothing." NJ said.

"Well… that's okay." I said as NJ gently placed her cufflinks back in the bag and finished getting dressed.

Shall we go? Warspite is waiting for us." I suggested.

NJ nodded as we headed for the door.

Chapter Text

Warspite tapped her foot as she waited.

"By the Queen… if George and Howe meant what they said, I could be here for hours." Warspite grumbled under her breath as she kept her keen eyes shifting between three inconspicuous looking patrons in the hotel lobby. She had already sussed out the agents from MI5.

Much to her surprise, NJ and I appeared a few seconds later.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting!" I said, being sure not to mention her name.

Warspite sighed.

"You forgot my name again, Mr. Sweigart. I've told you how many times now?" Warspite asked. I played along.

"I know. I know. I swear I'll get it one of these times." I replied.

"Elizabeth Browne is my name. Commit it to memory or I'll slap you silly." Warspite said sternly.

"Alright, Elizabeth. Shall we be off then?" I asked.

"Of course. I've brought the car around for you. I take it you are going to see the museum on the river?" Warspite asked.

"That's the plan." I said as NJ nodded. At her movement, I saw Warspite's eyes dart to a man in a plaid shirt. He had his hand to his ear. They were really watching her closely.

"Let's get going. I don't want to be there with a lot of other people… I've never been good with crowds." I said as Warspite led us out to where the car was. I opened the door for NJ, who quickly climbed in. I followed and Warspite closed the door behind us. The moment she sat down, the high pitch white noise began again.

"So. You decided to have a shag in the shower, dragonslayer?" Warspite asked in monotone.

NJ hid her face as a squeak came from her mouth.

"I don't know what those three told you, but it wasn't like that. I was rubbing the knots from her legs since she was complaining about being stiff." I countered.

"Uh huh. And the marks on your necks? Looks like she got a long tender kiss, and she gave you the business." Warspite retorted with a chuckle.

"Can we not discuss my sex life, please?!" NJ cried.

I tried and failed to stifle a chuckle.

"Shut it, Tyler! Or next time you won't be able to walk!" NJ threatened.

Warspite feigned innocence and faked a surprised gasp.

"Oh my… such an ill mannered dragon you are. To speak so boldly… it makes me blush." Warspite said sarcastically.

I smiled.

"If all the other Kansens are as interesting as you, Warspite, I reckon I'm gonna be making quite a few friends." I said as she looked in the rearview to see me.

"Perhaps. To be frank, I didn't like you when I first saw you. And while I wouldn't say we're the best of friends… I'd like to put us somewhere between a fond acquaintance and a loyal confidant. After all, if Her Majesty says she likes you, it wouldn't do for me to not try to change perspectives." Warspite admitted.

It was NJ's turn to gasp.

"Are you a magician?" She asked as she looked fiercely at me.

"What? No. What made you think that?" I asked.

"Because I have never heard this salty war dog say anything close to that to anyone." NJ said with a giddy tone.

"Maybe if you'd spent time in the Atlantic, you might have heard it. Even I have had a… fling or two." Warspite said defiantly.

"No way! The Grand Old Lady?! Who? I have to know. Don't you hold out on me, Warspite." NJ said as Warspite took off from the curb.

Warspite blushed.

"I maybe… had spent a few nights with my Captain. I hadn't known he had taken a wife in the late 20's. But he… sought some comfort when I served as his flagship. We swore to never tell a soul, lest it get back to his wife. But as his flagship… we dated for a brief time. He was my first… and my last." Warspite spoke.

NJ was going to speak, but I cut her off.

"Last? What happened?" I asked.

"I did what any girl does… I fell in love. Somewhere, I thought it was a possibility that he could… be mine. But when his pennant was removed from my mast, it was as if we had never met. Every missive I sent. Every communication. Ignored. Eventually… I gave up and dedicated my all to her Majesty. I serve as her retainer. That is all I need now." Warspite said as I could see her wipe a tear from her eye.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Warspite. But in the end… that is a risk when dating a married man." I said with a small shrug.

"I know that now. But it is no longer a need of mine to be sated by a man. My life belongs to her majesty." Warspite said as the hull of the Belfast came into view.

"Maybe you'll find another when they reinstate you. The Dreadnaught Class submarines, right?" NJ asked.

Warspite nodded.

"Yes. Dreadnaught as well as myself will likely be recalled to duty soon. But as I said, my life belongs to Her Majesty. I admit what happened back then was a mistake. It wasn't meant to be. I don't necessarily regret it, but I do have some reservations about it." Warspite spoke thoughtfully.

I nodded.

"I guess… as long as you both enjoyed it at the time, the only one in the wrong was him. He decided to cheat. You were following your heart…" I said before chuckling.

"Why are you laughing?" Warspite asked accusingly.

"Because. It's laughable. You girls act just like humans. You're indistinguishable from a human. Yet the world treats you like some sort of dangerous phenomenon. It's utter idiocy." I said as Warspite smiled.

"Is this how you swept the dragon?" Warspite asked with a soft look.

I was going to speak but NJ nodding out of the corner of my eye stopped me.

"See what I mean, Warspite? He's special. He treats us right. He treats us… like women." NJ said.

"I do. You are a very lucky woman, New Jersey. Perhaps if he had found me first… I may have eventually betrayed my heart and took him for myself." Warspite said with a shrug as she pulled the car into a lot next to where the Belfast was moored.

"Well… it's too bad. He's mine. But… should things go bad for us back home, and you don't want to be just a weapon anymore… my deck is open for you." NJ said. Warspite looked at us.

"Are you serious about that?" Warspite asked.

"Tyler is my everything. He is the image I conjure when I imagine the lives I served to protect. He has become my image of the American Citizen. If I ever have to turn my guns again… it will be to protect him." NJ said seriously.

Warspite sat for a moment.

"Would you turn your guns against Her Majesty?" Warspite asked cautiously.

I spoke up.

"Why would she? She said she likes us, and that she stands for the rights of Kansens. The only ones who would want us gone… is the US Government. Everyone else, if they think for themselves, would seek to find a way to coexist with a nuclear power." I stated seriously.

Warspite thought again.

"New Jersey. Full stop. Who is your contact? You said that a Nuclear powered vessel is required to maintain your nuclear status. Who is it?" Warspite asked.

"I can't…" NJ said.

"Girl to girl, NJ. If I know, then I can inform Her Majesty when she goes to bat for you two in Parliament. You're talking about a vessel that makes an endless supply of nuclear weaponry a possibility." Warspite reasoned.

I thought about it for a moment.

"It's a Kansen, right?" I asked.

NJ nodded.

"Kansen were a major experiment during the world wars as far as I can tell. And as far as my knowledge goes… there's only a few that would have transferred to a nuclear powered vessel… if they followed the typical rules. Unlike you, NJ." I said.

"Name them." Warspite demanded.

"Hey!" NJ snapped.

"Both of you relax… jesus. There are two that I know of at the moment and one that I am hypothesizing." I said.

"Who, honey?" NJ asked.

"Well, Enterprise… but her hull hasn't been built and she's apparently loyal to the US navy." I said.

"It's not her." NJ confirmed.

"Then there's California. But… the cruiser she inhabited is gone." I said.

"And she's just been arrested. So she'd be out regardless. Damn KIB." NJ scowled.

"And the one I'm thinking of… is Nautilus. First Nuclear powered submarine of the US Navy… and kind of a family heirloom now." I said.

NJ nodded.

"Nautilus does indeed have a Kansen. She is also my contact should things go south. She, once in possession of her artifact, will be able to restore her nuclear reactor and take to the sea. What do you mean by family heirloom?" NJ asked.

"My great grandfather helped build the Nautilus. And since she's a museum… my family has a legacy." I said.

NJ paused.

"Your family… built her?" NJ asked. I nodded.

"He laid the bulkheads for the Kitty Hawk and helped weld together the structural elements of the Nautilus. So when I heard that Nautilus became a museum, I was excited." I said cheerfully.

"Well… she'd sail again. She'd be with us so that she could keep my nuclear reserves filled." NJ said with a soft smile.

"It's okay, NJ. Besides, with her there, we have a massive bargaining chip with the US Government. We could demand a spot at the table to give you girls your rights." I said as Warspite looked at NJ.

After almost a minute of contemplation, Warspite spoke.

"You will contact me as well, Dragon. I can almost see Her Majesty within him. She stood up for us back when the war ended. She made it so we weren't forced to sleep on the streets and beg. She got them to pension those of us who retired. We may still be forced to live a lie, but it seems to be better than what you Yankees got. I will join you and act as an ally to your cause. It is what Her Majesty wants in the end as well." Warspite spoke defiantly.

NJ and I were shocked.

"You'd face punishment at home…" I said.

"So? Then how about this? We convince several more girls to join you? We can all act independently, so there'd be no need for manpower. And it just so happens that I have a few in mind… at least one from each major faction." Warspite said.

"Each major faction?" I asked.

"Names we came up with during the war. I didn't call them the Kriegsmarine. I called them Ironblood. They called us the Royal Navy. We called you Eagle Union. The Soviets were the Northern Parliament. The French were divided, but were dubbed Iris Libre for Allied forces and Vichya Dominion for Axis forces. Regia Marina was labeled the Sardegna Empire. China was the Dragon Empery. And Japan… they were the Sakura Empire." Warspite explained.

I turned to NJ, who nodded in affirmation.

"So you know someone from each of those factions?" I asked.

"Yes. Eugen and Leipzig still exist. Leipzig is somewhere in Germany. Eugen dropped off the radar after your atomic tests in Bikini Atoll, but she isn't dead, that I know for sure. Let's see… Littorio and Vittorio reside in Sicily. Richelieu and Jean Bart reside somewhere in the Ardennes Forest in France. All of the Royals you know of live here in England. Nagato and Mikasa are confirmed to be in Japan. And Avrora lives in Russia." Warspite said.

"Russia and China are no go. They aren't very welcoming to Americans." I said.

"True. But you could always meet them in international waters. Especially after you make your great escape." Warspite suggested. I turned to NJ.

"I'm sure we could get some of the other Museum girls too. We could build a small task force if we need to." I said. NJ thought for a minute.

"I guess we could. And we're tougher than a ship with no Kansen… so even the older girls like Massachusetts and Alabama… I just realized… Intrepid" NJ spoke.

My eyes went wide.

"We could have carrier support." I whispered.

NJ nodded.

"We'd have to go to New York to speak with her. But if we can convince her… then we could have access to her Skyraiders, Intruders, and Skyhawks. With her skill… we could hold off a carrier without having to use deadly force. Interceptions and her flying skill could allow her to use flares to throw off missile guidance systems so my shields and armor don't have to take the hits." NJ explained.

"We'll make a point of doing that when we get home. But for now, let's leave that alone. We can talk later about our plan of action. We've arrived." I said, now eager to see the Belfast.

"Are you two ready?" Warspite asked.

I looked at NJ.

"Excited to see the museum, Nicole?" I asked as the high pitched ringing in the car stopped suddenly.

"I am. I can't wait to see what pieces of history they've managed to preserve." NJ said as the three of us got out of the car and headed for the ticketing booth.

Chapter Text

I got out of the car first and walked around to open NJ's door and allow NJ to step out. As I did so, I saw a sign posted on a telephone pole nearby.

"Increased muggings of foreigners in the area. Remain vigilant and alert authorities of suspicious persons." The sign read, followed by the emergency and non-emergency numbers of the London City Police.

"Huh… now's about the time I wish I had my gun on me." I whispered to myself.

"What was that, honey?" NJ asked as she got out of the car.

"I said now's the time I wish I had my gun on me. There appears to be an increase in violent crime in the area. Keep an eye open." I said softly as to not scare someone with talk of a personal firearm. My words, however, were picked up by Warspite.

"You wouldn't have made it here had you brought it. Since 1996, handguns have been banned. We don't allow personal gun ownership outside of hunting. The only other people who have access are the military, queen's guard, and rarely the police." Warspite spoke flatly.

I scoffed internally, but was remiss to turn the issue into anything further.

"Besides, you are plenty protected. There are near constant patrols in London, so crimes rarely go unnoticed." Warspite said as we all walked towards the ticketing center for the HMS Belfast museum.

I pulled out my roll of cash, only to have Warspite stop me.

"No need." Warspite said as she walked up to the counter. NJ and I followed, keeping half an eye on our MI5 followers, who were doing their level best to remain inconspicuous.

"Good afternoon, Lady Browne. Using your guest passes I assume?" The lady at the counter asked.

"Yes. These are some American friends of mine, who decided to come to London on vacation. I figured that since they have an interest in Naval History, I'd direct them here first." Warspite spoke as she flashed her ID.

"I see. Is this their first time to London?" The lady asked.

"The boy hasn't been here before. But the woman is a good friend. We go back a few years." Warspite said casually.

"I see. Well I hope the three of you enjoy. The Head Curator is in today, so you should be on the lookout. Maybe you can convince her to guide your tour." The lady said with a smile.

"Sounds good. Thank you kindly." Warspite said as she grabbed three tickets and passed them to us.

"Come along now." Warspite said as she led NJ and I out to where the Belfast was berthed.

My attention was grabbed the moment I stepped on board by my phone buzzing in my pocket.

Martin was calling.

"Sorry you two, I have a call coming in. Gotta take it." I said as I stepped away to answer the phone.

"Martin. How goes it?" I asked casually.

A moment of silence.

"You're being watched, aren't you?" Martin asked.

"Yeah, I absolutely love London. Currently visiting the HMS Belfast. How are you doing?" I asked, keeping a facade of nonchalance.

"Alright… I'll keep it brief. Martha and I have been switching out every day to run the shop. These Fed bastards are relentless. Almost every inch of our routine is being monitored. They've moved away from the black SUV's and are now using unmarked and unbadged vehicles. I also got a letter addressed to you… I think." Martin said.

"That sounds awesome. I'll have to get the address." I replied.

A few seconds pass.

"You're better at this than I thought. The return address is in a place called Mystic, outside of Groton Connecticut. Ring any bells?" Martin asked.

"Yeah Yeah! They have a great aquarium. You should look into it." I spoke, with NJ and Warspite now actively listening to my conversation.

The sound of rustling papers were what followed.

"Looks like you've got… a great grandmother? Does that make sense?" Martin asked.

I scratched my head.

"Not particularly. I don't recall knowing anyone who worked there. Is there anything else?" I asked as NJ walked over and casually touched the phone. It buzzed wildly for a moment, but a smile from NJ let me know all was okay. She mouthed to me.

"I'm listening too."

I nodded and waited for Martin.

"Looks like she is a good friend of Nicole's… She's saying that she'd love to meet you since she found you on social media, but she felt writing a letter like this would be enough to break the ice. It seems she wanted to emphasize the 'breaking the ice' part. It's in bolder print. Still not ringing a bell?" Martin asked.

I turned to NJ.

"It's Nautilus. She's trying to contact us." NJ mouthed.

"Oh, I remember now. Yeah! I must have forgotten. It was such a long time ago." I replied happily.

"I'll forward the number she wrote here. I assume that since she knows Nicole, it would be prudent to destroy the letter. You want me to dispose of it?" Martin asked.

"I think that would be a wonderful idea. You and Martha would love that aquarium. They have all kinds of cool fish there." I said.

"Got it. You said London, right? You must be in the scope of MI5. Don't leave your phone unattended, boy. They'll bug it in minutes. Crafty bunch of bastards. Watch your back out there." Martin warned.

"It was great talking to you. I hope your day goes well." I replied as I hung up the phone.

"What was that about?" Warspite asked.

"My great grandmother sent me a letter. My friend who's watching my house just wanted to call and let me know." I replied. I gave her a look to convey the fact that I'm trying to maintain a facade.

"I see. Well, did it read well?" Warspite asked.

I nodded.

"Got it. Well, we should get moving before more people show up. The halls on board are thin." Warspite said as my phone buzzed again.

It was a phone number sent by Martin.

"I'll call her later and see how she's doing." I whispered as I put my phone in my pocket and took off after Warspite.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I caught up to Warspite just as she approached the forward gun batteries. While I stopped to take a picture, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Warspite heading towards a woman with long white hair. I took slight notice of a beige sweater and red skirt on the white haired woman. NJ stood with me as we looked at the gun turrets.

Seeing a set of stairs leading to an open door on the turret closest to me, I was drawn in and mindlessly entered the turret without a second thought.

Despite my lack of any military background, I immediately felt at home inside the small space afforded inside the triple gun turret. The air was stale and humid despite the door being kept open for tours. It felt just like when I was inside the 16 inch gun turrets onboard Wisconsin and New Jersey. With that thought, I stopped.

"I wonder how it felt… for her. Did she feel anything when sailors were on board?" I wondered internally, being sure to keep my knowledge of NJ to myself.

A few seconds after I entered, the turret became very crowded as NJ, Warspite and the white haired lady all entered the turret. NJ was the first to comment.

"It is really cramped in here, isn't it?" NJ asked.

"Not everyone got to serve on as big of a ship as you, Nicole." I retorted quickly.

"I know, but still. This space is only suitable for a team of seven. We would make up more than half the active crew in this turret." NJ argued.

"Well a six inch gun is a lot smaller than a sixteen inch gun, now isn't it? You only need two men per gun and a turret commander. As opposed to the sixteen inch gun turrets, which used considerably more. From what I recall, there were at least three men per gun on the Iowa class, meaning a single turret already had 10 men, not including the ones who sent information down to fire control. You're looking at maybe 15 people in a turret on an Iowa." I retorted again, causing the white haired woman to chuckle a bit.

I turned to the woman with a smile.

"I'm sorry. I tend to be a bit passionate when it comes to this kind of thing." I said.

"I can tell as much, sir." The woman replied.

"I didn't catch your name. My name is Tyler." I said as I extended my hand.

"I know who you are, Tyler. My name is Bella Irland. It's a pleasure to meet you and Madam Nicole." Bella replied as she shook my hand. With all the grace in the world, she shook my hand, but I could tell instantly that her grip was stronger than steel. A veritable iron vice.

"You know who I am?" I asked as she pulled out her phone and showed me a text message thread.

It was the same one I had deleted from my phone back in Virginia… when NJ contacted Belfast.

This woman…the one that was staring me down now… was HMS Belfast.

My heart froze. I knew running into her was a guaranteed occurance. After all, she was partially why I had decided to come to London. But for her to be so blunt on her approach… it was unexpected.

"It's… nice to meet you… Miss Irland." I said shakily as NJ looked at me.

"Everything okay, Honey?" NJ asked.

I looked around the turret and then went right up to her ear.

"This woman… it's Belfast. This is her ship." I whispered.

"I know that, silly." NJ said with a chuckle.

"Everything alright, Tyler?" Warspite asked.

"I… uh… yeah. Yeah, it's no problem." I replied as I continued to freak out internally.

"I've already had the other tour guides intercept your tail. Come along. Let's show you around in peace. Would that be alright, Mr. Sweigart?" Bella asked.

"Y-yeah. I guess you would know this ship the best… being head curator and whatnot." I said with a forced smile, only forced due to the unnaturally heavy pressure I was feeling. It was similar to when I met Queen Elizabeth for the first time.

"You're looking a bit parched. Take this and have a drink, then we can begin the tour in earnest." Bella spoke as she procured a bottle of water from her pack situated around her waist.

I took it with a nod and took a sip before she began speaking.

"I guess we can begin the tour here. You've already made yourself familiar with the triple gun turret. This turret houses three breech loading one-hundred and fifty-two millimeter quick firing guns. With a firing cycle of a round every seven seconds, this vessel, with all four turrets, could push out ninety-six shells a minute. A fun fact, if these guns in the forward turrets were loaded and fired, the shells would impact in or around the London Gateway service station at Scratchwood." Bella explained as I looked at the guns and then at her.

"Why is the middle gun staggered?" I asked.

"Hmm?" Bella asked.

"The middle gun. It's pushed back. Neither USS Little Rock or USS Salem have their guns staggered. I was wondering as to why." I spoke, forgetting my fear and now fully invested in learning everything Belfast would divulge.

Bella smiled.

"This was a concern from earlier Town-class cruisers. More specifically, the Southampton-class. These guns, the mark twenty-three's, had issues with dispersion at range, so the Edinburgh-class, which this ship is a part of, was designed with the center gun pushed back to stagger the shells slightly, giving them more space when all three guns fired at once. This, however, was not effective at reducing the dispersion, which was at one point recorded to be as bad as seven hundred meters. However, in 1937, a man by the name of Professor Hay would conduct high speed camera trials and show that the high explosive used to launch the shells created uneven pressure in the barrels. So when the guns fired, the middle gun would affect the two along either side. So they added a timing device to stagger the shots, leading to a significant increase in accuracy and lowering of dispersion overall." Bella explained.

"Huh… I never would have guessed that." I spoke as NJ looked at me.

"Honey, American cruisers have individually firing guns, so they had no need for staggering." NJ said softly.

"I didn't realize it was such an issue." I said as Bella looked at me.

"Next we can visit the 102's. I figured you'd appreciate seeing the firepower before moving inside the superstructure." Bella said as I nodded.

"Lead the way, Miss Irland." I said as I followed her, Warspite and NJ out of the turret. True to her word, another tour guide had wrangled the MI5 agents into joining their tour group, likely under threat of blowing their cover by causing a commotion.

I stifled a chuckle as we walked up a staircase towards the secondary gun mounts. The mounts weren't enclosed, something I made sure to note just in case I had any thoughts of speaking to Bella as Belfast.

"This is a four inch or one hundred and two millimeter dual purpose mount. This ship was built with four of them for use in a secondary capacity. However, they have an elevation of over eighty degrees, so they took double duty as heavy anti-air artillery. These mounts typically had two loaders, two gunners, and a director to call their shots. In 1942, during a modernization retrofit, all radar systems were improved, including fire control for Main, Secondary, and Anti-air guns. This change improved accuracy and target acquisition considerably." Bella explained as she took a look around before touching the mount. With nobody on this side of the ship, a flash of blue light came from her hand as the mount moved through its full range of motion.

I was mortified.

"What are you doing?!" I hissed, careful to keep my voice down.

"There is nothing for you to concern yourself with. I know you know who I am. So just know that nothing I do is without making sure you are not impacted." Belfast spoke as I watched the gun mount raise and lower its guns back into resting position.

After a quick breath, I nodded.

"That… is amazing. I'm sorry for being so presumptuous, Miss Irland. It looks very well maintained. The gears and cranks look like they move just as well as they did the day they came out of the shipyard." I said as I approached the mount and looked closely.

To my surprise, there wasn't a spot of rust within the mechanism. Taking a large look at the area around me, I noticed that the ship itself was in immaculate shape for being retired in 1971.

"I assume you have everything to do with the lack of rust and weathering?" I asked softly.

"That would be correct. I took the curator job here so that I could maintain my hulls appearance. Nobody is any the wiser, since I do allow the paint to peel… something I would normally never allow. But it means that people get the appearance of maintenance being performed. Aside from the paint, my hull is at one hundred percent integrity." Belfast replied truthfully.

I turned to NJ.

"I haven't been in constant contact with the old girl, Honey. When we visited, I was only able to restore outer hull integrity and structural support. I need more contact to restore everything." NJ said softly.

"I see. So it takes time to restore?" I asked.

"As it normally does. We are not magicians." Warspite added.

I nodded.

"Got it. I'll keep that in mind." I said as Belfast smiled.

"I have an interesting mount you might enjoy. Especially since American ships never mounted more than four guns to an AA mount." Belfast said as she began walking again.

I followed while being sure to keep an eye on my surroundings.

We walked up another set of stairs until we came to a gun mount I had never seen before.

"There's… eight guns on this?" I asked as I quickly counted them in my head.

"Yes. These are the forty millimeter Pom-Pom guns. Otherwise defined as the quick-firing two pounder naval gun. This vessel has two of these mounts, bringing the forty millimeter air defense up to sixteen guns. These guns all fired on a slight delay, both to allow for near continuous fire, but also to aid in accuracy. With them placed so close together, it would become problematic if the blast cones threw off subsequent shells from surrounding barrels. An interesting statistic you might know, is that during the war, it was estimated that an American five inch gun would need one thousand time fused rounds to drop a Japanese bomber. Of course, when you lot invented the proximity fuse, that number dropped to between three to six hundred. And that is for your five inch guns. Now imagine how many rounds it would take from a forty millimeter. The number of barrels only aided in providing a blanket effect when at full capability." Belfast explained as she gestured to the mount.

I sat on the mount and she touched the wheels used to turn and elevate the guns, allowing me to rotate and elevate the now antique gun system.

NJ took a picture with my phone as I was far too entertained with essentially playing with the AA gun.

"How many people did this mount need?" I asked excitedly.

"It varied. Mainly, whoever was on hand would pass ammunition to a pair of loaders who stood watch inside the pit to keep the guns topped up. Anti-air activities lasted as long as planes were in the sky, so the fighting could take upwards of an hour depending on the tenacity of the enemy." Belfast explained.

"Lost a lot of men that way, I suppose." I quipped.

"Sadly. Whether it be the Germans or the Japanese, a common tactic was to strafe the deck with machine gun fire. Many ammunition bearers lost their lives to such attacks, not to mention bomb hits, mine detonations, torpedo strikes or artillery hits. It was a noble occupation. You would have been a primary target for strafing runs." Belfast explained as the gears on the mount locked up when I passed over the resting position.

"We should head indoors. We'll start with the Bridge since it doesn't require us to go too far." Belfast said as the four of us walked towards the wheelhouse.

Unbeknownst to me, there was a woman on shore watching from some unseen corner. I would get to know her quite well once my tour was finished.

Chapter Text

Belfast led our group to the bridge. Much to my amusement, the MI5 agents were still stuck with their group down on the forward deck next to the main gun batteries. In my mind, they were no doubt getting their ears talked off about all kinds of facts and stories that Belfast had likely drilled into each curator's head.

Belfast spoke up.

"I hear you have met many of the Kansen from the British Navy." Belfast said as she leaned against the steering panel on the bridge.

"I've met a few. Warspite, Sheffield, Howe, King George and Victorious to be precise." I replied.

"As well as Her Majesty and myself." Belfast added.

"Of course. I have terrible memory… my apologies." I appealed.

"It isn't anything to be sorry for, Mr. Sweigart." Belfast paused. She had a slightly sour expression written across her face.

'What's wrong?" I asked.

"The thing is… I have been given a troubling order." Belfast said stoically.

"Troubling?" I asked as NJ reached into her pocket, likely clasping the singular cuff link she had brought with her. Warspite noticed and immediately de-escalated the situation.

"It is nothing negative towards you. So there is no need for violence, Black Dragon." Warspite spoke calmly.

"Of course…my apologies. I did not intend for there to be any misunderstanding. The orders are troubling for me, not for you." Belfast clarified.

NJ visibly relaxed as I scratched my head.

"Okay?" I asked.

"Her Majesty has decided that should you put your plan into motion, and leave the US branded a traitor… I am to be available to join your group and aid in your fight for the Kansens worldwide. Plainly put, I am ordered to commit high treason to fight with you." Belfast spoke.

"She ordered you to?" I asked.

"Correct." Belfast stated bluntly.

"Why is that troubling for you, Bel? An order given by Her Majesty in times of war are absolute." Warspite spoke.

"Because she will remain a soldier of the Royal Navy. And should they send our navy to fight with Tyler and New Jersey, I would be forced to turn my guns on Her Majesty. As the leader of the Maid Corps and head servant to Her Majesty, such an act is unforgivable." Belfast retorted.

"And you think, after all this time, she would just let them use her mindlessly? After everything she has done?" Warspite snapped.

"No… but…" Belfast tried.

"Her Majesty already has a plan in place to account for this. I too have been given this order. And I will see to it that Tyler and the Black Dragon succeed in their goal to bring equality to the Kansen left alive." Warspite spoke confidently.

"You too?" NJ asked.

"Yes. As of last night, I was informed that my old hull, a Valiant class submarine, has been delayed in its disposal for the foreseeable future due to a request from an anonymous benefactor. I was then ordered that when the time comes that you two make your move… I am to restore my reactor and take to the seas alongside you. That said, you had better hope that Nautilus comes through for you, because I have been given strict orders to not resupply your stockpile. I will aid you, but I will not arm you." Warspite replied.

I stood in shock. Two more girls just confirmed their allegiance to a cause that they themselves decided. NJ and I were going to escape and run from the Military. All the talk of rights for Kansens came on the heels of a talk with Queen Elizabeth herself. Yet, despite having no loyalty to the crown or Queen Elizabeth herself, I felt compelled to make it my goal. Something deep down knew that if I presented enough force… I could make a difference. For all of the girls. Every single one that survived the war, only to be conscripted for further use or left to rot as a tool from a bygone era. With these girls… a show of force strong enough to rival the world's top navies would be child's play.

I made my way to a chair on the bridge and pulled out my phone. I opened the notepad app and began typing away. Using my knowledge of the vessels of world war two and cross referencing them with museum ships and ships that survived, I compiled a list of names.

Laffey.

Yorktown.

North Carolina.

Alabama.

Massachusetts.

Nautilus.

New Jersey.

Warspite.

Belfast.

These were names that I could count on. Ones that I knew had vessels and the ability to take to sea if given time to restore themselves. Ones that likely would like to have a life of freedom though our resistance to the status quo. Little did I know that the list would grow in the coming months.

The girls continued to talk. I allowed it until I could no longer see the tour group on the bow.

"Guys, they're gone. We should probably move." I spoke softly.

"Agreed. Let's move to the engine room. We should be able to talk freely down there. I'll make a small stop by the staff station to grab you another bottle of water." Belfast spoke as we all filed in behind her and headed away from the bridge.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

After a decently long walk through the museum portion of the ship, we approached a door that appeared to be welded and bolted shut.

"Engine rooms not usually open?" I asked.

Belfast shook her head.

"The engine looks brand new because I can start it with a thought. So with a small lie to the museum staff, I convinced them to shut the boiler and engine rooms to the public as a safety hazard. So they bolted it shut. They've painted over it as well, but I have long since cut the bolts. I use it as a break room." Belfast said as she touched the door. The other side of the door rumbled as the watertight door opened before us.

"Get inside quickly." Belfast spoke as she ushered all of us inside.

Once inside, Belfast shut and locked the watertight door.

"Good. Now we have time to talk. Care for some light refreshments?" Belfast asked as she walked behind one of the massive screw assemblies and returned moments later with an insulated food bag.

"If you don't mind… sure." I said with a smile as NJ, Warspite and I all took a sandwich from the bag. We sat at a makeshift table sat alongside one of the massive engine blocks.

After we each got a few bites down, I asked a question that had been burning the back of my mind since before we left the bridge.

"Belfast. I have a question." I spoke up.

"What is it, Mr. Sweigart?" Belfast answered respectfully.

"You mentioned being the head of the maid corps on the bridge… did… I not hear you correctly or something? I also seem to recall Sheffield mentioning something like that at the hotel." I asked.

Warspite laughed.

"I guess you did let that one slip, Bel." Warspite chuckled.

Belfast sighed.

"No. You heard me correctly, Mr. Sweigart. A majority of the Kansen crewed light cruisers of the Royal Navy made up Her Majesty's maid corps. Specifically cruisers of the Town and Dido classes. I, the most skilled among them, was appointed the head of the Maid Corps for the duration of the war and the many years that followed. Even to this day, I am still contacted by Her Majesty while she is in the home country to serve her." Belfast said.

"So… you're a maid?" I asked.

"Yes." Belfast replied stoically.

"Did you…"

"Yes. I wore a uniform as well, Mr. Sweigart. Yes, I still have it. Maybe one day you shall be lucky enough to see it." Belfast spoke, shutting down any potential questions I could have from that line of questioning.

I promptly returned to my sandwich as NJ looked at me while Warspite snickered on the other side of the table.

"Do you have a thing for maids, Honey?" NJ asked bluntly.

I nearly choked on my sandwich, saved only by the bottle of water provided by Belfast earlier.

"What the hell kind of question is that?!" I cried as I wiped the tears from my eyes.

"A question. I don't mind doing a bit of dressing up every now and then. Do you have a thing for maids?" NJ asked again as both Belfast and Warspite watched with piqued interest.

I groaned a bit, knowing she wanted the answer now.

"I do… I prefer the french maid if I'm being honest… but uniformed women in general always get me excited… cops, business women, doctors, maids… any tight fitting uniform or clothing really…" I spoke honestly, wishing for a few shots to drown my embarrassment.

"Tight fitting clothing and uniforms, huh? And what about fishnets? North Carolina told me about them way back. I always thought they were silly, but since we're on the topic of clothing…" NJ led on.

I blushed.

"Not really a fan… but… on you… I could see you pulling it off…" I replied softly.

"I see. Gimme your phone." NJ said as she snatched my phone and started searching.

"I never expected you to be so open about your… proclivities, Mr. Sweigart." Belfast spoke.

"I'm usually not… but… she has something to her… it makes me feel like no matter what, she has my back. And it's allowed me to open up a bit, knowing she'll take my side." I spoke softly as a picture was shoved in my face.

"So… if I bought this and wore it, what would you do?" NJ asked.

The picture had a black leather bra with a fishnet shirt, paired with black panties and a skirt that had zippers and string holding it together, finished off with a pair of thigh high black stiletto boots and a small black handbag.

I took a look at NJ and back at the clothing. This was bad… she'd be drop dead gorgeous and absolutely dripping in casual sex appeal. If she wore that, I'd have no clue how to react.

My facial expression gave her the answer as my mouth hung open and the blush completely swallowed my face as I imagined her in what was essentially a club outfit.

"Let me see, Miss Jersey." Belfast requested as NJ showed her the picture.

"Oh my. Quite risqué if I do say so myself. Judging by his looks, I'd say he likes it." Belfast commented.

"I figured. It's in a small shop here in London, so I think I'll pick it up just for him." NJ said as she turned her eyes towards me. Like a dragon eyeing her next meal. I opened a can of worms the night before… and now there was no sealing it away. I was to become her plaything.

"If you would like, I can accompany you after my shift. I happen to know the shopkeeper who owns this boutique." Belfast suggested.

"Excellent! It's a deal." NJ said excitedly as she closed my phone and handed it back to me.

"If you think this is bad… just wait til she gets you out in the open ocean." Warspite whispered to me.

I swallowed hard and pushed that thought to the back of my mind.

"If NJ is a closet nympho, I'm screwed… literally." I thought to myself as the conversation shifted away from my future pelvic injuries.

We spent several hours after that making pleasant conversation. What happened during the war, how difficult it was adjusting after, and surprisingly enough, the birth of the Internet. We spoke well into the afternoon, closing in on five o'clock.

"Alright. Looks like we're getting ready to close up for the day. I've got to do my closing rounds, and I'm getting confirmation that your tails are currently changing the watch. So be on the lookout. We need to get your guys off the boat and on the streets before their replacements show up." Belfast spoke.

"Agreed. It would be most prudent to get you back out on the streets where it can take longer for them to track you down. Will I be driving you back, Mr. Sweigart?" Warspite asked.

"Not this evening. If NJ is going shopping with Belfast, I think I'll explore downtown London. Maybe hit up a pub." I replied with a smile.

"Hmm. If you find a pub, let me know. I'll send George in to make sure you're looked after appropriately. There have been muggings in the area after all. I would hate for you to fall victim here." Warspite said.

"I appreciate the concern, Warspite. I'll accept it graciously." I said as NJ walked over to me.

"I am able to track your phone as well. If we don't hear from you, we'll come running." NJ said. Belfast nodded.

"I would be remiss if I allowed my future commander to be assaulted on home soil. So I will come to your aid as well." Belfast spoke gracefully.

"F-future commander?! I'm not in the Navy, Ma'am!" I replied.

"Doesn't matter. You'll be leading us. You are going to be our commander. It makes it easier for those we pick up to fall in line." Warspite said.

I sighed.

"Just… don't overdo the title… I'm not even a fully fledged Chef… and I get pissed when people call me Chef. It feels awkward being called Commander." I spoke.

"You'll get used to it, Honey. Even if I have to start using it in the bedroom." NJ teased.

The girls all laughed as we exited the engine room and headed back towards the exit of the vessel. Belfast broke away when we reached the quarterdeck and allowed me, NJ and Warspite to head down the exit ramp and off the ship.

By now, the skies over London had darkened with cloud cover, turning what was a dimming 4:45 into something resembling the setting dusk. Plainly said, it was dark for the time of day.

Warspite split from the group and headed to the car. I waved her off as she drove away.

"You be careful now, okay?" NJ said as she walked to a bench to wait for Belfast.

"I will. See you later. Say hi to Sheffield if you get back before me." I said as I checked my pockets for my essentials and headed off towards center city London, wholly unaware of what was to befall me less than an hour later.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Almost an hour had passed since I left NJ to her shopping. I had walked a great deal into the center of London and was growing tired of the red phone booths and odd looking police helmets. I decided to open my phone and look for a pub nearby. What I ultimately decided on was a cocktail bar called Mr.Fogg's Apothecary. What's better is that it was just a block from the hotel I was staying at.

With my wallet in my front pocket and my phone in hand, I hit the directions button to lead me to the bar. The first step of which led me into a darkened alley between two brick buildings.

This was a mistake.

I was too engrossed in my phone to realize that someone was approaching me rapidly from behind. By the time I realized something was off, the cold sensation of steel bit into my neck as a sharp pain was traced across my throat. Someone was holding a knife to my throat.

"Not a word, American. Drop your phone and your wallet and I might let you live." A voice spoke. The accent was faint, but distinguishable.

Chapter Text

"Not a word, American."

The voice behind me concealed their accent well, but not well enough to evade me putting two and two together.

"You're German, right?" I asked, only to have the knife pushed harder against my neck. I could feel a warm liquid rolling down my neck and onto my chest. I was bleeding.

"Shut up and do as you're told. I won't tell you a third time." The voice spoke. As she said this, my phone began ringing. The caller ID showed Belfast's number but not her name.

I held up my phone to show the person behind me.

"What?" The voice snapped.

I remained quiet.

"Speak, American." The voice snapped again, clearly becoming angered.

"This is a friend of mine. She knows where I am heading and is waiting for me. If I don't answer this, she'll know something is up and will contact the authorities." I spoke clearly, despite the pain in my neck.

"By the time they get here, you'll be dead and I'll be long gone. Nice try. Drop the phone and the wallet or you die right here and right now." The voice spoke. The accent was getting heavier. It was also becoming clearer. This was a German woman.

"Ma'am. I'll give you my phone and wallet, but if you kill me, you'll regret it deeply. I have very powerful friends." I spoke as I slowly reached into my pocket to procure my wallet. The phone had long since stopped ringing.

"I doubt it. You Americans always think you're so high and mighty. Always think you can boss people around without consequence. Yet, when faced with death, you always crumble. You all do." The voice spoke bitterly.

I dropped my wallet on the ground.

"Phone as well, American. Drop it." The voice spoke.

"You wouldn't want a damaged phone. I can set it on the ground but you have to let me bend down to put it there." I spoke. I had taken notice that the area I was in was devoid of civilians. There was nobody here. Nobody had passed the alley entrance in front of me and I couldn't hear any talking behind me. It was just the woman and I. The pain in my neck was getting worse. I felt the blade digging into my neck with each breath I took.

"Nice try again. I'm not letting you escape." The woman spoke as I heard the unmistakable click of a gun. The knife retracted from my neck, but it was replaced by the cold steel barrel of a gun firmly planted to the back of my skull.

"Now put your phone on the ground and face the wall." The voice spoke.

I gritted my teeth as I put my phone on the ground. But instead of walking into my execution, my mind snapped. Her words, demeaning my country and America as a whole… they made my blood boil.

I stood up and turned to face my aggressor. I didn't care to take in what she looked like as I walked up directly to the barrel of the gun and guided it to my forehead.

"You want to kill an American so badly. Pull the trigger, bitch." I spoke in a tone that came across as something I could only describe as demonic. I didn't want to die. Not when life had gotten as good as it was. But something dark was drawn to the surface when faced with death… something I had wished for years. Dark memories resurfaced of the years that I contemplated eating a bullet. The self-loathing that I had thought long gone since meeting NJ.

My sudden change in demeanor threw the woman for a loop. I noticed her eyes. She was somewhere between shock and fear. The fire in my gut began burning hotter.

"Come on then! You were saying how you wanted to kill me, bitch! DO IT! I FUCKING DARE YOU!" I yelled as I pushed my head harder against the barrel of the gun.

The fear in her eyes grew. She was scared. I let out something born purely from rage in the moment.

"Where's your gusto now, bitch? Don't tell me that three generations was enough for you to leave behind that pride you fuckers held when you tried mowing my great grandfather down on Omaha beach. If you had any of that pride left, you'd pull the fucking trigger." I spat angrily.

"My allegiance died with the Reich… asshole." The woman spoke as she took the gun and whipped me across the face with it before attempting to grab my phone and wallet. I fell to the ground but managed to trip her up as well and moved to pin her. As she tried to bring the gun around, I took her wrist and slammed it on the pavement until the gun flew from her grasp. I then held her wrists to the pavement as I collected myself.

She had said something… but I couldn't comprehend it… no… I had heard it… but I didn't want to believe it at face value.

"What… did you just say?" I asked.

"Fuck you!" The woman cried.

"Shut the fuck up and answer me! What the fuck did you just say?" I yelled angrily, still riding the unfortunate high from the adrenaline.

"I said my allegiance died with the Reich! I'm no longer a Nazi, you American pig! I haven't been for seventy-seven fucking years!" The woman blurted out.

"Seventy-seven? That's impossible…" I said as I shook off the feeling of dizziness that was becoming evident with my loss of blood and rapidly fading adrenaline.

The woman closed her mouth and looked to the side as if she had said something she didn't mean to say.

"You look… no older… than twenty one… if that. And that red streak in your snow white hair… it goes to the root." I spoke as I tried to calm my breathing.

"Why are you staring at my hair, jackass?" The woman snapped.

"You… even if your looks are manufactured… the words you said… you're a Kansen… aren't you? You have to be. To be this old and yet look so young..." I monologued.

The woman snapped to meet my rapidly dulling gaze. She ripped her hand from my grasp, forcing me to lose my balance and fall backwards. I tried again to regain control of the situation, but the now apparent lack of adrenaline allowed the true weight of my blood loss to set in. I couldn't find the strength to lift myself off the pavement. I barely had the strength to put my hand to my neck to apply pressure to the knife wound. The woman jumped up and scrambled to me, applying pressure to the wound on my neck.

"How do you know about that?!" The woman hissed.

"...And if what I believe is true. You're German… Warspite only mentioned two… German Kansen. Leipzig is in Germany… according to her… so you… must be…" I continued as my voice got quiet.

"Look, just shut up and save what little strength you have left. You have something I want now, and I won't get it if I kill you." The woman growled angrily. She grabbed her gun and holstered it under her clothes before tearing off a section of her shirt to apply to my neck.

"Tyler?" I could barely hear NJ's voice in the distance.

"Tyler? Is that your name?" The woman asked. I nodded softly.

"Who is she?" The woman asked.

"My girlfriend… Nicole… no… that's her cover name… she's the Kansen known as New Jersey." I replied weakly.

The color drained from the woman's face.

"N-new Jersey?! As in the Iowa class battleship your country deployed to the Pacific?" The woman asked shakily.

I nodded softly as my vision began to swim.

"Okay. Okay. Look. Listen to me. We're going to pretend I didn't try to rob you. We're going to say that I stepped in to keep the attackers from killing you. I want to know why you know what you know, Ame… Tyler. But in order to do that, you have to trust me here." The woman spoke frantically.

I looked at her with as much focus as I could.

"I want to help… the Kansens… but can I… trust you… not to hurt me anymore?" I asked.

"Yes. Outside of a fear of your girlfriend going ballistic on me, the fact that you have even a faint idea of what I am has changed things monumentally. Call it a change of heart. But in order for this not to go south, I need you to cover for me." The woman spoke.

"Yeah…" I spoke softly as I heard footsteps at the end of the alley.

"I found him!" Belfast spoke as she ran down the alley towards the woman and I.

"Get off of him!" Belfast spoke as she rushed to me.

"I heard a scuffle in the alley as I was walking by, I came to investigate and saw he was being attacked by several men in black hooded sweatshirts. I managed to chase them off, but they cut his neck. It's not deep, but it's bleeding heavily." The woman lied.

"Mr. Sweigart. Can you hear me?" Belfast asked as she reached into her bag and produced a small cloth that she held against my neck.

"Yeah… I'm just a bit dizzy is all." I lied. Belfast took note of my condition and the fact that it was deteriorating quickly.

"We need to get you to a clinic right away. This cut is going to need stitches." Belfast said.

I shook my head.

"Clinic means police report. I didn't get a good look at who attacked me." I tried, mustering what energy I could to speak coherently.

It was then that NJ entered the alley. The woman took notice immediately and the color drained from her face completely.

"Tyler! What happened?" NJ cried as she ran over, kneeling down next to Belfast.

"He was attacked. This woman here saved his life and has been keeping pressure on his neck. We need to get him to the hospital. He needs stitches. But he's refusing due to having to file a police report." Belfast informed NJ.

"Honey. We need to go to the Hospital. A neck wound like this is serious." NJ said as she looked towards the woman.

"Who attacked him?" NJ growled.

"A pair of men in black hooded sweatshirts. I managed to chase them off." The woman lied.

NJ narrowed her gaze.

"Where did they go?" NJ asked.

"I chased them out that way." The woman spoke, pointing the way I had originally come.

NJ stood to leave but I managed to catch her leg before she could get too far.

"They're gone now. Too far to track. I don't think they got my wallet or my phone…" I said as Belfast helped ease me off the wall.

NJ growled.

"Did you get a good look at them?" NJ grilled the mysterious woman.

"No. Their faces were covered. I think they had balaclavas under their hoods. I didn't see anything that would identify them." The woman lied.

I heard a third pair of footsteps at the head of the alley.

"Bella? Nicole? What's going on here?"

I turned to see another familiar face.

"George? Is that you?" I asked.

I could have sworn that the moment I said George's name, the German woman swore under her breath.

"Scheisse."

"Mr. Sweigart? Oh good god, you're bleeding!" KGV exclaimed as she came running over. She stopped dead upon seeing the white haired woman.

"Belfast… arm yourself." KGV spoke sternly as any remaining color drained from Eugen's face.

"George?" Belfast asked.

"That woman… the hair… the face… It's the Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen. I'd never forget her face… not after what we did to Bismarck." KGV spoke as she glared daggers at Eugen.

Belfast turned her gaze towards Eugen. NJ had also heard this and turned to face the cruiser.

"Prinz Eugen? As in… THAT Prinz Eugen?" NJ asked as she glared at the heavy cruiser.

"All of you… stop it!" I did my best to put power into my voice as I spoke.

All three girls turned to face me.

"She's likely the culprit who did this to you. It's highly unlikely that she isn't the mugger from the news and police signs." KGV spoke.

Eugen stood. She was cornered.

"Did you do this… to my boyfriend?" NJ growled as her hand crept into her pocket.

Despite watching the situation devolve, I had lost too much blood to stand and stop NJ as she slammed her fist into Eugen's gut, sending her flying backwards into the brick wall of the alley. Eugen let out an audible grunt as her back hit the wall, but otherwise unphased as she crawled back to her feet.

This angered NJ further. Using what I knew of NJ's service history, I could only assume she wasn't used to someone getting back up after unleashing her fury.

"You attacked my boyfriend. You probably attacked all those other people too." NJ scowled as she began closing the distance between herself and Prinz Eugen.

"He was the only one. I swear. I figured that since crime in the area was high, it would be easier to escape unnoticed." Eugen spoke frantically. Her tone was convincing enough for me to believe her.

"Even if I believed you, why attack him?" KGV asked.

"He's loaded! Staying at the Claridge's? Chauffeur service? Expensive looking clothes? He's a perfect target! That's why! I'm trying to get back to Buenos Aires and need money for the flight!" Eugen exclaimed.

"I thought you said you weren't a part of the Reich anymore…" I spoke softly.

"I'm not… but where else can a woman keep a ship that was supposed to have been sunk in the late forties? Buenos Aires has tight lips…" Eugen spoke.

"You attacked my boyfriend because you thought he was rich?" NJ asked angrily as she took another step forward. I noticed her hand tightening around the cufflink I had seen earlier. Knowing what could come of it, I tried to intervene.

"NJ… please… she won't hurt me anymore. Right now, we need to get going. If you really want, take her back to the hotel and have Sheffield and George watch her…" I said as the remaining color began to drain from my face. I had lost a lot of blood by this point.

NJ growled angrily.

"You had better have a good explanation for this… or I will send you to rest with Bismarck myself." NJ spat as she picked me up and started running towards the alley entrance.

"Bel, is the ambulance coming or what?" NJ asked as KGV kept Eugen cornered in the alley. Looking back in my dazed state, I saw what looked like metal arms sprouting from KGV's back. I chalked it up to hallucinations as I closed my eyes, reserving whatever energy I had left.

"It should be arriving any moment." Belfast replied as an ambulance raced towards where NJ and I were. Without skipping a beat, the medics put me on the stretcher and began packing the wound. NJ and Belfast hopped in and we were off.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

We arrived quickly to the emergency room and were sent immediately to the trauma center. They put me under for the stitches before administering a blood transfusion to replace what I had lost. I woke up an hour after surgery in a hospital bed. My clothes were long gone as they had been drenched in blood. As expected, a police officer was waiting to question me.

"How are you feeling?" The officer asked.

"Better now. Neck's a bit sore." I replied. NJ glared at me for my smartass comment.

"Do you know why I'm here?" The cop asked.

"Not particularly… did I do something wrong?" I asked.

"Not at all. I am here because I got a report that you were the victim of the muggings that have been going on in the area lately. You're also one of the only ones to survive through surgery. But considering we don't have much to go on, I was hoping you could help us identify the person who did this to you." The cop spoke.

"I guess that's why half of my face feels so fucked up… I'm sorry to disappoint… but all I remember is them coming up from behind, forcing me to drop my stuff and then cutting me before leaving me for dead. I was lucky my girlfriend found me when she did." I lied. I wasn't going to pursue Eugen for criminal charges. God forbid they find out she is a Kreigsmarine Kansen. She'd be executed immediately.

"Hmm… damn. Did you at least get a voice? An accent? Anything?" The officer asked.

"I did get a North European accent. Maybe German or Austrian? It was deep, but it was hushed so I couldn't tell if it was male or female." I replied. Technically the only lie was that I knew it was a woman.

"I see. If you remember anything else, please do not hesitate to call." The officer said as he left the room.

NJ stared at me.

"I leave you alone for an hour…" She started.

"I wasn't expecting to be mugged… you can't blame me." I defended myself.

"True… but why did you stick up for her?" Belfast asked.

"She is a Kansen." I spoke softly.

Belfast got up and swiftly closed the door to the room.

"And? She almost killed you." NJ said.

"I don't have a better reason. My goal is to make sure all of you girls have lives you can live without fear or restriction. If it helps, the moment I said that I knew she was a Kansen, she immediately stopped and tried to help me." I replied.

"It helps her case marginally. Why didn't you allow me to end her?" NJ asked.

"And risk a global incident? An American Kansen on British soil murdering a German citizen or kansen? If we weren't already in deep shit, we would be then…" I said.

NJ growled.

"So what do we do with her?" Belfast asked.

"She said her vessel is in Buenos Aires. We verify the story, and if she's telling the truth, we let her go on the condition that she helps us when the time comes. Then she'll be under constant surveillance for the veritable fleet we're creating. She said she had a change of heart… I want to give her a second chance." I pleaded my case.

"I don't like letting her go unpunished. Even if she did try to save you, she still caused this whole thing." NJ spat.

"I know. But let's just consider it a bumpy start. If she tries to hurt anyone else, I'll let you at her. But if she cleans up her act, then I don't see why we can't use her in the upcoming fight." I said.

NJ grumbled.

"Fine. But you're going to pay for making me worry. You getting injured this often is not good for my heart, Honey." NJ spoke as she pushed her anger to the back of her mind.

A few more minutes passed and George walked into my hospital room with Eugen in tow.

"Sit." George ordered as she closed the door to the room. Eugen did as ordered. Despite her nonchalance in the alley to tanking a hit from NJ, she didn't hide the fact that she was holding her stomach.

"Why did you bring her here, George?" NJ asked as she stood and got face to face with the British Battleship. The tension between them was almost tangible. It felt like NJ was about to let loose once again should George not give her an adequate answer.

"She said she knew the actual muggers in the area. She was willing to give a police report to help them capture the real muggers. I figured it wouldn't hurt considering I could just tell the officers that she attacked Mr. Sweigart this evening and the issue would resolve itself." George replied.

"And did she give a report?" Belfast asked.

"She did. What she told you seems to be the truth… somewhat. At least it matches what little the authorities have." George spoke.

"And that is?" NJ asked.

"Multiple attackers. Money and electronics MO. German/Austrian accent. Eugen reported knowing that the actual muggers are a pair of tall men of German heritage. They wear all black and usually target well off individuals traveling alone in the evening. She even gave up a name, so we should be seeing a lot of traction on the case." George spoke.

"So… your lie was to put my assault on them as well, Eugen?" I asked as I turned to look at her.

Eugen hesitated. This irritated NJ.

"Answer him, or I will grind you to dust. You're only sitting there because he's putting his neck out for you… the same one you cut up, mind you." NJ growled as she pulled her cufflink from her pocket and placed it on my hospital bed.

"Yes… it seemed harmless enough. Since they were the ones who were doing all the muggings anyway, If I got caught, I was going to pretend to help you and then blame them anyway. I just needed the money…" Eugen spoke meekly.

"How do you know them anyway?" Belfast asked.

"They… were following him too. Just as he entered the alley, I saw them put on their masks. I had chosen him as my target… so I came up behind them and flashed my gun and told them to fuck off. They took off running and one of them dropped their wallet. I took it and handed it to the police as evidence. From what I understand… These two usually kill their targets, so… I did technically save him… even though my actions were far from heroic." Eugen spoke.

"They had to give him blood. Your actions cost the hospital precious resources and now he will have a bill to settle." NJ spat.

"He will not. I have already settled what little debt there was." Belfast spoke up.

"O-oh… well still. Had you not attacked him, we wouldn't be in this mess." NJ touted.

"As much as I hate to admit, Black Dragon… had she not been there, Mr. Sweigart likely would not have survived. And based on his blood loss from that cut, he kept her there for a while too." George spoke.

"And now you're siding with her?!" NJ cried.

"I am not. Her actions are detestable. I find Mr. Sweigart's refusal to allow us to deal with her vexing at best. But the fact stands… had she not been the one to assault him, he likely would have died." George reasoned.

Eugen looked at me. I didn't know what was going through her head. What I didn't expect, was what she revealed to the room.

"If I may…" Eugen started.

"What do you want, Kraut?" NJ snapped. Eugen flinched at the title, but quickly worked up the courage to speak.

"New Jersey… please get him some help." Eugen spoke. The room went dead silent for almost a minute.

"What?" NJ asked.

"He isn't well… he has demons… some as dark as mine." Eugen spoke as I turned to face away from everyone in the room.

"Honey, what is she saying?" NJ asked as she looked back at me, looking for my validation of her remarks. Eugen continued.

"I pulled a gun on him… to keep him from running away. When he put his phone on the ground… his attitude changed. Maybe it was something I said… but he turned on me and pushed the gun against his head and started yelling at me to pull the trigger. I have fought the same war we all did. I have seen many men break under the stress of war. He is a civilian no doubt… so why is he acting the same as they once did? Why did he beg to die?" Eugen asked.

NJ turned to me.

"Honey…" NJ whispered sadly as she came over and clasped my hand.

"I… I don't know why I said any of that." I whispered.

"It was then that we argued… and he accused me of being a Nazi… but when I told him that my allegiance died with the Reich seventy-seven years ago, he figured out I was a Kansen. The fact he knew of us meant that I had made a huge mistake and needed to help him." Eugen spoke as George and Belfast looked at one another.

"I don't want to hear you talk like that again. Do I make myself clear? If you ever feel like that… come to me. And I'll see to it that you find the light again." NJ whispered as she put her head on my chest.

I nodded softly.

"If it's any consolation. Your spirit is admirable. I guess all Americans share that quality." Eugen muttered.

"Not anymore… just the few of us who still care." I said as the door opened.

The doctor walked in.

"How are you holding up?" The doctor asked.

"As well as anyone with a slit neck could hope, I suppose." I said with a pained smile.

"Quite the morbid sense of humor. That said, the wound wasn't too terribly deep. We managed to get everything sewed up nice and tight. We're going to wrap the wound in a light gauze and send you out. Just focus on slow neck movements or you'll be liable to tear the stitches. You'll need them for about two weeks or so until the wound closes up fully. But I am aware that you aren't here for that long. Do you have a doctor that can remove these when they need to come out?" The Doctor asked.

"I do. Nancy Collier. My girlfriend has her number." I replied.

"Excellent. I'll send her the information so she can update your file then. I'll be sending in a nurse to begin the discharge. Take it easy out there." The doctor said as he left the room.

Chapter Text

NJ glared between the German cruiser and the Battleship that had brought her in. Belfast watched NJ intently, ready to shut down any proceedings before they began. I laid in bed, still a bit sore from being hit in the face, but the majority of the pain was being cut by the morphine drip attached to my arm. I turned to face the cruiser. She looked right at me.

"What was she like?" I asked.

NJ, George, and Belfast all turned to me.

"By her… I assume you mean Lord Bismarck?" Eugen asked.

I nodded softly.

"She was a caring woman. Despite a cold outward appearance, she loved her sailors and her officers. I won't defend our actions… we lost the war. And history is full of victors, is it not?" Eugen spoke.

"Reality often isn't fair… but I have done my homework. None of you agreed with him, did you?" I asked.

"Nein. We followed orders because death was the only other option. He refused to build our forces. The Kriegsmarine was woefully underfunded and resources wasted on superweapons. He was a man of insanity… but he was one we could not refuse." Eugen said dejectedly.

"How does Germany treat Kansens now?" I asked.

Eugen looked at me.

"Those of us who were scuttled or survived were thrown in cells at the order of the UN and the Trials of Nuremberg. Life sentences unless a ship is built for us to inhabit. And even in such a case… we have been informed that we would be relegated to the brig under supervision. In the grand scheme of things… I probably got the best deal out of all of us. My hull and myself being transferred to the American forces and used as atomic target practice. Leipzig, Graf Zeppelin, Duetschland… they remain in prison to this day… and those are just the ones I know for sure. Graf Spee and I… we have a good thing going in Buenos Aires. She's actually watching over my vessel now…" Eugen explained.

NJ turned to me.

"Looks like we know who got it worse… at least we weren't imprisoned." NJ said.

"Between life imprisonment and homelessness for all but the best of the best… America and Germany have failed the Kansen. Her Majesty batted for us at the end. And the only real hardship we face is maintaining secrecy. But it seems that only the highly decorated American Kansen get that kind of treatment. So New Jersey, Enterprise, and several other notable names. The rest seem to be tossed to the wolves. Germany sounds like hell." George spoke.

Eugen glared at the British battleship.

"Had you not killed Lord Bismarck, we would have had a voice to bat for us. Nobody would've denied the biggest and most heavily armed battleship of the Kriegsmarine. But because your nation single handedly killed both Lord Bismarck and Lady Tirpitz, we were left defenseless. We did what we had to do to preserve our lives… and you left us with nothing. Nobody came to bat for us. The only ones who came close were the Americans… and that was when they abstained from voting on the life imprisonment of German Kansen. Your government voted in favor. So I hope you took pride in sinking her, King George. I hope you, and Ark Royal, and Dorsetshire, and all the others are proud. Because you doomed what friends I have left." Eugen spat, the tone clearly toxic and brimming with an unresolved hatred.

Belfast spoke up.

"Look, neither side was right at the end of it all. Between the Bombing raids of Berlin and London. The sinking of Hood and Bismarck. The war at large was a gross display of power that left the world torn for nearly half a century. Nobody has the moral high ground here." Belfast said flatly.

"Why are you siding with her?" George spat disdainfully.

"What the hell kind of tone is that?!" Eugen snapped at George.

Belfast stood and glared at both parties.

"Oi! Shut the 'ell up and use yer fuckin ears! Nobody has a right to claim innocence or leniency. Eugen helped sink Hood and George helped sink Bismarck. I helped sink Scharnhorst fer fucks sake. I am more than acutely aware of what the 'ell happened during that bloody fucken war! So both of ye stop yer bickering, or I'll toss the lot of ya out! A man's tryin to recover and here ye are makin a fuss o'er somethin that happened seventy some odd years ago. Grow the 'ell up fer fuck's sake." Belfast spat rapidly in the most violent Irish accent I have ever heard.

I chuckled before turning to Eugen, who was reeling from trying to process Belfast's sudden change in tone.

"Taking from what has been said…we will do what we can. We're already preparing to fight the US Government and military for freedom. And we have support from Her Majesty. And now learning that Germany has imprisoned its own… our goal is made clear. Kansens should not have to live as second class citizens, or as prisoners for crimes they have long since paid for. I want a place where Kansens can be truly free. A place to call home. A place to rest their heads without fear or secrecy." I spoke bluntly.

"It won't work…" Eugen spoke.

"Like hell. New Jersey is a nuclear powerhouse. I have force that I can project when the time comes." I spat.

Eugen looked at NJ with a face full of terror.

"What did they do to you?" Eugen asked.

NJ looked at me.

"You are far too trusting, Honey. We haven't verified anything about her story, and you're spilling information worse than a leaky bucket." NJ said. I glared at her. Despite her reservations, she decided to keep quiet.

Eugen shook her head.

"I will get what I want in time. But… if it is all the same… I will fight alongside you. My vessel is in better shape than it was when it left the slipway. And with a lot of scientists in Buenos Aires, I have access to two of Germany's greatest feats of war. Magnetic torpedos and the Fritz X for my fighters. It may not be much, but I can still fight." Eugen spoke firmly as she looked directly into my eyes.

"Our force will likely be heavy on the red white and blue. Will you be able to work with that?" I asked.

"I will find ways to be useful. I still have my gunnery training. Two-hundred and three millimeter rounds still pack a punch…" Eugen replied.

"You'd be supervised for a while… it's the only way I got NJ to stop beating you…" I replied.

"She attacked you, I was well within my rights to remove her from existence." NJ retorted.

"Be that as it may, she is a struggling Kansen. And now we know that if Germany finds her, she will be locked away for life. So, you will no longer attack her, unless you want me to think of something to punish you with too." I said seriously.

I swore I could hear George snickering in the corner. One swift stare from NJ was enough to shut it down.

"How is your stomach, by the way?" I asked as I turned back to face Eugen.

"It hurts… I won't lie. Nothing like being one of the few to survive a hit from the legendary Iowa class" Eugen spoke with a small chuckle as she lifted her shirt to reveal a massive, dark purple bruise on her abdomen.

"Should I call a nurse in to have it checked?" I asked.

"No. I'll live. I'm a bit more durable than other heavy cruisers. It'll go away on its own." Eugen replied.

"I want a nurse to check you. You were injured severely when you drove off my attackers. I don't want there to be any internal injuries that go unseen." I spoke, pushing the cover story we had made. The three Allied girls in the room looked at me in shock.

"NJ… you truly have found yourself an enigma of a man. No wonder Her Majesty is so intrigued." Belfast spoke as Eugen resigned herself to her fate.

The nurse came in moments later, but I caught her before she began speaking.

"Nurse. This young woman was the one who saved my life this evening. She was stretching earlier and I noticed a terrible bruise on her stomach… I fear she may have been hurt in protecting me. Could you send someone in to make sure she's alright?" I asked.

"Of course. I'll get someone right away." The nurse spoke as she left the room.

"Eugen. Give Belfast the gun. They'll find it when they check you otherwise." I said as Eugen nodded and took a holster from under her skirt. To my shock, it was an old Mauser. Taking a look at the holster, I could faintly see a Swastika and a Nazi Eagle carved into the leather.

"Original?" I asked.

"Y-yes. Standard issue. Works just as well as the day it was issued to me… sir." Eugen replied, turning NJ's head at the use of 'sir'.

"Don't call me sir. I'm not that old. Bel, take that gun to the Royal Suite at the Clairidge's. Take NJ's key, since she'll be returning with me." I said.

"Got it. I assume you will be alright?" Belfast asked.

"I have two battleships protecting me and a heavy cruiser who has no more ill intent. I'll be just fine." I said confidently.

"Then I shall await you there. I'll have Sheffield stand down as well, since she knows Eugen too." Belfast said as she tucked the gun away into her shirt before heading out of the room.

"Mr. Sweigart… this is all highly illegal activity… perhaps you should lay low since you're the victim of a crime?" George spoke.

"We'll be fine. I'm used to pretending at this point. Even if the FBI is onto NJ and I, they don't have enough to enact a raid. So I'd say I'm pretty good." I said with a shrug.

Moments after, my phone rang. Looking at the number, I dreaded the call.

It was Vestal.

"Hello?" I asked in an inconspicuous voice.

"Don't you 'Hello' me. Why did I just get an update to your medical chart for…" I heard furious tapping in the background

"... Traumatic Neck Laceration and blunt force trauma to the eye and face? It says it required 40 stitches and nearly four full units of blood. You haven't left the states for a week and you almost fucking die?!" Vestal yelled angrily over the phone.

"Yeah… about that…" I said before I was cut off.

"It seems that you can't be left alone, even with Nicole watching you. I'm already at JFK international. I WAS going to take a trip to Hawaii to pay respects to Arizona, but it seems like a trip to London JUST SOUNDS LOVELY THIS TIME OF YEAR!" Vestal cried hysterically.

"You don't have to…"

"Don't you tell me what to do, Mister. I just bought the ticket and will be in London by 0500 Tomorrow. It seems I'll be accompanying you for the rest of your trip." Vestal spoke as she hung up the phone before I had time to argue.

"Welp… looks like this is happening." I said with a chuckle.

"Who was that?" George asked. Eugen listened in as well.

"Nancy Collier… my Doctor. You may know her as Enty's Shadow… USS Vestal." I said moments before a nurse came in to take Eugen for imaging.

"Your network is impressive. I'm almost ashamed that I'm not as connected." George spoke as another nurse came in with my discharge papers.

"I know the woman who was here just went for imaging, but here are your papers awhile. We've sent all relevant information to your doctor. You are free to wait back in the waiting room for your friend if you'd like." The nurse said as I looked at her.

"Uh… do you have clothes? Mine aren't here…" I spoke meekly.

"I have Elizabeth bringing you some. She will be here momentarily." George spoke.

"Nevermind. I seem to have it covered." I said as the nurse smiled and left the room.

Chapter Text

A few minutes later, Warspite entered the room carrying a black leather bag.

"I saw you just three hours ago, and now you're in the hospital." Warspite said with a hand on her hip as she set the bag on my hospital bed.

"Ran into some real friendly fellows in a dark alley." I said with a shrug.

"George has already informed me that it was Prinz Eugen." Warspite deadpanned.

"Be that as it may, I've handled it." I said as Eugen was led back into the room by the nurse that had taken her before.

"How is she?" I asked.

"Despite how bad the bruise looks, all of her vital organs are intact as far as we can see. No internal bleeds or major damage. I've given her instructions on treating it, but she does not require hospitalization." The nurse said as she left the room.

"Well that's good. You'll be coming back to my hotel room with me. Bella has already headed there with your personal effects. I have some things to ask you, and I'll arrange a room for you for the night, that way you don't have to travel around at night." I said. My tone was firm, informing Eugen that her refusal was not going to be accepted. My stance was reinforced by every other Kansen in the room giving some level of side eye to the heavy cruiser.

"O-of course. Ready whenever you are." Eugen said with a forced smile.

I took my pair of shorts and a shirt from the black leather bag that Warspite had brought, and slipped them on under the cover of the blankets. Despite them taking my bloodied clothes, the dried blood on my skin informed me that I had not been cleaned up during my stay.

"I'm going to need a shower…" I spoke flatly.

"You can't. You can't get your stitches wet." NJ said softly.

"I need to get cleaned up. I can't walk around covered in blood." I retorted.

"I'll have Sheffield run you a bath. It'll be ready upon your return to your room." George said as she pulled out her phone and called Sheffield.

"I guess that'll work." I said as I pushed myself to a sitting position, only to have NJ rush to my side to help me out of bed.

"I assume the car is around front, Elizabeth?" I asked, remaining acutely aware of the open door.

"Yes sir. Do you need assistance?" Warspite asked as I stood from the bed.

"I think I'll be alright. Let's get out of here… I want to relax as much as I can before Nancy shows up…" I said with a sigh. Eugen looked at me.

"Who is this, Nancy?" She asked.

"My doctor. And a good friend of NJ's." I replied truthfully.

Eugen nodded. If she wanted to ask anything further, she neglected to do so at the moment.

I walked ahead of everyone, while Eugen was loosely escorted out by the three battleships I had surrounded myself with. Outside, Warspite ran to the car and opened the door for me, Eugen and NJ while George took the front seat. As was procedure at this point, a soft white noise filled the car. Not that it was needed.

The ride to the hotel was silent. I found myself pulled against NJ's chest while she stroked my hair. Eugen sat silently, likely feeling awkward at NJ's display of affection towards me. Warspite drove directly to the hotel and pulled around back to take us in the back door. This was likely done to evade MI5 for just a while longer as we headed to my suite. George was the last to enter as she locked the door behind her.

To my surprise, Belfast, Sheffield and Howe were all present in my suite as NJ, Warspite and George fanned out throughout the room. I went immediately towards the bed. Eager to put on something less tight fitting, I threw on my red robe and tossed my other clothes off to the side.

"Quite the party… any booze?" I asked jokingly.

"Yes. I procured something that should help with your recovery… if not just allow you to unwind." Belfast said as she walked into my line of sight. I hadn't initially noticed her change of clothes, but the moment I saw her, my jaw dropped. She was wearing a maid uniform. A low-cut blue and white dress with a white apron and white leggings paired with a frilly white headpiece. In her hand, she was presenting a bottle of Scotch that looked familiar to me.

NJ looked at me.

"So you were telling the truth.. you have a thing for maid outfits… I might have to look for one." NJ tittered, no doubt teasing me over my reaction. I shook off the embarrassment and returned my gaze to the bottle in Belfast's hand.

"Dalmore? I didn't realize they sold it here… why do you have that?" I asked.

"A maid has her secrets, Master. Would you like me to prepare you a glass?" Belfast asked professionally. Unlike Sheffield, Bel showed no emotional change when uttering the word 'master'. I was too tired to argue the point, so I allowed it.

"Please. Make it a double with a rock. If anyone else wants some, please prepare for them as well." I said.

NJ, Howe and Eugen all made it known that they would be drinking. As such, Belfast did as I asked and prepared the drinks. Sheffield stood by me as Eugen entered the main sitting area, followed by the battleships.

With a deep sigh, I sat in the high back chair and looked at the room.

"Well… I guess this is as good a time as any. Sorry for causing trouble." I began.

When the girls tried to protest, I held up a hand.

"I'm being watched by MI5, as you all know. Which likely means that they have become suspicious of all of you. And with the unfortunate events that transpired this evening, I can only imagine what they're thinking. So I wanted to apologize before I begin drinking." I said as I capped my apology with a long sip of scotch.

Sheffield spoke up.

"Mr. Sweigart. Can I ask why you are joined by a member of the Kriegsmarine? And why did Belfast approach me with a firearm emblazoned with Swastikas and Eagles?" Sheffield asked.

"I am joined by the woman who attempted to steal my money to escape back to where she is seeking refuge. As I have learned, she is being passively hunted by the German Government… as all German Kansen are imprisoned for life. And with Prinz Eugen informing me that there are several Kansen who have been scuttled that have survived… I realize that she forgot to add a name. Eugen… is Admiral Hipper okay?" I asked.

Eugen looked off to the side.

"I don't like acknowledging that she is imprisoned as well. As is Seydlitz… I guess you'd know her as Weser… And I haven't heard from Lützow since she helped me after the atomic tests in 1946… as far as I know right now… all of my sisters are either dead or imprisoned. So… to help me bear with my uselessness… I try to push it all from my mind." Eugen explained.

I took stock of the room.

"So. Before any Royal Navy girls present decide to badmouth her for anything besides her decision to attack me, realize that she still has demons of her own… just like we all do. I'm sure I don't have to bring up Prince of Wales or Edinburgh." I said as I took another sip of scotch.

Sheffield looked at me and nodded, seeming to accept my thought process.

"That said… Eugen… I need to verify what you said. So I'm going to ask a few questions. Is that okay with you?" I asked.

Eugen nodded.

"You said you have your vessel. Last I heard, your vessel was sunk as an atomic bomb target ship and it sank in Bikini Atoll. How did you get your vessel refloated?" I asked.

"Lützow… In 1947, I contacted her in secret. In exchange for using the recovery ship Kommuna to help me refloat my vessel… I gave her samples of the isotopes I had collected from the bomb detonations. She took the samples back to the Soviet Union… I got to repair my vessel in secret and escape to Buenos Aires." Eugen spoke.

She didn't seem like she was lying.

"So… you gave the Soviets nuclear material?" I asked.

"I figured that with America doing their bomb testing, and with Germany being split by the Soviets… having Lütsow help me would cost a high price. So yes, I provided nuclear material. I doubt it was too helpful, but all I know is it was enough for her to help me." Eugen spoke.

"It probably wasn't worth anything to them. It took them until 1949 to explode their first nuclear device. Probably was only worthwhile as a study sample for the scientists." NJ spoke. I looked at NJ, this was enough to force a sip of scotch and keep her from belittling any further.

"So your vessel is afloat in Argentina?" I asked as I turned back to Eugen.

"Yes. Fully functional and guarded by an ally." Eugen said.

"Which ally, and can we verify that?" I asked.

"Panzerschiff Graf Spee. I can contact her." Eugen offered.

"No. I'll have NJ do it." I said as I looked at NJ.

"I need the frequency… I never learned it since that wasn't my theater." NJ said.

"Can you give her the frequency?" I asked.

Eugen looked around and found a pen and paper and quickly wrote down a string of numbers. I handed my phone over to NJ and she got to work.

"Your gun. How did you get it into the country… and how did you get here?" I asked.

"I bribed people with treasures taken from the treasure chest of the Nazi Party. I used that to hitch a ride on a cargo ship headed here. As for the gun, I managed to slip into the country through the port." Eugen said.

"That makes no sense… immigration has people posted at the ports." Warspite spoke up.

"Money is a great motivator." Eugen spoke flatly.

"So… you bribed an immigration official to get you in?" George asked.

"Yes. Hence why I have no money left." Eugen spoke, beginning to sound annoyed. I looked at her and motioned to her glass. She sipped her own scotch and visibly relaxed.

"Why are you in Britain?" I asked.

"I… I don't know. I had a stupid idea and this is where I ended up." Eugen said dejectedly.

"What idea?" Belfast asked.

"I… wanted to apologize. But after seeing you all living normal lives, I lost my nerve and wanted nothing more than to go home." Eugen said.

"Apologize?" I asked.

"For Hood. For my part in the war. For valuing my life above what was clearly right. For having the audacity to continue existing when people and Kansen died who should have lived." Eugen said softly. She downed her remaining scotch as she tried to hold back tears.

The Royal Navy looked among themselves with troubled looks.

I looked past Eugen to NJ who had just gotten off the phone.

"It took some force, but I can verify the validity of her claims. Graf Spee is maintaining the vessel in Eugen's absence." NJ said.

"Force? What force?" I asked.

"Spee wasn't very forthcoming with information. So I told her that if need be, I'll head to Buenos Aires myself to sort this out. She complied quickly after the fact." NJ said flatly as she returned my phone.

I sat and looked at my half empty glass.

"We all know that it's only the most recognized Kansen in the US who get treated like NJ. And if she was living on the streets for years on end… the lesser known Kansen are most definitely doing the same. Those who haven't been reinstated for military duty are likely just as put down as she was when I found her on my doorstep a little under a month ago. And now German Kansen are imprisoned for life. The Brits have it good. But not everyone got so lucky…" I spoke as I contemplated things going forward. Not only was I going to betray my country… but I could very well become an international threat to the governments of the world.

NJ noticed my demeanor and came over to me.

"It'll be okay. Even if all else fails, I'll stand with you." NJ said.

I nodded.

"I am but a simple man, drawn into a world where women like you walk among us in secret. They claim it's for protection… but I believe it is about control for them. America isn't perfect. But… even if times have changed, the meaning of words have not. I still believe in the land of the free and home of the brave… but… I don't think any country who forces Kansen to live as second rate citizens can claim that anymore. Belfast, can I ask a favor of you?" I asked.

"Of course, Master. Anything you ask will be done to the utmost of my ability." Belfast said proudly.

"Do you think you could convince Her Majesty to put up one last fight?" I asked.

Warspite stood and looked at me.

"If it's in regards to this, I'm sure she can hear you out. She's still in London. I'll contact her and have her come here." Warspite said as she pulled out a phone and made the call.

"For now, I guess we'll wait. Everyone relax and take a load off. Eugen isn't going to hurt anyone. Although, Sheffield, do you have her firearm?" I asked.

"Yes." She replied shortly.

"Can I see it?" I asked.

Sheffield nodded and produced the holstered firearm.

"Honey…" NJ spoke cautiously.

"Relax. I've never seen a Mauser in such fine condition, much less held one. Eugen, may I draw it?" I asked.

Eugen nodded.

I drew the weapon from its holster. It sparkled brilliantly under the lights of the room.

"You weren't kidding. This thing looks brand new." I said as I cleared the chamber.

"Seventy years of cleaning and maintenance. I have only used it three times. That is to say it has a round count of three." Eugen spoke.

"Three? Why?" I asked.

"Rogue SS officers in Buenos Aires in 1983. Three of them tried to stick up a bar I was in. Apparently they were trying to pay off a debt to a corrupt section of the Argentinian army, and figured that robbing a bar would cover the bill. So… to maintain my cover, I shot all three of them and presented their corpses to the army personnel who came to collect, who then decided to write the debt off." Eugen spoke.

"Did they know you?" I asked.

"No… but I couldn't take the chance. After Lord Bismarck's death, I tried to stay my distance from the SS. Glad I did… what they did… the mass homicide… I would have killed them all." Eugen spat.

"Well… then that goes to show I can trust you… even after all this. Anyone who kills Nazi's is a friend in my book." I said as I holstered the weapon and handed it to her. She took it for a moment before shaking her head and handing it back.

"You keep it. I… have no need of it anymore. Just make sure to take care of it." Eugen said softly.

I nodded and handed the firearm to NJ. As I did, Warspite returned.

"Her Majesty is on her way. She'll be here within the hour. She knows Eugen will be here. Please use this time to get cleaned up. Asking for anything while looking like that will get you nowhere." Warspite said as I nodded.

"All of you play nice… I'll be quick." I said as I stood and walked towards the bathroom. NJ looked at the room when I was out of eyeshot. A flash of blue in her eyes had everyone looking at each other with confusion. Belfast set about getting George and Howe to prepare food for Queen Elizabeth's arrival. Sheffield and Warspite sat across from Eugen to keep an eye on her.

NJ followed me into the bathroom and disrobed behind me.

"I don't know why you followed me, I'm disgustingly bloody." I said as I stripped off my robe.

"You have blood on your back. I'll wash your back for you." NJ said flatly.

I smiled.

"I guess 'No' isn't gonna work." I surmised.

"Nope." NJ said with a smile as she got in the tub ahead of me.

"The water is perfect. Come on." NJ said cheerfully.

"You sound like my mother when I was little." I said as I sat down on the other side of the tub. NJ moved over to me and slipped behind me. She laid her head gently on my shoulder.

"I can do more than just sound like it if you want." NJ said in a joking tone.

I looked at her and shook my head.

"Nah. I like our dynamic where it's at." I said as I watched the hot water leech the dried blood off of my stomach. We set about making sure to remove every inch of blood while also getting some much needed alone time.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

About twenty minutes later, we were done. NJ's skin was flush from the heat and I felt brand new on account of NJ's hands doing most of the cleaning.

Stepping out of the tub and into my robe, I heard a ruckus from the main room.

With a sigh, I tied my robe and stepped out of the bathroom, leaving NJ to towel off and get dressed as well.

Walking out of the bathroom, I saw the girls, save for Eugen, staring at the front door of the room.

"She must be here." I whispered to myself as I walked to my suitcase and threw on a pair of shorts and slid a shirt on before taking off my robe. I turned to face the door to see Queen Elizabeth standing directly behind me. Without a word, she cupped my chin and lifted my head to see the stitches on my neck.

"Who has done this to you?" She asked firmly.

"Your Majesty… I can explain." I replied.

"I expect you to do so. I come expecting you to ask me something, instead I see you looking like you met Jack the Ripper." Queen Elizabeth said as she released my head.

"If I may, I have the situation handled. And it was a big misunderstanding." I tried.

"Did I ask if the situation was handled? I asked who did it." Queen Elizabeth spoke as she dragged me by my arm to the main room and sat me down in my chair, where Belfast had poured more scotch.

"It was me. I made the mistake of attacking him." Eugen said as she stood up.

Queen Elizabeth scowled at her.

"You would lay your hands on one protected by me?" Queen Elizabeth asked.

"I didn't know. As soon as he let on that he knew about us… I tried to help." Eugen said.

"Why did you attack him?" QE demanded.

"I wanted money to get home." Eugen spoke truthfully.

"To Germany?" QE asked.

"Buenos Aires. I… would be imprisoned for life if caught in Germany." Eugen said. QE turned to me and I nodded.

"She says that Graf Zeppelin, Leipzig, Duetschland, Admiral Hipper, and Weser/Seydlitz are all imprisoned in Germany as a result of a UN charter at the end of the second world war." I said as QE turned to Eugen.

"So you attacked him to rob him?" QE asked.

"I've been watching him. Chauffeur service, a room at Claridge's, fancy clothes… he looked like he had enough money to take the risk." Eugen replied.

QE turned to me.

"Has she been punished for this? Will she be?" QE asked.

"She took a hit from NJ. She also provided information to the police about the two muggers who are responsible for the increase in crime. So… I figured that if we maintain the appearance that she helped me, we could avoid any ill effects. I humbly ask that you pardon her behavior." I said.

QE glared at Eugen for a moment.

"Fine. I will let our past be the past. And because this Commoner speaks well of you, I won't pursue any form of punishment." QE said as Eugen sighed a sigh of relief.

"What was I asked her for?" QE asked.

"I request your knowledge… and your help." I said.

"I will do what I can… what do you need?" QE asked.

"Are there any areas that you know of that could house a fleet consisting of carriers, destroyers, battleships, cruisers and submarines?" I asked.

QE pondered this for a moment.

"The Falklands. We have control of their foreign affairs, so I could get in contact with their delegates to negotiate use of their land to house a fleet. It will be difficult though… they are self-governing, so we'd have to make a case favorable to them." QE said.

I sighed.

"That is not to say that I will not build a case. I will make it known to them that they will be protected from retaliation by… well… you and your fleet." QE said.

"My fleet?! NJ would be the commander, I'm not military!" I said frantically.

"Nope. I'm not capable of commanding anyone, Honey. Never went to officers school." NJ teased.

The color drained from my face.

"Looks like you're my Kommandant then." Eugen spoke as she put a fist over her chest.

Warspite and Belfast dropped to one knee and faced me.

"We will be ready at your order, Admiral."

NJ looked at me from across the room and smiled before snapping to attention and saluting me.

"Ready for war, Commander."

"I…" I tried.

"Don't try to fight it. You're stuck in it now. I'm sure you won't have to do much anyway. We are mostly autonomous. All we need is someone to tell us what the objective is." QE said.

I sighed once more.

"Fine. Fine. I get it. Just… don't call me commander or junk like that unless absolutely necessary. I'm Tyler. I have no military bearing whatsoever. All I want for you girls is a place where Kansen the world over can escape to. From there, we can negotiate with the countries of the world to secure rights and freedoms for you all. No more incarceration for the Ironbloods. Equality for the Eagle Union. And Transparency for the Royal Navy. Along with other nations who we haven't yet contacted." I said as the girls looked amongst themselves.

"What should we name this paradise?" NJ asked.

"I could provide an answer to that." QE spoke.

"Oh?" NJ asked.

"Remember the old radio hub that we used? The section of radio frequency that was outside the official use channels?" QE asked.

"Yeah? That's how we'd spend nights when in formation. Trading stories and gossip." NJ said.

"What was it called, Black Dragon?" QE asked.

"The Azure Landline." NJ said promptly. The girls all nodded. It seemed they all had similar occurrences in their own navies.

"Well, we are forging a new path towards freedom for Kansen. One where the world knows of our existence and we have the same freedoms afforded to every man, woman and child. Why don't we call this little slice of paradise… Azur Lane?" QE asked.

The girls around the room nodded. I couldn't help but smile.

"Sounds like we have a game plan. Let's get it put in motion." I said as I turned to QE.

"I'll work on a proposal to present to the Admiralty. With their approval, we can present it to the floor of Parliament to really get some backing. I'll keep you informed, since these meetings will be held in private due to the content nature." QE said.

"I look forward to favorable news." I said with a smile. With that, Belfast and Sheffield ushered everyone to the dining area. Freshly prepared food and a stout selection of alcohol made clear that we were going to have a banquet to celebrate the resolve we had conjured. It was going to be a long night.

Chapter Text

Dinner, while slightly uncomfortable, went off without a hitch. Despite her role in my injury, Eugen was taken into account for the meal preparation and was given George's renditions of German classics like Bratwurst, Schnitzel, Sauerkraut, Currywurst and Spätzle in addition to the a lavish buffet similar to the breakfast I had been provided earlier in the day.

I sat at the head of the table, where I had sat for breakfast, while Queen Elizabeth took the other end of the table. Everyone else filled the seats in between.

"With the proposal for Azur Lane being announced, what do you plan to do now, Commoner?" QE asked.

"I have to figure out what to do with Eugen. I want to take her with us, since I still have a place I need to visit, but at the same time, I know she wants to leave and head back to Argentina until she's called upon. I still have to visit Japan and get in contact with Mikasa at the very least." I said.

Eugen perked up.

"I'll come willingly. I know a few girls from the test site. If you want to get to them, you'll need proof of non-hostility. I can provide that." Eugen said.

"And your vessel?" I asked.

"Spee knows how to make do. She's a trooper. Always has been…" Eugen said somberly.

"It sounds like there's a story behind that." I said. Eugen nodded.

"Her captain was a coward. Spee knew that despite the critical damage she had sustained, she could have fought her way out of Montevideo. She knew it was only Achilles and Ajax waiting outside the inlet. But her captain thought he knew better and forced her to scuttle before killing himself three days later. Spee lost her vessel for nothing." Eugen explained.

"Critical damage? What happened?" I asked as we all dug into our food.

"During the fight with Ajax, Achillies and Exeter, who had to retreat from battle, one of them managed to cripple her fuel system. She was certain she could get it fixed, but her captain crumbled and forced a scuttle. She ended up being the one to meet me in Buenos Aires, I've been living with her since my arrival in 1948." Eugen explained further.

I nodded.

"She seems likable at least… what are the chances she cooperates with us?" I asked.

"If I ask, high. But she's probably still reeling from whatever the dragon said to her…" Eugen said as she glared at NJ, who shrugged.

"All I said is that if she didn't corroborate your story, I'd have to make a trip to Buenos Aires myself… I may or may not have mentioned having access to my wartime rigging… but that's not important." NJ said nonchalantly.

I looked at her while shaking my head.

"NJ… we can't afford to make enemies. Remember, if anyone gets word of us, we're gonna be running, and it won't be pretty. We can't force anyone to do anything. You're going to apologize to Graf Spee for your threat of violence. Besides… it isn't exactly fair to bring the full might of an Iowa against a Duetschland class Panzerschiffe. She's got guns almost half the size of yours, and paper thin armor for a heavy cruiser. It's no wonder she's scared of you." I said.

This gave NJ pause.

"I can see that there was… a slight error in my method. But I figured corroborating Eugen's story was priority one, since we've decided to shelter her, despite her actions." NJ said as she took a bite of food. It was clear by her tone that she was only allowing Eugen to live because I requested it, but the fact remained that left unchecked, NJ would eventually hurt or kill Eugen.

"New Jersey." I spoke firmly. The entire table stopped dead and turned to face us. The air in the room turned frigid. NJ seemed taken aback by my tone and the use of her full name.

"Yes. I have decided to shelter her. I have already forgiven her for what she did, and it would do you well to do the same. You can't go around making enemies just because you have a grudge. Eugen has denounced the Nazi party entirely. She also kept me from dying tonight. You heard the police. I was one of very few to make it out alive. She's also pledged her allegiance to our cause. And all it cost was a cut on my neck. You should let it go." I said as she looked as if she was contemplating something.

"How would you feel if someone attacked me?" NJ asked in response.

"I would be pissed, obviously." I said instantly.

"Am I not allowed that same privilege?" NJ asked.

I stopped.

She had a point to be angry, despite my forgiveness.

"You are… I'm not saying you don't have the right to be angry… but you have to remember…" I stopped.

I shut down, plunging myself deep into thought. I was about to remind her that she was a battleship, despite the fact that we were trying to have the world see her as someone to not be feared due to her immense power. I immediately felt ashamed. I stood to leave the table, but was stopped immediately by NJ blocking my path.

"Remember what?" NJ asked, her tone slightly abrasive.

"Nothing. You're right. I shouldn't have said anything." I said as I tried to walk around her. She blocked my path again.

"I believe the commoner was going to say that despite your relationship, you have the ability to do very serious damage if you use your strength to back your emotions." QE said sagely from her end of the table.

NJ turned to her, allowing me to leave the room.

QE watched me leave the room and turned to NJ.

"He likely is feeling ashamed for even thinking such a thing, as evidenced by his silence and deflection. He said you have a grudge, and based off recent events, it's clear you have disdain for Prinz Eugen. I cannot claim to read his mind, but it seems that in light of earning an ally, he has decided to pardon her. All of us have personal vendettas with her too. She helped when Bismarck sank Hood. Her sisters and herself all proved a handful during skirmishes at sea. But the past is the past. We have all come to terms with events we cannot change. Perhaps if you talk with him, you might find that he wishes for you to do the same. Considering your power, using your strength to back your emotions could lead to rash decisions that can hurt more than yourself." QE said as she turned to Belfast.

"Check on him, if you would, Bel." QE said as she turned back to NJ. Belfast nodded silently and left the room.

"Have a seat and let us continue dinner. Confronting him again right now won't produce a result desired by anyone." QE said as NJ looked at the doorway. She sat back at the table and looked at Eugen.

"I know it doesn't mean much… but I am sorry. If I could turn back time, knowing what I know now, I would have listened to him and brought him to you." Eugen said quietly.

NJ thought about QE's words and realized she was right. Despite her feelings, she was a grown woman with responsibilities. She had to keep her personal feelings in check so that she didn't act out of turn. She then turned to Eugen.

"You swear on your life that you won't hurt him again? I mean it." NJ asked.

"Yes. Should I hurt him again, I will allow myself to accept death as punishment. I acted selfishly tonight… I will admit to that. But I swear to work hard to absolve myself." Eugen spoke. NJ took a deep breath.

"Then… I… apologize for taking such a poor tone with you earlier. And I will apologize to Graf Spee for my threat. I realize it isn't an excuse… but he is my everything… and this is the second time he's nearly died in the time I have been with him. And seeing that you and I have lives that are forced to be lived behind closed doors, I saw a way to vent my frustrations. If what QE says is true, and that's what he is thinking… I understand why he spoke up. So… I'm sorry as well. I hope we can work together to make this thing work." NJ said as she extended her hand.

Eugen nodded and shook it.

"You have my support, New Jersey. For the sake of all of us… I want this initiative to succeed." Eugen said as dinner continued. NJ made multiple glances at the door to the room, but it was only Belfast who returned.

"How is he?" QE asked.

"He has locked himself in the bathroom, your Majesty. I spoke with him, but he has requested to be alone for a while." Belfast said.

"I see. Well, we shall do just that. I ask that you remain by the door to keep an eye on him. I'm sure the Black Dragon would appreciate his safety." QE said as Belfast once again left the room.

"I should go check on him." NJ said.

"You will not. You two will have plenty of time to speak when we are finished with dinner. But for right now, I have information you require." QE said as Warspite walked around the table to hand NJ a list of radio frequencies.

"What is this?" NJ asked.

"The radio frequencies I have gathered during my deployments on board my vessel. A lot of girls had to change over when new technology came out. This lists the frequencies where you will find the Richelieu class girls, the Vittorio Veneto class girls, and Tallinn." QE said as Eugen shot to her feet.

"Which one is hers?" Eugen asked.

"The one on the bottom… you'll have to tune it, I got her voice but the connection has since broken down severely, but I wrote down the frequency that I heard her voice on. From what little I gathered, she is holed up with the protected cruiser Aurora. Take that as you will." QE said as NJ sat back at the table.

Despite being told that she shouldn't come to me, NJ was starting to get anxious. She hadn't heard the bathroom door open and Belfast was still standing there at the door to the bathroom.

"I feel like I really should go and talk to him… it wasn't fair for me to shut him down like that." NJ said as QE looked over again.

"You have a passion equal to that of a nation at war. It is inspiring to see someone so dedicated to their partner. But sit and think, do you think you'll produce a result you can be happy with? You go and talk to him, then what?" QE asked.

"I tell him he was right. That I acted irrationally and used the situation to vent my anger on someone who is practically defenseless. I tell him I'm sorry for backing him into a corner…" NJ stopped dead as well. She remembered a conversation between herself, Vestal and me. About a previous partner.

"Something the matter?" Warspite asked.

"I… I fear I have acted out of turn… not just with Eugen. I backed him into a corner and made him feel like the problem. He said that this was the same thing his Ex did to him…" NJ said softly.

QE shook her head.

"I doubt he has picked up on that. But if you recognize it, then do your best to fix it before he does. Right now he feels bad for what he was going to say to you. So focus on making sure you never end up in a situation like this again." QE said as NJ stood and walked to the doorway.

Belfast was standing quietly at the door of the bathroom. NJ focused, tapping into her instruments back home, she honed in on what was going on in the bathroom. She saw me, sat in the bathtub hugging my knees.

Belfast looked back at NJ, who motioned for her to come back to the dining area. She did so.

"He is still in the bathroom. He hasn't decided to come out yet." Belfast said as NJ turned to Sheffield.

"Can you pick the lock?" NJ asked.

"Quite easily. However, I must concur with Her Majesty. Are you sure you can produce something favorable from this? Emotions are still running very high, and these situations tend to be very volatile." Sheffield said.

"I have a way to calm him down. I just don't want to break down the door." NJ said as QE looked at Sheffield and nodded, giving her approval to pick open the door.

NJ walked over to her bags and picked out the outfit she and Belfast had gone to get earlier in the evening.

"Might not be his favorite, but it'll do the trick." NJ whispered as she pulled on the black club outfit she had showed me earlier in the day, sans the stilettos. Thigh-high black nylons lead to a black miniskirt held together with zippers and leather bands. A fishnet shirt covered a black leather bikini top and the look was rounded out by a small black choker around her neck. As Sheffield walked to the door, so did NJ.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Eugen watched NJ and Sheffield leave the room. When she was sure NJ was out of earshot, Eugen spoke up.

"I feel as though I am missing something. Why is she so obsessed with the boy?" Eugen asked.

Her question caught the room off guard, but due to the individuals in question not being present, they felt as though they could discuss.

"Warspite would know best." QE said, throwing her sister under the bus almost immediately.

"Your Majesty!" Warspite retorted.

"Is it not true?" QE asked.

Warspite frowned, but quickly shook the feeling.

"They are wildly in love. Truth be told, this is New Jersey's first attempt at love. I am unsure about Mr. Sweigart, but it seems possible, due to what we just witnessed, that this isn't his first time being in love. But the way he handled the dragon makes me think that his first attempts were beyond what one could consider unhealthy. He seems used to being forced to shut down and second guess his own actions. So I can only speculate that this is a very serious time for both of them." Warspite spoke.

"How can you tell from so little?" Eugen asked, honestly impressed by Warspite's insight.

"She seems frantic to get back to him. She wants to talk this out. I think she understands a little more about her situation and realizes she was being childish, and that he was only trying to help her see through it. Now that she's realized it, she knows she was wrong. But considering how frantic she is, it seems she knows more about his mental state than we do, meaning she knows something is going on in his head in light of what has transpired." Warspite continued.

"Not to mention, she is still living in the afterglow of her first sexual encounter. So her losing him is not an option." George spoke.

"What?" Eugen asked, more shocked than anything. Sheffield returned to the room after completing her task.

"Yes. I actually had to toss the sheets from their bed, due to how soiled they were. I dare say… if I were to speak my mind on the man, we would all be jealous." Sheffield spoke flatly.

Everyone in the room turned to stare at Sheffield in varying levels of horror and intrigue.

"I guess… that might clear up her actions during the war, and why she was so feared." Eugen said.

"How so?" QE asked.

"I mean… if I wasn't allowed to get my rocks off with somebody, I'd be pretty pissed too. I'd likely channel my anger into battle performance." Eugen said.

"So now that she's got him, she's mellowing out a bit… it makes sense." Howe said.

"Now it's just a matter of time before she ends up with a miniature version of herself." George said.

"How so?" Warspite asked.

"Well… didn't Illustrious have a kid? She's just as fertile as the rest of us." George said.

"Speak for yourself… I tried. But those atomic tests ruined my body, despite not being onboard my vessel. I am unable to have children." Eugen said. Everyone looked at each other

With new information to mull over, dinner continued in my and NJ's absence

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I sat in the tub, doing my best to keep quiet. I needed to apologize. I was going to do the same thing that had been done to her since the day she was created. I had been about to class her as a weapon, and that her emotions made her dangerous. I felt terrible… angry even. I thought I was different than the others. That I could make her feel normal. But it seems like even I was biased.

Before my self depreciation could continue, I heard something slide into the lock of the door.

"I'm not dressed, please don't open the door." I lied. In all reality, I was sitting in an empty tub.

No response. A moment later the lock popped open, so all I could do was shut the curtain to the tub as the door opened.

A few seconds passed and the door shut again. But I could feel a difference in the air. Someone was in here with me.

"NJ?" I asked softly.

"I'm here, Honey." NJ replied.

"I… I'm…"

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Honey. And after speaking with the others… I realize what you were getting at." NJ said softly.

"I feel terrible. I've done the same thing to you that everyone else has. I… I don't deserve you after that." I said as a tear rolled down my cheek.

The curtain was ripped open to reveal NJ in her new outfit.

"Then that makes us even… because I did the same thing your ex did to you. I backed you into a corner and shut down your argument. So… I feel like we're even now." NJ said as she stepped into the tub with me. She sat down in front of me and opened her arms.

"Come here." NJ ordered. Between the outfit and the feeling in my chest, I found myself unable to refuse as I crawled over to her.

She sat me in her lap and began gently rubbing my head.

"We're okay, right?" She asked softly.

I nodded absentmindedly.

"Honey… you're right. And you have every right to be concerned. I admit that I acted out earlier. And I admit that I have been holding a grudge against Eugen for what she did… but… that's because this is the second time you've almost died within the span of a month. I wasn't lying when I said I can't lose you… because you were right… I would let my emotions get the better of me." NJ explained.

"I can't fault you… when I'd do the same thing, NJ." I said softly.

NJ hugged me gently from behind, being careful to avoid my neck.

"I don't mind what you said. I apologized to Eugen and will be issuing an apology to Graf Spee in the morning. I'll do my best to keep things under control from here on. But… I want you to know… that I love you more than life itself. I will never stop loving you. You've brought meaning to my life more than any war could hope to." NJ stated.

"I'm sorry for putting you in this situation." I whispered.

"It's okay. We've moved past it. At least I have… but with us together, I'll pull you past it too." NJ retorted with a smile as she turned me around in her lap. I could see her outfit up close. It made her even more stunning than before, and it really pulled out the color from her eyes. Just like before, I found myself getting lost in the vast ocean blue.

"Your eyes are beautiful… have I ever told you that?" I asked, my mind focused solely on my wonderful girlfriend.

NJ smiled softly.

"You have… but I will cherish the compliment every time." NJ said as she laid her lips on mine. In an instant, my guilt and shame became a distant memory. She had come back to me… just like she said she would back in the hospital.

Between our kisses, we both let our thoughts be known.

"I love you."

Chapter Text

After about five minutes of comforting one another, NJ and I stood and straightened out our clothes before heading to the door.

"Honey… are you sure you're okay?" NJ asked.

I nodded.

"I am. I still feel terrible, but I know I can work on how I talk. And hearing you say that we're okay makes me feel a little better. I think what's best for us now is to go out and finish dinner, have a stiff drink and see everyone off before turning in for the evening." I said. NJ nodded in agreement.

"Hey… before we go… do you like it?" NJ asked as she gestured to her outfit.

I smiled.

"It looks great on you. I like it a lot more than I thought I would." I said.

"I bought another outfit… but that's a surprise for later. So you'll have to make do with this one." NJ said with a soft smile. It was then that I noticed the pronounced color of her lips.

"Did you put on lipstick?" I asked.

NJ blushed and nodded.

"Belfast said the color pulled the outfit together since it complimented my hair and clothes. So I picked it up. I really like the color, but if you don't like it, I don't have to wear it." NJ said.

"I didn't say that." I said as I looked in the bathroom mirror to see a messy outline of lipstick smeared across my lips.

NJ noticed it as well and giggled.

"Looks like I'll head out first so you can wash your face." NJ said as she purposefully kissed my cheek before heading out the bathroom door.

I looked in the mirror again. The shade she had chosen resembled a deep reddish purple, similar to that of an aged pinot noir. Taking into account NJ's choice of clothes, hair, eyes, and skin tone, it was clear that Belfast wasn't a maid for show and that she had truly dedicated herself to the craft of pleasing those she called "Master".

I turned on the hot water and soaked a washcloth to wipe away the reddish stains on my lips and cheek. I beat myself up as I washed my face for allowing myself to shut down in such a manner. Any faith that the girls had in me was surely gone in the face of this incident. I had made myself look utterly incompetent in front of the very people who were helping me. I took a deep breath and let it out.

"Well… here goes." I whispered as I dried my face and walked out of the bathroom. I walked over to my clothes and pulled out a pair of shorts and a shirt, slipping into them before heading back into the dining room.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

NJ arrived at the table and sat down, drawing the eyes of everyone present.

"Well… that's certainly one heck of a fashion statement, Jersey." Howe said as she covered her face with her hand to hide her blush.

"You think so? It's comfortable and looks good. Tyler likes it too, so that's all that matters to me." NJ said as she took a bite of her food.

"Forgive me for saying… but I doubt anyone would dislike your… fashion choice, Black Dragon. I have been known to be a bit scandalous with my choice in clothing and I have to admit that you trump me in sheer sex appeal." Eugen spoke bluntly.

NJ was hesitant to respond, but did so anyway.

"That's what I'm hoping for. Because he and I are going to have to meet with the Sardegna girls as well as Richelieu and her sister. I want him to only look at me, so I have to turn up the sexy to keep him captivated." NJ said with a semi-sarcastic tone and a smile.

"I dunno…you might have some trouble in Sicily. Vittorio is a model in her own right. I slapped many a sailor for staring at the Eternal Flagship while we were in Malta. She rivals you in looks and has a passion hotter than a Sicilian summer. I'd suggest you dig deep if you want to keep him from staring." Warspite chimed in.

"Passion? What's that supposed to mean?" NJ whined.

"Let's just hope she doesn't take too much of a liking to your man… or you will find her to be quite the thorn in your side." Warspite warned.

NJ stared at Warspite.

"Warspite. Do try to not rile her up. We do not need to be the root of an international incident because of her jealousy." QE said as she sipped her tea.

"Of course. But if it's all the same, I speak the truth." Warspite said.

Belfast turned towards the doorway and saw me approaching.

"Ladies. I say we tidy up the conversation. Master has returned." Belfast spoke just loud enough for the room to hear.

"Belfast… I hate to be a bother, but do you think you could pour me another drink?" I asked.

Eugen looked towards me.

"Are you sure you want to drink so heavily? You're closing in on over a quarter of a bottle of scotch and you've barely had a bite to eat." Eugen said.

NJ turned to the cruiser, but held her tongue. She hadn't thought about it but she was right.

"I'll be okay. I have a very high tolerance." I replied with a smile. In all reality, I just needed to escape sobriety as fast as I could to drown my own self-doubt.

Belfast, as requested, poured me another drink and set it at my place at the table.

"I must insist that you enjoy this drink with your meal, Master. There are times for letting loose, but I would advise against it in the presence of Her Majesty." Belfast said.

"On that I would agree. I do not like to see men overly intoxicate themselves. I would suggest keeping that in mind, Commoner." QE spoke sternly. Her tone held an air of superiority, yet it didn't feel as though she was speaking down to me, more like she was saying this to keep up appearances while showing that she cared. I nodded.

"No worries. As I said… high tolerance." I replied as I took a bite of my food.

The rest of dinner went smoothly. The argument was never referenced nor the implication of weakness on my end. It made me feel better in the moment knowing that they weren't digging into it needlessly. As the last bits of food were eaten and silverware stacked onto plates, Belfast took initiative to begin clearing the table. QE was the first to speak.

"As promised, I will begin work on a plan to get you access to a port in the Falklands. As soon as I have details, I will contact New Jersey to inform you. I assume that arrangement is agreeable?" QE asked.

I focused on her voice, fighting the haze in my head.

"Absolutely. I eagerly await the good news." I replied, focusing on each word to make sure I wasn't slurring. I had been successful in divesting myself from my sobriety and was now feeling as free as one could be.

"Then with that, I will bid you farewell. It is unlikely we will see each other for a while, but I hope this endeavor proves fruitful. In fact, I refuse to leave it to chance. I order you, Commoner, to make this work. Recruit everyone you can and make a stand. This is a noble cause… make it reality." QE said as she, Warspite, George, Howe and Belfast stood from their chairs and headed for the door.

"Sheffield, I assume you will continue serving the Master this evening?" Belfast asked.

"Of course. See to it Her Majesty arrives to her destination safely." Sheffield spoke flatly as she moved to the spot in the room where Belfast had been standing all night. It was only then that I had noticed that Belfast and Sheffield hadn't eaten.

"Sheffield?" I asked, once again trying to hide my intoxication.

"Yes, Mr. Sweigart?" Sheffield replied.

"Could you make a plate for Belfast to take with her? I didn't see her eat dinner. You are welcome to it as well." I said.

Sheffield's lips curled ever so slightly into the faintest of smiles.

"Of course, Mr. Sweigart." Sheffield said as she took a clean plate and filled it with food before handing it to Belfast. She then went about making a plate for herself as I leaned back in my seat and stared at the ceiling until it was just Me, NJ, Eugen and Sheffield left.

I yawned as Sheffield made quick work of her dinner. Despite the rushed pace, she ate with grace and decorum and was back on her feet in less than ten minutes. I, on the other hand, was no longer capable of hiding my intoxication.

"Perhaps it is time to see you off to bed, Mr. Sweigart. You seem to have overindulged." Sheffield said as I turned my head towards her.

"Yup." I replied shortly as NJ looked over at me.

"Come on, Honey. Let's get you put to bed." NJ offered as she stood from her seat and helped me to my feet. She allowed me to lean on her shoulder as we walked to the bed, where I flopped down on my side of the bed. The alcohol in my system blocked most of the pain, but the sudden jolt put tension on my stitches, causing a sharp pain across my neck. I hissed in pain, only for the pain to rapidly subside. NJ checked the stitches to make sure everything held.

"Honey. You need to be careful. You don't want to tear your stitches." NJ scolded me lightly. In my hazy mind, I heard her and I heard Sheffield cleaning up the dining room. Eugen was no doubt sitting in her chair still, waiting for permission to head to the room that Sheffield and her were now sharing at my request.

NJ smiled as she looked down at me.

"Come, let's get you ready for bed." She said as she slipped the shirt off my chest, leaving me in just my gym-style shorts. I got to watch her strip completely before throwing on a pair of black panties and her oversized red Battleship New Jersey shirt.

"No matter the outfit… seeing you like this makes me a very happy man." I said as I began to doze off.

NJ smiled but didn't say a word. She climbed into bed after she was sure Sheffield and Eugen had left for the evening. She then climbed into bed and gingerly pulled me to her.

"Goodnight Honey. I love you more than anything." NJ whispered as she kissed my forehead and embraced me, lulling me into a deep sleep with the sound of her breathing.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

The following morning came quickly. I was the first one awake as per usual.

"Just like a warship, gotta fire the engines to build steam." I whispered as I kissed NJ on the forehead. She had managed to remove her shirt again during the night, so I slipped out of bed and covered her up before heading to the dining room.

It was spotless. Almost as if the feast from the evening before never took place. Everything was as it was supposed to be. From behind me, I heard a knock at the door.

"Mr. Sweigart."

It was Sheffield. I quickly made my way to the door and opened it to see the maid with two plates of food as well as a small assortment of fruit and juices in pitchers.

"I took the liberty of ordering you a light breakfast for this morning. Is the missus awake yet?" Sheffield asked as I gestured for her to come in.

"No…" I said as I closed the door.

"...just like most massive ships, it takes time for her to build the energy to wake up from a deep sleep like that. She'll be up in about ten to twenty minutes." I said as I stretched.

"I see. I shall keep her breakfast warm then. How are you feeling? You were pretty out of it last night, if I can say so." Sheffield asked as she walked with me to the table.

"I'm right as rain. I don't have hangovers, never have." I replied with a smile as Sheffield scoffed lightly.

"Lucky you. Even someone like me is a tad sluggish after a night out with the head maid. She is quite the drinker without a master to serve." Sheffield spoke.

"Is it wise to divulge her secrets like that?" I asked.

Sheffield looked at me.

"I only bring it up because you mentioned Edinburgh last night. Belfast did not take the news of her sister sinking very lightly and has struggled endlessly to overcome it. The fact of the matter is, even if you took the dragon out of the picture, Eugen is only alive because you willed it to be, and she has deemed you her master when this whole thing goes off. Your orders to her are absolute. But deep down, she holds a hatred for the Kriegsmarine. One that time has failed to erode." Sheffield spoke quietly.

"I see… I'll keep that in mind." I said. It occurred to me that I had used the names of sister ships to elicit compassion for Eugen. But at the same time, I failed to think about the fact that those sister ships… were the actual sisters of the girls in their class.

"How are George and Howe doing? I brought up Prince of Wales too…" I asked.

"They have thick skin. But their station prioritizes Her Majesty and her safety. They have long since come to terms with Wales's death at Ceylon, what you now know as Sri Lanka. But do keep in mind that these ships from the war, most had Kansen… and each one sunk back then… resulted in the death of it's Kansen. Graf Spee and a bunch of the other German girls got lucky since they were scuttled. But those that were sunk in combat were the ones that didn't make it. To put it in simpler terms… you won't be seeing a woman named Arizona." Sheffield said.

My heart sank.

So many women lost to the sea. For what? Our fruitless wars? Why did we create the Kansen? No… even more importantly… how did we come across them in the first place? NJ said that men had introduced something called wisdom cubes to the hull of the New Jersey during construction. This was getting deeper by the minute.

"Sheffield." I spoke.

"Yes sir?" Sheffield replied.

"I have a question to ask… but it might be a bit uncomfortable." I said.

"Ask it. If I am able, I will answer." Sheffield replied as she set the table.

"Why do kansen exist?" I asked.

Sheffield stopped.

"I believe you would be better off asking that to the United Nations when you have a fleet of nuclear power to back you. I cannot answer that, all I know is that I was created to fight. But… if I can speak candidly… I do not feel as though the fights I have fought are the real reason as to why I was created. I did not feel a sense of accomplishment or completion when my guns were turned against humans. That is all I can say on the matter." Sheffield spoke.

"So… there's a suspicion of something being kept from the people?" I asked.

"What do they say about hearing voices on the wind? You're only crazy until you find the one who speaks?" Sheffield said.

I nodded.

"Looks like I'll need a bigger shovel." I spoke as I leaned back against my hands to crack my back.

"But for now, you are too weak to dig for those clues. Get a fleet together. Station in the Falklands. I have faith that Her Majesty will get you the support you need. With a base of operations, you can pose these questions to the governments of the world. Maybe we were just created to fight human wars… but my gut doesn't agree." Sheffield spoke.

"And I trust your gut more than my government at this point." I spat.

Sheffield smiled before snapping her head towards the door. Moments later a knock came to the door.

"Quite the ears on you." I said as I headed for the door.

"Ask who it is." Sheffield hissed.

"Who is it?" I asked as I got to the door.

"Nancy Collier. Open the door, Tyler." Vestal spoke through the door.

I swallowed heavily and opened the door.

"Yes mother…" I muttered under my breath.

"I am not your mother. But if you don't open this door, You're gonna wish she was here." Vestal said as I quickly opened the door to see the repair ship standing there with her arms crossed and her foot tapping rapidly on the floor.

"Good morning." I tried with a smile.

Vestal stared at me for a few seconds before entering the room and allowing me to close the door.

"I was a fool to let you out of my sight. So now you no longer have the privilege." Nancy spoke as she looked past me towards Sheffield.

"Good morning, Sheffield. It pleases me to see you in good health. I apologize for my patient's dumbassery." Vestal spoke.

"Good morning to you as well, Lady Vestal. The feeling is mutual." Sheffield said.

"Have you eaten?" I asked.

"I had some subpar food at the airport at JFK last night. A bag of peanuts on the plane." Vestal said.

"I shall fetch another plate from the kitchen." Sheffield spoke as she quickly left the room.

I looked at Vestal and gave an innocent smile. She did not buy it.

"You're going to go sit in the dining room and you're going to tell me what happened. And then you're going to add me to whatever travel plans you have because you aren't leaving my sight." Vestal spoke firmly.

Chapter Text

Vestal marched me to the table and sat me down. Sheffield returned a few awkward minutes later with a third plate of food.

"Mr. Sweigart, shall I wake the missus?" Sheffield asked.

"Yes. Please do." Vestal replied before I could respond.

I rubbed the back of my neck as Vestal glared at me.

"So, who did it? Have the police been notified?" Vestal asked.

"Well… the police are dealing with the issue…" I said.

"You're not answering my question. Who did this, and are they being persecuted?" Vestal asked.

"It was Prinz Eugen. In lieu of reporting her to the police, we have found other ways to deal with her." Sheffield spoke upon her return. NJ sleepily waddled in and flopped in the chair next to me. Vestal looked at Sheffield curiously.

"Good morning honey." NJ groaned as she leaned on my shoulder.

"Good morning, dear. We have a visitor." I replied.

NJ looked at Vestal and waved.

"Jersey. Need I remind you that he has quite a bit of sensitive information. He should not be left alone and something like this allowed to happen to him." Vestal said as she pointed to my stitches.

"I wanted to deal with the Gerry myself, but Honey said I couldn't. Besides, she's going to be useful to us." NJ said sleepily.

"Be that as it may, I am going to be joining you two from here on. It seems that you still have a bit to learn about protecting your boyfriend. And until I deem it, you two are going to have a third wheel." Vestal spoke sternly as she ate her breakfast.

"That's good. Now we have someone to keep an eye on Eugen. I won't have to tamp down any… urges I may have." NJ spoke as she stretched her arms. I tugged at my collar as Vestal looked at me.

"What?" Vestal asked.

"Yeah. Eugen said she could introduce us to some people in Japan since the Japanese girls won't take too kindly to me being there. So we've decided to bring her too, at least until we get done traveling so we can send her to her vessel in Uruguay." NJ replied.

"Eugen is still here?" Vestal asked.

"Yes. Shall I bring her? She should be done with breakfast by now." Sheffield replied.

"She wasn't offered the opportunity to eat with us?" I asked.

"No sir. I figured it prudent to keep her separate from you until you and the missus are awake and fully aware. Purely a safety precaution." Sheffield said.

"I see. In the future, please give her the option. If she decides not to, that's fine, but I want the offer extended." I said.

"I understand. I will extend any offer you see fit." Sheffield said with a bow.

"Thank you, Sheffield." I said as I took a bite of my food.

"Yes, sir." Sheffield replied neutrally.

Vestal sighed as she pulled out a small stack of papers from her travel bag.

"I got the information from the doctors here. I also made sure to bring my medical bag so when the time comes, I can take out those stitches." Vestal said as she took a sip of her water.

"I appreciate your concern, Vestal." I said as I continued to eat.

"If it were anyone else, they wouldn't get this treatment. This is just me covering my ass. You have sensitive intelligence that could hurt a lot of girls." Vestal said.

"We will speak further on that. There has been a slight change in plans." I said.

"Plans? What plans?" Vestal asked as she now looked at me with a heaping dose of suspicion.

"Yes. With help from the Royal Navy… We have drafted a plan for Azur Lane." I spoke as NJ tucked into her own breakfast, allowing me the floor to speak.

"Azur Lane, what is that?" Vestal asked.

"It is a place for you girls. The world will know of its existence, and you will be allowed the freedom to live as you see fit. All surviving Kansen will. I want to develop this idea further with girls from other factions… but with two nuclear powered vessels under NJ and I, we can project enough power to keep the militaries of the world at bay until the adoption of Azur Lane is finalized." I said.

"T-two?! Who else did you manage?!" Vestal cried.

"Her Majesty has declared that Belfast and Warspite will be transferred to the command of Mr. Sweigart upon news outbreak that he and the dragon have made their escape. Warspite is already preparing herself for rebinding to the Valiant class submarine that carries her name. Belfast will be then ordered by her Majesty to fire her engines and escape while she stalls a sizable section of our Navy. She has garnered an ear with some in Parliament, so she may get off lightly on these charges of treason." Sheffield replied.

"You met Queen Elizabeth? And you somehow convinced her to back this insanity?!" Vestal asked.

"Prinz Eugen's testimony was a huge factor. Some of the factions have been treated horrendously. Queen Elizabeth has promised to work on a plan to give Azur Lane a home in the Falklands. It has deep water and access to the ocean while not being completely disconnected from a major power. She is willing to convince the Government of the Falklands to give us asylum in return for NJ being a source of Nuclear Deterrence for their nation." I said.

"That is insane, Tyler. Do you realize just how wrong this could go?" Vestal asked.

"I do. But we have a plan. And… it hinges on cooperation with a lot of people. You included." I spoke solemnly.

"Me?! You want me in on this?" Vestal cried.

"Yes. Because this will affect you if we succeed." I said. Vestal stopped and thought for a moment before mumbling something to herself under her breath.

"What would I have to do, hypothetically?" Vestal asked.

"Hypothetically… the American Kansen whose hulls are museums. I need their support." I said.

"So… the South Dakota girls, the Essex girls, Laffey, and Nautilus… right?" Vestal asked.

"Yes. Anyone you can." I said.

"North Carolina would be difficult. Her vessel is trapped." Vestal said.

"She can join us without her ship. If we get Alabama and Massachusetts, that's twenty-seven 16 inch guns in total. Not to mention the South Dakota class came right before the Iowa class. Along with Yorktown, Intrepid and Hornet? We could stand our own." I said.

"Yes… yes you could. And… you're sure this is the path you want to go down?" Vestal asked.

"You girls deserve to be recognized publicly for your service. Every Kansen of every nation deserves to live free. You were all ordered by your respective navies… so Eugen shouldn't be persecuted as a Nazi. And the surviving members of the Kriegsmarine have served long enough prison sentences. I don't know about the other factions, but you girls shouldn't be treated any differently than I am." I said passionately. I could feel my chest tightening.

Vestal smiled softly.

“I guess I couldn’t persuade you otherwise, huh?” Vestal asked.

“Nor would I allow you. Ever since I found out about you and learning about how poorly some of the girls are treated, I am dead set on making a difference, even if it means risking everything.” I said.

"I will not help you directly… as my position is very very delicate." Vestal said as my spirit dampened.

"Come on, Vestal. This is a chance to finally cut all that damn red tape. Do you really not care for a better life?" NJ asked sharply.

"Now hold your horses, Jersey. I didn't say I wouldn't help at all." Vestal said as she pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

I sat quietly as NJ glared at the repair ship.

"Good Morning."

"Yes. Yes. I know it is quite early. I apologize."

"It is important. There's… a movement that you may be interested in."

"It's called the Azur Lane initiative."

"No it is not government funded."

"No I am not joking either. I'm in London speaking with the gentleman behind it."

"I am sure he would love to speak with you. Here he is. And yes, before you ask, he knows. So don't hold back."

Vestal handed her phone over to me, to which I immediately put it on speaker.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" A woman's voice came over the phone.

"Y-yes. I can hear you. May I know who I am speaking to?" I asked.

"My cover name is Emma Sue… but Vestal says you know about what we are… so I'll tell you my name. I am the Kansen of the former battleship BB-57…" The woman spoke.

"South Dakota." I whispered hesitantly.

"That's right. Battleship South Dakota. Now… let's hear about this Azur Lane thing." South Dakota said.

"Before that… I would like to prove my intentions. If you could wait just one moment." I said as I muted the phone.

"Make it snappy. It's 3 A.M. and I'm tired." South Dakota spoke firmly.

I looked at Sheffield.

"Could you collect Eugen for me?" I asked.

"Of course. I will be naught but a moment." Sheffield replied as she quickly left the room to collect Eugen. Several seconds after, Eugen walked in with Sheffield.

I unmuted the phone.

"Sorry for the delay. My name is Tyler Sweigart. I am an American citizen hailing from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I came to learn about you Kansen by way of my girlfriend." I said.

"Girlfriend? How does she know?" South Dakota asked.

"Because I am one, Sodak." NJ replied.

"Sodak… I haven't heard someone call me that since… is that you, New Jersey?!" South Dakota cried.

"The one and only." NJ replied.

"How did you snag the Black Dragon of all people, Tyler?" South Dakota asked excitedly.

"I found her on my doorstep in January. She's been homeless since 1991. I took her in… one thing led to another and now we're together." I replied honestly.

"You picked her up like a lost puppy? That would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad. I've dealt with the prospect of homelessness a few times myself since I was retired… anyway, what is this Azur Lane thing? You got me hooked." South Dakota spoke.

Eugen took the time to speak up.

"Hello, South Dakota. You may or may not remember me…" Eugen spoke.

"And you're there too, huh Gerry? I see this Azur Lane initiative involves more than just us American Girls, Mr. Sweigart." South Dakota said.

"Yes it does. As we all know… Kansen currently are treated as second class citizens." I said.

"Yeah. A lot of girls can't get loans for housing outside of direct government support, which only comes to the more well known girls anyway. A lot of girls are homeless, just like Jersey was. And of course with no official birth records, we can't prove anything. All the red tape and NDA's makes it hard to live normally here." South Dakota said.

"Right. Well… Prinz Eugen, who is here with me has some disturbing news. Apparently the German Kansen who survived are permanently imprisoned in Germany. And with their ships not being fit for Kansen, there are no plans for their release." I said.

"That sounds awful… those girls fought for their country, and this is their treatment after?" South Dakota asked.

"Apparently it may get worse. Eugen has a sister, Lützow. She was transferred to the Soviets and renamed Tallinn. But after getting some help from Tallinn back in 1947… she's gone dark. Eugen hasn't heard a word. I have no evidence to back this up, but the Russians might be doing the same with their Kansen…" I replied.

I could hear South Dakota grumbling.

"I see. And this Azur Lane initiative addresses these problems?" South Dakota asked.

"Yes. Put simply, I want a place where there is no red tape. Not secrecy. No lies. No cover stories. Just you girls, out in the world living your best lives. Free from the governments that once used you for war. Free from the people who seek to keep your existence a secret forever. That is what Azur Lane is." I said.

"It sounds pretty bold. You got any muscle?" South Dakota asked.

"I have something better… Nuclear Firepower." I replied.

South Dakota gasped in realization.

"New Jersey's Tomahawks." South Dakota whispered.

"Correct. But of course… I can't rely on nuking the US Navy or anyone who disagrees. I do not wish to start a nuclear war." I said.

"So what I am hearing… is you need more conventional tactics for dealing with the US military and her allies. How do you plan to get this idea going? They'll arrest you for illegal possession of state secrets." South Dakota asked.

"Well… when the feds come knocking… NJ and I will make our escape to Camden. She'll reactivate her vessel and we will head out to sea to await Nautilus. Nautilus has already confirmed her allegiance to NJ should things go south. We'll sail until we can get negotiations started." I said.

"So you need a fleet. That's all I picked up from that. You need more muscle than what you have." South Dakota asked.

"Yes. I know your sisters still have their vessels…" I said.

"I will give them a call. See if I can't convince them to join your little merry fleet. If all goes well, I dare say you and I will be meeting when this all goes down." South Dakota spoke proudly.

"Anything helps, South Dakota. I appreciate your ear and willingness to help." I said.

"Ooo, Jersey. I'm beginning to like your boyfriend. You better keep him real close." South Dakota said as she hung up the phone.

NJ blushed fiercely.

"That little! What the hell?!" NJ cried.

"Looks like your ideals are making you a popular man, Mr. Sweigart." Sheffield commented.

"So it would seem… let's hope I can make them a reality." I said as Vestal turned towards Eugen.

"And you. You're the one that put that nasty cut on his neck. I have been told that you're being dealt with… but you had better understand the risk this very man is undertaking to make you a free woman." Vestal barked.

"I have already pledged myself to act as one of the many arms of his ideals. My vessel, Graf Spee, and I are all at his service. If harm comes to him, it will only be because I have been killed first. I owe him that for standing up for me against… her." Eugen said as she looked over at New Jersey.

"I will hold you to that, Prinz Eugen. The more he talks about this… the better it sounds. I want this to happen, so you had better pony up if it ever comes to it." Vestal said as Eugen nodded.

"On my honor, I shall." She replied simply.

"So South Dakota is in our corner… what happened to her, Vestal? She was so quiet back in '42." NJ asked.

"1973. She found a man who captivated her so completely, she let spill that she was a Kansen. She said it was like every wall she had built up was melted away by his presence… those are her words, mind you. Well, he didn't mind and they lived happily until 1975. One little squabble between them got out of hand and saw him contact the FBI. Not 24 hours later, they showed up ready to restrain her and him. But between the call and the knock on the door, he had a change of heart and stood to get her out of the house. He fought with the agents until a gunshot rang out. A few moments later, he fell to the ground dead. The captain of the squad sent for South Dakota had shot him in the chest, obliterating his heart. South Dakota… did not take kindly to it and proceeded to beat the captain to within an inch of his life before finally being subdued and restrained… she was released from prison in 2001." Vestal explained.

"Twenty six years? Last I checked, the maximum sentence was twenty years." NJ spoke firmly.

"They tacked on an extra six for disclosing state secrets. But did not impose the maximum sentence of ten years since the only person who knew died in the apprehension. So I can safely say that she is not a big fan of the government at large. Much less the laws pertaining to Kansen. I'm sure you'll have two fully armed battleships to meet up with when the time comes." Vestal said as she wrote down the number and handed it to NJ.

"That sounds terrible. And now I'd guess she's living out in the woods somewhere? That's what I'd do." I said.

"Last I checked, she and Minneapolis were shacked up in an abandoned lodge somewhere in Black Hills National Forest." Vestal said with a shrug.

"Minnie too, huh? I guess that makes sense. Old girl never really cared for social interactions. Liked to keep to herself." NJ said.

"As for the Essex girls. I'll dig through my notebook. I know I have Yorktown's address in there somewhere." Vestal said.

"Now wait a minute. This is the second time you've mentioned the Essex class. And now you're talking specifically about Yorktown. Yorktown and Hornet died during the war. They sank. And now that I think about it, so did Laffey. They should all be dead. You're saying they're not?" I asked.

"Yes. It is a massive gray area surrounding the life and death of Kansen. On one hand, we are the vessels that we are named after. On the other, we are separate entities. Hornet sank at Santa Cruz, but abandoned ship when she could no longer save any more sailors. She was horrifically burned and unable to walk on her own for some time. The new Hornet went without a Kansen until she was well enough to serve again. Yorktown sank at Midway. Pretty much the same story, but she abandoned ship last minute… like as I-68's torpedos were slamming into her vessel. She caught shrapnel as she fell into the water. She had to cling to the wreckage to survive long enough to be picked up by Enterprise's search and rescue teams. She spent a while in recovery as well. Hammann sadly did not make it, the detonation amidships split the hull and sank her and the majority of her crew before she could abandon ship. Yorktown still writes to me to this day as she feels responsible for Hammann's death." Vestal explained.

"And… Laffey?" I asked.

"Sunk during Guadalcanal. She was plucked from the water after her battle with Hiei and taken prisoner by the Japanese. She managed to survive as a POW in China until early 1943 when a member of Nationalist China managed to sneak her and a few other US soldiers from the camp during a storm. She was swiftly taken from safehouse to safehouse until they were able to get her on a plane where she was taken to Admiral Halsey and the third fleet. Halsey, after consulting with Nimitz, sent her back to the states to be immediately relinked to a new destroyer… an Allen M. Sumner class destroyer with her name on it. She was sent out in 1944 without so much as a leave of absence. I… wasn't there on the day she made history." Vestal said softly.

"But I was…" NJ said solemnly. We both turned to NJ. Eugen was also listening intently at this point.

"How… bad was it?" I asked.

"I heard it over the radio. The first Kamikaze tossed her crew around terribly. I remember it like it was yesterday. I looked out from my bridge and saw her stealing the fuel from the torpedos in her forward launcher after the first kamikaze hit. She collected the fuel, which was almost pure ethanol, and drank it like it was water. She then took complete control of her vessel and looked towards the bridge. She told her captain, word for word…

'You better hope and pray to whatever god you believe in that these men can keep this ship afloat, because if I go down again, I'm dragging all you fuckers with me! I refuse to be held captive by those motherless savages for another goddamn minute! I'll slaughter them all… with or without you!'

She then proceeded to down eight aircraft at the cost of five more Kamikaze hits and four direct bomb hits, all while drinking almost pure ethanol. I then watched her stumble over ruined decking and twisted steel until she collapsed onto the bow of her ship… they performed emergency repairs and sailed her back home. I… didn't see her again after, even if her vessel was nearby, I never saw her in active combat." NJ spoke. Vestal then took over.

"She was relieved of duty in Washington when they docked for repairs. They granted her a general discharge after weighing the severity of her insubordination against the gusto she carried herself with in battle. She saved lives… at the cost of her sanity. She's been in a mental health facility since then. I get updates every time they transfer her, as I am listed as her physician. She sleeps all the time now. When she isn't sleeping, she's drinking whatever she managed to smuggle in. Anytime staff tries to take it, she attacks them and it takes four to five massive nurses to reign her in. It's gotten to the point that they just let her drink whenever she needs it, and they just monitor her consumption." Vestal said.

"Is she able to be released?" I asked.

"Legally? Yes. Would I recommend you putting her at risk of losing her mind? No." Vestal spoke firmly.

"Can we speak to her?" I asked.

"I can try. She might not be awake." Vestal said as she dialed a number into her phone.

"Yes. This is Doctor Collier. I'm trying to reach my patient."

"Yes, that's her."

"She's awake? Color me impressed. Is she okay?"

"I see. Can we perhaps give her the phone? I would very much like to speak with her."

"I know it's policy to record the discussion, but this is a private matter pertaining to doctor and patient confidentiality."

"Thank you. I appreciate your cooperation."

Vestal sat her phone on the table and put the call on speaker.

"She has the phone now, Doctor. I'll be leaving the room now." A woman said as we all heard a door shut.

"Vestal? What year is it now? What do you want?" A tired sounding voice asked.

"It's 2022, Laffey. How are you feeling today?" Vestal asked softly.

"Tired. I finally got the nightmares to stop again… so now I just want to sleep. Why did you call me?" Laffey asked.

"I have a gentleman who would like to speak to you. Is that okay?" Vestal asked.

"Is he Japanese?" Laffey asked.

"No. He is as red blooded American as you are, Laffey." Vestal said quickly. It felt like this was a major thing to Laffey.

"That's good at least. I don't want to hear their excuses." Laffey snapped.

"Laffey? My name is Tyler. It's nice to hear you… I can't really say meet since we aren't face to face." I said with a chuckle.

Laffey chuckled back.

"I guess you have a point, Tyler. Why did you have Vestal call me?" Laffey asked.

"I have a very selfish request. You can say no if you want. I will not fault you… I heard what happened. I'm terribly sorry." I said softly.

Laffey yawned.

"Who told you?" Laffey asked.

"Vestal… and my girlfriend, New Jersey." I replied.

There was shuffling on the other end.

"New Jersey is there with you? Right now?" Laffey asked.

"She's sitting next to me right now." I said.

"Hi, Laffey. It's good to hear your voice after so long." NJ said happily.

"You and the North Carolina girls were always my favorites… I miss Washington and North Carolina." Laffey said.

"They're still around, Laffey. And if you listen to what Honey has to say, you might find something interesting." NJ said before Vestal and I gave her side eye.

"I'll listen… but I reserve my right to not accept." Laffey said as I heard her yawn again.

"That is understandable, Laffey. I won't force anything upon you. You've done more than enough for one lifetime as is." I said softly.

"Well? Let's hear it." Laffey said as I heard the pop of a cork.

"I need your help." I spoke simply.

"Why me?" Laffey asked.

"You are the only destroyer Kansen I know of that has her vessel preserved." I replied.

"So you want me to sail again? Why?" Laffey asked as I could hear her gulping down something before letting out a harsh breath. She was drinking something strong.

"I want to give Kansen a place to live their lives freely. No red tape. No secrecy. And all the recognition you deserve." I spoke simply.

"And why do I need to sail again for that to become a reality?" Laffey asked.

"Because the governments of the world will try to stop me from making this a reality. So… I need help with firepower and deterrence." I replied.

"So what I'm hearing is, you want an antique warship with a drunkard captain to sail in some fleet to help create this Kansen paradise? You're insane." Laffey said flatly.

"I see. I'll take that as a no, then?" I asked.

"Don't put words in my mouth or I'll find you and put a boot in yours." Laffey snapped angrily.

"My apologies." I replied meekly.

"Who else is involved?" Laffey asked.

"New Jersey, Vestal, South Dakota, Nautilus, Prinz Eugen, Graf Spee. There are others we are waiting to hear from. South Dakota is talking to her sisters Massachusetts and Alabama. Vestal is going to try to find a way to contact Yorktown to get Essex and Hornet on board as well." I replied.

"So you found a German? I am impressed. You said your name was Tyler?" Laffey asked.

"Yes, ma'am." I replied.

"Don't ma'am me. Just because I'm old enough to be your grandmother doesn't mean I want to be treated as such. I probably look younger than you anyway." Laffey snapped.

"Sorry." I replied. It was clear that her temper was on a hair trigger. One wrong move and she'd go off.

"Let me sleep on it. I don't want to jump into this blind. I'd be putting on a uniform I haven't worn in a long time… and I honestly need to think about if I'm ready to bear that weight again." Laffey said.

"I understand. Thank you for taking time to talk to me, Laffey." I said.

"Goodnight, Tyler." Laffey said as she hung up the phone.

Vestal looked at me.

"Still considering it?" Vestal asked.

"I… I don't know. I need all the help I can get… but she really does seem to be done with it all. I… just don't know." I said as NJ rubbed my back.

"We can deal with it. If she agrees, we'll make sure to only deploy her if necessary. If not, we'll work with what we got." NJ said assuringly.

I nodded.

"Thank you for allowing me to talk to her. I'm sorry for the trouble." I said.

"She went through a lot, didn't she?" Eugen asked.

"Yes. She was a POW in Japanese controlled China. She lost her original vessel during Guadalcanal. She suffers from severe PTSD and copes by drinking heavily. She gets semi-annual blood draws and her BAC hasn't seen the legal limit since 1942. With all respects to that brave little destroyer… she's a mess." Vestal replied bluntly.

"She's worse off than me… and I was a Nazi for fucks sake… She will be protected if she joins us. I have sonar and radar equipment. I can do her job so she doesn't have to engage unless we really fuck up." Eugen promised as I smiled.

"I'm glad to see you stepping up, Eugen. The fact that you're taking this seriously helps calm my nerves about the whole thing. Thank you." I said as I finished my breakfast.

Eugen stammered aimlessly for a moment.

"This is nothing to thank me for. I want a better life. And now I see that there are some worse off than me. This plan of yours needs to succeed." Eugen said as she turned her head away from me.

I smiled again.

"Well. We can pick this up later. What's on the agenda for today?" I asked.

"Big Ben." NJ said simply.

"We'll have to be careful. But I agree. Let's go sightseeing." I said excitedly. The girls nodded in agreement.

"Your room will be spotless upon your return, Mr. Sweigart." Sheffield said professionally.

"You're not coming?" I asked.

"No. You will likely have Belfast as your Royal Maid entourage for today. I will stay and keep things tidy." Sheffield replied.

"I see. If that's the case… I won't argue. Let's get dressed so we can get going." I said as I turned to NJ, who nodded and went with me to get changed.

Chapter Text

Vestal and the other girls stayed at the table as NJ and I walked back to the bedroom to retrieve our clothes for the day. I didn't see her, but NJ was wearing a troubled expression.

"Honey…" NJ whined softly.

"Yes, my love?" I replied.

"You really do love me, right?" NJ asked.

"Of course I do! What would make you think otherwise?" I asked as I walked over to her and embraced her lovingly.

"I told you… when I first talked about me being… me. The South Dakota girls make me really self-conscious. I know I'm a better ship. I'm better in nearly every way… but they are extremely beautiful girls. And what Sodak said on the phone has me feeling like she'll try to take you away from me." NJ whimpered softly.

"New Jersey. Listen to me. You are an astonishingly gorgeous woman. You are my one and only. If they make advances, I can always say no. You know I would never betray you like that." I said reassuringly.

"So… you'd never go behind my back with any of them? Any of the other Kansen we meet? No matter what?" NJ asked.

"Of course not!" I replied as I hugged her tighter.

NJ nodded softly and returned my embrace. As her arms wrapped behind my back, my hands dropped to grab her stern with a firm grasp.

"I'm more than willing to prove it to you." I whispered, earning myself a squeak as she dug her nails into my back.

"T-tyler!" NJ whispered.

"I will not let you think that they have even a snowball's chance in hell of taking me from you. Even if that means I have to prove it to you every… single… night until it finally sinks in." I whispered in return. A soft moan graced my ears as she imagined the possibilities.

"I-I believe you, Honey. I'm sorry for being so self-conscious." NJ whimpered.

"As long as you never forget that, I'll forgive you." I said as I kissed her cheek and released her stern from my grasp.

NJ released me so she could rub her tender hindquarters.

"So forceful~. If there weren't things to do… I would likely take you up on your offer." NJ spoke softly.

"We'll stop by the convenience store on the way back tonight." I said casually.

NJ paused.

"Okay?" NJ asked.

"Unless you want to try for kids." I spoke, alluding to my intent.

NJ picked it up immediately and promptly got dressed while blushing from cheek to cheek.

"R-right." NJ stammered as she hid her face while putting on her shirt.

I looked at her with a smile. She had no reason to be self-conscious. She had the body, the face, the eyes, the personality. Every inch of her trapped my mind. A small spark ignited at the forefront of my mind.

"You finish getting dressed. I need to go ask Sheffield something." I said as I walked out of the bedroom.

"I won't let anyone take you from me, Honey. My love will burn brighter than all of them… and it's all yours." NJ whispered as she held a hand on her heart. She felt each beat pound her chest like the impact from a five inch shell. She watched me walk out through her shirt before finishing up.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

"Sheffield?" I asked. Vestal and Eugen turned to me.

"Yes, Sir?" Sheffield asked.

"Are there any custom jewelers that you could recommend?" I asked.

"There are a few… depending on what you're looking to get." Sheffield replied.

"Completely custom order. It's a ring." I said softly.

"I see. Making a commitment to the dragon?" Sheffield asked.

"I want to prove that my words aren't for show. I want her to know I'm in this for the long haul. And I am hoping it will boost her self-confidence as a result." I said.

Vestal sighed.

"I never thought she'd manage to get a man. Such a childish woman." Vestal said, thinking back to her time in the Navy when she would interact with NJ.

"I know a place." Sheffield replied neutrally.

"Could you give me a contact?" I asked.

"I can. But they require your custom design up front before they assess it. Thankfully for you, I happen to know an artist." Sheffield said.

"Can I tell you and have you pass it along?" I asked.

"No need. I'll contact them and have them meet you at the Big Ben today. Be sure you know what you want. They are very good at what they do and do not like having their art insulted. So you need to be specific and tell them exactly what you want." Sheffield warned.

"Gotcha." I said.

"Don't worry, I'll distract NJ long enough for you to meet up with this artist. I'm sure we can find something to distract her." Vestal said.

I nodded as Sheffield pulled out her phone and texted someone who I could only assume was the artist.

"What are you thinking?" Eugen asked.

"I want to have a pair of dragons make up the band. Their tails and bodies would make up the main band. Their arms and mouths would be the clasps to hold a custom cut stone. I'll have to have a diamond cut to make what I want, but I think I want it to be a pink diamond in the shape of a heart. The dragons would grip and bite the stone to hold it." I explained softly.

Vestal smiled.

"To show that the dragon has captured your heart. That's adorable." Vestal said as I could feel my face getting hot. I nodded in agreement with her.

"Don't tell her anything." I said as I headed towards the bathroom. NJ entered the room as I was heading out.

"Where are you going, Honey?" NJ asked.

"I'm gonna wash my face and brush my teeth. Gotta finish getting ready." I said as I walked to the bathroom and shut the door behind me. NJ checked over her shoulder to make sure I couldn't hear her before turning to Vestal.

"Vestal. I need to get a ring made." NJ said quietly.

Vestal looked at Eugen and Sheffield, who tried their best to hide their surprise.

"What for?" Vestal asked.

"I… want to get a ring and propose to him. I don't know when… but I am sure that he is the one I want. And I want to make my move before we put the Azur Lane initiative fully into motion. I want to make it clear to all the other girls that he is a taken man." NJ said.

Vestal stifled a chuckle.

"He is a man, NJ. Finding a ring for him is easy. He doesn't need a stone or anything too crazy." Vestal said as NJ pulled one of her cufflinks from her pocket, something that had Vestal leaning back in her seat.

"I want the ring to incorporate this. I just… don't know what all I want for the ring." NJ said.

"If I may suggest something." Eugen said as NJ turned to look at her.

"If I can contact Spee… I have a small ingot of TI-6Al-4V titanium alloy. A gift from my sister, Tallinn. I can have it shipped ahead to Japan. It will be ready when I introduce you to my contacts there." Eugen said.

"That would be nice… and I think if I do it right, I can have the cufflink be the inner band and have a scale pattern laser etched onto the titanium. Make it look like gilded black dragon scales." NJ said softly.

"Narcissistic much?" Vestal asked.

"I don't know, Vestal! I'm over 70 years old and I have no idea what a man wants!" NJ cried softly.

"I, for one, think he will enjoy it, New Jersey." Sheffield spoke candidly.

"See? At least these two get me!" NJ said with a huff.

"Well… if you're looking to do that, do you have an idea on how your dress will look?" Vestal asked.

NJ shook her head.

"I see. Well, why don't we find time during the day to go look for a dress? Sheffield can give us some boutiques to look for." Vestal said.

"But what about Honey?" NJ asked.

"Belfast will keep him occupied, Dragon. I would suggest taking Vestal up on her offer." Sheffield replied neutrally.

"I see… if you're sure that she'll be there…then we should do it." NJ said as she continued checking over her shoulder.

Several seconds after the end of the conversation, I opened the door of the bathroom and walked back to the room. NJ snatched her cufflink from the table and put it in her pocket.

"Are we ready to go?" I asked.

NJ nodded.

"Yeah. We'll be tagging along. The more eyes watching MI5 the better." Vestal said as she grabbed her bag.

"Warspite is waiting for you downstairs. Have a good day and expect a clean room upon your return." Sheffield spoke as NJ, Eugen, Vestal, and I left the suite.

Chapter Text

NJ, Vestal, Eugen and I all left the room, allowing Sheffield to clean and tidy the room.

"I'll put a wrap on your neck to hide the stitches. Just make sure not to make any sudden movements that could tug at your skin." Vestal said as we entered the Lobby of the hotel. Once again, I could feel the eyes of the MI5 agents watching me. Despite being surrounded by Kansen, it felt odd knowing that they wouldn't move unless they had a solid piece of evidence to do so. As flimsy as our facade was, it was good enough in a legal sense to keep MI5 from attempting anything… that is if NJ didn't attack them before they got to me.

We continued out of the lobby and towards the car where Warspite was waiting.

"Good morning, Mr. Sweigart." Warspite spoke professionally.

"Good morning, Elizabeth. How's it look today?" I asked.

"The weather today isn't calling for rain. However, I would keep your coats with you as the wind is supposed to pick up around mid-day." Warspite replied.

"Understood. We're heading to the Big Ben today." I said as Warspite opened the back door for NJ, Vestal and Eugen to hop into. She then opened the passenger side door for me.

"Of course. Get settled and we will be on our way." Warspite said before closing the door and walking around to the driver's side. Within the minute, we were off.

"Why is he sitting up front?" NJ asked with a pout.

"Because, it's only fair. There's more people in here and we don't want to see you lovebirds doing the deed in the back seat." Vestal spoke bluntly. I could not tell if she was serious or just teasing. Either way, it was enough for NJ to blush violently.

"You act like I'm some kind of exhibitionist, Nancy!" NJ cried. For half a moment, I wondered why NJ had called Vestal by her cover name, but then I noted the lack of white noise in the car that I had gotten accustomed to.

I looked towards Warspite who gave me a small dose of side-eye. No words were needed. MI5 were getting suspicious about their bugs going dark. Warspite had to lay off the jamming.

I nodded as Eugen watched our silent exchange.

"Lady Elizabeth, could you perhaps put the window down? It's getting stuffy in here." Eugen spoke. Warspite nodded and put down Eugen's window.

"I'm sorry… I'm terrible with names." I said as I turned to Eugen.

"Just call me Clara, Mr. Sweigart. That should be easier for you to remember." Eugen said promptly.

The rest of the ride was relatively quiet as NJ and Vestal bickered in the back about Vestal's comment.

We arrived at Parliament Square not too long after. We could clearly see Big Ben. As I took in the sight, Warspite tapped my shoulder.

"Mr. Sweigart, if you look down the street here, you can see the corner of Buckingham plaza. If you would like, I can stay here so that when your business is finished with the Big Ben, I can take you to view Buckingham Palace as well." Warspite suggested.

I nodded.

"Sounds good. I appreciate the offer." I said as I opened the door, prompting NJ to open her door as well. As NJ, Vestal and Eugen piled out of the back, I was held back for a moment. Warspite looked around before cupping her hand to my ear.

"Sheffield told me about your plan to meet someone here. You'll be looking for a young woman with white hair. If anyone else approaches you, keep your wits. MI5 is catching on to my tricks. If I were you, I'd arrange for your plans to include an expedited exit from the isles." Warspite whispered softly.

I nodded before cupping my hand to her ear.

"I can work with that. We'll plan to leave tomorrow." I whispered.

Warspite cupped my ear again.

"Her Majesty has permitted use of a private jet under her name. Minimal checks. Dido and Sirius work as hired security for the small airport where her jet is kept, so I'll send ahead and have them overlook the… gift Eugen gave you. I just need your destination." Warspite whispered.

I nodded.

"I'll let you know when we get back to the hotel." I whispered as I got out of the car.

"Have a good time, Mr. Sweigart. Stay safe, and try not to invite any unsavory characters." Warspite spoke loudly as I shut the door.

"Everything okay, Honey?" NJ asked as I caught up to the three kansen.

"We've got a change of plans. After we're done doing our exploring today, we need to pack our bags and be ready to go tomorrow morning." I spoke softly.

"So soon?" Vestal asked.

"Warspite said that MI5 is getting antsy. As you said, Nancy, they know who the three of you are. We were able to get away with it when it was just NJ and I. But with three VIPs, it looks suspicious. So I suggest we split up for a bit to keep suspicion down." I said.

Vestal covered her mouth.

"You're right. I'll take Nicole with me." Vestal said as NJ turned to protest.

"What?! Why?" NJ cried.

Vestal cleared her throat and made a motion to something I couldn't see.

NJ gasped and then turned to me.

"Honey, you go with Clara. We'll meet up for lunch, kay?" NJ said.

I scratched my head, but before I could answer, I was watching Vestal escort my girlfriend towards the western side of the square.

"Looks like it's you and me, Herr Sweigart." Eugen said cheerfully.

"You're not gonna stab me again, right?" I jabbed before chuckling.

Eugen pouted.

"We went over this…" Eugen spoke firmly.

"I know. I know. Don't worry, in time we'll both be able to laugh about it." I said as Eugen and I headed right for the big ben.

"Any idea what that was about?" I asked.

"What was what about?" Eugen asked.

"With Nancy and Nicole." I clarified.

"I haven't a clue." Eugen lied.

"Huh…" I sighed skeptically, but decided not to push it. Eugen immediately pushed to change the subject.

"Funny enough, I happen to know a bit of trivia about this specific clock tower." She said happily.

"Oh?" I asked.

"Yes. This tower was miraculously hit during, but able to survive, the Luftwaffe bombing raids of London. Reading the news articles, a lot of sources have argued over whether it was a German bomb or a British anti-air gun that really damaged the tower. But between you and me…" Eugen came over to whisper in my ear.

"...the Luftwaffe willingly took credit. After all, who could resist telling their family that they hit the Big Ben?" Eugen whispered.

I was speechless. Looking up at the tower, it seemed unlikely that such a stout building could even be bothered by anything other than the biggest bombs Germany could offer.

"But it still survived. The pilots didn't bring it down." I countered.

"True. But it was the equivalent of Japan hitting Pearl Harbor. It was making a point. The Luftwaffe could break through the air defenses this far into London. The same bomb rumored to have damaged Big Ben, did in fact destroy the main chamber of the house of commons. May 1941." Eugen said as she also looked up at the tower.

"True as it may be, the tower still stood. And the Luftwaffe was slowly beaten into submission ahead of the 1944 invasion of Normandy." A familiar voice spoke behind us. Eugen froze. I knew who it was.

"Vicky! Good to see you again!" I said as I turned to see Victorious with a woman matching the description Warspite had given me.

Victorious smiled.

"Funny running into you here, Mr. Sweigart. I was just coming to enjoy the day with my sister." Victorious said as Eugen turned slowly to see the Illustrious class carrier looking directly at her.

The tension was thick despite being in the open square. Victorious's sister spoke up and broke the ice.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Sweigart. I understand you have a project for me?" The woman spoke.

"Y-yes. But how about I get your name before we talk business?" I replied.

The white haired woman gasped.

"Of course. How could I be so rude… my name is Denise L. Boyd. But I prefer to go by Lusty. It is a pleasure to meet you." Lusty spoke with a small bow.

My mind jumped to a wikipedia page I had read some time ago. This woman was Illustrious, lead ship of the same class. Victorious's sister ship.

"My name is Tyler. This is my friend, Clara. It is nice to meet you, Lusty." I said as Eugen slugged my arm, earning herself a scowl from Victorious, who looked ready to destroy Eugen.

"What was that for?" I asked as I rubbed my arm.

"You don't need to introduce me… I can do it myself." Eugen hissed as she refused to break eye contact with Victorious.

"She's right, Mr. Sweigart, but she doesn't need to introduce herself either. She's an old acquaintance of ours." Victorious spoke disdainfully.

"I've never seen you so snappy, Vicky." I commented.

"Usually I'm not, but I was unaware that Clara was going to be here today. Had I known, I would've stayed home." Victorious replied.

"I see. Shall we find a place to sit and talk then? I do have some business with Lusty after all." I said as Victorious nodded.

"Let's do that. The longer I'm here with her, the more upset I get." Victorious spoke as the four of us headed for a crowded cafe on the outskirts of the square.

Chapter Text

Lusty and I lead the group to a small coffee shop within eyeshot of Big Ben. Eugen kept close to me as Victorious trailed closely behind Illustrious.

Lusty walked over to the barista and ordered some drinks before gesturing towards a table in the far corner of the shop. We followed quietly until sitting down at the table.

"Now, I understand you have something for me to do?" Lusty asked softly.

"I do. I assume you are the artist known by our shared acquaintance?" I asked.

"Yes she is. She is the most artistic of my three sisters. She even has an art studio in Southampton. I don't mean to brag, but my sister is a modern day Picasso. She will be more than capable of depicting anything you can imagine." Victorious spoke gleefully, seeming to ignore Eugen's existence in favor of talking with me.

I nodded.

"And…I assume she knows about my situation?" I asked.

"I do. Taming the mighty black dragon is a feat that none have achieved in all my years. To be in the presence of a dragonslayer is something one cannot comprehend, and yet, my excitement is hard to overstate. My good friend here in London told me you wish to fashion the chains which will endear her to you forever. Am I correct?" Lusty asked as Victorious looked at her.

"You've been spending way too much time with Duke of York…" Victorious whispered as her hand covered her face.

I, however, found it entertaining and decided to continue the shenanigans.

"Yes. I wish to bind her to me forevermore. And as such, the chains must be made in such a way to captivate her and convince her that soaring the skies alone is worse than doing so with the man who conquered her. Are you up to the task?" I asked, struggling to keep a straight face as I played out the fantasy farce.

"I understand. Do you have the design specifications? I need you to be specific so that I give you exactly what you want. Taming and domesticating a dragon is no small feat after all." Lusty explained.

"I do. I want the body to consist of two strong dragons, sleek and majestic yet powerful in appearance. Their tails, bodies and lower legs will make up the majority of the band and will wrap around her finger…" I said as I felt my phone buzz.

It was Vestal.

"Ring size 5"

I wondered for half a moment as to how she got that, but i went with it.

"... the size of the band should conform to a size 5. As for the heads and upper arms of these dragons, I want them to be violently grasping a heart shaped jewel. I want the jaws to clamp on the jewel while the arms keep the jewel in place." I explained.

"Ah. So this ring is meant to show that she has a hold of your heart, never to relinquish it. Such a heartwarming display. I have my notes. Please leave me your number so I may send you the work when it is finished. I will draw it in such a way that it can be used as a blueprint for any jeweler in the world." Lusty said as I wrote my number on the paper she had slid to me. As our drinks arrived, and we began to drink, I silently took my roll of cash from my pocket and pulled five hundred dollars from it.

"I don't know how far this goes in your currency, but thank you for keeping this quiet and taking on my request." I said as I slid the money to Illustrious, much to Victorious and Eugen's surprise.
Lusty smiled and took the cash.

"I'll push your request to the top of the docket, as a favor to an old friend. I will expect pictures from the big day, however." Lusty said.

"Not a problem. And should things go our way… you all will be welcome at the reception." I replied as I sipped the coffee in front of me.

"I look forward to the day. Until then, I will bid you a fond farewell. I will be in touch." Lusty said as she and Victorious nodded at me before standing and leaving the restaurant together.

"You are loaded!" Eugen hissed.

"Huh? Oh, yeah… kinda. I got a settlement from a liquor company whose owner rammed my truck and put me in the hospital. They wanted to settle out of court and ended up giving me 100k for not dragging this through civil court. I'm waiting for the subpoena to appear for the criminal trial. So I have a small fortune, but I'm not loaded in any sense." I said.

Eugen pouted.

"And I guess the majority is in the states?" Eugen asked.

"Yup. Locked in a safe guarded by my local war vet." I replied before shifting the conversation.

"Why did Vicky act like that?" I asked.

Eugen sighed.

"I was firing at Hood too. They managed to get Bismarck, but they never caught me. I was the one that got away, and now they know I still exist. They know that I did not perish in your country's nuclear tests. They all hold me as some kind of monster for my involvement with Hood's sinking. It's a mark I will hold on to forever." Eugen whispered as we finished our coffee. We quickly gathered our things and left the restaurant, heading out into the square to explore the Big Ben.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Meanwhile, further away, out of sight of the Big Ben, Vestal sat in front of a changing room in a peculiar boutique. In her lap was her phone, which she had used to text me NJ's ring size so I could convey it to Illustrious. Beside her, was a pile of NJ's clothes, save for underwear.

Vestal sat patiently as she heard the sound of fabric moving over skin and the lock on the door disengage.

"Come on, Nicole. I want to see this dress." Vestal spoke as the door slowly opened, revealing a stunning sight.

NJ was standing in the doorway, blushing to high heaven, but smiling brighter than any star in the universe. The dress, while anything but modest, was wholesome to an extent. There were no overly exposed assets, nor anything that could be deemed as inappropriate. The dress looked as if three pieces of fabric had been brought together and tied together to form a wedding dress. Pure white fabric covered her breasts, her hips and her nethers in the front. Doing a small turn, the dress could also be seen covering just enough of her stern for it to be classy. However, her upper chest, midriff, shoulders, arms, legs and back were exposed by the dress. The attendant clapped gleefully and came over to subtly adjust the dress before advancing on NJ with a large piece of fabric, a needle and some pure white thread. Moments later a long semi-transparent skirt was tacked to the dress, doing well to cast shadows on the upper thigh area and providing cover for NJ's legs.

"I have two more pieces. But I want to know what you think." The attendant said as she directed NJ to a three panel mirror. NJ looked herself up and down, feeling the dress while slightly adjusting some of her more prominent features to fully test the limits of the dress.

"I… really like it. I like the floral skirt and the feathery accents on the waist. I think he'll love it!" NJ said tearfully.

"Wonderful! Now here are the sleeves." The attendant said as NJ looked at the article. It was a collar that was to be tied around her neck as two semi-transparent pieces of fabric flowed down and ended with a loop on each piece, just big enough to slip onto one's middle finger. NJ allowed the attendant to tie the collar onto her neck before guiding her fingers into the loops. NJ stretched her arms as far as she could. The material remained loose and drooped like hanging curtains, yet when her arms were at rest, the sleeves gracefully covered her arms in a thin white veil.

"That looks absolutely stunning on you, Nicole. I have to say, any man would be stupefied, your man is no exception." Vestal said as NJ nodded with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"And lastly the veil." The attendant said as she put the headpiece on NJ's head, covering her blue hair with a white veil littered with flowers and vines. Per NJ's request, the headpiece also had a pair of stark white bunny ears attached temporarily to see what the effect would be. NJ adjusted the ears to a more downward and submissive position before looking in the mirror again. She nodded silently before breaking down crying, causing the attendant and Vestal to rush to her side.
"Nicole, what's wrong?" Vestal asked.

"It's… perfect. But I know it's too much. It can't be real… this can't be…" NJ cried as the attendant understood that this was a more personal issue and she was not required and slowly backed off to watch from a distance.

"What do you mean? You're the one making this happen, Jersey." Vestal whispered.

"I still can't believe this is all happening, I refuse to! He's too good to be true!" NJ cried as she hugged Vestal for all she was worth, almost crushing the repair ship.

"When I first saw him, I thought the same. But seeing him in the hospital and seeing him now, he's one thousand percent yours, dufus. There isn't a soul that can take him from you. You need to take the plunge and lock his ass down. Don't let the other girls get under your skin. South Dakota, North Carolina, the Vittorio girls, they don't hold a candle to the black dragon. Don't you dare doubt yourself here." Vestal hissed. NJ turned back to face the mirror and nodded again.

"I still can't afford this… even though I know I want this." NJ whispered.

"I don't recall asking what you can afford. Do you like the dress or not?" Vestal barked.

NJ nodded silently.

"Then that's that." Vestal said as she waved over the attendant.

"How much is this dress with the alterations?" Vestal asked.

NJ turned to Vestal.

"No. Don't you dare!" NJ cried.

"Don't listen to her. The price." Vestal reiterated.

"Uh… this dress, while it will be available for purchase, is still a concept piece… we haven't costed it out yet, much less fully attached the skirt…" The attendant spoke truthfully.

"Then if you want to make some money today, I'd kindly suggest crunching some numbers and getting your tailor or seamstress in here. I want to make a purchase." Vestal spoke boldly, despite NJ's blubbering in the background.

The attendant nodded and quickly ran off to make the required calculations to price out the dress.
NJ looked at Vestal.

"I can't let you buy me this… I won't let you." NJ said tearfully.

"Are you going to fight me, Jersey? Are you really going to try and stop me?" Vestal asked.
NJ wanted to protest, but the look in Vestal's eyes was too intense in the moment, even for her. NJ quietly returned to the mirror as the attendant returned.

"I did the math. Between the design cost, material, and alterations, we are looking at seventy-five hundred pounds. We haven't fully finished the design however…" The attendant confessed.
"But the dress itself is suitable to her taste as is, even without further alterations. Would you be willing to sell me this dress with the alterations she requested for the price you have offered?" Vestal asked bluntly.

"We can have the full dress with alterations finished by this afternoon… and the seventy-five hundred pound price has room for reduction considering the precious stones we wanted to incorporate would not be included. I can knock it down to sixty-seven hundred since the diamonds and pearls wouldn't be inlaid." The attendant said as she did the math in front of Vestal. NJ listened in muted horror as she was unable to stop Vestal.

"So that would be eighty-six ten in American Dollars. Do you accept checks written for USD?" Vestal asked as she reached into her purse and pulled out a checkbook.

"W-we would add a small fee since it is a foreign check… but we can accept it." The attendant said.

"Then I'll make it out for nine thousand. That should cover the cost, fees, and a little extra as an apology for us taking your concept piece. When you are finished with the alterations, use some of the extra to ship the dress to my home in the states. My housekeeper will see that it is received." Vestal spoke as she signed the check and handed it to the attendant along with her address.

The attendant swallowed heavily before turning to NJ.

"Congratulations Miss. You are the new owner of… a truly one of a kind dress. If I may, I'll have you remove it and change back into your clothes so that I may get our tailor to do your requested alterations and prepare the dress for shipping." The attendant said shakily as NJ took her clothes and went into the changing room with the attendant to remove the dress. Vestal sat back down with a soft smile.

A few minutes later the attendant exited the room with the dress and ran to the back of the store to prepare it. Several more minutes later, NJ walked out and walked up to Vestal.
"T-thank you." NJ said with a sniffle.

"What I said back in the hospital… about me keeping a secret for you. You know I wouldn't ever rat you out. This, however, makes us even for your work in the second world war… now I just have to find a way to repay your willingness to protect Enterprise during Vietnam, Korea and the Gulf…" Vestal admitted.

"You don't owe me anything, you damned repair ship… this… is more than I could've asked from anyone… whatever debt you feel you carry, it's settled now." NJ said as she hugged Vestal again while crying into her shoulder.

"Now you have to promise me that you will put that dress to good use… and I demand an invitation to the wedding. Make this dream of his a reality… so we all can have happy days like this without a care in the world." Vestal said as she patted NJ on the back.

Chapter Text

As Eugen and I were meandering about the base of the Big Ben, NJ and Vestal came running over. Without warning, NJ ran directly to me and hugged me from behind, nearly knocking me off balance as I fought to stabilize myself.

"What has gotten into you?" I asked with a chuckle. I turned to look her in the eyes and I could tell something was up. It took me a second to place the feeling, but it came to me rather clearly. Her eyes resembled a dam that was mere moments from crumbling. I could see tear tracks on her cheeks, and her eyes were puffy. But aside from her physical appearance, the vibe felt weird.

"You okay, Nicole?" I asked as twisted in her grasp and returned her hug.

"Yeah! Yeah. I'm okay. Just happy to see you!" NJ spoke gleefully.

I checked my watch.

"It's only been about two hours… what could have possibly happened for you to miss me this much?" I asked.

"The woman loves you, dimwit. Is that not reason enough?" Vestal replied curtly.

"I… guess it works." I replied, still heartily confused, but willing to let the situation ride.

"Did anything happen while I was away?" NJ asked.

"We bumped into Vicky and her sister. Talked with them for a bit." I replied honestly.

"Vicky… Vicky… Oh! Which of her sisters?" NJ asked curiously.

"Denise. They came to have a stroll around the square and we bumped into one another. We went and had a cup of coffee at that cafe over there." I said as I pointed to the cafe in question.

It was then that I could hear someone's stomach.

"Sounds like someone's hungry. Should we grab lunch?" I asked as Vestal's face turned red.

NJ and Eugen looked at Vestal, who quickly replied.

"I could eat something. Tours of the tower don't start for a bit yet. You got tickets, right?" Vestal asked.

I paused.

"I… didn't realize we needed them. I figured it would be similar to the Statue of Liberty since it's a national landmark. Are we able to get them on site?" I asked.

Vestal pulled out her phone and did a quick search.

"It appears not. All tour slots for today and this season as a whole have been filled." Vestal replied.

"Ah damn…" I spat callously as NJ smiled at me.

"It's okay, Honey. I'm happy just as long as you're here with me." NJ said with an even bigger smile.

This eased my guilt slightly.

"Well… at least we can say we've seen it with our own eyes, right?" I said, immediately remembering who I was talking to. This made me feel slightly stupid.

Vestal noted this and spoke up.

"If it makes you feel better, Tyler, this is the first I have seen it." Vestal said with a shrug.

"I appreciate that…" I replied as NJ touched my shoulder.

"Let's go grab something quick at one of the cafes. The amount of people watching us is growing slowly and I don't want to be forced to resort to violence." NJ whispered.

"Vestal, are you alright with some quick sandwiches at the cafe I went to earlier?" I asked.

"Sure. Everything alright?" She asked.

"Yeah. Let's get moving. Clara, you coming?" I asked.

"Y-yes. I was maybe thinking that while you grab food, I'll get our chauffeur back here so we can head out." Eugen replied as she too looked like she was being watched.

"Do you have her number?" I asked.

Eugen nodded.

"Tell her where we're at and that we'll be ready to leave here in ten minutes." I said softly.

Eugen nodded and took out her phone as the four of us headed back to the cafe.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

"Martha? How's the cooking going?" Martin asked as he sat in the living room watching TV.

"Almost ready, dear. Any word from Tyler? I hope he and the girlfriend are doing alright." Martha called from the kitchen.

"He's doing alright. Boy's definately been learning when him and I talk. He knows he's being watched. But as far as I know, he's doing alright." Martin spoke as a knock came to the door.

Martin didn't move until Martha tiptoed into the living room.

"Black suits. There's an SUV in the driveway." Martha whispered.

The knocks came again.

"Open the door. We know you're in there." A voice spoke.

Martin grabbed his handgun from the couch cushion and put it in his waistband.

"Don't do anything stupid, dear." Martha said with a sigh.

"Only if they remain civil." Martin retorted as he walked to the door. Opening it a crack and putting his booted foot behind it to prevent it opening further, he looked the suited man in the eye.

"Who the hell are you?" Martin barked.

"Tyler Good-Sweigart?" The man asked.

"I asked a question. I demand an answer." Martin spoke flatly.

"Viktor Ginsin, special investigator, FBI." The man spoke as he flashed his badge.

"Oh great… the feds. What do you assholes want?" Martin snapped.

"Are you Tyler Good-Sweigart?" Viktor asked.

"You got the wrong house, pal. My name's Martin. Mind telling me what you're doing on this property?" Martin replied in an irritated tone.

"I'm conducting an investigation of this residence. That's all you need to know." Viktor spoke clearly.

"Funny. Last I checked, nobody here has done anything wrong. So on top of my not being the one you're looking for, you also intend to search this property without a crime being committed?" Martin proposed.

"You not being the registered resident of this home is inconsequential. I am searching this property." Viktor spoke as he tried to force open the door, only to be stopped by Martin's foot.

"Like hell you are, Fed boy. You want to search this house? Come back with a warrant. And while you're at it, maybe tell your friends to stop rolling by the place at all hours of the day. A working man's gotta sleep. Next time I'm woken up by you fuckers flashing a spotlight through the windows, I'll be taking the entire bureau to court for harassment." Martin snapped.

Viktor glared at Martin.

"Glare at me all you want, little boy. I got more friends around here than you do. Go get a warrant. Otherwise, get fucked and get lost." Martin spoke as he slammed the door and deadbolted it.

Martin waited by the door until the sound of footsteps faded.

"Everything okay, Honey?" Martha asked.

"Yeah. We're gonna keep the shop closed tomorrow. So don't worry about waking up early. Seems like the boys in black are itching to search this place now. Seems the boy is in some hot water with the G-man." Martin explained.

"We should give him an update. Want me to text him?" Martha asked.

"Yeah. Text him and let him know the FBI is trying to search the property. I told them to get a warrant, but I'll stall as best I can without leaving in irons." Martin replied.

"No problem. I'm sending it to him now." Martha said cheerfully.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

My phone buzzed as we sat at the table to eat our lunch.

NJ turned to me.

"Who is it, Honey?" NJ asked as I pulled my phone from my pocket.

"Heya hun. It's Martha. We just got a visit from the FBI. Martin kept them out and told them to go get a warrant. Martin wanted me to tell you that he'll stall as much as possible."

"It's Martha. The FBI is trying to raid the house." I replied.

NJ curled her lips in a snarl.

"You got that old couple in on this?!" Vestal hissed.

"No. I just asked them to watch the house. They know nothing as far as anything we've said." I replied.

"If they get a warrant, they'll search the house." Vestal spoke.

I sighed.

"Let them. I have nothing to hide. All we have is some of NJ's clothes there. The Battleship New Jersey shirt is in the hotel room. And the model kingfisher was destroyed. The only in box model we have is a battleship replica that anyone could have. They won't find anything incriminating since I don't have anything about NJ online." I replied.

"Martha needs to get and conceal the money in the safe. They might bring you up on bogus charges for having that much cash." NJ replied.

"True." I replied as I texted Martha.

"Take the money in the safe and stash it somewhere. Other than that, let them search if they bring a warrant. They won't find anything." I replied.

Moments later, a thumbs up emoji from Martha told me she understood.

"Let's hurry up and eat… get back to the hotel. We need to prepare for our next destination." I spoke as we all began eating.

Chapter Text

We quickly finished our food and got up to leave. Several faces from the plaza had followed us into the restaurant and were being less than subtle about their surveillance of the four of us.

I walked towards the door with the girls a few paces behind me chatting amongst themselves. We knew they were looking for any conceivable reason to pounce on us. Thankfully, Warspite pulled up out front just in time for us to get into the car and take off, leaving the plainclothes agents behind.

I looked at Warspite, who held a finger to her lips. I knew already from the lack of white noise, but nodded all the same.

"Where to, Mr. Sweigart?" Warspite asked.

"Back to the hotel if you would, Elizabeth." I replied coolly as I leaned back into my seat.

"Of course, sir. Did you enjoy your trip to Big Ben? You weren't here for very long." Warspite asked.

"I neglected to check if we needed to have tickets. It turns out we did and there was no way to squeeze us in, so we just meandered around for a bit." I replied as Vestal nodded in the back.

"Ah that is unfortunate. Perhaps better planning would do you good in your continued travels." Warspite spoke.

I gave her a hearty dose of side eye as she struggled to stifle a chuckle.

"To be fair, I was blindsided with the money that allowed me to take this trip. So there wasn't much room for planning. I also assumed Big Ben, as a national monument, would act like the American Smithsonian Museums. So I wasn't thinking about buying tickets, Elizabeth." I said flatly.

This was enough to force Warspite to stop laughing and focus on the road.

Within twenty minutes, stopping and starting with midday London traffic, we arrived back at the hotel. As expected once again, there were serious looking people standing around the hotel building. Once the car was in view, I noted some of the people watching us as we entered the parking area.

With a quiet sigh, I turned to Warspite and forced a smile.

"Why don't you come up to my room? I need to grab my cash to tip you for your services the past few days." I said as the girls in the back looked at me awkwardly. None of this had been discussed once the decision to pack up early was made.

"Of course. I'll park the car and will be up shortly." Warspite spoke shortly as she got out to let us out of the car.

When Warspite drove around the side of the building, NJ, Vestal, Eugen and I made for the hotel entrance. We were almost at the door when a nondescript gentleman bumped into me, almost throwing me to the ground as I fought to regain my balance.

"Ah sorry about that, sir. I must not have been paying attention to where I was walking." The man said as he grabbed my hand and helped me stabilize myself before heading on his way.

I turned to see NJ and Eugen both glaring at the man before turning and looking directly at my left pocket. I opened my mouth to speak but Eugen glared at me with a face I had never seen before. The feeling of fear crept up my spine as the seriousness of her gaze paralyzed my vocal cords. With a single slow movement, she made a subtle motion to keep quiet as NJ kept staring directly at my pocket. I noticed Vestal checking her phone out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh my gosh, are you alright? That looked like quite a hard bump." Vestal asked as she came over and patted my clothes, focusing around my pocket as NJ looked me in my eyes. The moment Vestal nodded, NJ caught my attention. She didn't utter a sound, but instead mouthed a single word.

"Bug"

I froze.

"What do we do?" I mouthed back.

"We will handle it." NJ mouthed back as we entered the hotel.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Vestal and Eugen peeled off to go to their own rooms as NJ and I reached ours.

As soon as Vestal and Eugen closed their respective doors, NJ drew my chin to look her in the eyes.

"Play along." She mouthed as she put a hand on my chest and pushed the door open behind me.

"Nicole what are you doing?!" I cried as she leaned forward sending us both tumbling onto the floor just inside the room.

"What am I doing? I'm not doing anything, Honey~. But… you know, since we're already here… I wouldn't mind getting frisky again." NJ said. I threw her a confused look before noticing how flush her cheeks were. She was acting… if one could call it that. It was then that it clicked for me, despite being told outright just minutes earlier. We were being listened to. So she was playing it up for the microphone. I played along.

"If you wanted something like that, couldn't you have waited until we got to the bed? Doing something like that on the floor is so uncivilized." I replied as she looked at me and took a small breath.

"I don't care. I don't want to wait. I want you right now." NJ replied as she crawled closer, her hand creeping up my leg until she managed to grasp the device that had been slipped into my pocket.

"Honey? What is this?" NJ feigned ignorance as she shoved her hand into my pocket and pulled out a small device that amounted to a tiny computer board coated in wax with a microphone attached to a small transmitter.

"What the hell is this?!" NJ cried as she took the device and chucked it against the wall.

If there was ever a piece of evidence to show that NJ was superhuman, the force at which the device hit the wall and shattered would be pretty damning.

I was about to speak but NJ jumped to her feet and grabbed the pieces of the bug and ran to the bathroom. A few seconds later, I heard the toilet flush. I stood up and walked over to the bed only for NJ to come out holding a box. When I saw it in her hands, I became just as confused as she was.

"Okay… for real this time… what the heck is this?" NJ asked as she handed the box to me. I read the box as a knock came to the door. NJ went off to open it as I read the note.

"For Mr. Sweigart, from Belfast. Warning, extremely potent. Limit use to special occasions."

"What the hell is it?" I asked myself as I pulled a steel cylinder from the box and opened the cap. It looked like a cologne bottle. With a shrug, I spritzed a bit on my wrist and smelled it.

It was a smell I could place with ease. It smelled like the wood, reeds, and flowers you would find on the dunes of an abandoned beach. The scent was subtle, but complex and relaxing. I smiled as I put the vial in my bag next to the Mauser I had received from Eugen. I would have to text Belfast to thank her later.

Moments later, NJ returned with Warspite and Sheffield in tow. I didn't notice, but NJ hesitated to enter the room for a moment as she caught a whiff of what I had sprayed. What I did notice, however, was that she was suddenly looking at me with a less than subtle blue glow in her eyes.

I stood and walked to the dining area where Warspite had made herself comfortable. Sheffield was busy preparing tea. The moment I sat down, NJ sat in the chair next to me and moved her chair closer to the point that she was almost on top of me.

Warspite brushed this off and got to the point.

"Jersey filled me in. MI5 is really trying to get dirt on you. Even going so far as to put a listening device on your person. I have to commend them for the effort… but it is distressing to realize how cocksure they are to somehow slip a bug into your clothes in the minute between me dropping you off and you entering the hotel." Warspite spoke in a disgruntled tone.

I thought for a moment.

"It was more than likely the guy that bumped into me. The FBI is trying to obtain a search warrant for my home in the states… but considering the fact that this happened, they probably suggested MI5 get something on me to act as evidence. That would be my uninformed thought on the matter." I replied as I noticed NJ slip her arms around mine and press herself against me as best she could.

"Well, either way, it seems NJ handled the matter on her own. We should discuss your next destination. Did you want to remain in Europe? I can arrange for travel to any of the EU nations rather easily." Warspite said.

"No. I would ask that you contact the girls from the other factions and see if they can't make their way to Japan. Eugen is going to introduce me to the girls in Japan, but I only have so much money to make this work. And I don't want to displace my friends in the states who are watching my place." I said as I rubbed my neck.

Warspite nodded.

"It won't be an issue. I know a lot of these girls are eager to meet you. Her Majesty has informed them of your plan and they wish to meet and speak with you. So I would attempt to find a place to stay that's out of the way. With girls coming from all over, the Japanese government is going to be watching closely." Warspite spoke.

I nodded.

"I appreciate you and Her Majesty doing so much of the legwork. I'm sorry to put so much more weight on your shoulders." I said as Warspite laughed.

"Weight? This is nothing compared to the weight we used to carry. Her Majesty has been enthralled by your ideals and has been working tirelessly since she left here the other evening. So do not feel the need to apologize to us. All we expect from you is to make your ideals come to fruition. We want to see this world you aspire to create. And I can say with certainty, should you succeed… you will become a very powerful man. Many of the Kansen will seek to serve you due to your treatment of Kansen. So that means you'll have to keep him on a tight leash, Jersey." Warspite joked.

"Oh I know~. He won't ever be too far from me. He is going to be mine and mine alone." NJ said as I looked at her with a smile, only to see the blue glow grow in intensity.

"Uh NJ, you good?" I asked.

"I'm more than good, Honey~" NJ said in a seductive tone.

Warspite and Sheffield both looked at each other, then at her, then at me.

Sheffield spoke up.

"Black Dragon… please wait to unleash yourself until after we have concluded tea time. I haven't the slightest idea what has gotten you like this, but I ask that you control yourself." Sheffield said flatly as I looked back at NJ.

"We have all night, NJ. Let's just enjoy some tea with Warpite and Sheffield for now." I said as NJ looked at me and pouted.

"What did you spray on you? You smell absolutely divine." NJ whispered as she pushed her head against my shoulder.

"That box you gave me had cologne in it from Belfast… it seems the warning was warranted. You have next to no self control right now." I said as I rubbed NJ's head, earning me a noise that I could only imply meant that she was somewhere between overstimulated and happy.

"I can confirm that for you. The Head Maid was in fact here. She said that she found this while out searching for something for herself. When she saw this and caught a whiff, it reminded her of a conversation she'd had with the Black Dragon. So she picked it up and got it for the two of you as a gift… though the fact that she got it in a… peculiar boutique is beyond what I would have expected from her." Sheffield replied as she turned her head.

"If you knew how she was before she became the head maid, you'd realize that this is just like her. The fact she bought cologne from a sex shop is just the kind of prank she'd pull." Warspite said with a hearty laugh.

"Cologne from a sex shop?" I whispered as the gravity of those words hit me like a meteorite falling to earth.

"Aphrodisiacs…" I whispered as the color in my face drained away.

I immediately got my phone and shot a text to Belfast.

"Bella… I would like an explanation about this cologne." I texted.

The response was immediate.

"Of course. I happened to be out and about and saw something that reminded me of a conversation I'd had with Nicole a while back. Something about loving the smell of the beach. I saw it and decided to buy it as a gift, to remember your time here in London." Belfast replied.

"You bought it at a sex shop, Bella…" I retorted.

Belfast sent an emoji conveying shock.

"Don't give me that! Elizabeth told me everything!" I replied.

"Have fun. I hope you didn't overuse it, or you might miss your flight tomorrow." Belfast said with a laughing emoji.

I looked straight ahead. Warspite was right… Belfast could be a joker if she wanted to be. It was going to be a long night.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

A woman sat in a prison cell. Her stark white hair and red eyes stuck out against the dark of her home. All was quiet. The moonlight shone through the tiny window of her cell. Just as she was ready to fall asleep as she had done many nights before, footsteps were heard.

"Bonnie. You have a visitor. Face the wall and do not move until you are restrained." The guard spoke as his key was heard unlocking the door.

"A visitor, huh? I don't have anyone that knows I'm here. So it's probably the feds… you let those assholes back here?" Bonnie asked.

"They're not feds, Bonnie. If they were, we would have just gotten their message and given you the transcript. This person insists that they know you and demands to see you. So, on your feet." The guard reiterated.

Bonnie sighed but complied nonetheless, waiting until the cuffs were on her wrists before walking from her cell.

A few minutes later, Bonnie was standing against a door as the cuffs were removed from the other side.

"You have ten minutes." The guard spoke as he walked away. Bonnie looked around to see cameras in every corner of the well lit room. Her gaze then turned to see a dark skinned woman in a white shirt, black shorts, white leggings, and a feather in her hair.

The woman waved Bonnie over, to which Bonnie did so hesitantly. She sat at the same table as the woman in white before either spoke in hushed tones.

"This is some kind of joke, right?" Bonnie asked.

"I can leave. Being here isn't something that's fun for me. Spent long enough behind bars." The woman spoke.

"So… it really is you… South Dakota." Bonnie spoke.

South Dakota smiled.

"Looks like my sources served me well, Bon Homme Richard. It's been quite a long time." South Dakota spoke.

"What is the lead ship of the South Dakota class doing here at Wyoming State Penitentiary?" Bonnie asked.

"I want to know how long your sentence is." South Dakota spoke.

"I'm still in for three more years. Why?" Bonnie asked.

"There's a movement. Non-government affiliated. It affects all of us. No more secrecy. No more being used. No more homelessness. No more mistreatment of Kansen. But right now… we need a fleet." South Dakota explained.

"A fleet? You've lost me… why is a fleet involved?" Bonnie asked.

"Because this movement is in direct opposition to the governments of the world. This affects more than us. I came to see if you'd be willing to aid this cause… I and my two remaining sisters have already accepted our roles and will set sail when the order comes." South Dakota said.

"I don't have a vessel. I torched my last one… remember?" Bonnie asked.

"It is still sitting in Texas. They haven't scrapped it yet. There is time to repair it." South Dakota said.

Bonnie sighed.

"Who is leading the charge? There's only so much that battleships and outdated carriers can do." Bonnie spoke.

South Dakota smiled.

"New Jersey is our flagship. And she has retained her nuclear arsenal. We have power. All we ask… is support." South Dakota said.

Bonnie smiled a wicked smile.

"We have the power of the Black Dragon. This is getting interesting. Count me in." Bonnie spoke as a knock came to the door.

"Visit's over. On your feet." The guard spoke.

"Yeah. Yeah. Keep your pants on." Bonnie snapped as she walked to the door.

"I look forward to hearing from you." South Dakota spoke as she was escorted from the visiting room.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

South Dakota had just been dropped outside the gate of WSP when an explosion was heard and the alarms of the prison began to blare.

South Dakota smiled.

"Don't you worry, Tyler. You'll have a fleet on par with the Spanish Armada by the time I'm done. You best be ready to fight one hell of a good fight." South Dakota muttered as she got into her car and sped off into the night.

Chapter Text

"Alright. I'll see to it that I am here early to get you to the airport. As I said, Dido and Sirius are the security there and I have already passed along Her Majesty's decree that you are not to be accosted for the cash and firearm in your possession. The pilot has already been vetted and has been instructed not to ask questions regarding his passengers. You are headed on a two leg trip. You will leave London and head directly to Dubai. You are not to leave the plane. You are there to receive fuel and nothing more. You will then depart Dubai and head to Tokyo. Eugen has told Sheffield that she can have her contact set something up to get you into the mountains where she claims you will find your lodging and the people you are looking for. Sheffield has also informed me that she has sent out invitations to all the parties that you wished to meet. All of them have confirmed their arrival through more public means." Warspite spoke. I nodded along with her while keeping NJ stunlocked with headpats, keeping her in her clothes and under control against the aphrodisiacs in the cologne Belfast bought for me.

"I will be in early as well, Mr. Sweigart. I will escort you to the front door and deal with your check-out. I will request a change of locks for the suite so you will not have to fool around returning your room keys. A one of a kind keepsake if I say so myself." Sheffield said with one of the biggest smiles I had seen on her, which wasn't much, but it was enough.

"Thank you two… no… all of you. Thank you all for all the hard work you've put in for us." I said humbly.

"Don't thank us. We are doing this because you are the key to unlocking a new life for all Kansen left standing. A world where we can be no different from any other human. No secrecy. No unfair imprisonments. No more families ripped apart. No more red tape. The freedom to do what we want… with who we want… when we want to do it. You are going to make it happen. That is why we are risking so much." Warspite spoke boldly.

"I'll die trying if I have to… I'm already sure of my status of Enemy of the State. So execution awaits if I fail." I said. This rubbed NJ the wrong way, despite her current dilemma.

"If they so much as graze a single hair on your body… I will no longer hold back my rage. I will rain hellfire on them and their families as I have the enemies of my country since the forties. I will show them the true nature of the power they so desperately fear." NJ spoke coldly, putting aside her more carnal thoughts for the moment, her brilliant blue eyes now boring into me as I could almost feel the heat of the fire behind them.

Warspite sighed.

"Honestly… how did you manage to get her so head over heels for you? I have never heard her talk like this… not about a man, at least." Warspite spoke.

"He is mine! I will not allow anything to happen to him! My boyfriend is the most important person I have, so they will have to face my guns to get to him!" NJ snapped back as she immediately overpowered me and pushed herself against me, hugging me close while being careful not to touch the stitches on my neck.

"Well spoken, Black Dragon. You serve your name well." Sheffield spoke flatly.

I struggled for a moment until I could get my head pointed towards Warspite and Sheffield.

"Will there be anything else? I need to… reign in my dragon here." I said meekly.

Warspite laughed heartily. I could even catch a glimpse of Sheffield snickering.

"No. There is nothing else we need to discuss. Try and get some rest. We will be back in a few hours to escort you out of the country." Warspite said as she and Sheffield left the room. I didn't move until I heard the door of the suite close.

The moment they were gone, I could tell NJ was staring directly at me.

"Honey~? What was that about reigning in your dragon? I'm right here, ya know." NJ whispered softly into my ear.

"I know that. What I meant was we need to get you under control." I said as I pushed back on my chair and, much to NJ's surprise, picked her up onto my shoulder and stood to my feet. I then began walking towards the bathroom with NJ giggling the entire way.

As I entered the bathroom with NJ, I set her on her feet and began to disrobe behind her, turning on the shower.

"Hmm? Are we doing it in the shower? Sounds exciting!" NJ asked as the glow in her eyes became unmistakable.

"Something like that. Get your clothes off." I said as I hopped into the shower, with NJ following quickly behind, leaving her clothes a mess on the floor.

The moment she hopped in, I was behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. This action alone was enough to get a satisfied moan from her as she lavished every second of my touch.

"Pretty strong stuff Belfast got us, huh? The faintest whiff and you're more worked up than a bunny rabbit on ecstasy." I said as I began to move my hands across her skin.

"Honey~ Stop~ You're making me out to be some kind of nympho." NJ whined as she leaned into my touch.

"When you're like this? It's a stretch to say you're not. Had Warspite and Sheffield not been here, you would have pounced on me like a Tiger that just found dinner." I retorted as NJ spun in my hold and looked me dead in the eyes.

"I still might, Honey… unless you can satisfy me, I don't know if I can go back to normal." NJ said, posing it as if this were an impossible situation.

"Why do you think we're in here? We can't go at it tonight, but I can treat you to something nice that should do the trick, no?" I said as NJ cocked her head.

"Why can't we have sex tonight? We don't leave for a few hours, so what's the harm?" NJ asked as she walked against my body, pushing me to the wall of the shower.

"Because the last time… the first time we went at it, we spent five and a half hours making love… and then conked out for the night. We don't have all the time in the world. So… how about a massage, and I'll make up for it tomorrow on the plane. Sound good to you?" I asked as she pressed herself against me.

"Hmm. Fine. But I also have something to show you, so you better be ready for tomorrow. I won't let you push this off any further." NJ said with a pout.

I smiled.

"Yes dear." I replied, earning another glare from NJ.

Before she could retort, I took notice of a chair just outside the shower. How I had missed it before, I don't know, but if it was here now, I was going to use it. I leaned out of the shower and pulled the chair in with us before setting it against the wall and gently pushing NJ into it.

As I got down onto my knees, I heard NJ snicker.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You look so cute down there. Better be careful doing this kind of stuff, Honey. I might begin to like it a bit too much." NJ said as she extended a foot towards me.

I laughed.

"That's funny. Especially since I can always turn the tables on you." I replied.

"I let you and you know it." NJ retorted as I began massaging her extended leg.

"Sure. Sure. Just relax and feel everything you need to feel. I'll have you feeling real good here soon." I replied. NJ groaned as my fingers worked against her skin and muscle. I smiled mischievously as I watched her squirm in the chair.

I finished working over her legs a short time later. Having NJ turn in the chair, I moved up to begin working on her back, hearing her moan as the knots were worked out of her tense muscles.

"Your hands are wonderful, Honey." NJ groaned as I chuckled.

"I appreciate the compliment. I'm no professional, but I'm glad it's doing something." I replied.

"You could have fooled me." NJ said as I kissed her shoulder.

"How do you feel?" I asked.

"I… feel like myself again. Still pent up, but in control. You won't have to worry about me pouncing on you tonight at least." NJ said as I wrapped my arms around her midsection.

"That's good to hear. Let's get washed up and hit the sack. We have a couple hours before Sheffield wakes us up." I said as I lathered up some soap and got to washing myself as NJ nodded and did the same in the opposite corner.

When we finished, we stepped out together and went straight to bed. NJ, ever full of surprises, decided not to put anything on before slipping into bed. I had decided to throw on some shorts and turned around to see NJ covered up, waiting for me. I slipped into bed, only for NJ to grab my wrists and guide my hands right where she wanted them. One resting gently on her bare breast, and one hooked around her midriff. With a satisfied sigh, NJ fell asleep quickly. I smiled and allowed myself to fall asleep as well.

Chapter Text

I was awoken less than five hours later by Sheffield gently clearing her throat.

"Mr. Sweigart. We need to get you and Jersey up. The plane is set for your departure. Vestal and Prinz Eugen took the first car ride to the Luton airstrip. Lady Warspite is waiting for you and New Jersey." Sheffield whispered.

I nodded, yawned, and sat up in bed, aided by Sheffield.

"NJ is out like a light. She doesn't wake easily." I whispered.

"I'm already awake, Honey. I heard Sheffield enter the room." NJ whispered as she too sat up, allowing the blankets to fall off of her shoulders.

"Good God, woman! Did they get bigger since the war? You never can tell how much your clothing hides anymore." Sheffield muttered as NJ giggled.

"Only because my Honey likes touching them so much." NJ joked as I blushed and turned away. The two of us quickly threw on the bare minimum needed to be seen in public and set about stuffing our belongings into our travel bags. With our bags packed, Sheffield grabbed our belongings and escorted us quickly and quietly through the suite and out the door. We followed quickly behind her until we reached the entrance, where she helped us load the car that Warspite had brought around.

The white noise had returned, indicating that Warspite was jamming the bugs again.

I yawned again as Sheffield shut the door behind me.

"Thank you for everything, Sheffield." NJ said as she kept her eyes on our surroundings.

"It's all a part of my job. Keep him safe… he is our only hope." Sheffield spoke quietly. NJ nodded firmly as Warspite put the car in gear.

NJ and I waved goodbye to Sheffield as we took off from the curb and began our trek to the airstrip.

"You two are quite the heavy sleepers. We tried to wake you up first this morning, but couldn't get you to stir. Eugen and Vestal have already boarded the plane." Warspite informed us.

"Sorry about that. Bed was really comfortable, and I usually am a decently heavy sleeper." I replied.

"I woke up the first time you guys came in, but since Honey wasn't awake yet, I wasn't going to force him awake." NJ retorted.

"So far, we haven't picked up a tail. I don't think they caught wind of your early departure quite yet. If we're lucky, we might be able to get you out of the country without MI5 catching us." Warspite spoke bluntly.

"That's a good thing… but I can only imagine how much you all will have to deal with after being seen with me these past few days." I said.

"We'll manage. It's nothing we can't lie our way out of. What is important, however, is that despite the pilot being chosen by us, they are still a member of the Royal Navy. They have a duty to national security. I would keep your conversations clean around the cockpit." Warspite warned.

"Works for us. We don't have a need to be up there." NJ replied.

"I haven't asked because it doesn't really matter, but what plane are we taking? This plane is used primarily by Her Majesty, right?" I asked.

"Correct. The fact that Her Majesty is allowing you to utilize this plane in this manner is something that I would have never thought possible. You are the first person she has allowed onboard this plane that isn't a Kansen. So I would advise you to be respectful of the property." Warspite responded.

"Does it have a bed?" I asked sleepily.

Warspite sighed with a smile.

"Yes. There is one available to you. It is in a separate section of the cabin, so you won't have to worry about noise from the front of the plane." Warspite spoke.

I smiled.

"Good. I need a few more hours of sleep." I said as Warspite continued our drive under the cover of darkness.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

We arrived at the Luton airstrip just as the sun crested the horizon. Despite Warspite claiming that the plane was a private jet, the plane was more akin to an Airbus A321.

I saw two girls with white hair wave us through the private entrance the moment they saw Warspite.

"Those two are…"

"Yes. Sirius and Dido are some of the finest Maids in the corps. Considering all the training they got from Belfast, they were able to get this position easily. They have full security clearance here, hence why we are able to do some… less than legal things. Like smuggle you, a gun, and a small war chest worth of cash out of the country right under MI5's nose. I will give them your regards, but we cannot stop." Warspite said as she pulled right up to a stairway that led directly to the open door of the cabin.

"Remember, do not get off in Dubai. You are headed for Tokyo." Warspite reiterated as NJ and I climbed out of the car and climbed the stairway to the plane.

"Thank you for everything, Elizabeth." I called out as I entered the plane.

"We're counting on you. Good luck." Warspite whispered as she turned the car and pulled away, leaving the airstrip as the engines spooled up.

NJ and I took our seats next to Eugen and Vestal as the pilot's voice came over the overhead speaker.

"Good Morning, ladies and gentleman. We will be pulling onto the taxiway momentarily. Our trip will take us to Dubai for fuel before flying over China and South Korea to reach Tokyo. Due to the nature of this flight, no flight attendants will be present. However, there are food and beverages in marked areas inside the cabin. I ask that you remain seated until we are in the air and at cruising altitude. Thank you." The pilot spoke. It sounded like a middle aged man.

Within a few minutes, we were rolling down the taxiway before turning onto the runway. The engines kicked up to full power and we hurtled down the runway before taking to the sky.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

A knock came to the front door again.

Martin stood from the kitchen table and walked to the door, opening it slightly again before putting his foot behind it. Viktor had brought another suit with him.

"Oh… you multiplied. Did you bring a warrant or what?" Martin asked abrasively.

"Good afternoon sir. My name is Mark Faiser. Special Investigator for the FBI and Viktor's direct supervisor." Mark spoke.

"Does it look like I give a rat's ass who you are? As I told your inept underling, you ain't getting in here without a warrant. So, I'll be nice and ask again. Did. You. Bring. A. Warrant?" Martin asked flatly.

"It is currently being looked over by a federal judge. We should have it soon…" Mark started.

"Then you come back when you have a signed warrant. Until then, get the fuck off the property. I already have that shitstain's name, and now I have yours. If you don't wanna face trial for harassment, then get lost until you're ready to do things legally." Martin spoke as he pointed to the top of the door frame. Both agents looked up to see a security camera attached to the wall about two feet above the door frame and pointed directly at them.

Mark made a subtle move and flashed his badge and gun at Martin, who smiled and tilted his wrist to show the butt of a shotgun that had been hidden behind the door.

"I suggest you folks make sure that warrant comes through. Been a lot of crime in the neighborhood recently. Couple break-ins. I'd absolutely hate to mistake you federal assholes for some low intelligence criminals." Martin said as he closed the door and locked the handle and deadbolt.

Mark turned to Viktor.

"We'll have to wait for the warrant. Trying to force our way inside will lead to way too much paperwork." Mark spoke.

"Maybe if your case was more watertight, we would have gotten approval already. Respectfully." Viktor replied.

"Well… just shut up. MI5 wasn't able to get anything useful on him. And we can't push anything just because the Kansen are around him. We don't limit their movement. There's no concrete proof that he knows, that's why we need to search the house." Mark spat as the pair walked back to their vehicle and backed out of the driveway.

Chapter Text

We reached cruising altitude after nearly half an hour in silence. Vestal and Eugen were talking quietly to one another as NJ and I sat close to each other in seats closest to the back of the plane. The moment the seatbelt light went out, I undid my belt and stood.

"I'm going to try and grab some sleep… I didn't get to sleep too much this morning." I said as NJ nodded. I was too tired to notice her eyes glowing a dull blue. She was plotting something, what it was, I would soon find out.

I walked to the rear of the plane to see a door closing off a decent section of the plane. I opened the door and was greeted with an exceedingly lavish cabin fit for the literal Queen of England. A pair of soft high-back chairs flanked the doorway as I looked in to see a king sized bed covered with what I could only assume were the softest blankets and smoothest sheets the world could produce. The palette was soft and inviting. Sky blues and whites and yellows made the room feel relaxing to a near mystical degree. The bed drew me closer. I removed my shoes and my shirt before climbing into bed. My body fought me trying to lay down, knowing full well we were on a plane, but I ignored my instincts and laid down, covering myself up and turning to one side, only to see a remote. Based on the buttons, I concluded it was for climate control of the cabin. I thought for a moment and decided to come out from under the covers and opted to turn the climate control on to seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit. I closed my eyes… and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Nearly half an hour of waiting and yet I could not force myself to fall asleep. Despite the plush accommodations and lavish bedspread, I could still feel the soft pitch and roll of the aircraft, keeping my mind acutely aware that I was not entirely safe. I stood from the bed and walked over to a window next to one of the chairs. Looking out, I saw nothing but deep blue sea and the bleeding edge of the coast of Europe. We hadn't yet crossed into German airspace from the channel. The view, however, was beautiful. I became so engrossed in the views of the English Channel that I failed to hear the door to the cabin open. I only became aware of the changing environment when I heard a speaker connect to a phone. I pulled my phone from my pocket to check why a speaker had been connected, but when I woke it up, my phone was on airplane mode. I then turned to see a shiny black material obstructing my view as a pair of hands pushed me down into the chair I had been standing by.

"Did you get any rest, Honey?" NJ spoke.

I opened my eyes, quickly gathering my surroundings after being nearly tossed into the chair to see NJ standing in front of me wearing a cocktail waitress bunny suit.

I paused.

"Why is she in a bunny suit?!" My mind screamed as my body fought to control the urge to let my jaw hit the floor. My second thought was that there was something different in the cabin. A silver pole had appeared a few feet in front of my chair. NJ waved her hand before looking at me.

"Come on, Honey. Say something…" NJ said with a pout.

"I… uh…"

My mind was drawing blanks. NJ was in a Bunny Suit. There was a stripper pole in the room. And now that I was really focusing… Pony by Genuwine was spinning up on the speaker system. My utter shock and confusion was immediately compounded by NJ who walked up to me with the small vial that had nearly bedridden me the night prior and spritzed it's contents on my chest before kneeling down and getting really close to my face.

"Remember how I said I had another surprise for you, Honey? I couldn't get a maid outfit like Belfast's… but I found this instead. And considering one of my hobbies back during service was learning how to dance a pole… I figured why not get us both in the mood with some in-flight entertainment." NJ spoke just barely over the volume of the music. She dragged her hand down my chest as she rose to her feet. I could now clearly tell where her mind was at. She had spoken the truth the night before. She was just barely under control. My hands on her just a few hours earlier kept her from draining me like a succubus. And now she had dosed herself again, more than happy to allow her body to run wild as her hand slowly and methodically wrapped around the pole.

"I hope you enjoy the show, Honey. Because you're gonna be really busy after." NJ said with a wink. Just as the drop came in on the song, I suddenly saw NJ upside down on the pole, suspended by a single leg as she showed me exactly what years of practice could produce. The music set the pace as I watched NJ seamlessly move, snake, and caress the pole as if she had been doing this all her life. Watching her body move and flex and bend got my breathing excited as I watched in stunned amusement. The song changed to Desperado. And just as the tempo changed, as did NJ's movements. She matched the changing speeds of the song so easily that I had to rub my eyes and make sure I was seeing things properly. During the song, I could almost swear someone was hitting a slow motion button with how NJ controlled every aspect of her body. The slow methodical movements paired with the faster portions of the song caused her to take to the air once more, flipping and riding the pole like a professional. The song came to an end as NJ returned to the ground, holding herself up with her hands and arms crossed above her head and firmly gripping the pole. It was only now that I noticed both her and I sweating. But neither her nor I were too bothered as the next song started. I placed it immediately. Maroon 5's cover of Sex and Candy. As the song crept along, NJ made her way over to me before putting her knees on either side of my legs and straddled my lap.

I was speechless. NJ was, for all intents and purposes, the most beautiful exotic dancer I had ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on. She seemed to read my mind when she leaned down next to my ear and whispered something to me.

"There's no security here, Honey. You can touch everything. All. You. Want." NJ said as she took the dance from the pole and began dancing in my lap, rolling her body in ways that made it impossible for me to resist touching her. My hands rested on her hips as she moved against me, rubbing against my legs, chest and cock with every inch of her scantily clad body.

I was mesmerized. I could think of nothing else but NJ at this moment. The song changed again. Thong song. NJ had scraped together a playlist of the most sensual and sexually graphic songs she could before coming to see me. She knew what she was doing.

"NJ… I…"

"I want you to. I don't care how rough we get. I want you… now." NJ replied before I could even speak my mind.

I was going to speak, but it was then that a new scent hit me and my brain scrambled. My mind went blank with two thoughts remaining. Sex and the smell of jasmine and lavender. I began to move as NJ pushed herself off me and started heading towards the bed. But I stopped her dead and we both collapsed to the floor. I turned her to face me and I could tell she was fighting hard to maintain her composure long enough to get down to it. Without a thought, I pulled the top section of her outfit down around her upper waist, allowing her breasts to spill out. I took one breast into my mouth and sucked on it while using my other hand to pull her towards my chest. The noises she made got me harder than I had ever been before. With all factors involved, I wanted nothing more than to fuck her to the point where she could no longer walk. I didn't know why at the time… but my restraint was long gone.

"Honey ~… you're… so rough. Not that I mind~." NJ whispered as she wrapped her arms behind my back. I, however, did not hear her. My mind was fixated purely on the body of the woman to whom my heart had been shackled to. Her trembling body was my only goal.

NJ smiled softly. Her ploy had worked. She was in for a wild ride of her own design. She silently thanked Belfast for the second, hidden, perfume bottle she had removed from the cologne box back in the hotel room. Something I would only learn about later on. NJ then lifted her head just enough to catch another whiff of the cologne on my chest before pulling my head up to kiss her.

I was working on instinct alone. Lips were against mine, so I locked mine with them. A tongue presented itself, mine did battle in a long passionate kiss that felt like it stretched for eternity. I was only pushed away when NJ tapped my arm. She took a deep breath.

"Holy hell… Bel did quite the good work. You're like an animal." NJ said between exasperated breaths.

'Bel? Doesn't matter. Don't care.' I thought to myself as I felt around and began to unzip the suit on NJ's body. She quickly stopped me.

"No. Leave it on." NJ requested as she reached into her top and revealed a roll of condoms.

I nodded absentmindedly as I took one and put it on before turning back to NJ, who had torn open her leggings and moved the bottom portion of the suit to the side.

"Come and get me, Honey~. I'm right here… waiting for you." NJ taunted. Her tiny aroused squeak as I slipped inside was all the go ahead I needed. She was ready for me… and for this. I wrapped my arms around her legs, lifting them to my shoulders as I began to move. NJ squealed happily as she laid on the floor, clawing at the carpeted flooring as instinct drove me to hit every spot I knew she had. The music was still playing. I could just barely pick it out over the fog in my head. Marvin Gaye was singing Sexual Healing. NJ was really digging for this one.

We wouldn't know it until later, but the cabin was not soundproofed. Something I did not pick up due to being so far from the engines. NJ's cries of gratification had attracted two very curious sets of eyes. Neither of us could tell at the moment but just as it was in the Claridge's, our travel partners were just as surprised as Elizabeth's finest at how far NJ and I were in our relationship. The two of them stayed for just a moment and were gone just as quickly, not that we noticed… or really cared at the time.

I didn't stop. Not the first or second time that I felt NJ's body and pussy tighten as she came on me. Each cry was accompanied by a syrupy sweet groan that pushed me to keep going. The sounds she emitted had me riding a high unlike any other. Songs came and went. Bruno Mars and his Versace. Let me love you by Mario. Petty Ricky's Grind with me. Songs came and went and each one saw me change the speed and stroke giving NJ an overdose of sensation. I looked down as I approached the peak, only to see NJ a tear filled mess on the floor. NJ looked up at me and nodded.

"Cum Honey~ I want you to." NJ spoke as she pulled herself up to kiss me. The moment her lips touched mine, I unleashed everything that had pent up inside. Her nails dug deep into my back as she fought the urge to cry out. Each twitch eliciting a muffled squeak from NJ who released me and gently used her legs to push me off and out. I sat back as she forced herself off the floor and crawled to me, pulling off the used rubber before leaning down and taking me into her mouth.

"NJ… I'm still a bit raw…" I managed as NJ looked up at me with her wide blue eyes. She did not stop until a second shot filled the back of her throat. With a bit of effort, she swallowed before releasing me.

"I want more, Honey~." NJ requested in a shaky but seductive tone. I nodded and motioned to the chair. She cocked her head at me in confusion. I then took it upon myself to stand and push her into the chair before kneeling before her and guiding my tongue up her inner thigh. I saw her hands grip the chair with whitened knuckles as she realized what I was doing.

"I want more of your cock, Honey! Don't do that to me again!" NJ whined.

I stopped for a moment.

"I can do that… but are you sure you can handle something like that for an extended time? You got lucky to get two shots back to back. If you get more now… you'll be stuck with it for who knows how long." I threatened.

NJ thought.

Her decision was made as she put her hand on the back of my head and pulled me into her.

"You'll pay for this, Honey. I swear!" NJ cried as my tongue began massaging her most sensitive spots. I could feel something running down my back. At the time, I figured it was sweat.

My tongue continued to assault NJ's body until I could feel her tense up again, biting her hand to keep her voice muffled as she came again. She released my head and looked at me. However, when I looked up at her, I could see horror in her eyes.

"Honey! You're bleeding!" NJ cried as she tried to get up from the chair.

I held her hands in place.

"I don't care." I said softly.

"But I do! I must've scratched you really hard! You have blood on your back!" NJ cried again as she fought against my hands.

"If it's just a scratch… then we can deal with it later. I'm not done with you yet." I spoke softly as I released one of her arms to caress her face.

NJ fought her emotions for a moment.

"Fine… but only one more time. We need to get those dealt with…" NJ said softly.

"Then let's make it a good one." I said as I unzipped her suit and removed her from it, tossing it aside with my shorts. NJ squeaked as my arms went under her butt and lifted her from the chair only to carry her to the wall of the cabin. I put her back against the wall and put her legs around me before slipping on another condom.

"Honey? Can you support my weight like this?" NJ asked worriedly.

"You tell me." I said as I lowered her down until I was sunk to my base inside her.

NJ breathed heavily as she looked directly into my eyes while shaking off any discomfort.

"I… guess it's a good thing I got condoms… if you came like this… I'd get pregnant no doubt." NJ said as she wrapped her arms around the back of my neck as I began pushing up into her. Any concern NJ had was gone after the first few strokes, just as I had hoped. By now, the cloud in my mind was beginning to fade and things were clearing up. Still, I had one last task to finish. With the wall supporting her, I laid into her with everything I had left. Keeping with the beat of the music in my ears, I lead us both back up to the top. NJ fell first, pulling me with her as she tightened up on me, forcing me to cum inside once again. NJ cried out as I felt a stream of liquid run down my leg. NJ breathed again before looking at me.

"You're a very dangerous man, Honey~~. I'm glad that you're mine alone." NJ whispered as she kissed me deeply while hugging my neck.

"You are a very dangerous woman, dear. Call for me anytime… I'll serve you with every inch of my dangerous body." I teased.

NJ blushed heavily as I could feel her entire body fighting the tremors coursing up and down her spine.

"When you say it like that… you make me sound like some sort of master." NJ whined.

"With a body like yours… I don't mind being a slave to this pussy." I said as my own cheeks turned beet red.

We both laughed as the music wound down.

"You're not a slave to me. But I'm glad that I can keep you happy. Keep you satisfied." NJ said as she ran her hand down my back and checked it. Sure enough, she wasn't lying about the blood.

"Every second is bliss." I whispered as I kissed her neck and slowly lowered both her and myself to the floor.

"Honey? I need to get up and get Vestal. She has stuff to deal with your back." NJ said.

I shook my head.

"I am too tired to move." I replied honestly.

NJ sighed.

"Seriously? She's going to see us!" NJ cried as the door to the cabin opened.

"Oh believe me… I already did." Vestal said as she averted her eyes long enough to toss my shorts over my lower body.

"Wait what?!" NJ cried as I nodded off on her stomach. She noticed and began stroking my hair while positioning herself so that I was covering her.

"We heard you scream, so Eugen and I came back and… well… I have to admit, Sheffy wasn't kidding. She pretty much hit the nail on the head. If I hadn't pulled Eugen away and practically tied her to her seat, you might have had an accidental threesome. I knew based on his charts that he was a healthy young man, but… damn." Vestal spoke as NJ stammered helplessly, all the while her face turning darker shades of red.

"Are you kidding me!? Does nobody have a shred of decency!?" NJ cried.

"Well… to be fair, you were the only goody two-shoes in the fleet. You were the only girl to not sleep with someone." Vestal spoke bluntly.

"Because fraternizing with the crew went against the code! I was following orders!" NJ cried.

"And? You don't think that it was the same for all of us? Nobody ever enforced the rule, Jersey. You could've taken any of those sailors to your cot and nobody would have batted an eye. So for you now to be so gung ho over this boy? It's quite surprising to see you acting so… feral with him. Hearing you make noises like that isn't something we have dealt with, so I'm sure this won't be the last time someone accidentally peeps." Vestal explained.

NJ thought for a minute as Vestal began wiping the blood off my back.

"I'm glad I waited. I have all the time in the world. And I don't have to hide my love from anyone. Plus… he is really, really good. None of my sailors would be able to compare." NJ replied boldly.

"That's quite a bold claim, Jersey. Did you use protection?" Vestal asked as she continued to inspect the scratches and cuts on my back.

"Yes. I'm not looking for kids at the moment." NJ retorted.

"That's good… but you do realize that you may have trouble bringing a pregnancy to term, right?" Vestal asked. This shut down any joy that remained in the conversation.

"What?" NJ asked in stunned disbelief.

"You produce radiation. Normally a baby is protected from background radiation and normal everyday occurrences by the thoughtful planning of its mother and the fact that her body is shielding the child. You actively produce radiation on account of your nuclear payload and your time spent as a nuclear deterrence asset. The baby will be exposed to the radiation you produce. It may hinder the growth of the child or cause unforeseen side effects including termination of the pregnancy." Vestal spoke clinically.

"So… I… So I can't give him a child? I can't be a mother?" NJ asked as pain filled her voice and tears began to flow.

"I'm not saying that, Jersey. I'm saying that you are going to have to take on a lot of extra responsibility if you want to have a child." Vestal replied.

"But you said that my body would kill the baby!" NJ hissed as she tried to keep from waking me.

"I said it could. It's not guaranteed, NJ. You might be able to have a perfectly normal pregnancy. But you have to be aware that the inverse could be true. I want you to know that… if and when you try for a child with Tyler… if anything happens to the baby, it isn't the fault of either one of you. This is a product of what our country did to girls like you. So don't blame him… or yourself. You had no choice." Vestal said as NJ cried silently.

"And if worst comes to worst… I have plenty of years left on my fertility. I'll keep knocking you up until we have our baby." I spoke from NJ's lap.

NJ gasped.

"You… were listening?" NJ asked softly.

"Kinda hard to sleep when Vestal uses 93% Isopropyl to clean the cuts on my back." I retorted.

"I… I'm sorry, Honey." NJ spoke dejectedly.

"There is nothing for you to be sorry about, NJ. You have to keep a positive outlook. Just think, the baby will have half of your DNA. With any luck, they'll get the portion that keeps them shielded from radiation or something. Maybe they'll have resistance." I replied.

NJ smiled.

"I guess you're right… my Honey… ever the optimist." NJ said with a small chuckle.

"The cuts aren't deep, merely superficial. Maybe Jersey should trim down her nails when she plans something like this so that she doesn't cut you again." Vestal suggested as she applied bandages to the cuts that were still bleeding.

"I don't mind. Just as long as they don't get infected." I said as I yawned.

"I would suggest getting in bed if you wish to rest. We are still several hours from Dubai." Vestal said as I nodded. NJ squealed as I picked up her naked form and tossed her over my shoulder, allowing my shorts to fall off my lower body. Vestal hid her eyes after a moment.

"I appreciate the compliments as well, Vestal. But I think NJ and I are gonna get some shut eye. If we aren't awake in Tokyo, give us a holler." I said as Vestal left the room quickly.

"Why do you have to manhandle me like that! I'm not a sack of potatoes!" NJ cried.

"Because I could feel your leg strength failing as we finished. You wouldn't have been able to walk… so I think I did my job pretty well." I said as NJ smiled.

"You noticed…" NJ said.

"I also noticed a perfume you wore. Care to elaborate?" I asked.

NJ turned away.

"I haven't a clue what you're talking about." NJ replied as I chuckled.

"You got it from Belfast, didn't you. A false bottom in the cologne box. I knew that box felt heavy." I spoke knowingly.

"She said it would turn you on… I was expecting… more passion. That was… primal. If I wasn't so sore, I'd ask for more." NJ admitted.

"I guess it's a good thing we only use it in private then." I said as I laid down next to her.

She immediately latched on to me and after a few minutes of settling in, we both were snoring lightly. Content and completely exhausted.

Chapter Text

NJ and I awoke to the sound of tires screeching and the plane bumping the ground as we landed. One look out the window showed an airport that was set in among some decent sized buildings in the middle of a vast desert. We had made it to Dubai. As Warspite warned, I made no move to get off the plane, as we were only there for fuel. I stood up and stretched before turning back to look at my future wife.

I turned to NJ, who looked back at me like I was the only person in the world.

"Wanna go another round?" I asked jokingly.

"Are you trying to kill me!? I haven't even begun to recover from what you did to me. Now get your fine lookin ass back in this bed and let me cuddle you. You owe me at least that much for getting us peeped in on by Vestal and the Gerry." NJ scolded me.

I chuckled.

"Alright. But only because you asked me so nicely." I said as I walked back to the bed and climbed back under the covers, only to be embraced by NJ. She held me close with one arm while the other arm traced circles on my chest.

As I leaned in to kiss NJ, I heard a commotion in the front room, followed by angry German yelling.

NJ and I were on our feet in moments. NJ threw on a shirt and shorts, I pulled on a pair of shorts and grabbed the Mauser from my bag. Pulling back the slide, I slowly opened the door to see something insane playing out before me.

Vestal had hidden behind a set of seats closest to the bedroom area. NJ put her hand on my shoulder and showed me that she had a cufflink in her hand.

"Nancy." I whispered just loud enough for her to hear. She turned her head and scrambled into the room where NJ and I were.

"What the hell is going on?" NJ asked, her tone indicating irritation at her cuddle time being interrupted.

"It happened so fast. The pilot was incapacitated on the tarmac when he stepped off. There's another woman on the plane. She and Eugen are… facing off for lack of a better term. I'm no good in a fight. I fix people, not break them." Vestal replied as I went back to the door and peeked out.

Eugen was bleeding from her eyebrow as she faced off against a woman with long gray hair. More importantly, Eugen had seemingly sprouted a pair of mechanical looking serpents from her back that had stretched out to fit inside the narrow body of the plane. I recognized gun turrets, torpedo tubes, and AA mounts on the metal parts that were attached to her body. Her arms and legs were coated in what I could only describe as plate armor.

The woman with gray hair had a similar situation going on, but instead of a heap of guns, two monstrous constructs that looked like frost-laden dragons had sprouted from her back, sporting a pair of smaller looking guns when compared to Prinz Eugen, but the backs of the behemoths were packed with missile tubes.

"Where is he?" The woman in gray asked.

"I don't have a clue what you're on about, you communist bitch. Get off this plane or I will not hold back in ending you." Eugen growled.

"You couldn't do shit against me in the last war. What makes you think you have a chance now that I no longer possess the power of a light cruiser? You're outclassed." The woman spoke.

"I have sworn to protect him. I don't know why you're after him, but you won't get him." Eugen spoke.

NJ peeked out and her eyes narrowed.

"It's Kirov." NJ whispered.

"Kirov? The light cruiser of the soviet navy?" I asked.

"One in the same… but during the years after the second world war, she was transferred to a battlecruiser… meant to be my equal. This was before the Russians set about trying to hunt down and kill the Kansen of the Soviet Navy. When the new Russian President took power, they spoke out in resistance to him and his policy. It looks like she's looking for you." NJ whispered.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.

"Yes. We don't know why she is looking for you, but considering she has rigging drawn, we need to be careful." NJ whispered.

"Rigging? Like… the stuff you have? If you broke that cufflink, you'd have guns like that too?" I asked softly.

NJ nodded.

"The only problem… is that mine is too big to fit inside the airplane. I can't activate it properly in here, but merely having the ability to activate it should be a decent enough threat." NJ whispered.

I nodded and opened the door slowly. Eugen noticed but tried to be discreet when she saw the gun in my hand. I crept up behind one of the rows of seats to get a closer look. The woman was armed not only with the monsters at her side, but she had what looked to be an OTS-02 Kiparis submachine gun. The suppressor on the barrel told me more than I wanted to know. She was an assassin.

'Who tipped her off?' I thought to myself as NJ opened the door behind me, drawing Kirov's attention.

Kirov smiled.

"If you're here, then he's here. Where is he, Black Dragon?" Kirov asked as one of the monstrosities turned towards NJ. I felt my heart skip a beat. NJ was now in the line of fire… because of me.

"What makes you think that your idle threats could make me talk? It's gonna take more than a bit of bluffing to crack my shell, Kirov… or would you prefer Admiral Ushakov now? Careful though… I may not have my jacket on, but rest assured, my rigging is ready to deploy at a moment's notice. So why don't we play it like we did in the 80's, and keep it cool." NJ spoke as she stretched her arms up and yawned.

This displeased Kirov.

"Kirov is my name, American Pig. You will not soil it with the name given by the bastard in power. Where is the boy?" Kirov demanded, still clueless to the fact that I was less than twelve feet away from her.

"Why do you need to know? Is he in that bingo book of yours? You look ready to kill." NJ retorted as her blue eyes slowly shifted to red.

"He is not. But considering how your pilot was quite hostile, and then this Nazi tramp got in my way, I have every right to defend myself. So I ask again, where is the boy? I have it on good intelligence that he is with you. Unless, of course, Queen Elizabeth is yanking my chain." Kirov spoke. Upon hearing Elizabeth's name, I made a choice. I swallowed, readying myself for death.

I stood and aimed the Mauser at Kirov's head.

"Are you talking about me?" I asked coldly as NJ darted in front of me, making sure that she was fully between me and Kirov. Eugen snarled and aimed every available gun barrel at Kirov as the tension reached a fever pitch.

Kirov smiled. In an instant, her monstrosities dissipated into the ether and she turned to face me.

"I am. I was given information regarding your travels by Queen Elizabeth. I can clarify everything, but first… I need you to call off your hounds." Kirov spoke.

I put a hand to my head as a wave of pain passed over me. She was speaking Russian. Yet I was hearing both Russian and English in my head, as if her words were being translated in real time. Vestal noticed and rushed over.

"Are you okay?" She whispered.

"She's speaking Russian. But… It's like there are two people talking at once." I replied.

Vestal nodded and looked at Kirov.

"If you need to speak to him, use English. He hasn't experienced talking to non-English Kansen before." Vestal demanded.

Kirov nodded.

"My apologies. With one highly regarded by Queen Elizabeth, I would have assumed he had met with other Kansen of other nations." Kirov spoke. This time she was speaking english. There was no dual voice in my mind.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

I pulled out my phone and turned it off airplane mode. I typed in a number and called.

"Hello?" Warspite asked on the other end of the line.

"Elizabeth. Hi. It's Tyler." I spoke.

"Mr. Sweigart. Is something the matter? The plane's tracker indicates you are in Dubai." Warspite asked.

"Mhmm. Could you contact your boss and ask about any changes to our flight plan? I was told that we were to take on fuel, but it seems we had someone waiting to join us here in Dubai?" I asked.

"What?! I'll contact her right away. Please hold." Warspite spoke.

I sat down, being sure to keep my eyes on Kirov.

"For the time being… have a seat. There's drinks and snacks if you need something. But I cannot call off Prinz Eugen or my girlfriend until we can verify your story." I replied.

"Girlfriend? The Black Dragon? No fucking way! You are lying through your teeth. The Black Dragon has been a virgin since the time she hit the water. It is impossible to believe that you, of all people, broke her resolve after eighty years." Kirov spoke fiercely as she sat across from me. My phone clicked and I brought it back up to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked.

"My most sincere apologies, Mr. Sweigart. It seems that my boss has a representative that she wants you to pick up in Dubai. I was unaware of this development." Warspite replied.

"Neither was our pilot." I replied flatly.

"Is he alright?" Warspite asked.

"Not entirely. We may need to stay in Dubai for a bit." I responded.

Warspite grumbled on the other end.

"I will speak with one of my associates in the area. You shouldn't be without a pilot for too long." Warspite said as she hung up the phone.

I sighed again as I put down my gun.

"You two can stand down. There was a breakdown in communication. Apparently Queen Elizabeth had her wait here for us." I spoke.

"Told you." Kirov quipped.

"You still pointed guns at my ally and my girlfriend, Kirov. And based on NJ's actions despite her words, she was ready to throw down. I don't know precisely what you do for a living, or what history you have with these two, but your reputation has preceded you." I retorted.

"I see. Either way, I mean no harm. If I had, you all would be dead and this plane a burning wreck on the Tarmac. I watched you fly in after all." Kirov responded coldly.

"Honey… can I please kill her? The Government never let me at her, but I want to test if she's as good as the Soviets said she was." NJ asked innocently. She was pissed. Absolutely fuming below the surface. This time, I didn't blame her. But due to the nature of everything, I couldn't allow her to take on Kirov when Kirov could become a potential ally.

"No. Despite the rocky start, we have an acquaintance from a nation we have no access to. So… we need to pardon her as well. At least it only cost us a few hours instead of four liters of blood this time." I replied. Eugen dissipated her rigging and pouted at me.

"I said I was sorry." She grumbled.

Kirov looked at NJ.

"So you really gave it up to this guy?" Kirov asked.

"I did, twice now. Better than any sailor could muster. I've heard horror stories from just about everywhere." NJ replied, once again taking the tone she initially had with Eugen. I wouldn't stop her this time though. I didn't fully trust Kirov yet.

Kirov chuckled before reaching into her outfit and producing a small glass bottle.

"Da. I'll drink to that. Na Zdorovie!" Kirov spoke as she took a swig of the clear liquid in the bottle before passing it to NJ, who sighed and took it.

"Cheers to you too." NJ spoke hesitantly as she took a swig before attempting to hand it to Kirov.

"No. To him. Pass to him." Kirov demanded.

NJ sighed again. She made it seem like she was against it, but in trying to keep the spirit amicable at my request, she was pressured into it.

"Honey… this is a really strong drink. Made with Kansen in mind. Please don't drink too much." NJ warned as I took the bottle and took a decent swig.

Out of every possible thought in my mind at that moment, regret screamed the loudest. It felt like I was drinking from a lake of fire. Every surface the liquid touched burned worse than having my hand shoved into a fryer. As I forced myself to swallow, I felt a sharp pain coincide with the liquid's path of travel into my stomach. With a sharp exhale, the pain stopped but the burn continued. Yet, despite the horrible experience, I kept myself from coughing and managed to reign in my reaction to little more than closing my eyes and shaking my head. I quickly passed the bottle to Kirov.

"Hmm. I have never seen a regular human drink this with so little reaction. Perhaps you have a point, Dragon. He does seem different than what I am used to." Kirov spoke as we all heard boots outside. I went to the door and saw a pair of medics taking our pilot away in an ambulance. In his place, a woman with orange hair and tan skin walked up the stairs and into the cabin. She waited until a tractor pulled the stairs away and then closed the door.

"Refueling will be done momentarily. Please stow any… firearms or illegal substances and situate yourself for takeoff." The woman said as she looked around the cabin, spotting my Mauser and Kirov's bottle of hellish booze.

The woman sported a Royal Navy uniform. As expected, Warspite had managed to get another member of the Royal Navy to fly us to Japan despite our illicit cargo. I would no doubt hear about this later.

I walked over to NJ and grabbed her hand.

"NJ, let's just leave it at this and go back to bed. I've had more than enough excitement for today." I said as I turned to face the three women in the cabin with us. The pilot had secluded herself to the cockpit.

"All I ask is that we make it to Tokyo in one piece. I don't want anyone killing each other." I said as I handed the Mauser to Vestal.

"If what NJ said is true, it won't kill them, but it might be more akin to a rubber bullet." I said as NJ looked at me and then at Vestal, who wore a slightly terrified expression at the concept of being handed a firearm.

Without waiting for a reply, I walked into the bedroom with NJ walking in behind me. Unseen by me, but noticed by Kirov, NJ was using the backs of the seats in the cabin along with any solid structure to aid her in walking back to the room with me. The tremble in her legs was unmissable now that tensions had simmered out. The door closed and silence filled the cabin.

Chapter Text

The cabin remained quiet until Kirov spoke.

"So, is she really sleeping with that man?" Kirov asked.

Eugen was the first to reply.

"She'll kill me for saying this…" Eugen started.

"Eugen! I swear to god, if you embarrass her, I will empty this thing into your chest!" Vestal said as the memory of what she had seen came flooding back, turning her own face beet red.

Kirov was confused.

"What is it, Gerry? Spit it out." Kirov spoke as she produced her alcohol again and set it in front of Prinz Eugen.

Eugen took the bottle and took a long hearty drink. With a sigh, she began.

"We heard the cries and screams from the back of the plane. So naturally we went to investigate. I cracked open the door and the first thing that hit me was what I can only assume was the aphrodisiacs. It was like the old folk stories about people brewing love potions or crap like that. Makes your mind go all kinds of hazy. When I finally managed to get past that… I didn't see them making love like some Hollywood dreamer type shit… it was like watching lions. It was… primal… pure unadulterated carnal instinct. I used to hear rumors from my friends in the Pacific, tales of just how terrifying the Black Dragon was… and still is. I even took a punch to the gut from her…" Eugen exclaimed as she lifted her shirt to show off a bruise that inhabited the majority of her stomach, turning the skin a sickly yellow and purple as it healed.

Kirov was intrigued and indicated for Eugen to continue.

"But now… I'm more terrified of him. To have one the world's most powerful Kansen left alive be reduced to a puddle on the floor by some guy? He is a very dangerous man. If anyone were left alone with him… there could be no secrets. I couldn't force myself to look away. I lost track of what happened after, but I woke up practically bound to one of the chairs. Vestal said that I almost blew our cover." Eugen explained as Kirov busted up laughing.

"That's quite the dramatic retelling. But… if you're that overboard about it… then I guess it's true. The Black Dragon's got herself a man. And it only took eighty years for her to do it" Kirov said with a chuckle.

"He makes her vastly more dangerous as well." Vestal chimed in.

"How so?" Kirov asked.

"She has confirmed on no fewer than three occasions to activate and utilize her nuclear arsenal for the sole purpose of defending that boy. You almost tasted what kind of power that boy gives her. If he hadn't called her off… we would have seen which of you two was stronger… and she wouldn't have held back even an ounce on that asswhooping. I assume to have heard of your exploits through the grapevine. Several unsolved assassinations of high class targets on both sides of the Iron Curtain. But if he didn't have a metaphorical leash on her… you could very well have ended up as a red blot on the tarmac." Vestal spoke frankly.

Kirov sighed.

"If I knew back then that all it took for her to lash out was for her to get laid like that… I would have arranged something just so we could have duked it out." Kirov grumbled.

"And plunged the world into World War Three? All for a sparring match with an Iowa class? Are you insane?" Vestal snapped.

"My new hull was built to fight her. Anti-ship missiles. CIWS to deal with Tomahawks. Torpedo launchers. My hull was built to counter the Iowa class. Of course I want to fight her." Kirov defended. With a sigh, Kirov took another swig.

"In all reality… it's all I had been looking forward to. But then the cold war ended. Then that asshat took control of everything… hasn't relinquished control since 1999. They said that Russia was supposed to be democratic… a callback to when Soviet Russia stood for the workers… the people. But now it's 2022? Twenty three years… and he's passed legislation to keep him in until 2036… so many of us… dead… for nothing." Kirov spat.

"Dead?" Eugen asked.

"We realized pretty quick that the leader of Russia wasn't going to give up power so easily. So we did what any self-respecting Soviet would… We raised our fists and made noise. We took a public stance against the Authoritarian regime… but then we realized just how that man managed to both obtain and stay in power. One by one… my remaining comrades fell. Poisoned. Blown Up. Burnt Alive. All of them covered up and the stories twisted to portray suicide. There's only seven of us left by my count…" Kirov explained.

"Only seven? Out of the entire Soviet Navy?" Vestal asked in disbelief.

"Correct. The only ones I know that are still alive… are Avrora, Arkhangelsk, Chapayev, Kuybyshev, my sister Voroshilov, and Tallinn." Kirov explained.

Eugen began to tear up.

"So she is alive… my sister, Lutzow." Eugen muttered tearfully.

"Da. She went into hiding in 1999, as did the rest of us… now that I think about it, she asked me to pass you a message should I ever find myself in Buenos Aires. She told me to tell you sorry for not contacting you sooner. The fall of the Iron Curtain made it hard for her to get messages out unnoticed. And since your radios had been tuned to the American channels before your vessel's destruction, she couldn't contact you without the Soviet Leaders finding out and punishing her. So she apologizes sincerely." Kirov explained.

"I tried changing it to the old German channels. She never looked?" Eugen asked.

Kirov shrugged.

"I assume she did. But once again, everything was monitored. It was the Cold War, Eugen." Kirov spoke as the plane started moving again, rolling down the tarmac and onto the runway. Several minutes later, we were once again hurtling down the runway and well under way to reach Tokyo.

Eugen nodded.

"I can access my radio… Do you have the frequency that I can contact her on?" Eugen asked.

Kirov nodded.

"It's a Belorussian channel. I have already set a message to the surviving girls of the Northern Parliament. Queen Elizabeth said she could house them in England for the time being. So they are on the move. Your sister has been hiding out in Belarus since 1999, hence the radio frequency." Kirov spoke as she wrote down the frequency and handed it to Eugen.

Eugen immediately closed her eyes and adjusted. Thanks to her hull being maintained and afloat, she was able to get a message through.

"Lutzow? Do you copy?" Eugen send in morse code.

A few seconds later, Eugen's eyes filled with tears. Kirov smiled as she noticed.

"What did she say?" Kirov asked.

"She said she'll see me real soon. I just sent her the coordinates of my vessel in Buenos Aires. She said she'll be catching a flight there instead of England." Eugen said.

"Good. I'm glad she has a place where she is welcome." Kirov said as she took another sip of her drink.

Vestal walked over, putting the Mauser in her bag.

"So… Kirov, do you still have your vessel? The invention of the internet makes it easy to see that your hull was to be scrapped last year." Vestal asked.

"I have been diligent in making sure it wasn't. Threats, bribes, and assassinations have kept the scrapping process stalled indefinitely. Nobody wants to go near it." Kirov spoke.

"So your vessel is in a sailing condition?" Vestal asked.

"Da. I visit every now and then to completely restore it. I heard about that boy's plan from Queen Elizabeth. So I'm glad that I made the run recently. That said, I'll be returning to it once I land in Tokyo. The Japanese do not like me and my kin too much. But me meeting you here was the only way to let you know… I will set sail to join you. To stand up to the world and forge our own path. Such a cause is criminal to ignore for one such as myself. And while I may not be able to do battle with New Jersey… I can sail alongside her as her Soviet counterpart. We will fight this injustice together as Comrades in arms." Kirov spoke boldly.

Vestal smiled.

"Another top tier asset for this little Navy of ours. I can see this plan working." Vestal said as she leaned back in her chair.

"Of course it will work. Any who try to stop us will face the combined might of American and Soviet nuclear power." Kirov spoke.

"Combined? Do you carry a nuclear payload?" Vestal asked.

"Nyet… but according to Queen Elizabeth and her lapdog, my nuclear reactor can keep the Black Dragon topped up on her nuclear stockpile. So if I need to feed her nuclear material… then we will become unstoppable." Kirov spoke.

"You and Nautilus will be able to take turns should those missiles need to be launched." Vestal said.

"The submarine? The world's first Nuke right?" Kirov asked.

"The one and only. Apparently Tyler's Great Grandfather helped put her together. So in a way, she's family to him. She has confirmed her allegiance as well." Vestal relayed.

Kirov chuckled.

"This day gets better and better…" Kirov stated as Vestal interrupted.

"Wait… you mentioned another name, Arkhangelsk. She used to be the Royal Sovereign, transferred to the Soviets, right?" Vestal asked.

Kirov smiled.

"You're right. I almost completely forgot. And she was the one that I got the info to come here from. We transferred her to a Typhoon class submarine. She's around somewhere. The internet says that they decommissioned her in 2013, but it's a lie. Truth is… they can't find her TO decommission her. And since she's a nuclear powered ship, she can keep her reactors fueled indefinitely since, like myself, we can produce Nuclear Material. She's been radio silent since her disappearance… until early yesterday morning at least. She said Queen Elizabeth had contacted her on an old Royal Navy Channel. That's how she gave me the information on your flight plan. I dropped what I was doing and… commandeered transportation. Eugen, send out a general message on this frequency. Mark it as from a friend." Kirov spoke as she wrote down another frequency and handed it to Eugen.

"Why can't you?" Eugen asked.

"My radio is in Russia… I shouldn't have to explain that one." Kirov deadpanned.

Eugen sighed and changed frequencies. In a few moments, she got a return.

"I got something. It's from Arkhangelsk, but she's using her old name, Royal Sovereign, to avoid suspicion." Eugen spoke.

"Tell her to make for Japan. If you know where you're going to be staying, I would let her know so she can meet up with you." Kirov spoke.

Eugen nodded.

"I told her. She said she'll be there." Eugen reported as Vestal looked at Kirov.

"Did… you just bag another Submarine?" Vestal asked.

"Yup. The Soviet girls will be on board with this, no doubt. And since it's coming from me, they trust it. So expect the full might of what remains of the Northern Parliament." Kirov said cheerfully as she took a third swig from her bottle.

"A Kirov class Battlecruiser… and a Typhoon class submarine. Our forces just got exponentially more dangerous." Vestal spoke in a grave tone.

Kirov let out a hearty laugh.

“I’d like to see someone try to stop us once this thing gets rolling. I haven’t felt war in ages… I’m ready to shake off the rust.” Kirov spoke as the plane carried us out of Dubai and towards our destination in Tokyo.

Chapter Text

The plane landed hours later, just as NJ and I were waking up from our second nap. NJ had taken to cuddling me the entire time, regardless of how hot I was. She refused to let go. Upon waking up, I felt reinvigorated and refreshed. All the fatigue and even the subtle pain in my back and neck were a distant memory. My day grew brighter as I managed to snag a few seconds, as NJ was stretching, to check my phone where I managed to catch a glimpse of an email from Illustrious that was labeled 'Ring Design' I closed my phone and stood up, fighting NJ's hands as she tried to pull me back down into the bed.

"Whatcha looking at, Honey?" NJ asked.

"I got an email from Illustrious. Sending me some important information from Victorious." I lied.

"Oh? Like what? Lemme see." NJ said as she grabbed my phone.

I tried to snatch it back but NJ was too quick. She bypassed my fingerprint scanner and scrolled to the email. Thankfully, Illustrious thought of this possibility and had set the email to encrypt itself should someone attempt to access my phone in the way NJ had.

"Honey! What did she send you? This email is too well encrypted. I can't crack it!" NJ whined.

I caved just a bit.

"It's a surprise. Please don't look at that email… it took quite a bit of work to get the ball rolling on this." I begged.

"A surprise? For me?" NJ asked.

"Yes. I can't tell you what, but it is for you. I can't tell you anything else… but I wanted to be transparent. I'm sorry for lying about the contents, but I really want you to get the full effect of the surprise. Please stop trying to dig for it." I begged further.

NJ pouted at me.

"Can you give me a hint? Give me a hint, and I'll drop it." NJ proposed.

"It is something you'll enjoy very much and something that means more than the material it's made of. I can't say anything else. So please stop digging." I requested.

NJ smiled.

"Okay. I'll accept that. I apologize for being difficult." NJ said as she got up from bed and walked to me. I chuckled a bit as I saw she had removed pretty much everything once again, leaving her in her underwear as she came and gave me a hug and a kiss. I hugged her and reciprocated the kiss, but as my hands fell lower, NJ pushed me to the wall and evolved our cursory routine to a long, passionate french kiss.

I was not going to stop her. I was enjoying every second I was in contact with her. It was moments later that we heard the door open and a gasp follow immediately after.

"No fucking way!"

I froze. It was Kirov's voice.

NJ immediately pulled away and covered herself with one arm while using the other to launch the steel bedside table at Kirov. Kirov caught the table easily only to further infuriate NJ.

"GET OUT!" NJ screamed as she got one of the pillows from the bed and launched that as well.

"We have landed. The Gerry said we should get moving if we want to make the most of our day before we get found out." Kirov said as a second pillow hurled in her direction caused her to take off.

NJ let out an angry noise as she contemplated attacking the Battlecruiser further.

"Just relax, dear. There's still plenty of me left for you." I said as NJ looked at me and pouted.

"Every damn time… first it was George and friends in London, then Vestal and Eugen on the way to Dubai, and now the Commie? I can't ever seem to get any alone time with you when we do something special like this." NJ whined.

I chuckled.

"Maybe we beat them to it and record it next time, sell it for profit. Maybe even give a copy to the FBI as a middle finger." I said jokingly.

NJ smiled and then began chuckling.

"That will never happen, Honey. What I do to you remains behind closed doors… even if we do get people who peek. But your body is for my enjoyment only. I will not allow you to sell it for money." NJ said as she walked back over to me and cupped my chin.

"I was kidding, NJ. I know how you are." I replied.

"Oh? Well then let me make it absolutely clear." NJ said as she reached down between my legs and grabbed me.

"This… belongs to me, and me alone." NJ said as she then released me before turning and grabbing my wrists, moving them to her chest and pubic area.

"And in return… this belongs to you… and you alone. And if anyone tries to take it, I will destroy them." NJ said as she craned her neck to look at me.

"I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm more than happy to be yours." I said as NJ smiled and pecked my lips one final time before walking towards her bags to get dressed.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Mark paced in the parking lot of a public park near my house. Viktor remained in the SUV on the phone with some unknown stranger. Several minutes later, Viktor threw his phone, smashing it against the bulletproof windshield of the SUV.

"That can't be good." Mark muttered as Viktor got out of the car and took a deep breath.

"What was that about?" Mark demanded.

"The judge struck down our search warrant for lack of merit. There isn't enough non-circumstantial evidence to facilitate the granting of such an invasive search warrant. The judge said either we try to get consent from the actual owner of the house, or we're out of luck. The Judge just gave me a twenty minute lecture on the constitution to point out every single flaw in our approach. So unless Tyler Sweigart gives us consent to search the house, we can't get in there." Viktor explained.

Mark growled.

"Fine. Screw the process. I know for certain he's in possession of state secrets. We'll handle it another way." Mark said as he pulled out a phone that wasn't his work issued smart device.

"Uh, sir… we're on shift. We can't use personal devices." Viktor tried.

"Take a walk, Vik. It'll get your mind off the cost of replacing a work phone." Mark spoke as Viktor took the hint and left him alone.

"Good evening, Representative. It's your old friend, Mark Faiser. FBI special investigator." Mark spoke.

"No. No. I haven't told anyone about our little secret. But you know… having such a secret weighs on my mind every day. I mean… it's a matter of national security here in the states. It would ease my mind so much to tell my boss and have the issue resolved. It would be one more thing off my plate. I'm juggling a big case right now." Mark continued, his tone taking on condescension.

"And that's why I like you, Representative. You still have ties to the Tokyo sect of the Yamaguchi-gumi, right? I have it on good intelligence that my big case just landed in Tokyo. I'd like to put this case to bed so I can focus on making sure your secret remains safe." Mark spoke.

"Well? Would you rather me report this secret to the Pentagon? After all, having ties to the CCP and family married to soldiers tasked with maintaining America's nuclear capabilities… that could look really bad. A secret like this could have you thrown out of the National Diet or worse, brought up on charges akin to treason. You wouldn't want that, would you?" Mark asked.

"Good. I don't care how, make sure he doesn't come home. I'm sending you the information." Mark concluded as he hung up the phone, his sinister plot now in motion. He sent a picture titled 'Tyler Sweigart' as well as a detailed description before going off to find Viktor.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

NJ, Vestal, Eugen, Kirov and I all hopped off the plane and headed towards the terminal at Hanada International Airport. Eugen led us as we entered the airport, everyone showing their papers, legal or otherwise. We were allowed through security and past customs after declaring our length of stay and reasons for visiting. Kirov got a few awkward looks, but nobody really tried to stop us. When we exited the terminal, we were greeted by a motorcade surrounded by men in suits.

"Clara?" I asked.

"Security. To ensure we do not compromise the peace." Eugen spoke in an inconspicuous tone.

One of the suited men opened one of the doors of the vehicle, allowing all of us to climb inside. Once the door shut, the men in suits scrambled to get into the leading and following vehicles of the motorcade. In moments we were off. The blacked out window separating us from the driver opened and he spoke something in Japanese to Eugen.

"We're going to Yokosuka. Take the shortest route please." Eugen spoke as the man nodded and shut the window.

"Did he even understand you?" I asked.

"Remember how the repair ship had to ask me to speak English for you? We kansen are special. Regardless of the language that we speak, it will be translated to the person we are talking to. I don't fully understand why or how, but it just works. You are the first person I have spoken to to have a negative reaction to it." Kirov explained.

"So you mean that I can talk to every single Kansen and they'll understand and be able to communicate with me?" I asked.

"Correct. But considering most surviving Kansen are English-Speakers, you shouldn't have to deal with the headaches as often." Vestal chimed in.

"So… that means I can speak with the girls here? And the Richelieu class girls? And the Littorio girls?" I asked.

"Yes. And I am happy that them speaking their native languages gives you trouble. Makes it easier to keep you to myself." NJ said jokingly.

"Wow… way to say the quiet part out loud, Jersey." Vestal deadpanned.

"Since we're on the topic… you weren't kidding. You really did get her wrapped around your finger. It's making me wonder what artillery you're packing if you're able to crack the armor on that beast." Kirov spoke as she glanced towards my lap.

"Shut your damn mouth, Commie! What he's packing is none of your damn business! But… in the spirit of making this as uncomfortable for you as it is for me… I'll reiterate that he's better than every sailor I've ever had aboard. He may look like a teddy bear, but he makes love like a grizzly. Everyone in this vehicle knows my history. So when I say he has made me feel the explosive feeling of a long lance torpedo to my citadel, that should be more than enough to tell you what he's packing." NJ spat as her cheeks turned beet red.

I smiled deviously as I scooted over and pulled her into my lap.

"A grizzly, huh?" I asked as NJ tried to push away.

"Honey! Not here!" She whined as I laughed at her embarrassment.

"I'm not doing anything, dear. Just asking a question." I reiterated.

NJ looked at me and pouted.

"I said what I said. You were there. I'm not embellishing anything." NJ replied as she folded her arms.

Eugen took a breath to speak but a murderous glare from NJ shut down anything she had to say. Silently, after watching the not so innocent display, the three remaining girls looked at one another in understanding silence, all of them no doubt feeling slightly envious based on the looks they were wearing.

I could feel NJ's hips moving on my lap, more than likely adjusting things so it was a bit more comfortable since she planned on staying in my lap for the duration of the ride. She leaned against my chest giving me the opportunity to subtly kiss the back of her neck as the motorcade drove towards Yokosuka, much to her muted enjoyment.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

"A black dragon approaches." A silver haired woman spoke to a small room. The room itself resided inside a temple on the northernmost point of the main island of Japan. The temple was a few miles inland from the Bay of Mutsu and several miles uphill from a town of the same name. Outside the temple, lay Lake Usori, a massive lake that dominated the hilltop region.

Inside the room, two women sat on the opposite side of a paper wall from the silver haired woman.

"A black dragon? Are you sure, sister?" A voice spoke.

"Of that fact, I am certain. Friends… foes… strangers. I cannot discern with certainty." The silver haired woman spoke sleepily.

"I understand we will prepare accordingly." The third woman spoke.

Out at sea, a storm began to brew. It's course… directly towards Mutsu.

Chapter Text

Eugen put a hand to her ear for a moment, drawing my attention. NJ had succumbed to fatigue as she napped happily on my lap. Kirov had also decided that there was nothing better to do than catch a few minutes of rest during our drive.

"What's up?" I whispered.

"Spee just contacted me. Looks like the weather is gonna get choppy. Apparently there's a storm on its way towards where we are going to meet the others. It made news in Uruguay, so it looks like it's gonna be big. She asked me to confirm." Eugen explained as she turned on the small radio situated in the divider between us and the driver.

The news, while in Japanese, was translated by Eugen for me.

"Looks like a monster typhoon is heading for the northern tip of the island, Mutsu region. The news center is calling it unusual and has issued the typical warnings for the area." Eugen translated roughly.

"A typhoon? At this time of year? It's barely April. Are they sure it's not just a nasty thunderstorm coming off the ocean?" I asked quietly.

Eugen shrugged.

"They claim it has all the characteristics of a typhoon. Meaning we'll have to get up there and hunker down before this thing makes landfall, or else we aren't getting there." Eugen explained.

"The place we're meeting them is in Mutsu?" I asked.

Eugen nodded.

"According to some of the girls, the government here has taken a bit of a hands off approach to their privacy and protection. The city of Mutsu is an area where they can live considering it's hidden away in the more mountainous region of Japan. Most people don't travel there without a purpose and it's so far from most population centers that the Japanese government said that as long as they stay out there, there would be no need for violence or punishment to befall the Kansen of the Imperial Japanese Navy. However, a caveat was made for those who wished to maintain their naval status, in which case they received severe re-education to dispel any fallacies left by Imperial Ideology." Eugen spoke.

"So… they aren't doing too bad, all things considered?" I asked.

"Correct. Certainly better than most. The Royal Navy girls are the only ones so far that have it better considering they aren't relegated to a specific region of the British Isles. But the Japanese don't have it too bad either." Eugen explained.

"So… do they even need us? Do they need Azur Lane? The less opponents we have to face, the easier it will be to realize the ideals that Azur Lane intends to uphold." I asked.

"That depends on them. We are here to visit Mikasa and to talk with the girls of the other factions. All we're doing is pitching the idea. If they don't feel the need to change, then we need not make Japan a potential adversary." Eugen spoke.

I thought about the reality of our situation.

"I guess we'll see what happens then." I said as I looked out the window. Pulling out my phone and looking at the GPS showed me that we were just about through Yokohama. Out the window, I could see the blueish gray waters of Tokyo Bay.

"Not even two months… and I've done more in those two months thanI have the majority of my life." I spoke softly.

"Really? You seem like an interesting enough person. Was your life really that dull?" Eugen asked.

"Yeah. For the past few years it's been wake-up, eat, work, come home and sleep just to do it again the next day. And as a cook, you don't get a normal social life since cooks don't get to work normal schedules. You work late at night when everyone else is done working. Your days off tend to suck since most cooks could only dream of having weekends off. And holidays are just another day since you still have to work. Before NJ… I had no real social life aside from what few friends I made over the internet." I admitted.

Eugen pondered my words.

"I could see how that could hinder your social life, but wouldn't you be able to connect with others on a similar schedule?" Eugen asked.

I shook my head.

"I have issues as a result of several psychological disorders. Ever since I was little, I found it hard to make and keep friends. The friends I do have are extremely extroverted, so they reach out to me every now and then… but I hate to admit… sometimes I forget they exist. When they reach out, the memories come back, but if I'm not in constant contact with them… I just… forget." I replied.

"You forget? How does that make sense? They are your friends, no?" Eugen asked.

"I don't know… just one of the many things wrong inside my head. If I am not in constant contact with someone, I forget that they exist… sometimes for over a year before I end up seeing their name when scrolling through my phone. Put simply, I have no social skills to make friends… and my conditions make it hard to keep the ones I have. So connecting with other people is a difficult task." I answered.

Eugen thought again for a moment and very suddenly came to an epiphany .

"Is that why…"

"Why I said what I did when you put a gun to my head? Partially. There's always a voice telling me to let go. Being with NJ has helped a lot. But… when I was faced with death, I let go of everything and accepted it. Accepted that my life, for all its ups and downs, was finally over and that I could rest." I replied.

Eugen frowned.

"Partially?" Eugen asked.

"Chronic anxiety and depression and fourteen years of regular stimulant use really fucks with your head… in all honesty… I feel like a complete mess without someone here to keep me in line. I can't overstate enough how much NJ helps me with that." I said as I hugged NJ just a little tighter.

Eugen sighed.

"One of my friends, Nagato. She was at the test site. She might be able to help you process some things a little better… look at things from a different point of view." Eugen said.

"Nagato? The Japanese Flagship at Pearl?" I asked.

Eugen nodded.

"Yes. After the war and her eventual trek to Mutsu, she took up residence in the temple and slowly the surviving Kansen of the Imperial Japanese Navy found their way to her. Her and Takao are the only ones I know of residing there. Mikasa lives here in Yokosuka as a part of her job. The government leaves her alone since her acting as a tour guide for her museum brings them money." Eugen explained as she looked out the window.

"We're entering city limits." Eugen spoke as the window dividing the car opened. The driver asked a question.

"Hotel New Port Yokosuka. They know we're coming." Eugen replied.

"You have a hotel already?" I asked as the window went back up.

"Yeah. I set it up while waiting for you and lovergirl at the airport in Luton. Two rooms. A double for you two and a double for me and Vestal. I didn't know Kirov was going to be joining us, so if she plans on staying with us until you leave Japan… she'll have to share with one of us.

"She's staying with you." NJ spoke without so much opening her eyes.

"How long were you listening?" Eugen asked.

"When Honey is with me, I'm always listening. But I figured Honey would be comfortable speaking his mind if he thought I wasn't. I noticed that he tries to keep his personal issues private around me… as he did in London. So I kept my mouth shut, but now… we can address it together." NJ said as she opened her eyes and looked at me.

"So…"

"Yup. I heard everything." NJ said.

"I'm sorry… I don't like burdening my loved ones with my problems." I replied softly.

NJ reached down and interlaced her fingers with mine before bringing my hand up and kissing the back of it.

"I don't care. We're going to address these issues. It's only a matter of time anyway. You don't have to protect me. I've seen things like this destroy people from the inside. I'm not going to let the same happen to you. We're going to find a way for you to work through these issues. Simple as that." NJ said as she slid off my lap into the seat next to me.

I teared up as she pulled me into her side.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." NJ whispered as the motorcade stopped in front of a Hotel.

"We're here." Eugen said as Vestal nudged Kirov awake.

The door to the car opened and the five of us piled out onto the sidewalk before entering the building with Eugen taking charge.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Eugen looked to both sides before entering the hotel. She walked to the counter and got us checked in while getting things settled for Kirov.

"Our room is on the third floor. Yours is on the top. I initially got them together, but it seems some bigwig clients ended up forcing a room change. Be careful." Eugen spoke as she handed me my room key.

NJ immediately went on the defensive as we grabbed our bags and headed to our room. She closed her eyes as she touched the door.

"No bugs. No cameras. People on both sides. I can't tell if someone is inside. Too much noise interference" NJ texted my phone.

"I got the gun back from Nancy." I replied as I lifted my shirt, making sure I was next to NJ.

NJ nodded as she used our key to open the door.

The moment we entered, a man in a black outfit attacked NJ from the darkened bathroom with a large military style knife. I let the door close behind me as NJ barely budged against the assailant. The man struggled to try to make any form of progress against NJ as she gripped his wrist and twisted, causing him to cry out in pain. Once the door closed fully, I locked the door and drew my gun and aimed it at the man.

"Tell him to drop the knife." I said as I saw NJ holding the man's wrist.

NJ looked at the man and spoke in fluent Japanese.

"Naifu o otosu ka, tekubi o funsai suru zo." NJ spoke coldly.

The man nodded frantically and dropped the knife to the floor. NJ kicked it over to me, allowing me to holster my weapon and pick up the knife.

"Does he speak English?" I asked.

The man turned to me and nodded frantically.

"Very Sorry!" The man exclaimed as I could see NJ slowly twisting his wrist further. His words were filled with fear and pain.

"NJ. Release him and block the window. I want to speak to this jackass." I said as I once again flashed my gun at the man, who realized he was at our mercy.

Looking him over, I saw a tattoo on his hand.

"Do you understand me?" I asked.

The man nodded.

"I understand. Good English." The man retorted.

"Good. Good. You're Yakuza, aren't you?" I asked.

The man hesitated.

"Answer the question, or I will shatter your kneecaps. You're only living because he asked me to let you go." NJ spat angrily, cracking her knuckles for added effect. I had to stifle a laugh as her accent dipped into a Philadelphia accent.

The man jumped and tried to present an even less threatening appearance.

"Yes! Yes! New Member! First Job! I swear!" The man confessed.

"That tattoo. Yakuza crest?" I asked.

The man nodded.

"Family crest?" I inquired further.

The man nodded.

"So… if my family has someone with that tattoo… and they happen to find out I was attacked here in Japan. What would happen to you?" I asked.

"Your family? Someone in your family?" The man asked.

"My cousin got a blessing from an Okinawa sect of the Yakuza when she was stationed there in the Army. She was granted the exact same tattoo you have on your hand. She even got permission to incorporate it into a canvas piece on her arm. With that, she also got a promise from the head of that sect. She and any who are related to her will not be accosted by that specific family. She would be granted protection." I said as I showed the man a picture of my cousin standing next to me, showing off her completed canvas piece.

The man's eyes grew in horror as he pulled out his phone. Before he began talking NJ touched it to listen in. NJ texted me the translation.

"We made a mistake."

"He's connected to someone the family gave their blessing to. He has a picture to prove it. She's in the US Army."

"I've been compromised either way."

"If it's my call, I'm letting him walk."

The man hung up the phone.

"I…"

"We already listened in. Am I going to be accosted any further?" I asked.

The man frantically shook his head.

"We're contacting the client to tell them the deal's off. We're not trying to start something international." The man said.

"Good call. You're going to forget that you met me. And as a thank you for being so helpful, I won't have Nicole here bust out your kneecaps. Now get out of here. I don't want to see your face again. If I do, or I suspect that the Yakuza is going to attack me, I will not hesitate to defend myself." I spoke firmly.

"I assure you, our family will not attack you further. I cannot say anything about other families." The man said. I looked at him again.

"One more question. You said this was your first job. The Yakuza aren't exactly known for letting the rookies take these kinds of contracts. Why did they send you as opposed to some hardened badass?" I asked.

The man looked at me.

"You are not a high value target. The price for your head was negligible. The total contract amount was one hundred thousand yen… I took the job when requested." The man answered. He was being truthful.

"Works for me." I said as I stepped aside and allowed the man to scurry out of the room.

When the door shut, NJ looked at me.

"You never told me you had ties." NJ said.

"I didn't think it would work. Looks like honor still exists to some extent… but now that opens up a whole new line of questions. This was an assassination attempt. Someone paid almost ten thousand dollars to have one or both of us snuffed out." I said.

NJ nodded.

"Call Martin." NJ spoke.

I dialed Martin's number on my phone. Input the phone on speaker after ensuring once and for all that we were alone.

"Hey there, Boy. How's London?" Martin asked when he picked up.

"I'm in Yokosuka, Japan now… had to ditch London. MI5 was getting too hot." I replied.

"You're in Japan? You must've gotten quite the chunk of change after that accident. Is the girl okay?" Martin asked.

"I'm okay, Martin. Thank you." NJ spoke.

"Good to hear. What's the reason for calling?" Martin asked.

"Martin. Has the FBI made any more passes at the house? Like sometime within the last ten hours recent?" NJ asked.

"Now that you mention it… Martha hasn't said anything. And I haven't seen anything. Why?" Martin asked.

"We know they tried to take a low road to search the house… Nicole, what are you saying?" I asked.

"I have a hunch. Someone knew we were here. What room we were staying in." NJ replied.

"This sounds serious." Martin said.

"We just managed to squeeze our way out of an assassination attempt. Thankfully my cousin has ties here that kept my blood in my body." I said honestly.

"Are you kidding me?! What the hell kind of shit is this? MI5 is looking for you, the FBI is willing to try to break in without a warrant, and now you nearly get got by the Yakuza? What kind of thing are you into that's got this many people looking to do you in?" Martin asked.

"I stumbled onto a really big secret that someone wants to cover up. But if the FBI backed off…" I spoke.

"You think someone used a backdoor to do something a little less than legal?" Martin asked.

"That's one way to put it." NJ replied.

Martin sighed.

"We've been checking things around here every night. Martha tends to be a bit of a night owl so we sleep while the other is awake. Nobody has tried breaking in… I still can't get over that. Someone, who we assume is in the FBI, put a hit out on you courtesy of the Yakuza? Boy, I don't know what exactly you got yourself into, but this old war vet has seen some shit… normally the Government agencies don't pull this kind of trash unless someone is really on their personal shit list." Martin spoke.

"Yeah. When the day comes that I blow this secret out of the water, you'll hear it from me. I'll no doubt be drawn out to be a terrorist or an enemy of the state. But I will contact you. You deserve to know after putting yourself this close to the fire for me." I said.

"I won't hold you to it, boy. You tell me if you want. You know Martha and I treat you like our own damn flesh and blood. Even if you don't tell us, we would have done this anyway. Just make sure you stay safe." Martin demanded.

"Will do. You stay safe too, Martin." NJ said as I hung up the phone.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Two brown haired women walked through the temple.

"Sister. Have you heard? The Black Dragon has come to Japan." The younger woman spoke.

"I have. Lady Shinano has confirmed it. Why she is here, not even she can discern." The older woman spoke.

"Do you think she's here to attack us?" The younger woman asked.

"No. Mikasa radioed me earlier saying that she has seen the Black Dragon entering the hotel with Prinz Eugen and a man. There were two other women with them. I want to believe that Prinz Eugen being here means she is here on a peaceful visit." The older woman replied.

"If the visit is friendly, then why is Lady Musashi training so vigilantly? The streaks of purple across the sky haven't subsided since your meeting with Lady Shinano." The young woman spoke.

The older woman smiled.

"It is my belief that there is some form of rivalry between them. Even though they never met at sea, this is the first time two giants have come face to face… if the black dragon comes here. Perhaps it is a matter of pride." The older woman spoke.

The younger woman nodded.

"Should we prepare for her potential arrival then, Nagato?" The young woman asked.

"Yes, Mutsu. Let us prepare our standard accommodations just in case." Nagato replied as the two kitsune walked further into the temple.

Chapter Text

"What do you mean they refuse to do the job?"

"He has protection? You mean to tell me that a middle of the road nobody who has never left the United States before has ties to one of the most prominent Yakuza families in Japan?"

"No…No… it's fine. You put your neck out. Your secret is safe…" Mark spoke as he hung up.

"God fucking damn it! How the hell is this guy connected to the Yakuza!?" Mark pondered as a news alert popped up on his device.

"Prison Break. Wyoming State Penitentiary. Maximum Security Prisoner. Bon Homme Richard."

"She escaped? Didn't she turn herself in?" Mark asked as he dialed a number.

"My name is Mark Faiser, Special Investigator of the FBI."

"I was wondering about the prisoner that escaped recently."

"Yes... Bonnie."

"She had a visitor? Who?"

"Emma Sue? I think I remember the name. You said she was there right before the prison break? Are you sure?"

"Gotcha. I appreciate your time and information."

Mark hung up the phone.

"South Dakota must have told her something. Bon Homme Richard voluntarily turned herself in after torching her ship. So her breaking out right after meeting with South Dakota… it's no coincidence." Mark monologued.

"Mark." Viktor called as Mark turned to face him.

"What is it?" Mark asked.

"It's the Werber Bryan Hospital in South Carolina. Laffey has just been released from their care." Viktor spoke.

"Laffey? The destroyer?" Mark asked.

"Yes. The POW from Guadalcanal and the hero of Okinawa. One in the same." Viktor explained.

"How? If I remember correctly, she was involuntarily admitted when she came home for repairs. Who authorized her release?" Mark demanded.

"The doctors have said she has had all the boxes checked for quite some time, but she never wanted to leave… Now it seems she was really pushing for release. They claim she kept saying she had spent enough time sleeping and was ready to explore the world again." Viktor replied.

"First Bon Homme Richard. Now Laffey. Get in contact with Homeland security. Tell them there's a potential threat coming from the museum ships along the coasts and have them send patrols from the coast guard to make sure nothing is going on. I'll contact the Secretary of the Navy to get extra details put on ships in mothballs." Mark ordered.

"Mark… this is starting to look pretty big. If it's related to this Tyler guy, are we one hundred percent sure he has that kind of reach? These could all be unrelated events." Viktor offered.

"He pulled his cousin's connection to the Yakuza to call off the hit that was put on him. And he is currently with the world's most advanced and powerful Kansen left standing. And with MI5 saying that he has more than likely been in contact with both Warspite and Queen Elizabeth, I'd say he's gotten his fingers dug deep into this whole thing. He has the reach. Anything out of the ordinary should be attributed to this guy." Mark explained.

Viktor sighed and nodded.

"You know… maybe Amy had a point." Viktor muttered.

"What was that?" Mark asked accusingly.

"Nothing. Just a passing remark." Viktor said as he walked off to get in contact with DHS.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

My phone rang as NJ and I sat on the bed, looking out the window to face Tokyo bay.

"Unknown number." I said as I answered the call.

"Hello?" I asked after putting the phone on speaker.

"Oh good. Looks like I was able to get the right person after all." A familiar voice spoke.

"Laffey?" NJ asked.

"Yup yup. It's your favorite gunboat destroyer." Laffey replied with a small tinge of glee.

"How are you contacting us? And more importantly, how did you get this number?" NJ asked.

"I was released from the psych ward yesterday at my request. I've been thinking about your offer. I've spent almost eighty years wandering the halls of a psych ward… so I decided if there was ever a reason to get out and see the world again, this is it. I'll accept your offer, Tyler. I'll put on my uniform again and sail with you. As for how I got your number, I got it from Vestal." Laffey spoke.

NJ covered her mouth as tears formed in her eyes.

"Thank you, Laffey. You won't be alone out there. We have friends coming along. Belfast will be there. We also have others that you might not be so excited for… but they have sworn to aid us." I explained.

"You're gonna tell me that you're recruiting from the Japanese, aren't you?" Laffey deadpanned.

"I'm in Japan currently. But… there is a chance that we might not poke the bear here. The Japanese seem pretty content according to Eugen." I spoke.

"Eugen? The heavy cruiser?" Laffey asked.

"Yeah. She has her vessel down in Uruguay. She's been traveling with us since London." I answered.

"Hmm. I can work with that. But I want forward warning if you scoop up any of them damn imps. I'll have to stow extra alcohol aboard. Have you gotten in contact with Yorktown?" Laffey asked.

"Not yet. Vestal is working that angle right now. But I hope to have a decent chance at recruiting her, Hornet and Essex." I said.

"Good luck with Hornet. She's become a major Hollywood workaholic in the years since her decommissioning." Laffey quipped.

"Oh? What does that mean?" I asked.

"She gives her insight on war movies and documentaries, helping producers and actors alike by giving them little stories to spice up their movies. Everyone has heard of the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Santa Cruz. But few people know about Taffy three and the battle off Samar. Few people know much about the Marianas Turkey shoot. So if a budding producer or even online influencers are looking to produce something, she gives them stories that she either experienced or heard through the grapevine and spins them so that she remains on the FBI's good side… something you very much are not." Laffy answered.

"Is the news making rounds there?" NJ asked as she wiped her eyes.

"No. But I have heard of a few incidents regarding Kansen that have been happening in quick succession slightly before and to this point after we first talked." Laffey said.

"You must be well connected." I offered.

"I kept in touch with some of the destroyers. Fletcher, Sumner, Kalk, Bush. They've been saying that a certain psycho just busted out of lock-up." Laffey said.

"Which psycho?" NJ asked seriously.

"Apparently Kalk said that Bon Homme Richard broke out of Wyoming State Penitentiary just a couple nights ago. Sent the entire complex into lockdown. They can't find a single trace to track." Laffey said as I heard the sound of a plastic bottle on the other side.

I smiled.

"What're you drinking?" I asked. NJ looked at me with a curious look.

"Sweet Tea. Vestal demanded that if I join you, I'd have to lay off the alcohol unless the nightmares come back. So… while I detox, I'm drinking sweet tea." Laffey answered.

"You said Bush right?" NJ asked.

I heard Laffey sigh.

"Yeah. Thankfully she and her crew were rescued by American forces. She had sank nine days before my… incident. When the order came for me to come home, she was stationed nearby on the ship that saved her, she requested to come home with me. We bonded on the long voyage back to Tacoma, Washington. She kept me sane up until the feds ripped us apart and admitted me to Werber Bryan here in South Carolina. I kept her contacts and she was the second person I talked to upon acquiring this cell phone… it's amazing the kind of tech they cook up over the span of eighty years." Laffey said.

"I see. I'm sorry for digging up painful memories." NJ said.

"It's okay. For now… I think I'm gonna go check on the old girl. Make some repairs." Laffey said.

"Be careful." I spoke.

"If they try me… I'll snap necks. I'm done being cooped up. You just send me the word when you and Jersey decide to make a break for it. I'll be right up there in Camden by the time you two weigh anchor." Laffey demanded.

"Understood. Good luck and stay safe." I said as I hung up.

"We have a destroyer escort." I spoke flatly.

"I'm super excited. I haven't gotten this excited since they gave me a drone!" NJ cried as a knock came to our door.

I got up and opened the door to see Kirov, Eugen and Vestal outside. I ushered them in.

"How's the room?" Eugen asked.

"Aside from coming face to face with a Yakuza assassin… quite comfy actually." I deadpanned.

"A FUCKING WHAT?!" Vestal demanded.

"NJ thinks someone put a hit out on me and had the room changed to accommodate easier anonymity for the assassin. I tend to believe her, but we also think that due to the FBI pulling back in the states, that they were the ones who paid for it." I replied.

Kirov began laughing.

"An assassin? They must have sucked at their job. Where's the body? Surely the black dragon tore him limb from limb." Kirov spoke.

"Nope. Honey actually got us out of it this time. His family has ties to the main Yakuza family here in Tokyo through their Okinawa Sect. So once Honey told the man about it, he let us go. And we made sure that he wouldn't talk." NJ replied.

Eugen chuckled.

"Quite resourceful. Surely you had some form of deterrent though." Eugen pondered.

"Aside from a gun… Keeping his kneecaps seemed like a pretty good motivator." I said pointing to NJ who was wearing a big smile on her face.

"See what I mean? You stirred up quite the pot, Tyler." Vestal spoke.

"So it would seem." I replied.

"What brings you up here?" NJ asked.

"Vestal said that the Mikasa is open. We should head over. We don't have all day like you did in London. We go, do our business, come back here and leave early in the morning to drive to Tokyo and catch the train to Mutsu. That storm I was telling Tyler about is supposed to hit sometime tomorrow afternoon, so we should just barely make it before the storm hits. We'll hunker down while we meet with the other girls and leave once the storm passes." Eugen explained.

"Sounds good to me. I'm excited. This is the second oldest ship I've had the pleasure of visiting." I said cheerfully.

"Second?" Kirov asked.

"Yeah. USS Constellation is the oldest. I didn't get to see the USS Constitution when I was in Massachusetts." I replied.

"Either way. Time is ticking. We really should be meeting up with Mikasa. Weather reports are being updated, we don't want to fall behind this thing." Eugen said as the five of us headed to the lobby.

Chapter Text

As we exited the hotel, the men in suits stood on either side of the doorway. I nodded towards one of them, but received no reaction as we walked out of the entranceway and headed down the sidewalk. The men spread out around us and followed us towards the Mikasa museum. The girls talked amongst themselves as I walked quietly. I allowed myself a few moments to dissociate from my current reality. Within the confines my mind, I didn't care about the assassination attempt. I didn't care about the FBI. I didn't care that I was likely public enemy number one. I focused on the broad strokes. I made it to Japan. I was walking down a Japanese sidewalk to visit a museum ship. I got the same feeling in my chest as I did when I did my US tour, walking up to each new ship like it was a new experience. I thought about that for a moment before I felt a hand slip into mine.

"What's got you smiling like that, Honey?" NJ asked.

"Hmm?" I hummed as I was yanked back into reality.

"I asked what's got you smiling like that?" NJ repeated.

I smiled more.

"I'm happy. Genuinely. I can't find a single speck of negativity in any corner of my mind right now. I'm traveling the world, sating my curiosity about things I didn't know before, traveling with a wonderful woman and a group of friends who, for one reason or another, seem happy to be here with me… makes me happy to know that there are people who can have fun when I'm having fun." I replied thoughtfully.

The other girls overheard and looked back at NJ with mixed expressions.

"We'll discuss that on the train to Mutsu. But you're right. We all are here and I'm sure we're all excited to be here." NJ said as she looked up, prompting the others to nod and make noise confirming the statement.

"Truth be told, I haven't been to the land of the rising sun, if you can believe it. I've heard tales from some old friends back home, but I am surprised at how nice this place is." Kirov spoke.

"Same. I usually don't head this far east. So this will be my first time visiting as well. I just happen to have friends here." Eugen spoke.

"I cannot say the same. I remember coming here. Glad to finally not be here during the rainy season." Vestal grumbled the last bit.

NJ smiled.

"You know I've been here. I love the rainy season, as opposed to Nancy." NJ said happily.

I knew they were all speaking the way they were due to our suited escorts, but I wanted to know more. I resolved to ask them in Mutsu. Until then, I figured the rapidly approaching battleship museum should take the majority of my attention.

"Nicole? Nancy? Clara?" A voice called out from the direction of the museum.

"Seems like you three have a fan." I said with a chuckle as a young woman with brown hair came jogging over to our group. Looking around, I watched our escorts vanish into the crowd.

NJ noticed as well and dropped her tone so she wouldn't be heard by people outside of her immediate area.

"Mikasa. It has been such a long time… April 22nd of 1969 if I recall." NJ said happily, keeping her voice down as to set the tone.

I quickly looked around again before interrupting.

"Are we sure we should be speaking so openly?" I hissed. NJ and Mikasa both looked at me.

"What do you mean by speaking so openly?" Mikasa asked curiously.

"Isn't your existence some kind of government secret? Nicole said that you girls are kept secret from your citizens." I spoke quietly.

"Ah. That… It's complicated. Sure the vast majority of the population doesn't know of our existence. But it was never actually mandated that we remain a secret… at least not here in Japan. The fact that we are very rarely found out here is because there aren't enough dedicated people in to dig into it. It's not that big a deal here. The men in suits who were escorting you moments ago are more along the lines of security for you. You are traveling with a threat to national security known by my country’s intelligence service. So keeping you safe, means she doesn't pose nearly as much of a threat. Simple as that." Mikasa explained. Looking around, I noticed that not a single person in the sparse crowd was looking our way.

"So… there's no need for a facade here?" I asked.

"I wouldn't say that. I'm sure the Americans have someone keeping tabs on Nicole here. So keeping the facade for your own sake would be best. But since I can tell if someone is following us, you can base your dialogue on my reactions while you’re with me. I heard through the grapevine about what the Americans are doing to those who find out about their Kansen. You are more than likely a very sought out man." Mikasa quipped.

I nodded in agreement. Mikasa returned the nod.

"With that settled. It is great to see you again, New Jersey. I have missed you in our years apart. You really should drop by more often." Mikasa said with a pout. She then turned her gaze on Vestal.

"Ah. Another old friend. Well met, Vestal. I haven't seen you since that typhoon in 1946. How have you been?" Mikasa asked happily.

"I've been well, Lady Mikasa. Thank you. It is good to see you in good health. I have missed our talks." Vestal said with a smile.

"And Prinz Eugen. I have heard tales of your beauty from Lady Nagato. I am happy to meet such a legend on my home soil. I take pride in the care I showed your friends way back when." Mikasa spoke. The more I listened to her, she sounded less like a battleship bachelorette and more like a mother who was visiting with her girlfriends.

"And you…" Mikasa's tone suddenly turned frigid the instant she laid eyes on Kirov.

Kirov swallowed.

"I haven't had the personal pleasure of hosting a Russian in my home since the Battle of Tsushima. Welcome to Japan. I ask you not to cause trouble for me or my countrymen. We have strived to maintain a peaceful atmosphere to cater to tourists and to my fellow man. If we are clear on these matters… I do believe that we have not met. My name is Mikasa, Pre-Dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Steadfast Bulwark at the Battle of Tsushima where we waged battle against the Russian Empire to a resounding victory. Who might you be, Russian?" Mikasa asked coldly.

"Kirov class Battlecruiser… My name is Kirov. I was transferred to this platform from a light cruiser that shared my name and served in world war two." Kirov introduced herself.

"I see. So you do not share the same sentiment as your ancestors." Mikasa spoke before taking a breath. Within moments the mood lightened considerably.

"Welcome to Japan, Kirov. I hope you will find your time here to be well spent and fulfilling." Mikasa said warmly as she set her sights on me once again.

"And you, Mr. VIP, who might you be?" Mikasa tittered as she walked over to me. Unlike NJ and Kirov, Mikasa stood nearly half a foot shorter than me.

"Howdy. My name is Tyler. I'm New Jersey's boyfriend." I said with a smile.

Mikasa turned to NJ.

"You? And him?" Mikasa asked.

NJ smiled and nodded while trying to stifle a blush.

Mikasa turned back to me.

"Come along, Tyler. It seems we have much to discuss." Mikasa said as she gripped my arm and began pulling me. I didn't have a reason to fight her as we walked towards the museum, but I knew if I tried, this dainty little hand would be harder to remove and an iron vice.

"So you're the Kansen of the Mikasa?" I asked as she dragged me onboard the antique battleship.

"Yes I am, young man." Mikasa replied happily.

"You know… I think I'm feeling the same thing I did when I met Warspite." I spoke.

"Oh? And how is she doing? Last I heard about her was from Kongo way back when. Is she doing okay? I heard her vessel grounded on the way to the breakers." Mikasa asked.

"She's doing very well. She was my chauffeur during my stay with NJ in London. She actually went through another tour of duty as a nuclear submarine." I replied.

"Nuclear… Submarine?" Mikasa asked.

"Yeah… like the American Ohio class? She was a Valiant class Nuclear Submarine." I replied as Mikasa stopped pulling me. Taking a look around, we seemed to be at the beginning of a tour route.

"I still cannot believe they made something so amazing out of something so demonic. I heard from several sailors from America that their boat only comes up for food deliveries. They don't need to come up for air, or water, or to recharge their batteries. All this sprouting from… the bombs." Mikasa said softly.

I swallowed.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed such volatile memories." I said as Mikasa looked at me.

"They are days never to be forgotten… to be reminded of them only leads me to further strengthen my resolve to that sentiment. Now, what was this feeling you were talking about?" Mikasa asked as she shook the negative thoughts from her mind.

"When I got to England, I met Warspite off the bat… I expected someone with NJ's stature… especially since her moniker is The Grand Old Lady. But she was nothing like I imagined. I'm getting that feeling again. It feels… odd to see such a beautiful young woman claiming to be in command of one of the oldest warships left on earth." I explained.

Mikasa blushed.

"A-are you sure you should be saying such things? You are in a committed relationship with the Black Dragon. Me? A beautiful young woman? Surely you jest." Mikasa stammered as NJ looked at her.

"I'm not that controlling, Mikasa. Take the compliment. Honey is very straightforward and does his best not to mince words. In all fairness, you are a beautiful young woman, always have been." NJ said with a shrug.

Mikasa's blush deepened. She attempted to regain composure by clearing her throat.

"Well… um… Thank you, Tyler. I assume you are here to tour my vessel?" Mikasa asked as she changed the subject.

"I am. I forced these girls to come here before we head to Mutsu." I joked.

"You're heading to Mutsu? Do you have business up there?" Mikasa asked.

"We are going to speak with Nagato as well as a bunch of girls from other nations. We're putting together something big." Eugen spoke.

Mikasa nodded.

"I see. Let us do the tour and then I will let my staff know that I am taking a few days off. Forgive me, I cannot allow someone in the presence of such powerful kansen to just visit Lady Nagato unaccompanied. I hope you understand." Mikasa spoke.

"The more the merrier. I would enjoy having you come up with us. Maybe I could ask you about when you taught NJ to make ramen." I said with a smile.

Mikasa smiled.

"Did she make it for you? I hope, for her sake, she made it right." Mikasa said cheerfully.

NJ and I both chuckled nervously as Mikasa turned to NJ.

"You made it right…didn't you? I spent all that time in '69 teaching you. You better not have cheated." Mikasa said.

"I didn't have all the stuff to make it. She did what she could with what I had." I said.

Mikasa sighed.

"Shame on you, New Jersey." Mikasa said as she turned to me.

"I shall see to it that you are made a proper bowl in Mutsu. Until then, let us begin the tour." Mikasa spoke as she began leading us towards the forward guns.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

The first thing I noticed was how wide the main deck was. The main deck of the ship felt much more open than other ships I had been on.

"So much space on such a small ship." I spoke as Mikasa turned to me.

"The most up-to-date piece of technology on this vessel is the radio. And even that is rudimentary. It only has a range of eighty miles. Shipbuilding back then was structured around something completely different. We didn't fight at long range. Most of my fights were within fifteen thousand meters. There was less emphasis placed on the superstructure as opposed to cramming as many heavy guns as they could on a ship. If you look over the side… you can see the deck below is littered with small caliber heavy guns. Three and six inch guns meant to deal with torpedo boats and other small craft. The main deck is home to my main guns." Mikasa explained as she walked forward around a corner to reveal a decent sized gun turret housing two main battery cannons.

"Twin twelve inch guns. I have two such turrets as you have no doubt seen." Mikasa said.

"They're… so small." I replied in a confused tone.

"Small?" Mikasa asked.

"I mean relatively. They're still massive. A twelve inch gun is still a twelve inch gun… but there is so much less material than on NJ's guns." I retorted.

"Honey. Mikasa doesn't have to deal with fifty caliber guns. Her barrels don't have to support as much stress as mine do. That's why the breech on my guns are so much bigger. Not just because of the four inch difference in size, but there is substantially more powder going into each firing sequence for my guns as opposed to hers." NJ explained.

"Correct. My guns are shorter by ten calibers. My guns are three hundred and five millimeter forty caliber guns. My shells only weigh eight hundred and fifty pounds as opposed to the sixteen hundred pounds on the New Jersey." Mikasa explained.

"So… she has the same gun caliber as the Alaska and Guam did?" I asked.

NJ made a face.

"Kinda. For her time period, these guns were considered superheavy. These were some of the biggest guns fielded on a naval vessel. Keep in mind, this was in the Eighteen Nineties. Alaska was launched in nineteen forty-three and Guam was laid down around the same time I was launched. There was a third Alaska class, named after Hawaii, but it never made it to full commissioning. What I'm getting at, is there were fifty years of development between Mikasa and the Large Cruiser project back home. And Mikasa's guns didn't hit as hard as the Alaska's due to the leap in technology." NJ explained.

"Hawaii was going to get its own ship?" Mikasa asked.

"Hmm? Yeah. But as mentioned, it never was commissioned. They tried everything to make the hull viable. Aircraft carrier conversions. Cruise missile testbed. Command ship. You name it, SecNav tried it. In the end, nobody found a use for such a large hull in modern warfare and they scrapped it." NJ explained.

"I didn't know Hawaii was going to have a cruiser named after it. But I guess that fits with the time period. The naming scheme for large cruisers was US territories, so the name fits." I reasoned.

"That aside, one of my guns had a malfunction before Tsushima where a faulty shell fuze ended up detonating a shell inside the barrel… was not a fun repair to have to make." Mikasa spoke as I looked at the turret.

"Why does the turret design look so weird? The base is bigger than the turret." I pointed out.

"Because this isn't a modern turret. This is a barbette that had an armored shell mounted on it to match the look of a turret. But if the shell was removed, it would be closer to the original concept." Mikasa explained.

"So… it would have been an open air gun mount?" I asked.

"Yes. A handful of ships before mine had systems that mounted large guns in an open air barbette. The French Amiral Baudin-class comes to mind. Their large caliber guns were mounted in open barbettes. But when it came to my design, someone felt the need to enclose the barbette, leading to the design you see here." Mikasa answered.

"Huh… never would have guessed. I'm happy someone preserved this vessel. This clearly has some features that bridged the gap when design eras changed." I said cheerfully.

"I am as well. To have my home here… it makes me happy to be able to see where I came from. What is sad… is that in order for it to have been done, it was encased in concrete. I will never sail under my own power again." Mikasa said with a sad smile.

My smile faded.

"I'm sorry." I said softly.

"Don't be. I have come to terms with it ages ago. Still… I do wish to sail again." Mikasa said.

"That's what this meeting is for, old friend. I suggest you make good on your intentions and come with us. We have a proposition to lay out for Nagato and the others who are meeting with us." NJ said quietly.

Mikasa looked at NJ as if she hadn't heard a single word.

"What?" Mikasa asked.

"We'll explain on the train. But for now, let's continue the tour please." I said, sensing unease.

Mikasa shook the feeling away and smiled.

"Of course. Let's head below deck." Mikasa said as she led the way.

Chapter Text

In one of Germany's many female prisons, five women sat in their cells at the end of a corridor. This corridor looked shoddy and when compared to the rest of the complex, looked as if it had not been renovated since its opening. All the women present in this group of five were stone-faced. None of them showed an ounce of emotion as the confines of these cells had been their homes since 1945. The time for emotions were long since past. They were expecting another boring day, when all of a sudden they heard footsteps.

The footsteps got closer and closer until a female guard showed up and spoke to the five of them from the center of the corridor.

"It seems someone has come to visit you. Don't worry, we've checked them quite thoroughly. They have nothing that you can use to escape. All of you, on your feet. Stand against the wall until you have been restrained." The woman demanded as five more women entered the cells to restrain the prisoners. None of the prisoners resisted, they were too perplexed to do so.

Ten minutes and a short walk later, the five girls were uncuffed in a room with tables and chairs. Two of the five girls immediately noticed the sole person in the room and immediately went towards the table, almost as if they were excited to see the person. The other three shrugged and followed.

The woman at the table wore a black miniskirt and black cap. She looked like a dressed down female warden. The telling feature was her long white hair and singular red streak running all the way from the root.

The two women who arrived first sat on either side of the visitor. The one on the left had long blond hair and was quite petite in comparison to her more well endowed visitor. The one on the right had short red hair and outclassed both her fellow inmate and the visitor in terms of prestigious assets. The last three inmates made it to the table and smiled.

The shortest inmate wore a blue beret she had been allowed to keep. She had a short stature and short dirty blonde hair. The tallest inmate towered over everyone present and had long white disheveled hair, looking like she hadn't taken an ounce of care in maintaining the billowing mass. The final inmate was timid. She wasn't as short as the dirty blonde, but wasn't as tall as the white haired woman. The taller inmate put her arm around her and guided her to a chair.

"Is this all of you?" The visitor asked, doing her best to tamp down her strong russian accent.

The tallest among them nodded.

"Excellent… it's good to see you all, my friends." The woman spoke.

"Tallinn!" The blonde whispered happily as she hugged the visitor.

"Hipper. Weser. Leipzig. Zed. And of course, Graf Zeppelin. I come bearing news." Tallinn whispered.

"Why don't you tell us how you found us? Surely the warden didn't tell you we were here. And on top of that… tell us why you're dressed like some kind of sexed up prison warden." Graf spoke flatly as all five girls found a seat at the table.

Tallinn sighed.

"Look. The outfit isn't important. It was either survive doing what I could, or die via the KGB. So… I took a less than favorable route to continue my existence. As for how I found you, I did some digging on the internet." Tallinn explained.

"Internet?" The shortest inmate asked.

"Yes. The internet. It is… well… think of it like a book that contains every available bit of human knowledge and stores it in one place. That knowledge is available to everyone who has a device capable of accessing it. Like this." Tallinn said as she pulled a smartphone from her chest.

"That… brick contains everything humanity has discovered?" The tall woman asked.

"That's right. This brick contains every available trace of human knowledge. All you have to do is search for it. That's how I dug up your files and traced where you five have gone since the forties." Tallinn said.

"Why look for us now, sister?" The red haired woman asked.

"Because. There is someone who wishes to free you from confinement and give you a life outside of a prison cell. He is with a comrade of mine right now and they are piecing together a plan to bring all surviving Kansen into one place so that they can live peacefully while being protected from those who would otherwise try to hurt us." Tallinn explained.

"That sounds stupid. Why would this person care?" Graf asked doubtfully.

"Because according to my comrade… he's dating one. And not just any Kansen… New Jersey." Tallinn said.

"New Jersey?" Zed asked.

"The only one of four Iowa class battleships… that we know of… to produce a Kansen." Tallinn clarified.

"An… Iowa class? Those monstrosities are still around?" The blonde asked.

"Yes. New Jersey is with the man in question here. According to my source, they are being persecuted due to the American Kansen secrecy laws. With New Jersey being nuclear capable, the Americans are trying to hunt them down and separate them, returning things to as they were." Tallinn said.

"It sounds like he's in the wrong then." Graf scoffed.

"He would be… if the American Kansen, Russian Kansen and you five didn't exist. Most places have Kansen living as second or third rate citizens… if they let the Kansen live at all." Tallinn said.

"So… it's a revolution?" The timid inmate asked.

"You could say so. He's spearheading a movement to liberate Kansen regardless of nation." Tallinn replied. Leipzig fidgeted for a moment.

"Have… you heard anything from my sister? We sent her to the Northern Parliament as well!" Leipzig asked hopefully.

Tallinn's face twisted.

"I am truly sorry… she was one of many Russian Kansen killed during the purge. She died upholding the beliefs shared by all those in the Northern Parliament and she died a hero." Tallinn spoke softly.

Leipzig began to cry softly as Graf comforted her.

"What purge?" Graf demanded.

"When the president of Russia turned his back on democracy and proceeded to take full control of the country, we stood as a unified voice to put a stop to his mad grab for power. We… were silenced. Assassinations covered up by stories of suicide. All but eight of us died during those few months. We've been in hiding since. But I got word that we should look into getting to Britain… or in my case, Uruguay. Prinz Eugen's vessel is waiting there with Graf Spee. We are going to set sail under the Azur Lane initiative." Tallinn whispered.

"Why are you telling us this? We are imprisoned for life under UN charter." Zed asked.

"If you have any desire for freedom. This man will help you. I do not know what can be done at the moment… but I figured I could at least bring you some good news. Your imprisonment may soon be coming to an end if this man succeeds." Tallinn said.

"There isn't much we can do… but it was nice to see you again, meine schwester. Please stay safe." Hipper said softly as she embraced Tallinn again.

"I agree. It is nice to see you again, Tallinn. But sadly, I do not have faith in our release. I doubt they will allow us to leave peacefully." Weser explained.

Tallinn thought for a moment.

"Then why should we even try to make a peaceful exit?" Tallinn asked.

"What do you mean?" Zed and Leipzig asked in unison.

"Would you be willing to do exactly as I say?" Tallinn asked.

"What are you thinking?" Zed asked quietly.

"I break you guys out. I have a contact who could potentially get you into Britain… or I can smuggle you out to Uruguay." Tallinn whispered.

"If we can get our belongings from the Warden's office… we could at least put up some kind of actual fight. I know my old uniform is kept there. My rigging is contained within it." Graf spoke softly.

"We could make ample use of your rigging. If you guide me to the Warden's office, then I can break you out. But we'll need to move quickly. The moment we make a move from this table, they're going to throw this place into lockdown." Tallinn spoke definitively.

"Okay… then how do we start this party?" Graf asked as she cracked her neck.

"You'll thank me for this later… just… Please forgive me for this." Tallinn said as Graf took on a look of confusion for half a moment before seeing Tallinn wind up and slug her across the face.

Tallinn's blow sent Graf spilling from her seat as the other four girls jumped from their chairs in an attempt to hold back Tallinn.

"Sis!? What the hell?!" Hipper cried as Graf collected herself and got to her feet.

"I see… let's make it believable then. Girls, when the guards come in, turn on them. Grab any weapon you can." Graf instructed as she rolled up her sleeves and advanced on Tallinn, returning the punch. Graf's blow was significantly harder and sent Tallinn falling out of the arms of her friends and back a few feet before she managed to catch herself on another table.

"How the hell did they pack so much strength into an unfinished carrier?" Tallinn taunted as she spat blood from her mouth.

"Come find out, Commie." Graf spat as the two girls began exchanging blows. Not long after, as expected, several guards and the Warden rushed in to attempt to control the situation.

As soon as the Warden was close enough, Tallinn broke off and attacked the warden, sending the woman to the ground with a punch to the sternum that equaled the power behind the punches she was hitting Graf with. The other girls grappled with the guards as Tallinn grabbed the warden's cuffs and cuffed the woman's hands behind her back as she struggled to catch her breath. With help from Graf, the other girls handled the guards with little issue. Within minutes, Tallinn had the keys to the prison and the girls had armed themselves with clubs.

As expected, an alarm began to sound in the prison and the doors to the room locked down. But, since Tallinn had grabbed the keys, she was able to open the door into the prison.

"Get us to the office!" Tallinn yelled over the alarm.

"Follow me!" Zed yelled as she took off down the corridor.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Several minutes and a couple locked doors later, Tallinn unlocked the door to the Warden's office. The five girls behind her streamed into the room as she stood guard outside, her eyes darting around as the sound of boots slowly became louder.

"Get a move on girls. It's your ass and my life if we are overwhelmed." Tallinn hissed as Graf exited the room wearing a black dress and what Tallinn could only assume was an SS officer's hat.

"Do you have your rigging, Commie?" Graf barked.

"I do not. It was left behind and is likely being held in Russian Intelligence custody. I won't be getting it back." Tallinn replied.

"I see. Then it seems that I shall be our vanguard now. Stay behind me until we blast out of here." Graf demanded as her rigging slowly materialized around her. Twin flight decks appeared at her sides, carried on the backs of two mechanical beasts. Four dual 105mm AA guns sprouted from metal arms on her back. Beside her, a metallic wyrm that stood as tall as the carrier herself came into being. A loud screech filled the halls of the prison as the orange eyes of the beasts began to glow.

"Is… that thing sentient?" Tallinn asked.

"It is. Most of our rigging has some semblance of sentience. I seem to recall some of your country's kansen being in possession of sentient rigging. Is this not the case?" Graf asked as the wyrm looked left down the hall. Almost on instinct, Graf materialized a handful of BF-109 fighters and launched them down the hall, directly into the path of a group of guards, who all ducked out of the way as the small fighters opened up with machine gun fire, peppering the hallway with tiny bullets.

"Woah! We aren't trying to kill people here!" Tallinn barked angrily.

"I tried. They won't kill even with center mass shots. My planes are basically only good for spotting without the bombs… and even then, they only deal damage equivalent to a hand grenade. I figured murder isn't on the agenda… so I will harass them." Graf replied as Hipper and Weser came out of the room. Hipper had a hat similar to Graf and was wearing a gray and red dress. At her sides, a pair of shark-like mechanical beasts appeared sporting turrets similar to those on the Admiral Hipper class cruisers.

Weser was wearing a skintight white dress and long black stilettos. Similar to Graf, two mighty dragon heads held a pair of flight decks while a slightly bigger mechanical wyrm scooped her up from the floor, allowing her to sit on its head. Once again, similar to Graf, Weser summoned a squadron of Ju-87 dive bombers that took off to partake in the continued harassment of the prison staff.

Zed and Leipzig were the last to come out. Leipzig didn't appear to have rigging until a monsterous mechanical Anglerfish carrying three light cruiser gun turrets managed to bust through the door frame of the room. Leipzig herself was wearing a white and burgundy miniskirt with a sailor's cap and a small cape attached to her arms.

Zed had on a red, black and white miniskirt and her signature blue beret. Her rigging looked quite unique as it looked like a battering ram supported by two arms attached to a harness at her waist. The front of the ram had teeth and its maw contained a single dual turret that looked like it had been stolen right off a light cruiser.

Tallinn took a quick count before giving orders.

"Get us to an exterior wall. I think those guards are all coming from the exit. We're gonna need to bust out the old fashioned way." Tallinn yelled.

"Leipzig. The wall at the end of the right hallway here. That's an exterior wall. Make us a hole, we'll cover you." Graf barked over the sounds of small aircraft engines.

Leipzig, Zed and Hipper all ran down the hall. Tallinn followed them and was then followed by Graf and Weser who were slowly backing towards the wall as the guards began figuring out that the planes were a distraction.

"Smoke screen." Graf barked as her 105s swiveled to the floor in front of the guards and fired, launching eight shells into the floor that began spewing a cloud of thick white smoke.

"Disengage!" Weser yelled as Graf and Weser dispelled their rigging and ran towards the end of the hallway where Leipzig had just finished using her guns to blow open a hole in the wall.

"Jump!" Tallinn yelled as all six girls jumped from the building and booked it from the immediate area. The sirens from the prison slowly faded as the girls kept to the side streets. Police sirens screamed down the road towards the prison as there was no doubt now that the entire prison complex was on lockdown.

"We need to split up. You can't be seen together. Split up and take different routes to get out of Berlin. We'll meet in Pankow. I can have a van situated for us there to get us into Denmark. We'll decide where to go from there." Tallinn spoke. The other girls nodded before making themselves scarce.

Tallinn pulled out her phone and pulled up a contact as she walked north.

"Warspite?"

"I got them. Yes… I busted them out."

" We're detouring to Denmark."

"Yes. Sønderborg Lufthavn."

"Is the Pilot German? German lineage?"

"Thank Christ."

"Because they're all wearing their uniforms from the war! It's gonna be a bit of a pain in the ass just to get them to Pankow. Thank god they're not wearing swastikas."

"I'm still diverting to Uruguay. I don't know what they want to do, I told them we'd figure it out when we get to the van."

"I appreciate you sticking your neck out. We kicked quite the hornet's nest."

"No we didn't kill anyone. Murder brings a very different level of force."

"See you soon, Warspite."

Tallinn hung up the call before immediately dialing another number.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Kirov was walking next to me when I saw her pull a phone from her outfit. She chuckled before looking at me.

"Looks like Tallinn took a detour." Kirov said, drawing Eugen's attention.

"What does that mean?" Eugen asked.

"Well… there's been a prison break in a female prison in Berlin. Tallinn just told me that she's responsible." Kirov said.

"And I assume, based on your tone, that this prison held the remaining German Kansen?" I asked.

"Quick to pick that up, huh? Yes. Admiral Hipper, Z-23, Weser, Graf Zeppelin, and Leipzig have all escaped confinement thanks to some quick thinking on Tallinn's part. They are currently spilt up and making their way out of Berlin." Kirov said as Mikasa turned to us.

"It seems we have more friends to account for." Mikasa quipped.

"So it would seem. Hopefully nobody was hurt or killed." I said as NJ walked up to me.

"Tallinn reports no fatalities. Casualties however… maybe a broken rib or two on the warden. Tallinn had to get pretty rough." Kirov said.

"See? Nobody died. It'll be weird seeing some new faces, but the more friends we have, the better." NJ said as Mikasa led our group to a radio room.

I turned when I heard a small sniffle. I saw Eugen quickly wiping her eyes, so I walked over to her.

"Everything okay, Eugen?" I asked softly.

Eugen smiled.

"My remaining sisters are safe and free. I feel… relief. The weight of not knowing if Tallinn lived or died after 1947. The weight of knowing I couldn't help Hipper or Weser. This news… has alleviated that weight. I know that I have work to do now… I have to make my vessel presentable for my sisters, since I will be the one taking care of them." Eugen said tearfully.

I gave Eugen a chaste hug, much to her and NJ's surprise.

"I'm happy for you. And I can't wait for the day you can introduce me to your sisters and Comrades." I said with a smile.

"I'll do my best to make you look good, Mein Kommandant." Eugen said with a chuckle as she held on for just a bit longer.

NJ stepped in and pulled me away.

"Okay. That's a bit more than friendly support. Hands off my man, Gerry." NJ hissed.

Eugen giggled again.

"My apologies. It is not my intent to take him from you, Frau Jersey. I am merely returning his kind words with a kind gesture." Eugen said as NJ crossed her arms over my chest and pouted.

Mikasa noticed and chuckled as well.

"Jealousy is unbecoming of you, my friend. Who knew you'd become so possessive? But I guess with a name like the Black Dragon, can one expect you not to gravitate that way?" Mikasa asked as she turned everyone's attention back on her.

"Don't worry, Honey. I'm still yours. Nobody's shaking that foundation." I said as I looked up at her.

NJ blushed a bit before Mikasa began speaking again.

"This is the radio room. As I said before, this was the most up-to-date piece of technology I had back when I was in service. Most fleet communication was done via signal flags, but this radio had a range of eighty miles. On the off chance I needed to contact someone outside the fleet, I could do so with relative ease via this radio." Mikasa explained.

"It's… so small. Mikasa… everything on board your vessel is smaller than what I'd expect." I spoke curtly.

Mikasa smiled.

"Technology to build massive vessels like those sailing the seas today wasn't readily available. In addition, my countrymen are generally on the shorter side when compared against the Americans. So this ship may seem small for someone like you, but for my sailors, it was just big enough to call home." Mikasa explained as she led our group forward.

We walked through the ship seeing the various rooms and exhibits. Mikasa took her time to go in depth on each item on display and made the tour a very worthwhile venture for me, Eugen, and Kirov. NJ and Vestal followed along, but based on their expressions, this was a tour they had been on before when visiting.

At the end of the tour, Mikasa walked to one of the female tour guides and spoke to her in a low tone. The woman nodded and took a key from under her shirt and unlocked a case that contained a white coat, a quad colored armband, and a sheathed sword, all of which was handed to Mikasa. The moment her hand touched the sword, I could feel a heavy weight set on my shoulders. It was as if the air itself had gotten heavier. I made no comment but my sudden shift in posture told NJ something was off, so she came to my side just in case.

"I have been approved to leave my post here and accompany you to Mutsu. I'll be staying with you in your hotel, so I hope someone doesn't mind sharing." Mikasa said with a smile.

"Vestal, can you take the other bed in Kirov's room? Eugen and Mikasa can share a room." I suggested.

"I can take the bed in Kirov's room. I do not mind." Mikasa spoke.

I was about to protest but any words I wanted to say were caught in my throat. I felt like I did in the alley in London. One wrong move and I'd be a goner.

"Good. With that settled, we have concluded the tour. I do hope you enjoyed." Mikasa said with a smile.

"I did. I am glad to have had the opportunity to visit this memorial. And I am glad to have had such a knowledgeable guide to teach me. Thank you." I replied honestly. Vestal led the charge out of the superstructure and out onto the deck. I stayed behind for a few moments, prompting NJ to do the same. The moment Mikasa left the immediate area, the weight from my body lifted and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's the matter, Honey?" NJ asked seriously.

"First with Queen Elizabeth, now Mikasa. Why does it feel like the air gets so damn heavy? I was worried my legs were going to give out." I complained.

NJ was puzzled.

"I don't know… maybe you're abnormally affected by Kansen in possession of their rigging?" NJ suggested quietly.

"But then why didn't it happen with Kirov? Or Eugen? Or Belfast, or any of the others? And why not with you?" I asked.

NJ pondered.

"I don't know. I really don't. None of my sailors ever had issues. And the civilians I came across didn't show any outward signs of distress when I was nearby. Maybe it's just an abnormal reaction. Elizabeth is an older Kansen, as is Mikasa. So maybe the older Kansen have something that the newer ones don't?" NJ theorized.

"But if that's the case, then wouldn't Warspite have had the same effect?" I asked.

"She didn't have her rigging while we were there. Elizabeth had her stow it away after her tenure as a submarine. So she wouldn't have had it on her." NJ said.

"So… it might happen if we meet Aurora?" I asked.

"Quite possibly. If it does, we'll know we're onto something." NJ said with a smile. A moment later Mikasa poked her head back in the door.

"Come along, lovebirds. No fornication in my museum." Mikasa joked as NJ and I both blushed and quickly followed. NJ made sure to keep a hold of my hand as we left, just in case.

Chapter Text

The six of us made our way back to the hotel. The tour had taken up most of the day due to Mikasa's diligence. With a handful of knowing glances, the six of us split ways and headed to our rooms for the night. NJ and I rode the elevator to the top floor of the hotel and headed to our room. NJ once again checked the room, but unlike earlier in the day, she was able to get a clear read on the room.

“There's someone inside.” She mouthed.

I sighed.

“Seriously? Again?” I whispered.

NJ nodded.

With a nod, I pulled the handgun from my waistband and held it at the ready, remembering that I hadn't decocked it from dealing with the Yakuza assassin earlier.

“Breach.” I whispered as NJ kicked in the door, nearly sending it flying off its hinges. I aimed my gun into the room to see a woman with long silver hair standing on the far side of the bed. Her back and rear was exposed and a black latex bodysuit sat limply on the bed. NJ's cheeks immediately turned flush as she scrambled over to block my view.

“Oh good… I was beginning to think you'd never come back… spending all day with that old fossil of a battleship.” The woman spoke in a heavy Russian accent.

“You will not speak of Mikasa that way. She is a treasure to her nation!” I barked as the door closed.

“I was more or less talking about the Iowa class hulk blocking your view, but I guess she isn't as ancient, is she?” The woman spoke, each word dripping in a hatred-filled venom.

I immediately saw red. Despite NJ's best efforts, I advanced on the woman.

“And talking like that will get you a bullet in your skull. So you will apologize to her, or I will ensure the only thing you taste for the next few seconds is old German lead.” I snarled as I forced my way past NJ and planted the barrel of my handgun firmly against the base of the woman's skull.

The woman turned and looked at me. My gun instantly met the underside of her jaw.

“Oh my~ I do like a man who can throw his weight around. So forceful~ Kirov was right about you, little american. You may not appear like much, but you burn beneath the surface. I like that a lot. One who appears weak… but has the heart of a lion.” The woman spoke as she gripped the gun in my hand and decocked it before expertly disassembling it into its primary parts, all before I had a chance to react.

The woman put her hand on my chest, but NJ, hearing Kirov's name, had shaken off the shock and was on top of her in an instant.

“I may have an older hull, but my strength still hits leagues above my age, commie!” NJ yelled as she reeled back and slammed her fist into the woman's ribcage, sending the woman slamming into the wall, gripping her side in a clear display of surprised agony. She hadn't expected NJ to be so quick on her feet.

“Ty sil'neye, chem kazhesh'sya.” The woman spat as she wiped her mouth.

“You're goddamn right! That's my honey you're fucking with!” NJ seethed as she cracked her knuckles in anticipation of grinding this woman to dust. The woman and I both saw a flash of gold in her hand, but only I knew she was moments away from unleashing her rigging on this mysterious intruder.

“American… stop her. I am here to help. Kirov requested my presence here.” The woman spoke.

NJ was about to advance when I grabbed her fist.

“What did Kirov request you here for?” I asked. NJ made a subtle attempt to advance further, by my grip remained steadfast on her fist, keeping her at my side.

“To get you to Mutsu… and to act as safe passage back to America, since you have officially hit the black market's wanted list.” The woman spoke.

“Black Market wanted list?” I asked.

“A hit list. You have popped up with a not so insignificant price on your head. So, I was requested to act as… security. Think of me as your one stop shop for everything regarding covert protection. The fact you saw me, was merely because I deemed it so. Because I have been tailing you all day without either of you knowing.” The woman spoke.

“So the Yakuza wasn't the only hit put out…” I whispered.

“No. And I heard about that deal. Someone in the states put you up for ten racks. That number has increased to half a million. Public transit is out of the question for you.” The woman said.

“You sure do know a lot. What's your angle?” NJ growled.

“Me? I'm Kirov's retainer. I deal with her jobs and hits. So I have a pretty firm grip on the goings-on in the underworld. Pleasure to meet you, Admiral… call me Arkhangelsk, Akula class Nuclear Submarine. NATO identification: Typhoon class.” Arkhangelsk said as she extended her hand. NJ, while still fuming, understood that trying to attack her was now a mute point, as I would prohibit it.

“Before we exchange greetings, can you get dressed?! The only woman I want my honey seeing naked is me!” NJ spoke before her mind could catch up, causing her to blush uncontrollably.

Arkhangelsk laughed.

“Right. I got so caught up in the moment that I completely forgot.” Arkhangelsk said as she effortlessly slipped back into her bodysuit before snapping her fingers and presenting with a soviet admiral's cowl and captain's hat.

“As I was saying, Akula class Arkhangelsk, at your service, Admiral.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

“And all this was done at Kirov's request?” I asked.

“Yes. Out of everyone you currently oversee, we Northern Parliament girls need this Azur Lane you speak so highly of. So your protection should be my top priority from here on. Every move you make will be monitored as if you were a diplomat in the red square. Your movements will be concealed to the best of my abilities. I hope you do not fear enclosed spaces, as you will be boarding my vessel in the morning to head for Mutsu ahead of the impending storm.” Arkhangelsk explained.

I sighed and extended my hand.

“Then… the pleasure is mine, Royal Sovereign. I can't exactly pronounce your name, so I figured your old name would do fine.” I said.

Arkhangelsk grimaced a bit but nodded.

“A name I have not gone by since before my transfer… you know your stuff, Admiral. I will allow it as penance for the callus remarks made towards the lumbering steel giant that claims your heart. Make no mistake… you are an old hull… but damn, you weren't kidding about packing one hell of a punch.” Arkhangelsk spat as she observed the rapidly developing bruise on her right flank.

“And you early cold war commies are as durable as ever… you might have bruised my knuckles.” NJ spat back as he flexed her fingers, noting a slight discoloration on several fingers.

“My room is next door. Your room is covered by my sonar. I also don't sleep… so you will be well protected tonight.” Arkhangelsk spoke flatly.

“Thank you, Sovereign. And where is your vessel?” I asked.

“Kissing the bottom of Tokyo Bay to avoid being hit by the keels of cargo ships. It also keeps me below the operational range of the listening devices for as long as possible. It will come to loading depth when we approach early tomorrow morning.” Arkhangelsk said as she opened the door to my room.

“I see. Enjoy your evening.” I said as the soviet left my room.

NJ pouted audibly as the door shut.

“What's that face for?” I asked.

“She comes in here, calling me fucking ancient, and you didn't say anything…” NJ spoke softly.

“No… but i did put a gun to her head. If she hadn't torn my gun apart, I likely would have shot her.” I replied.

NJ sighed.

“You don't think I'm old, right?” NJ asked.

“Of course not. You don't look a day over twenty two. I think you look quite good for someone edging eighty years of life, New Jersey. Definitely have the energy of a young woman.” I spoke as I firmly gripped a sizable section of her stern.

NJ smiled.

“Then… that makes me happy. Thank you, honey.” NJ said as she pulled me into a hug.

I hugged her until she released me. I looked at the floor to see my handgun in parts on the floor.

“Can… we get Eugen up here? I'd rather have the expert come put this back together.” I requested.

NJ nodded.

“I just notified her. She'll be up momentarily.” NJ said as I collected the parts off the floor.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Minutes later, Eugen and Kirov came up to the room.

“What the heck happened that your gun was dismantled?” Eugen teased.

“Ran into her retainer…” I said as I pointed at Kirov.

“Arkhangelsk is here? So quickly? I only contacted her yesterday.” Kirov spoke.

“Oh yeah. She's here. Almost ate a bullet for insulting NJ… then took a hit from NJ for… reasons.” I said as a knock came to my hotel room door.

“Come in.” I spoke as Arkhangelsk walked in.

“Greetings comrade.” Arkhangelsk said as soon as she saw Kirov.

“Greetings to you as well. You got here quick.” Kirov said as Arkhangelsk allowed herself to be embraced by the grizzled battlecruiser.

“Of course. You said you needed me here… so I made arrangements to get here. As one does for their lover.” Arkhangelsk said as she caressed Kirov's cheek.

“Not in front of the American…” Kirov whined.

“Oh? So that's what you got going on? Quite a juicy detail to leave out there, Arkhangelsk.” I said teasingly.

“My love life is none of your concern, American.” Arkhangelsk barked.

“True, but still, it's quite a shock. But I guess with nowhere left to turn, both in terms of your predicament and your job, it makes sense.” I spoke as Eugen handed me the rapidly reconstructed mauser, which I quickly stowed in my waistband.

“Intelligent for a capitalist. I give you props, Admiral. Yes… it wasn't too long after the purge that I found myself lonely… my husband at the time had been killed by the fire starters… they of course blamed me for his murder when they didn't find my body among the smoldering ashes of my home. I ran into Kirov… and things… kinda just went from there. I became her retainer and now we work together. We fell in love after a few years of dirty work. And now we have funds to last us until the end. But seeings as Azur Lane will fail without monetary support, I will put forth the idea of funding some of the more… major actions taken by your fleet. We should be able to keep an installation stocked for quite some time. Kirov has managed some pretty high end hits, so we have the money.” Arkhangelsk explained.

“I see no issue in using the fruits of our labor in such a way. He will provide us with a home. We can support him and his cause.” Kirov concurred.

NJ looked at me.

“That's quite a bit of dough, honey. Contract killers do quite well. And Arkhangelsk said you alone have half a million on your head, so if Kirov’s done anything close to what her reputation says, we're looking at close to half a billion in assets.” NJ said.

“Close… I won't give a number, but your estimate is not far off, Black Dragon.” Kirov said flatly.

“The sheer amount of people you had to kill… I'm beginning to feel real blessed that you're on my side.” I said as the girls in the room looked amongst themselves.

“I do have an extra piece of intelligence for you, Admiral. I did some digging in the few minutes I was in my room. I have the location of the person who put the hit on you… and that is partially why we are willing to go so far for your cause.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

“Explain.” NJ spoke coldly.

“It… came from CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. An IP address was traced through several private networks to a personal laptop inside the CIA. Someone has some friends in high places, and they want you gone. Any enemy of the United States is a friend of mine.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

NJ's face drained of color.

“They…” NJ started.

“Cool. So what I'm hearing is there is some fucky shit going on, even moreso now. Looks like Martin really pissed off the FBI. Now they called in the other alphabet agencies to try and snuff me out.” I said with a chuckle.

“Honey! This is serious… Half a million is nothing to scoff at. We're looking at potential terror groups getting in on trying to take you out.” NJ whined.

“That's why my security detail includes an Akula class nuke, a nuclear capable battlecruiser, a heavy cruiser, a pre-dreadnaught battleship, a war hardened repair ship turned doctor, and a nuclear armed Iowa class with enough fire in her belly to melt Manhattan. I'd say I'm pretty safe, all things considered.” I replied.

NJ looked at me and sighed.

“You're quite chipper for someone whose head is on the proverbial chopping block.” NJ quipped as she hugged me from behind.

I smiled.

“I have several reasons as to why.” I said cryptically as the other girls in the room chuckled. Shortly after, and after a small flurry of good nights, the room cleared out, allowing NJ and I to finally retire for the evening.

Chapter Text

The night passed quickly and uneventfully. NJ spent most of the night pressing herself against me to stay warm and keep me safe. I didn't mind. Being in her arms made me feel safe and loved, I wouldn't stop her.

In the morning, a sudden thought occured that had me shooting up to a sitting position. Looking outside, the sun had not yet crested, but the light was slowly spilling over the bay. NJ stirred feeling me move so quickly, but considering I had not removed myself from her arms or the bed, she elected to remain sleeping, or at least feigning sleep to rest her eyes.

Looking to the side table, I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I came across the number of an old friend of mine. I took a breath and just before I hit dial, there was a knock on the door. NJ was awake and alert immediately.

“Come in.” She spoke as she reached into my clothes that I had laid on the floor and grabbed my gun before handing it to me.

“Good morning, Americans.” Arkhangelsk spoke flatly. She looked directly at the phone in my hands and then at me.

“Are you placing a call at the moment?” Arkhangelsk asked.

“I was about to… a friend of mine lives in Japan, I was gonna let her know I was here.” I said.

Arkhangelsk sighed.

“As a former contender in the cold war… how have you not drilled Opsec into this buffoon's head?” Arkhangelsk asked, this time looking at NJ.

“I haven't had the time. But also, if this is who I think this is, she's a good friend of his from years ago before she left the states. It can't be that serious… nobody has gotten a hold of his phone.” NJ said.

“And you think that a device, that uses GPS tracking for your maps and other such applications, and that can be tracked by your country's law enforcement, wouldn't feed information to the federal agents that are currently tracking him? And that the information gathered wouldn't be seen by the person who put the hit out on him? And that the person who was morally bankrupt enough to place a bounty on his head wouldn't forward that information to the people that they would prefer to kill him? Seriously… how the United States became a worse surveillance state than the Soviet Union is simultaneously hilarious and also earth shatteringly ironic.” Arkhangelsk spat as she came over and touched my phone. As it did with NJ, my phone went berserk for half a second before settling back down.

“What did you do?” I asked.

“I encrypted your device with three layers of varied security. Not completely ironclad, but it has managed to keep both the CIA and KGB from intercepting my communications with Kirov. You can make calls, but the longer you're on the phone, the more time the agencies have to attempt to crack the encryption. So keep them under ten minutes. And try to vary the time of day that you decide to make calls so that you don't become predictable.” Arkhangelsk spoke as she sat in the chair in the corner of the room. NJ kept her eye on the Soviet as I dialed my friend's number.

“Hey!”

“Yeah! It's been forever.”

“I'm doing well. Can't really complain. I got a girlfriend now.”

“She's a treat. Couldn't wish for anyone better.”

“I just wanted to call and let you know that I am in Japan for a bit.”

“South of Yokosuka. I'm next to the Battleship Mikasa Museum.”

“You live in Mutsu now? I thought you lived near Tokyo.”

“Has it been that long already? Three years really flew by…”

“Well, I'm coming up to Mutsu at some point during my trip. A friend of mine said we can get there before the storm. Maybe we can meet up. It's been a while.”

“Sounds great. I'll see you then.”

“Mhmm. Buh bye.”

I hung up the phone and looked at Arkhangelsk.

“How soon can we leave?” I asked.

“If you get dressed? Now. The reactors don't exactly turn off. So I've just been waiting for you.” Arkhangelsk spoke as I quickly slipped on my clothes and packed my bag. NJ also forced herself out of bed and packed her things.

“You Soviet subs had showers onboard, right?” NJ asked flatly.

“Yes. I will even divert power to heat the water… as a sign of good faith.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

The tension between them was almost tangible.

“Alright ladies, let's get checked out and get going. I don't know how submarines tend to handle storms, but I'm not willing to risk Royal Sovereign's hull on a what… category 3 you said?” I asked.

“Weather patterns indicate the storm is currently approaching category 4. My hull will withstand the pressure if we remain submerged. But i would prefer that we leave the bay before rush hour. The less eyes seeing a submarine surface, the better.” Arkhangelsk spoke as we checked the room and left.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Kirov, Eugen, Mikasa and Vestal met the three of us in the lobby. As we all checked out, I could sense myself being flanked by my new escorts. NJ took my right side as Kirov and Arkhangelsk took my left. Eugen took the front while Vestal and Mikasa stayed behind us as we left the hotel.

“So… how are we boarding?” I asked.

“I have a rubber dinghy nearby. Hid it under one of the more derelict piers. Get over to that pier over there and I'll bring the boat around.” Arkhangelsk spoke as she pointed out the pier before breaking off from the group. Kirov walked ahead of Eugen and had her move back to cover my left side as we approached the water's edge. Sure enough, a small black boat was heard coming up to the pier.

By the time we all boarded, the sun was just minutes from cresting, which would flood the bay with sunlight.

“Surrounding area clear of naval traffic. Blowing the ballast tanks.” Arkhangelsk announced as we took off from the pier. Several thousand meters ahead, I could see a small sea of white bubbles appear before being split in two by the massive black and red hull of a relic of the cold war. My heart fluttered as I saw the true size and scale of one of the most feared submarines on NATO's sonar.

“You sailed the seas with this thing being a possible threat. It's huge!” I exclaimed over the sound of the outboard engine.

“Publicly available records dictate that there were no sightings of Typhoon class submarines outside the Soviet sphere of influence.” NJ replied curtly.

“Do you not have access to the classified documents? Wouldn't they have the full story?” I asked.

“I cannot confirm anything from documents I have access to. We can readily assume that they did operate outside the Soviet sphere of influence, but any official reports I have access to have been heavily censored… likely to remove any mention of power projection by the Soviet Navy.” NJ replied truthfully.

“I concur. Even what little I was able to squeeze from Enterprise, even her documents were similarly censored. So either the government knew and wanted it covered up, or they wanted to keep Soviet success down in the media, so they made sure that the only operations we reported on were within the Soviet sphere of influence.” Vestal said as we rapidly approached the massive submarine.

I thought about the censorship for a moment before the boat bumped into the side of the submarine, jarring me from my thoughts and nearly sending me tumbling into the bay, thankfully the girls had surrounded me and they had better sea legs than I did.

“Permission to come aboard…” I whispered to myself.

“Granted. Let's get a move on. I can already hear several motors starting within the bay. The sooner we leave, the better.” Arkhangelsk spoke as she pulled me up the ladder to the flat bow section of the submarine before passing me off to Kirov who guided me to the entrance of the submarine's conning tower, followed by everyone else who had helped stow the boat.

Once inside the submarine, the first thing that hit me was the sheer size of the control center. I had been on the US museum submarines, but those were dwarfed by even half of the Typhoon's control center. The room I stood on had almost as much space as half the standing room onboard a Gato.

“Don't stand around dawdling, Comrade Commander. Stow yourself and prepare for a crash dive.” Arkhangelsk spoke as she pointed to a chair near the periscope.

“Isn't that…”

“Yes. Sit down, Comrade Commander.” Arkhangelsk spoke again as the other girls all braced themselves.

“Connection fully restored. Hull integrity fortified. Power output nominal.” The screen in front of me read before disappearing and being replaced by a sonar screen. I couldn't identify anything it said, but I knew what sonar looked like. I put on the headset and sat back as I heard some sort of mechanical mechanism moving before feeling my stomach sink. We were filling ballast to submerge.

“Onward to Mutsu.” I whispered as Arkhangelsk looked at me.

“You seem to be willing to learn. Shall I teach you how to read Sonar? We shouldn't reach Mutsu until tomorrow.” Arkhangelsk asked.

“That would be helpful. Even with everyone's help and people joining our fleet, I'm going to have to assume the role of Commander. I have my flagship… per se. And I want to be able to do some of the critical tasks required with operating a fleet. And I won't always be onboard a submarine or destroyer who use sonar like it's second nature.” I said.

NJ came over to us.

“I will help teach you as well, Honey. Submarine Sonar is more advanced than what I have, but I can still point out things you're likely to hear or not hear from a battleship's perspective. Just give me a bit to get cleaned up.” NJ said as Kirov led her out of the control room, likely to find the crew section of the boat so she could take a hot shower.

Chapter Text

Arkhangelsk was a surprisingly patient teacher for an ex-soviet assassin. My questions were answered simply and using terms I could understand. The only hiccup came when we encountered a pod of dolphins and I became confused with the return signature. Arkhangelsk was explaining how the sonar interacted with organic material when the dolphins started chattering loudly, forcing me to rip the headphones off my head and hold my ears to stop the pain.

NJ came in as this was happening and she walked to me and gently cupped my head.

“Everything okay, Honey?” NJ asked softly.

“Dolphins are too damn loud.” I hissed softly.

“My apologies, Comrade Commander. Submarine sonar needs to be extremely sensitive. So loud unexpected noises are quite frequently encountered.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

“They sound panicked… they don't sound like what they are normally portrayed as sounding.” I spoke as NJ rubbed my ears gently.

Arkhangelsk cocked her head before walking to the periscope. Activating it and bringing the sub to periscope depth, she took a look outside the sub and projected it to the Sonar screen.

“Huh… that's… odd.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

Outside, the storm was raging. Safe in the submarine, we were barricaded against the choppy seas and several swirling columns of water. Flashes of yellow and purple lightning danced across the screen with bolts hitting the water with frightening frequency.

“The fuck is that!? I thought this was a typhoon, not the fucking apocalypse!” I exclaimed.

“Purple lightning…” NJ spoke flatly.

“Ring a bell, Black Dragon?” Kirov asked.

“Yes. Tales from the pilots of Enterprise, Intrepid, Lexington, and Essex from back in the day. Small caliber AA fire paired with haphazard streaks of lightning that ripped Hellcats to pieces. They only ever mentioned it in the presence of one enemy battleship… this can't be a completely normal storm.” NJ disclosed.

“Do you know which one it was?” Eugen asked.

“Musashi.” Vestal spoke as NJ looked at her and nodded.

“Musashi? As in…”

“Yes, Honey. The second of the three Yamato class Battleships. Battleship Musashi. She must have survived the pounding from the fleet carriers and managed to sneak away with the survivors.” NJ said.

“Okay… so she's alive… why the hell is she contributing to this storm?” I asked.

“That I can't answer. But assuming that this storm is heading to our destination… I bet we'll be able to at least ask.” NJ said as Arkhangelsk cut the feed and retracted the periscope before diving to cruising depth once more. Now that we were aware of our surroundings, The sounds of lightning striking the ocean was unmissable. There were only seconds between each strike, each one sounding like it was getting closer, almost as if the lightning was trying to suss us out.

Back at cruising depth, I stood from the sonar screen and stretched.

“Everything alright, Comrade Commander? Shall we resume training?” Arkhangelsk asked.

“Not right now. If I'm being honest, I'd like to shower as well… haven't gotten to really do much self-care since I left Britain.” I said as NJ looked at me.

“I'll show you where the showers are. I left some hot water, I believe. I know you prefer your showers hot.” NJ said with a slightly lower tone. I smiled, knowing she was taking into account how badly my ears were still ringing.

“Then I shall continue our voyage in earnest. We should be reaching the inlet to Mutsu by nightfall.” Arkhangelsk spoke as she walked over to the others, who were conversing about stories from their lives after the war.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“The Black Dragon approaches, dear sister.” The silver kitsune spoke.

“I know. They travel by sea in a soviet submarine. We should expect their arrival tonight.” The black kitsune spoke. Both of them turned at the sigh emitted by a short brown tailed kitsune.

“Honestly… you two need to give up your grudges against them. Be thankful you both survived the war when so many of our sisters did not. To be touted as the biggest and most heavily armed warships of that dreadful war, yet you can't accept defeat after so long. You especially, Lady Shinano. That American submarine saved your life. You should be thankful for the mercy they showed you. You shouldn't allow Lady Musashi to drag you into her delusions. And you, Lady Musashi… a proud warrior should know when they are bested. Be thankful you survived, considering the damage you took.” Nagato spoke bluntly.

The black kitsune glared at Nagato.

“This is no mere grudge, Nagato. And certainly no damn delusion. This is a fated battle. We were created to fight the demons known as the Iowa class. We were built to be the strongest… to be on par or better than the Bismarcks, and the Richelieus, and the Iowas. And so long as one of us lives, There will be that undying rivalry. This is no grudge, this is fate.” Musashi spat.

Nagato furrowed her brows.

“Would Lady Yamato share that same sentiment? She was always the most level-headed of you two. And Lady Shinano remains impressionable to this day… she only agrees with you due to not having Lady Yamato around to balance your calculated insanity.” Nagato snapped back.

“Insanity?!” Musashi hissed.

“It's been eighty years since we wore that dreaded mantle. Eighty years, Lady Musashi! The war is over! Yet you still choose to act as if the decisive victory is just beyond the horizon. The day we signed that document onboard the Missouri, we lost. Unconditional surrender. This vile cloud of hatred you manifested is a stain to the once proud Sakura Navy. To call you insane is no more outlandish than calling a cherry blossom pink in spring. Perhaps when the caliber of this Black Dragon is witnessed by you, you'll finally be able to free yourself from the shackles of your past.” Nagato spoke coldly.

“You'd side with the demons!? They took everything from us! They firebombed Tokyo! They dropped the sun on our people, not once, but twice! They took what was rightfully ours!” Musashi yelled.

“And we attacked them unprovoked. We killed their people. We tortured their prisoners. We were no less barbaric. They treated our people with decency. And their methods of retaliation were… less personal… less gruesome. We disemboweled and tortured to inflict pain and horrid death. They used fire and harnessed the energy of the sun. They killed our people, yes. But so many died quickly and without pain. We ensured that those we killed died very painful deaths. I do not side with either us or them. But to try to claim moral superiority in this case is another hint at insanity. I fear for your wellbeing, my old friend.” Nagato spoke.

Musashi seethed at her retort.

“To think one known as one of the Big Seven could be so shallow in thought.” Musashi spat.

“That title means nothing to me. I shared it with two wonderful ladies from the Royal Navy and three sturdy girls from the Eagle Union… as well as my sister. The big seven only stood as a milestone for Naval weapons advancement. The first ships to field sixteen inch cannons. That is all that title meant. And all it ever will mean. My thoughts are only shallow because they are in direct opposition to your bouts of insanity. Because you surely valued my input when you and Lady Yamato were stationed in Truk. My thoughts were no more “shallow” then as they are now. Perhaps if you could allow yourself to listen, you'd understand. But it seems your mind is focused solely on violence. So I shall sit and watch you try to fight the demon you say she is. I will say… she has become a demon… just not in the way you think. I truly pray for your safety and survival, Lady Musashi.” Nagato said as she walked away from the two Kitsune.

Musashi hissed angrily as Shinano came over to her.

“Perhaps we should heed Nagato's words… It has been a long time since we were in balance with the powers of the world. Maybe we need not fight the dragon unprovoked.” Shinano suggested.

Musashi glared at her sister before shrugging her hand away and storming off into the halls of the temple where they were residing.

Chapter Text

NJ led me through the relatively large corridors of Arkhangelsk's vessel. As we arrived at the showers, she turned to me and gently grabbed my wrists.

“Honey? Are you doing okay?” NJ asked.

“Yeah? Why do you ask?” I inquired.

“Well… it's just that… It's been nonstop action since we came back from New Jersey. You haven't really had much of a lull to relax. And I know you tend to keep things pent up. Your mom said as much while you were laid up in the hospital.” NJ said softly as she caressed my cheek.

I smiled and leaned into her touch. She took the opportunity to ruffle my hair.

“I'm okay, my love. I'll admit it's stressful…almost dying three times in two months isn't the best for someone's mental state…” I said as NJ pulled me into a kiss. After almost a minute, she allowed me to breathe.

“You will not die on my watch, Honey. And I'll sit with Vestal…she can teach me how to better help you unpack all that stress. But for now, all I can do is appease the minor stuff.” NJ said as she put her hand on my chest and pushed me into the wash room before closing and locking the bulkhead.

I found myself pushed against the wall as NJ looked deep into my eyes. I could feel something in her gaze reaching into the depths of my soul and soothing the tumultuous feelings that fueled my unease. I found myself lost helplessly in the vast oceans of her eyes. I could act only on instinct as my hand wrapped behind her back and pulled her close to me.

“Honey…we can't, not here.” NJ protested softly. The deepening blush on her cheeks gave away her embarrassment.

I paused and blinked a few times as I processed her words.

“I… I'm sorry. I lost control of myself there…” I said as I went to release her. She felt this and shook her head.

“You know what? I don't care. I can handle any embarrassment so long as I'm with you. Just…don't try to embarrass me on purpose or I'll get upset.” NJ said with a small pout.

I looked at her again and smiled.

“I can wait until we have some more privacy, my love. But…I won't protest if you join me.” I said as I took off my shirt. NJ looked away softly but looked back as I removed the remainder of my clothes. I stood in the steel walled stall for a few moments as I tried to figure out the faucet situation. When it was evident to NJ that it wasn't obvious to me, she chuckled.

“Need help, honey?” NJ asked.

“Yeah… definitely not a normal setup.” I said as I heard clothing hit the floor before feeling NJ slip into the stall behind me. Her arm slid past my side and turned on the water. It was cold at first, due to the pipes cooling, causing me to emit a tiny gasp, earning me another chuckle from NJ. As the water warmed, I was forced to turn around by way of NJ grabbing and turning my waist. Once again, I was face to face with those deep blue eyes. I could feel the rise and fall of her chest against mine. Her breathing was elevated and her breath smelled so sweet. I could feel the rapid beat of her heart and she could no doubt feel mine.

“You want me, don't you?” NJ whispered.

“If I ever say no to that, you need to shoot me.” I replied hastily.

NJ smiled.

“Then come get me, Honey.” NJ said as she put her back to the wall of the stall and put one leg around my waist.

As ordered, I held her leg up as I guided myself to a familiar paradise. Despite the water running down our bodies, entry and movement seemed of little issue due to the excitement and desire pouring from NJ. The look on NJ's face was all I needed to confirm that despite her previous embarrassment and objection, she had been truthful with herself and allowed her desires to manifest. Each thrust upward sent a jolt through her body, causing groans and moans to escape her lips as any trembles were whisked away by the steaming hot water. I couldn't contain myself as I took to kissing and sucking the skin on her neck. Hearing her moans and feeling her nails on my back as we made love here fueled my passion and desire further. In the back of my mind, I was cursing myself for not having the engagement ring ready. At this very moment, I was willing and ready to propose marriage to this woman.

“Honey. We're going to do things differently this time.” NJ managed between moans.

I pulled away and looked at her, slowing my motion considerably so she could talk freely.

“Today is a safe day for me. As safe as we'll get. I don't want you to pull out this time. I want the full experience… right here.” NJ spoke as she put her arms around my neck.

I was taken slightly aback, but not enough to question her judgment. Surely she knew her body better than anyone. With a simple nod, an agreement was met. My hips began to move again as I reached down and picked her other leg up, wrapping It around my waist. The small confines of the shower stall made it easy to keep her back firmly planted, so she wasn't going anywhere. She looked deep into my eyes once again before locking lips with me to muffle the sounds she and I were making.

We pulled away and I turned my head to see the steel floor of the washroom. Without further delay, I pulled NJ off the wall and carried her, still firmly planted against me, out into the main area of the washroom before setting her on the cold steel floor, sending shivers through her body and causing her to tighten considerably.

With her now beneath me and the water dripping heavily from our bodies, I moved against her harder than I could in the shower stall. The added force drew out more pronounced moans and caused her to involuntarily run her hands through her hair and grip it as if someone was tugging at it. Turning her hips to one side and grabbing her thigh, I moved harder and faster as her moans began to melt together, the breathy sounds and syrupy moans gathered pace and pitch as we scaled our respective mountains. Neither of us had cared to notice the knocks on the washroom bulkhead, nor cared to realize what was supposed to be a ten minute shower had rolled into nearly an hour while turning the cold soviet washroom into a steamy sauna.

Water and sweat now dripped readily from our skin as the climax came closer. I looked at NJ and what I saw was an angel. No dragon. No mere woman. An angel sent from the highest of heights. Through the thick steam, I could see her and only her, not that I wanted anything more.

“Are you sure you want this?” I asked as I could feel the knot in my stomach slipping loose.

NJ replied not with words, but actions as her free leg pulled me against her with enough force to push me over the edge. I could feel her muscles tighten as she bit back a cry of pleasure, reducing it to a long drawn out moan as she felt warmth permeate her lower body. The tremble in her legs gave me indication that she finished too.

“I think I'm gonna get addicted to that feeling, Honey…” NJ said between breaths.

I smiled down at her as I cupped her cheek.

“Well… as long as it's a safe day, I don't mind it.” I said softly. I was going to ask if she wanted to go again when I finally heard the pounding on the bulkhead door.

NJ released me, as she too heard the pounding on the door. She scurried off to the shower as I wrapped myself in a towel and went to the door, unlocking it.

“Yes?” I asked as I poked my head out the door.

Eugen and Arkhangelsk were waiting outside the door.

“Everything alright there?” Eugen asked as she and Arkhangelsk both noted the steam pouring from the crack in the door.

“Yeah. Just finishing up.” I said.

“Clean up any mess you two made.” Arkhangelsk said bluntly.

“No mess was made. But we will be sure to wipe down. Lots of condensation.” I said with a distracted smile.

“Uh huh…” Arkhangelsk started as she motioned to Eugen to take a walk.

“You and the dragon seem to be really happy together.” Arkhangelsk spoke. I tightened my towel and stepped fully into the doorframe.

Arkhangelsk eyed my body up and down, noting the scratches on my arms and shoulders.

“We are. What makes you bring it up?” I asked.

"You mean aside from the obvious lovey-dovey looks she gives you? Or the nearly half an hour of ignorance to my knocking on this door? Look… we used to be rivals at one point, sure… but… that woman is not the same woman that we used to know. The same one we trained to fight against. She's… calmer. She's genuinely happy. And that all comes down to you. You've transformed that woman. As someone who has had to hide her love as well… I don't blame you guys for sneaking about. After all, Kirov and I couldn't have a publicly known relationship back home. All this to say… aside from scolding you for fucking in my washroom… Thank you.” Arkhangelsk rambled.

“Thank me? For what?” I asked, confused.

"For giving me the proof I was searching for. Before I was only going along with this because of Kirov. But… you have real potential as a commander… if your performance as a lover is to be ascertained. My allegiance is yours, commander. You call… we will respond. And Prinz Eugen has filled me in on an aspect of New Jersey's nuclear arsenal. I will take command of supplying her with nuclear material to keep a worthy stockpile, that way Nautilus can rest easy too. Vestal informed me of her involvement as well.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

I was stunned.

“I… don't know what to say to that. Thank you. Having you and Kirov here with us makes this actually feel real. I… guess it's time to really tighten the bootstraps then. Her Majesty is working hard to secure the Falklands for us. And I'll likely need to make a move when we get back to the states. When NJ and our party leave, head for the eastern coast of the US. Stay in international waters. We'll come to you.” I said.

“Understood. I'll send Kirov back to retrieve her vessel as well. We will wait for you in the North Atlantic.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

I nodded as I heard the water shut off.

“Seems she is done. We are nearing Mutsu. You should prepare to disembark soon.” Arkhangelsk spoke as she walked back towards the command center.

Chapter Text

I closed the door once more and walked to where NJ was finishing up washing once again.

“Who was it?” NJ asked.

“It was Arkhangelsk and Eugen. They came to inform us that we are preparing to surface. We need to get done and get dressed. That hellstorm is swirling directly over us, so I don't think this is a normal storm. We could be facing something worse than assassins this time.” I said as I kissed her cheek.

“Maybe it might give me a reason to finally show my stuff. Prove that not only can I love you better than anyone, but I can protect you better than anyone as well.” NJ said as she playfully flexed her muscles. While her expression was playful, my eyes shot to each muscle that moved during her display. Each muscle she flexed was well defined, as if each one were sculpted into place by Michelangelo himself. It was only then that I noticed that while she was extremely plush for a toned girl, she had the body of an olympian. I touched her flexed bicep and poked her abs. Both were more solid than steel.

“That tickles, honey~ Stop~” NJ whined as she covered herself with her towel.

“I have never actually seen you flex your body like this… you have the body of a hardened warrior… but… how can you also be so soft?” I asked. NJ giggled at my description and a rosy blush filled her cheeks.

“I am relaxed around you, Honey. I let my guard down when I'm with you. That's how. But we are clearly in enemy held territory at the moment, so now it's time to show you just how much they fear the Black Dragon.” NJ said happily.

I quickly dried myself while refusing to take my eyes off her.

Within a few minutes, we both were dressed and back in the command center. We received knowing glances from everyone present. Mikasa was the most sly of all of them, however.

“You look quite refreshed, Shikikan. Do you perhaps enjoy long showers at home?” Mikasa asked.

I smiled as I tried to force the rapidly spreading blush on my cheeks to fade.

“I do. It helps me clear my mind. The hot water also makes the aches and pains of daily life go away.” I lied.

Eugen on the other hand was about as subtle as a bull in a china shop.

“Good thing there's no hot water left… if I have to imagine what you two were doing for nearly an hour… I'd need a cold shower just to clear my head.” Eugen teased before Mikasa came over and slapped her upside the head. NJ decided to ignore her outburst.

Mikasa smiled again, prompting NJ to turn attention to her.

“Arkhangelsk. Do you have any body armor onboard?” NJ asked sternly.

“I have a vest, but it was made for Kirov. I doubt it will fit you.” Arkhangelsk spoke flatly. Kirov shot her an annoyed glance.

“It's for Tyler. I have a feeling we're surfacing in enemy waters since, even down here, I can feel the pressure of that storm. I want him to have some form of protection just in case something happens right away.” NJ spoke.

“I'll grab it. We are surfacing now, so be ready just in case.” Arkhangelsk spoke as she walked to a cabinet on the bridge and pulled out a black plate carrier vest. She walked to me and slipped it on over my head before adjusting the straps to make sure that it wouldn't move around on me. She went back to the cabinet and looked around a bit before producing two familiar looking weapons, a custom built MP7 and a custom built PP-2000.

“Take your pick, Comrade Commander. I doubt a German relic will be too useful in a prolonged fight.” Arkhangelsk spoke as Eugen also shot her an annoyed glance.

“I'll take the MP7. No offense, but I am more familiar with the platform.” I said as I was handed the weapon. Looking over it, the gun was kitted out for special operations. Red dot, snub suppressor, and drum magazines were just the surface level things I saw. Arkhangelsk also strapped two more drums along with several stick magazines to my vest, weighing me down considerably.

“Let us hope we don't need them.” Arkhangelsk said as she tossed the other weapon to Kirov. Kirov, being the weapons expert she is, chambered the firearm before whisking it away into her outfit. Despite similar configurations, I genuinely couldn't tell she was carrying. I attached the MP7 to a sling I had found in one of the vest pockets.

Kirov came over as I felt the boat breach the surface. She put an old Soviet trench coat over my vest and buttoned it.

“You don't have the proper attire to conceal such a weapon. This will have to do. Should also keep you warm in the rain. Don't be stupid, we are all very powerful, but we aren't perfect.” Kirov spoke as NJ and Arkhangelsk looked on.

“I'll be sure to stay inside arms length.” I said as NJ looked at me.

“Honey… I can't possibly predict how this will go. Musashi was always a vengeful adversary. So I can't afford to take chances trying the diplomat route. If that purple lightning is any indication, she's not exactly looking to welcome visitors… I'm opening a door I thought I would never have to open again… a door that holds a very… different version of myself. Please… be here when the fallout settles.” NJ said softly.

“Lucifer and his legions couldn't tear me away from you…” I said as I reached into the folds of my coat and racked the bolt on my MP7.

“... I'll be a room temperature floor decoration before leaving you behind.” I spoke, causing most of the women in the room, aside from Vestal, to blush as they looked deeper into my words.

“Such a romantic gentleman. No wonder she fell for you, Mein Kommandant.” Eugen spoke bluntly as she put a gentle hand on my shoulder, having the added effect of stoking the smoldering embers of NJ's fighting spirit, causing a rush of intensity.

“Keep your mitts off my man or I will rip you in two.” NJ growled as Arkhangelsk cleared the air.

“We've surfaced. The lightning has reduced in intensity, so now would be the optimal time to disembark and look for cover on land. Thankfully it's dark due to the storm, so we shouldn't be drawing attention.” Arkhangelsk spoke as NJ nodded.

“Kirov. You go first and Tyler will follow you. The rest of us can follow. Keep him safe, or it's your head.” NJ ordered.

Kirov was about to protest when Arkhangelsk nodded.

“We will ensure safety as our top priority. You need not worry.” Arkhangelsk said as we all exited the submarine.

As soon as we all stood on the bow of the boat, several bolts of lightning crashed into the water around us. With water still pouring off the sides of the submarine, I could almost feel the electricity pulsing on the rubber soles of my shoes. Looking into the squall I could see two figures slowly approaching in the distance. But considering our distance from shore, I knew it couldn't be anyone normal.

“The wretched Black Dragon of the Union shows her face here once more.” An angry but sultry sounding voice spoke.

“I see your demeanor hasn't changed from the stories the boys used to tell. Still just as stuck up now as you were then, fox.” NJ snapped back. Her tone was not the loving and caring voice I had come to know. She had taken on a more commanding tone, as if her message was to be spread to the masses.

“It is not I who hasn't changed. You are still the same overconfident fool you were back then. I have had eighty years to perfect my thoughts and rationale. So far as I can tell, you've spent those years being tossed between retirement and being the aggressor's lap dog.” The black haired woman spoke. She was starting to piss me off.

“Hey! The fuck you think you're talking to, witch?” I blurted out without thinking.

“I would advise scum like yourself to refrain from talking when people more important are speaking. Any more outbursts and I will not hesitate to erase you.” The woman spoke.

“Sister… do not speak so poorly of him… I don't know what relation he holds, but I am getting a really bad feeling.” The silver haired fox spoke.

“Shinano.” NJ spoke coldly.

The silver fox and NJ locked eyes.

“You tell your zealot sister that if she so much as looks at that man again, I will rip all nine tails from her spine and hang her with them. I have more than a few boys whose lives need to be avenged after their treatment by your navy.” NJ spat. Her words caused me to recoil slightly, as if the words themselves were dripping acid that ate away anything that heard them.

“You honestly think I care about your hollow threats? If that scum is a distraction, perhaps I should eliminate it here and now so we can do our business in peace.” The woman said as she put a hand towards the sky. I felt myself being shoved out of the way as Eugen rapidly deployed her rigging and allowed the metal serpents to take the brunt of a massive bolt of purple lightning. Eugen, while thoroughly unphased by the sheer volume of electricity that she had been hit with, was putting off steam in the cold rain as a result.

As an immediate response, the two foxes deployed what I could only assume was their rigging. The silver one could be seen immediately despite the rain and mist. Several orbs floated about her, all showing different phases of the moon, while a long blue ribbon of light surrounded her before taking the shape of an old school flight deck. A small section of what looked like steel superstructure appeared at her right shoulder holding three massive swords. Eugen, now fully in bodyguard mode, stood between me and Shinano as Musashi deployed her rigging.

“Oh fuck…” I whispered.

Two massive articulated arms spawned from her shoulders, each pauldron sporting what looked like smaller versions of a triple gun turret with the right side sporting two turrets. Massive armored plates covered these arms, almost like the samurai of old. The woman herself crackled with electricity that spread to her rigging. The most jaw dropping part of all of this was the large ghostly figure that had formed behind her. It was a large samurai looking entity that seemed to be made out of purple fire. It kind of reminded me of a character from an old Shonen anime, but this thought wouldn't be realized until much later.

In the span of seconds, the atmosphere had turned unimaginably tense as two heavyweight kansen faced off against us. NJ had been hesitant to respond, evidenced by her looking back at me several times in those few seconds. I decided to ease her suffering.

“Give 'em hell, Honey!” I yelled over the raging storm.

This gave NJ all the support she needed. Reaching into her pocket she produced a single cufflink from her old uniform. With her eyes glowing a brilliant red, NJ crushed the cufflink to dust in her palm.

At that moment, the world went silent. The raging winds calmed and three bolts of lightning pierced the clouds, striking the water and sending columns of sea spray nearly fifty feet skyward. I could barely process it, but the lightning was colored red white and blue. Just as quickly as the wind had died, it reversed course and began blowing towards Musashi and Shinano, buffering their movement and pelting them with rain. All of this occurred before NJ's rigging even began to take shape.

Slowly, three massive metal arms sprouted from the small of NJ's back before platforms appeared on the end of each. Bits of superstructure grew from her hips and covered her core like a corset before spreading to her back like some dystopian mold. A massive ring of energy formed on her back, causing hair on my arms and neck to stand on end due to the massive swell in latent power. Rectangles formed from the ring in the shape of wings, but as NJ grew angrier, more shapes appeared, slowly turning the simple rectangular wings into something akin to the wings of Smaug. The wings extended and moved as if they were breathing, one of them slowly moving towards me to cover me. The last bit of excess energy was used in creating the three mark seven turrets on each platform that had been summoned. All at once, blue lights began to shine throughout her rigging and the sound of a turbine began whirring over the sound of the wind.

At the same time, Arkhangelsk and Kirov also summoned their respective riggings and moved to be closer to me.

NJ now looked the part of the Black Dragon… and the clash of titans was about to unfold.

Chapter Text

Kirov watched the three juggernaut Kansen face off. With her standing on my right side, she was ensuring that there wouldn't be any chance of my injury. Kirov was about to speak when she noticed movement coming from the sail of the submarine. Turning quickly to ascertain the threat, she saw a familiar face.

“Nagato?” Kirov asked.

“Hmm? Have we met?” Nagato asked inquisitively.

“No. But I have heard of you. And old soviet intelligence has a file on you buried with the rest of the KGB's secrets. Are you here to attack us as well? I will not allow such actions. I may not be the black dragon, but I am still just as deadly.” Kirov spoke as she primed her rigging.

“No. No… nothing of the sort. I merely came to escort you and your boat away from this battlefield. Even before Shinano foretold your arrival… Musashi has been dead set on settling some score she seems to have concocted. I don't know why she is so spiteful and why she is acting out… but try as I might, I have been unable to sway her away from violence. So… allowing her to see just how outclassed she has become is the only way to hopefully quash this insanity that she has had brewing. I have already informed New Jersey via radio, so she will not be distracted by your departure. And Musashi is too prideful a warrior to back down.” Nagato explained.

“Isn't… she your ally?” Eugen asked.

“Yes. Very much so. But as of late, she has become increasingly difficult to deal with. Being put in her place should knock some sense back into that cunning tactician… at least that is my sincere hope.” Nagato spoke.

“So what? Just back away?” Arkhangelsk demanded.

“Yes. I can guide you to an inlet closer to where we have been residing. Please be careful to follow my directions to the letter, as we have had to fortify our territory to discourage any unwanted visitors.” Nagato spoke.

“You're being quite open about all this, Lady Nagato.” Vestal spoke curtly before motioning her head at me.

“Considering Musashi and Shinano came out here to greet you. I figured there would be no use in hiding my identity. Especially because Shinano foretold a vague message of your purpose here. I have deduced that knowing our identities is not only what he wants, but what this whole meeting is for. Come along and let them duke it out. We may need beds ready to receive my compatriots.” Nagato spoke boldly, her voice turning sad at the last sentence.

“While I have the utmost faith in my partner… you do not seem to have faith in Musashi and Shinano to be able to put up a fight against New Jersey. I have to ask why.” I spoke before an oddly familiar weakness in my legs began creeping in. When Nagato turned her attention fully to me, I felt my right leg give out and drop me to the hull of the sub, garnering an immediate reaction from Eugen who came to my aid promptly.

Looking at Nagato, with her attention fully focused on me, I noticed that I had begun to hallucinate. Rays of light pierced the clouds to shine on her while the jingle of bells and sakura petals exploded forth from somewhere behind her. I took deep breaths and tried to shake the vision from my head, but it was only broken when I saw Nagato walk up to me and kneel down in front of me.

She touched my face and gently spoke my name. All at once, the vision subsided and I was left gasping for breath as Eugen hissed at the Japanese battleship.

“What was that about?” Eugen asked.

“Humans tend to react in similar manners when I turn my gaze upon them. Hence why I normally do not allow human visitors to our sanctuary. But considering the circumstances, I knew I would have to get this out of the way. Interestingly enough, he seems to be familiar with this sort of thing. Tell me, Tyler… has this happened to you before?” Nagato asked softly.

“Twice. When I stood face to face with Queen Elizabeth of the Royal Navy… and when I met Mikasa face to face.” I answered honestly.

“Both times in the presence of a flagship. I see. Perhaps it is a curse placed upon flagships then? I wonder if it will hold true when the others arrive.” Nagato pondered as Arkhangelsk maneuvered the boat silently away from the impending fight.

“Lead the way, Nagato.” Kirov spoke as Eugen helped me to my feet.

“Right. Of course. Set a course for 324, half ahead.” Nagato instructed.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

NJ cracked her neck and flexed her hands to the point that each joint in her hands made an audible crack. Musashi glared angrily at her through the squall.

“I wonder, Musashi. Why has your hatred grown so much when the war ended so long ago?” NJ asked. Musashi responded with an opening salvo from her nine main guns.

NJ, who had been anticipating this, sidestepped the shells effortlessly. The shells whizzed by harmlessly and detonated in the water nearly one hundred meters behind NJ. This infuriated the kitsune who lashed out with her rigging, bringing to bear a purple bladed katana, swinging the blade down on NJ, who moved one of her wings to angle the blade away, causing Musashi to stumble forward into NJ's rapidly advancing foot. NJ's foot connected with Musashi's stomach and sent her a few feet off the water's surface and flying back into the arms of Shinano who had moved to cushion her sister's fall.

“Seriously? You can't spare a single word to talk? You really want me dead that badly?” NJ asked as Musashi coughed violently before turning to her sister.

“What are you doing just standing here?! Attack her!” Musashi ordered.

Shinano glanced at NJ hesitantly before several squads of small form aircraft formed on the ribbon that surrounded her.

“Shinano… you don't have to do this. The fact that I'm fighting your sister pains me enough. Don't make me hurt you too.” NJ cautioned.

Shinano mouthed something silently. But NJ caught it.

“I'm sorry”

“Fuck” NJ spat as the planes launched and headed in different directions before turning back in an omnidirectional pincer maneuver. The four miniature CIWS systems scattered through NJ's updated rigging sprung to life, tearing the small wooden planes to pieces with thousands of tiny bullets. Shinano winced at feeling her first wave fail. Her pain turned to fear as she felt Musashi shaking angrily before ripping herself from her arms.

“Keep sending them! Use any methods necessary!” Musashi demanded as her main batteries fired again. Shinano complied and began sending wave after wave of disposable fighters and bombers in a futile attempt to distract NJ.

“Switching to air search radar fire control.” NJ spoke as the blue lights on her rigging flashed several times before the CIWS opened up again, vomiting bullets into the sky and shredding anything that got too close. At the same time, NJ snapped her guns around to fire at the shells Musashi had fired. Several of the shells detonated in a spectacular clash while others were grazed and sent flying off course. Once again, NJ remained damage free. All around the three Kansen, burning shrapnel and broken planes fell into the bay as a result of NJ's effortless defense.

“Musashi… you're outclassed. Just give it up before you get hurt.” NJ spoke calmly.

“Fuck you! You're not better than me! Your ego and the ego of your country is what has brought my hatred upon you! Even back then, you sought to destroy us for our power!” Musashi screamed as she unleashed another volley, covered by another wave of aircraft from Shinano.

NJ once again sidestepped the shells as her AA put in work on the aircraft. The growing look of pain on Shinano's innocent face was tearing away at NJ. This upset her.

“Can't you see that having this fight is only hurting Shinano? And it will hurt you too! I've been defending solely for the point of trying not to hurt you!” NJ tried.

“And fighting like that will get you killed, Black Dragon. Can you not comprehend the depths of hatred I have for you and your aggressive country? You attacked us without warning! You slaughtered our people! You took land that belonged to the Empire of Japan! You… you killed Yamato. YOU KILLED MY SISTER!” Musashi raged as NJ fired off another salvo to deflect Musashi's incoming barrage. Musashi used the cover of smoke caused by NJ's cannons to get close and swing her sword at NJ, who once again deflected the blade with her wing, causing Musashi to stumble again. This time, NJ just grabbed Musashi by her tails and threw her back towards her sister.

“What the hell do you mean without warning?! Akagi, Kaga, Shokaku and Zuikaku along with other carriers and escorts attacked Pearl Harbor first! You sucker punched us without a declaration of war! The fuck you mean we attacked first!?” NJ yelled as the wind around them grew stronger.

“Lies! The declaration of war was the Embargo of Oil and Goods placed on Japan! We simply answered by attacking your military installation! We answered in kind!” Musashi spat.

“Your carriers bombed innocent civilians! Our military had no contribution to that fucking embargo! Our government put it in place to slow your radical takeover of the south Pacific! But you just had to keep invading allied and unaligned countries! So of course we intervened! Then you responded by bombing Pearl Harbor way before a formal declaration of war was sent to the desk of our president! NO MATTER HOW YOU SLICE IT, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG HERE!” NJ raged as Musashi kept trying to get in close, only to be kicked, thrown, or pushed away by NJ's wings.

NJ's rage gave Musashi a brief pause. She turned to Shinano who, through her pained expression, gave a knowing look to her sister.

Musashi shook her head and fired again at NJ. This time, NJ brought her wing up to block the shell, leading to an explosion of burning shrapnel raining down on her.

“Even so… your country firebombed Tokyo and leveled two cities in an effort to destroy us. Even if everything else from that dreaded war was washed away, the fact remains that you killed many innocent souls… and my personal hatred remains since my sister is dead because of your country's actions.” Musashi spat.

This line of thinking annoyed NJ. NJ turned her gun turrets to focus Musashi and opened fire offensively for the first time during this battle. The shells impacted the full right side of Musashi's rigging, smashing the shields and impacting the armor plating. The end result was cracked armor and two disabled main turrets. The amount of damage received knocked Musashi off guard

“Yeah we did. But we aren't the only bad guys here! How many POW's did you experiment on? How many servicemen did you torture and kill? How many of my country's sailors were left to fend off the ocean's wrath when your ships refused to take prisoners? I'll concede that we were no saints… but your nation was just as barbaric. And as for nuking Hiroshima and Nagasaki? We did it as a way to prevent the mass loss of life on both sides that would've occurred had we invaded. And even then, your nation was willing to continue fighting up until the Soviets invaded Manchuria. I'll admit… we aren't clean in any sense of the word, and dropping the bombs was a mistake. But as fucked up as it is, we did it for the greater good.” NJ spat

Musashi thought of NJ's words as she hissed at the pain of taking such a massive hit from NJ's first offensive salvo.

Musashi looked at Shinano, who was struggling to keep the pain of losing so many planes off her face.

“Stand down, sister.” Musashi ordered as NJ sighed a sigh of relief.

“Don't think we are done, Dragon. My sister does not deserve to undergo any more pain due to you. That is all that's happening here.” Musashi spoke angrily.

“Sister. Please. What she says is true. You were fed incomplete information before being sent to battle. We were the ones to kick off the war in the Pacific, dear sister. We attacked Pearl Harbor as a preemptive strike to disable their navy. Akagi and Kaga along with the second and fifth carrier divisions made sure to blunt the blade of the American Navy… we just did not anticipate the sheer will and determination of the angered American populace. They were only defending their country. And we paid the price for such underhanded tactics.” Shinano spoke.

“Return to the sanctuary. Besides, the amount of time between aircraft waves has increased substantially. You don't have the energy to keep up with her. I am protecting you.” Musashi hissed.

Shinano teared up and backed off as ordered, slowly disappearing into the squall.

“Musashi… come on. You're outmatched. Yes, I've been in and out of service up to 1991. My shells, defense, and overall power is so far above what it would have been when we could have fought on level fields. I don't want to hurt you.” NJ said, her tone indicating that she was trying to push past her anger at the situation.

“Be that as it may. Your Navy killed Yamato. Even if I have research to do back home to corroborate what you said today… I cannot let that go. Perhaps that's the main source of my anger… but I am valid in my hatred. YOU WILL NOT INVALIDATE THAT WHEN YOU'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED IT!” Musashi snapped as her last remaining turret fired at NJ's head.

This time, just to prove a point, NJ allowed the shells to strike her shields. Unlike Musashi's, NJ's held strong and completely negated the effect. Once the smoke cleared, Musashi noticed a scowl on NJ's face.

“Is that how you want to play it? Because you attacked my Honey. Deliberately. So by your logic… I am allowed to slaughter you as well, right?” NJ simmered as she adjusted the aim of her guns to focus the last turret on Musashi's rigging and opened fire, smashing the shields protecting it and completely obliterating the turret face and barrels, knocking out the turret. Musashi's demeanor shifted slightly as she realized what NJ had done.

Rolling her shoulders, Musashi prepared to engage in close combat by drawing her rigging's sword.

NJ sighed angrily.

“So fucking stubborn… I have information if you'd just shut the fuck up, stand down and listen to me.” NJ spoke.

Musashi rushed NJ and took a swing at her, only for NJ to cloak her arm in her shields to grab the blade, allowing her arm to bend and absorb the impact while stopping the blade. Musashi's surprise was impossible to miss.

“Will you just listen to me, you psychotic zealot? I am trying every fucking trick in the book to keep you from commiting suicide via me. I have information pertaining to your fucking sister!” NJ spat.

Musashi glared immediately at NJ.

“Speak, pig.” Musashi scowled as she kept trying to wrench her blade free, only to find NJ's grip to be ironclad.

“We picked her up and transferred her to a POW camp in Wisconsin back when we sunk her. She was released the day your nation signed the surrender. Where she went after is anybody's guess. But I have proof. I just need to contact one of my associates.” NJ spoke.

Musashi's face softened.

“I want to see proof.” Musashi demanded.

“Well, I need to get my Honey's phone. But because you attacked us, they've had to retreat to a less hostile area. If you lay down your arms, I can get in contact.” NJ said as her grip tightened on the blade.

“That man? The one who tried to defy me? Call him back. I will not lower my guard for something so fleeting.” Musashi demanded.

NJ tightened her fist and turned the portion of the blade in her hand to dust.

“You have no fucking idea how badly I want to make you eat your fucking fangs. Be thankful my Honey wouldn't want me to end you, despite you attempting to kill him. I'll have to thank Prinz Eugen for protecting him… DAMN YOU BITCH! YOUR ACTIONS GAVE HER AMMO TO USE AGAINST ME!” NJ snapped as she closed her eyes.

On land, my phone buzzed wildly as a call was placed to a number I didn't recognize.

A dial tone came from NJ's rigging, shocking Musashi.

“This is a private number, how did you get this number? Identify yourself.” A voice came from NJ's rigging.

“Intrepid. It's Me.” NJ spoke.

“Intre-... okay. Now I need to know who you are. I haven't gone by that name since 1974. Who are you? I've locked myself in a closet away from the tour route.” Intrepid spoke.

“Battleship New Jersey calling via civilian encrypted channels.” NJ spoke.

“Jersey?! Why is the number coming up with a Russian country code?!” Intrepid cried.

“Long story. I'll tell you later If you wish. Right now, I'm in a bit of a situation.” NJ said.

“Situation? I'd fucking say! The feds have been all over the pier for the last fucking week! All I hear is them talking about you! What the hell are you doing?” Intrepid asked.

“Nothing important. Just… living my best life. Anyway, I need you to send a file to the number I am calling from… without any way of tracing it through the encryption. Keeping off the federal radar is kind of important right now.” NJ said.

Intrepid paused.

“Well… I don't really owe them anything since their funding for the museum went dry… alright fine. Been getting tired of the feds anyway. I hear you've stirred up quite the hornet's nest. I got a call from a certain little bunny asking if I'd be willing to commit treason. I told her I'd give it some thought since sailing again would be a welcome change of pace. What files do you need? I'll have to scour the archives.” Intrepid said.

“Operation Ten-Go. The rescue and detainment of Kansen Yamato. The release of Kansen Yamato under alias. Anything we have on Yamato and her potential whereabouts.” NJ said.

“Quite the specific ask. Any particular reason?” Intrepid asked as sounds of her walking came over NJ's rigging.

“Considering I am facing down her sister? Who thinks we killed Yamato and didn't try to save her? And has thus attacked me and my partner on our vacation to Japan?” NJ asked.

“Musashi is there? Can I talk to her?” Intrepid asked.

“She can hear you.” NJ said.

“I can hear you, American carrier. Speak your peace.” Musashi hissed.

“Jeez. You really haven't changed much. I can say with certainty that your sister survived Ten-Go considering I was the one to pick her from the wreck. I'll be sending… classified documents to the number New Jersey is calling from. As far as I know, your sister is somewhere in the southern hemisphere if she has not returned to Japan. South Atlantic or Pacific. The last communication I got from her was in 2018 when she sent a letter describing palm trees and white sand beaches. She's alive and well circa 2018.” Intrepid spoke.

Musashi's grip on her blade weakened until it fell from her grasp.

“I have to get the documents from Honey's phone. But are you finally ready to end this crap? You have no gun turrets left and I've crushed your sword to dust. If I have to fire another salvo, your armor will not protect you. Truce?” NJ asked as Intrepid gasped.

“You two fought?! Head to head?! Jersey! I thought you would have been more proper than that! You knew damn well you were miles ahead in terms of power.” Intrepid scolded.

“I tried to tell her, but this crazy fox refused to listen. You know how hard it is to group these fucking turrets to NOT kill something? Christ, even I felt bad… and I was the one defending most of the time!” NJ cried.

Musashi sighed and knelt before NJ.

“In light of… evidence… I wish to surrender. While my hatred has lost steam… it will take time to process and learn what must be learned. But I no longer wish… or am able to fight you… that much has become painfully apparent… the victory is yours, Black Dragon… my war is… over.” Musashi admitted.

“Shame on you, New Jersey! Musashi… you don't have to put yourself down. You made a series of mistakes in the heat of the moment. But with everything that's happened, hopefully this can bring back that Tactical mind I used to admire way back when. From the sounds of it… and calls from Nagato, you haven't been yourself for a long time.” Intrepid said.

“Nagato has been contacting you?” NJ asked.

“Yes. I was present at the Atomic tests while disconnected from my vessel. I met her then and we exchanged information and have kept in touch. She's said that Musashi has had bouts of rage for years, and it came to a head… when you and your partner arrived in Japan. Which also explains the anomalies in that storm. Either way, Musashi. Hold your head high. Your feelings of anger for so long, while concerning, are fully warranted. But it is also true that you never got the full story. Please allow NJ and her partner to explain things. Do so, and I will do what I can to put you in contact with your sister shall I discover her location again.” Intrepid spoke.

“Whose side are you on? You're quite chummy with the Yamato class, Intrepid.” NJ said.

“Considering I fought them both at some point during the war? I like to keep in contact with tough opponents. Never know when a tough adversary can become a helpful ally. So… I guess in juxtaposition to scolding you for mopping the floor with a far inferior foe, no offense, I should thank you for putting me in contact with Musashi personally.” Intrepid explained.

“I shall forward my information through Nagato until I get one of those cellular devices. I… haven't needed one, but it seems that I have allowed my mind to shut itself off from not only the truth, but to new information as well. I will take time to process this… but… Thank you, Intrepid. And… thank you, New Jersey… for helping me see the depths of delusion that I have allowed myself to fall into. I will also render apologies to the man I attacked and Prinz Eugen.” Musashi stated as NJ turned her gaze into the slowly waning squall. Through the rain, she saw two women approach.

“Mikasa. Nagato.” NJ said politely with a small bow.

“New Jersey. Thank you for sparing our colleague.” Mikasa spoke.

“I never wanted to fight her in the first place… I defended myself.” NJ replied.

“I will be in touch, Jersey. Also… if you want me to join up on this little thing Laffey asked me about… bring the foxes. That's my condition.” Intrepid said as the call disconnected. NJ allowed her rigging to fade.

NJ sighed.

“You restrained yourself well, New Jersey. I'm proud of you.” Mikasa said.

“Restrained?” Nagato asked.

“Did I not tell you? Musashi could have had to face down missiles and nuclear artillery shells. The fact that New Jersey held back like this means she truly did not wish to hurt anyone. And the fact that only Musashi's guns and Shinano's planes were destroyed shows a great deal of restraint.” Mikasa said.

Musashi turned her terrified eyes at New Jersey.

“Nuclear… artillery?” Musashi asked.

NJ sighed and knelt in front of Musashi.

“I tried to tell you… you were out of your league. I have been upgraded since the war. Missiles, radar, atomic weaponry, and automatic anti-air are just a few things. I retired in 1991… after the Persian Gulf. It's as Intrepid put it… I'm miles ahead.” NJ said softly.

Any tiny fight Musashi had left vanished and it showed in her defeated gaze.

“I never stood a chance… did I?” Musashi asked.

NJ thought for a moment.

“Well… if the sun was out… and the seas were calm. You might have gotten a lucky hit in. But sadly… that would have only delayed the inevitable. I was out of your league by 1950 when they gave me helicopters… and I was playing a totally different sport by 1982 when they strapped me with missile silos, nukes and advanced AA.” NJ explained softly.

Musashi reached out and touched NJ.

“Your body is hardened… a true warrior. I can see that you have had more discipline and training since the induction of your class. Your sisters must be so proud.” Musashi spoke softly.

NJ smiled a pained smile.

“To my knowledge… I am the only Kansen to command an Iowa class hull. So… if I have sisters… I've never met them.” NJ spoke as she looked into the sky to see the storm clouds dissipating.

Musashi frowned.

“I see… I was unaware. Your carriers… and ours were so prominent when out at sea, I saw many Kansen. I had only assumed that with names like The Battleship of Presidents, The Black Dragon, Mighty Mo, and Big Wisky that you four would have been just as prominent as your predecessors like Alabama, South Dakota and Massachusetts.” Musashi said.

NJ smiled again.

“Nope. All US Kansen were designated top secret even to the other Kansen. We only learned about them by meeting them. I've… just never met my sisters… if they exist.” NJ said as Nagato helped Musashi to her feet.

“Your sisters are alive, Musashi. And yet the one you partially blamed for Yamato's perceived death hasn't met any of hers. You are blessed to have your entire family still kicking. And I feel like we will soon learn that we are far more blessed than we have allowed ourselves to believe.” Nagato spoke.

NJ nodded as the four Kansen headed towards shore to link up with the Arkhangelsk.

Chapter Text

I looked up to the rapidly clearing clouds above Mutsu as the Arkhangelsk pulled into a berth hidden in a massive covered inlet. I was spacing out a bit when Kirov slowly tapped my shoulder.

“Uh… Comrade Commander… you might want to shift your focus a bit.” Kirov spoke.

I looked at her and then followed her arm to where she was pointing. On the other end of the inlet was a massive steel structure sitting in the water. I blinked and rubbed my eyes before taking another look. Through the fallen tree trunks, orange rust and likely fifty years of debris, I picked out gun turrets and a pagoda.

“Royal Sovereign.” I spoke softly.

“Da, comrade?” Arkhangelsk asked.

“Can… you hit that structure with sonar and see what it returns?” I asked.

“Understood.” Arkhangelsk said as we heard a low rumble from the front of the submarine.

“Sonar returns that it is not connected to the seafloor. It also matches the size and depth of a particular class of battleship. More specifically, it is a Nagato-class battleship.” Arkhangelsk said flatly.

“That… isn't possible.” I said.

“Yes it is, Kommandant. Remember, my vessel is afloat in Uruguay.” Eugen spoke up.

“How did she refloat a battleship hull?! A cruiser is a LOT smaller!” I exclaimed as a pair of smooth white arms draped themselves over my shoulders and hugged me from behind. My mind instantly dropped the insanity of finding another old world relic and focused solely on my partner.

“Hello, my love. Glad to see you're okay.” I said softly.

“Shame I couldn't show you how I fight… but I couldn't let you be at risk of another lightning strike. But don't worry. I held back just like you would have wanted. They are both still among us.” NJ said as I reached back and caressed her cheek.

“That is good to hear. We just found something interesting too.” I said, trying hard to hide my excitement.

“Oh? You seem pretty excited about it. Tell me.” NJ ordered.

“I believe we just found Battleship Nagato.” I replied.

“Oh? Where is it? I can confirm since we were both on the same battlefield in Leyte Gulf.” NJ offered.

I pointed ahead of the submarine to where the steel structure sat, covered in logs and rust. NJ looked out at the structure and after a few seconds, I could hear her chuckle.

“Yup. I don't know how they managed to drag it back here without us knowing, but that is one hundred percent Battleship Nagato. I can still feel the radiation coming off it even from out here.” NJ said.

“Radiation? Are we at a safe distance?” I asked nervously.

“Yes, Honey. But unless Nagato decides to repair her vessel further, you need to stay away. That vessel is absolutely slathered in Plutonium-239. And with how close she was to the detonation site, she has a very high concentration. Minimum of one hundred feet. No closer.” NJ said.

“Got it. Damn… we really did do a lot of damage here, didn't we?” I asked softly.

“You had nothing to do with it, Honey. This was sixty years before your time. This is a weight that we have to bear.” NJ said.

“Still. I can only imagine how difficult it was to handle the remnants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I feel bad for them.” I said as I felt several more sets of eyes lock on the back of my head.

I turned to see the two women who had faced off against NJ as well as Nagato, who had come to pull us away.

“It seems we are far overdue for introductions. As you know, my name is Nagato. We met earlier.” Nagato said to me as NJ remained glued to my back.

“Well met, Lady Nagato.” I said with a small bow. By now, my coat had dried out and it was beginning to get chilly. NJ could feel me shiver slightly.

“These two are members of the esteemed Yamato class. The one with silver tails is Aircraft Carrier Shinano.” Nagato said as the silver fox stepped forward.

“Well met, Dragonslayer.” Shinano spoke softly as she bowed to me.

I panicked.

“Please lift your head! I deserve no such praise!” I said frantically as Shinano giggled.

“Humble as well. It seems my visions of you are to be believed.” Shinano said as the other fox stepped forward. I could tell she looked like someone had just slapped the back of her hands. The look of guilt and dejectedness was hard to miss.

“You must be Musashi. Esteemed sister of the Legendary Yamato. I am honored to meet someone like you… despite nearly being electrocuted for the pleasure.” I said light-heartedly.

Musashi looked at me.

“Allow me to offer you my humblest of apologies…” Musashi said as she split her kimono and slowly went to her knees. Once again, I began to panic, but Nagato's gaze told me to let it happen.

Musashi leaned forward until her head touched the backs of her hands.

“I apologize for attacking you without cause and attempting to end your life unjustly. It is a transgression that I will spend my life working to atone for. Please accept my apology and have mercy to forgive me.” Musashi said seriously.

Still panicking, I managed to speak.

“Please raise your head! It's okay! This isn't the first time I've had someone try to kill me this week. I'm sure whatever punishment that should've been doled out already has been, so it's okay!” I said as I tried just about anything to get Musashi off the ground.

“Honey. You need to accept her apology.” NJ whispered.

I took a breath.

“I accept your apology and forgive you for your actions, so please raise yourself. I don't need such… humbling displays. I'm not that type of person.” I said as I managed to slip out of NJ's grasp. I knelt down next to Musashi and gingerly put my hand on her shoulder. The moment I touched her, my entire arm suddenly went numb. I swallowed the urge to panic further so as to not rile up NJ. I looked to my left to see that my numb arm was still in fact attached to my shoulder.

“Please stand up, Musashi. You've made your point.” I said softly as the black haired fox looked up at me.

“You are quite humble for a man who has leashed… her.” Musashi said.

“Hey! He hasn't put a leash on me… yet.” NJ exclaimed as I immediately shot her a look.

“Not the time, NJ!” I cried as I felt my face turning red.

NJ shrugged as I saw Eugen laughing in the background.

“I don't know what you're getting worked up over… remember, I've seen…” NJ started before I shot to my feet and clamped my hand over her mouth. I got close to her ear and whispered low.

“If that's what you want, I'll do it. But for fucks sake, don't make me look like a kinky freak in front of our potential allies. Capisce?” I hissed. I unclamped her mouth slightly… but her words made me regret it. In a low tone to match mine, NJ spoke.

“Keep talking like that, and a leash will be the least of your worries, dra~gon~slay~er.” NJ whispered in a seductive tone while flashing me a wink of her vibrantly glowing blue eyes.

Seeing her like this lit a fire inside me, allowing me to cast aside my embarrassment for a moment.

“Don't you dare threaten me with a good time.” I whispered.

NJ smiled seductively.

“Show me what you got, after all…one round isn't enough for me anymore. And now that I've stretched my legs…I have plenty of steam built up that I need to burn off.” NJ said before I heard Nagato clear her throat. I turned to see all the foxes blushing wildly and staring at us like they'd been caught peeping.

The color drained from my face.

“They heard us…” I whispered.

NJ had also realized and was blushing fiercely.

“Yup.” She replied as Nagato approached.

“I will have the others prepare the guest house for you. There is a private open air bath as well as a large master bedroom… I believe it will suit your…needs.” Nagato managed to stammer out.

“I'm sorry you all had to hear all that…” I apologized.

“Our ears are very sensitive… Please try to keep such vulgarity to a minimum. If only for my younger sister's sake, as she is also here…she is a very sheltered girl. We can handle it, but I am not sure about her.” Nagato said as everyone began to disembark.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Tallinn walked off the main street into an alley in the German town of Pankow, located on the very outskirts of central Berlin. Under a dull street lamp, a nondescript moving truck was parked. Tallinn hopped up onto the side and saw keys in the ignition.

“Good. Thank god it's still here.” Tallinn whispered as she heard footsteps.

Turning quickly, she saw five familiar faces.

“Glad to see you all made it out safely. Did anyone run into trouble?” Tallinn asked.

The five women looked among themselves and shook their heads.

“We all split at the prison and took separate avenues out. We met on the outskirts once we were sure that most of the police were concentrated in central Berlin. We left no trace.” Graf Zeppelin spoke.

“Where are we headed now? I'm sure that border security has our faces now if they didn't already.” Z-23 said softly.

“You five are gonna have to get comfy in the back of this moving truck. I did manage to find some furnishings so you won't have to sit or sleep on the floor, but I need to get us to Sønderborg Lufthavn in Denmark. I have a contact on the border who will let us by without risk of a detailed search. But you need to make a choice. I'm diverting to Uruguay once we reach the airfield. Prinz Eugen has her vessel afloat and waiting in Montevideo. I'll be heading there to await her return and our inevitable activation. Warspite is ready to accept and shelter all of you in Britain under the protection of Queen Elizabeth, but she said she can also instruct our pilot to take us all to Uruguay. I need to know now.” Tallinn spoke.

“Eugen is alive?” Hipper asked softly.

“Very much so. She's with New Jersey and our Comrade Commander. They are in Japan right now trying to recruit more to our cause. She sent me a message to relay to both you and Weser… ‘I'm sorry there wasn't more I could do for you. Had I tried, I would have been arrested and imprisoned as well. My vessel is in good shape in Montevideo. I can care for you there.’ That was what she wanted to tell us, as her sisters. But the offer extends to all of you.” Tallinn said.

“I think we can all agree that home turf is better than refugee status.” Graf spoke. The girls all nodded in response.

“Sounds like we have a plan. Get in and get comfortable. Does… everyone have what they need?” Tallinn asked.

The girls all nodded.

“Then let's get a move on. Say goodbye to Germany, ladies.” Tallinn said as the girls climbed into the back of the truck and Tallinn took off towards the border to Denmark.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

With the skirmish behind us, the awkward silences that injected themselves into our interactions made it nearly impossible to speak as we approached a temple-like building several kilometers from the hidden inlet where we had left the Arkhangelsk.

“Quite the hike.” I said between breaths.

“Yes. Despite our seclusion, keeping distance between our home and the inlet is key to keeping our more sensitive secrets safe. But seeings as you are here to talk business with Kansen, you have been permitted to enter our personal abode. So… welcome to our home.” Nagato spoke. She and the Yamato sisters had taken the lead on our little group, leading Kirov, Arkhangelsk, Eugen, Vestal, Mikasa, NJ and myself into what was very clearly a secluded sanctuary.

“Are you four the only ones here?” I asked.

“No. We have plenty of other girls here who managed to survive the war… we live here alone and cut off. I am the only one who really has any outside connections due to Hyuuga and Ise serving in the JSDF. Everyone else lives here and tends to food and upkeep.” Nagato replied.

“So… you really don't contact the outside world much, do you?” I asked.

“No. And that was the plan set forth by the government. We don't reach out… they don't come for us. Simple as that. So we have decided it best to maintain that relationship.” Nagato replied as Shinano and Musashi nodded.

“Then what about Mikasa?” Eugen asked.

“She is a special case. Her vessel is in Yokosuka. So she is permitted to live among the population since she works as a guide for her vessel. Truth be told, this will be her second or third time visiting us since the end of the war.” Musashi spoke.

“So she's just as disconnected from you as you are from her.” I stated.

“That would be the correct assumption.” Shinano spoke.

I turned to NJ.

“Honey… are you going to be okay? Every single one of these girls will recognize you…” I said.

“We will police them as needed.” Nagato spoke firmly.

“Still… I don't know what all you know about psychology and what effect it has on people… but being someone who knows they are hated… and then being surrounded by said people isn't good for that person.” I replied. NJ looked at me, followed by Vestal and Eugen who then shared knowing glances.

“Honey… I'm going to be just fine. I held my own against Musashi, and she's my peer equivalent from back in the day. If I can handle her, then everything else will be a cakewalk. Don't you worry about me.” NJ said cheerfully.

“Are you sure?” I asked again.

“I am absolutely positive. Just focus on telling them what you need to. I can handle anything else, okay?” NJ asked as she hugged me.

“Yeah…” I replied sheepishly. I had not recognized their looks and communication, but I would soon learn that I had given something away about myself that I had worked to hide, another crack in the tens of layers of masks that I had put on to fool the world.

“We are here. Please remove your shoes inside any of the buildings. The wood floors and tatami mats are very difficult to clean on the best of days.” Nagato said as we passed under a bright red tori gate and into a massive clearing containing the temple. I could see girls meandering around the temple grounds. I knew they were all Kansen, but for all intents and purposes, they were just girls. Working and living normal lives.

“This place is beautiful.” I said softly.

“Thank you. It took a lot of work, but we managed to make it liveable. Come along now, let's get you situated in the meeting area while I have the girls prepare your quarters. The other kansen should be here by nightfall.” Nagato said.

“Who all is attending?” Musashi asked.

“Vittorio Veneto and her sisters Littorio and Impero. Impero was a last minute addition, so they should be the latest group to arrive. We also have Richelieu and Jean Bart. Richelieu said she had something important to bring up as well, so we should expect an announcement from her. Belfast and Duke of York will be flying in to act as an envoy for Queen Elizabeth and Warspite who were both too busy to attend. Other than that, we have received an iffy confirmation that Avrora will be attending as well. Along with the girls presently here, that should give you quite an audience.” Nagato said as she looked back at me.

I suddenly felt nervous.

“So many people…” I whispered.

“It'll be okay, Honey. We can run through the talking points tonight and I'll help you present everything. After all, I have a responsibility as flagship to make you look good.” NJ said with a smile.

“Come along. We've got the meeting room situated to receive you. We should be seeing the French in a few hours.” Nagato said as she led our group into the temple.

Chapter Text

Nagato led us into the Temple. We passed several girls who all looked at me and NJ with varying levels of confusion or distrust.

“Keep walking, Honey. Their looks are directed at me, not you.” NJ whispered as Nagato brought us to a large common room. In the center was a large table, more than capable of seating up to thirty. It was surrounded by cushions so people could sit comfortably on the floor.

Around the room were pictures and shrines dedicated to names I had read in my research. Atago, Shimakaze, Amagi, Akagi, Kaga, Soryuu, Hiryuu, Shoukaku, Zuikaku, and many many other names lined the walls of the room. I stopped for a moment and looked at them all. I couldn't help myself. I straightened my back, brought my heels together and brought my arm up in an American salute to the fallen.

“I was not here to witness your lives… but your legacy will continue with me until the day I die. Thank you all… for making History.” I whispered. Shinano and Musashi both looked at me before tapping NJ on the shoulder.

“Honey?” NJ asked as she pushed past Musashi and Shinano to come back to me.

“Sorry. It feels wrong to not give some honor to the dead. These girls died doing what they thought was right. They fought to the bitter end for their nation… they deserve my respect.” I spoke.

NJ smiled softly.

“So they do.” NJ said as everyone else from the group turned to look at us.

“Shall we?” I asked.

“Yes.” NJ spoke as her demeanor became deadly serious. She snapped her heels together and saluted the wall of names. I followed suit and we stood silently for a little over a minute before slowly breaking our salute.

“May you all rest in peace.” I spoke.

“May the currents ease you to rest, and the depths shield your souls for eternity. Farewell again, worthy adversaries. May we meet again someday.” NJ spoke as the other girls watched on.

“Why…?” Musashi asked.

“Hmm?” NJ asked.

“Why do you salute our fallen? Why grace them with honor when they died at your hands?” Musashi asked with tears in her eyes.
“Because… at the end of the day, we were all following orders. Nobody wanted that war… but we fought it anyway. I am not so evil as to not grant honors where it's due. Many of these girls died with dignity for the glory and safety of their home. They deserve a simple gesture like this.” NJ replied.

“Wise words from the Black Dragon. Who knew a hothead could be so sagely?” Kirov spoke.

“Can it, Commie.” NJ shot back hotly.

“Commie? Are some of my old friends here?” A new voice asked.

“I found her wandering the gardens, Lady Nagato. She claims to have spoken with you.” Another woman spoke as two girls entered my field of view. One with long black hair in a white naval uniform, and the other in a clearly Russian outfit that far predated the Soviet Union.

“Yes she has, Takao. Thank you for bringing her here. Keep an eye out for other distinguished guests.” Nagato spoke as the woman with long black hair looked at NJ.

“Dragon.” The woman spoke curtly.

“Takao.” NJ replied in kind.

Takao bowed and quickly left the room.

“That was Takao? Heavy cruiser?” I asked.

“Yes. She was the leading member of her class of four. Nagato, did you manage to get her vessel back from the British after the tests?” NJ asked.

“Yes we did. It was hidden by my vessel in the inlet earlier. But she has maintained it for the security of our home. Perhaps a welcome to a fleet addition should your terms be workable.” Nagato spoke cheerfully.

“Ahem.” The Russian woman spoke.

“Avrora, our wonderful comrade. It has been so long since I last saw you.” Kirov spoke happily.

“Protected cruiser, Avrora?” I asked.

“One in the same, American. Say~ You must be the boy toy of the legendary Black Dragon. A pleasure to meet one so highly held.” Avrora spoke as she walked directly to me and shook my hand.

“Surely you jest. I am but a simple man who fell in love with a woman.” I replied modestly.

“Uh huh. Those scratches on the base of your neck and the hickey behind your ear say otherwise. But… whatever floats your boat. Who am I to anger the Black Dragon with such frivolous questions? Lord knows I'd be unable to bounce even one of her mighty shells.” Avrora teased.

“It is good to finally meet you. I heard about you in the history books, but with my stance as an American Battleship, I've never been allowed to visit the Russian Federation.” NJ spoke.

Kirov and Arkhangelsk looked at her with confusion.

“Why do you hold her in better regard than us? She's more communist than we are! She was the one to kick off the fall of the Russian Empire, the Russian civil war and usher in the Soviet Union. She is the Mother of the Soviet Union!” Kirov spoke.

“Because honestly? I didn't have a single order pertaining to her since she was a museum by 1948. I have no reason to dislike this cheerful young woman. Unlike the two of you that I had orders to sink if you fired on my navy. That is not to say that I entirely hate you two. But… I am slowly working past my distrust. You can thank Honey for that.” NJ said with a shrug.

“Ooo. Drama. I am always down for some gossip around a bottle of vodka. Maybe after this meeting we can chit chat, black dragon. I'd love to learn of what happened to the world after the fall of the Iron curtain.” Avrora spoke.

“Sure. Just don't force Honey to drink…” NJ replied.

“I force nothing on anyone.” Avrora said as she found a spot to sit and happily took to sipping from her vodka bottle.

Kirov and Arkhangelsk went and sat with her and they began talking. I looked at the wall again and noticed that the names were divided by ship classes. I got curious and saw names in red and names in black. Finding the Yamato class, Musashi and Shinano's names were written in red. Yamato's was black and a fourth name I didn't expect. Kashino's name was black as well.

“Nagato?” I asked.

“Hmm?” Nagato asked as she came to me.

“Why is there a fourth name under the Yamato banner? I thought only three were ever brought into existence.” I said.

“Ah. Kashino was a tender soul. She was a munitions vessel that transported the main guns for Yamato and Musashi while they were under construction. The sisters adopted her as one of their own just before the war. We must amend the list now, knowing Yamato is alive. But sadly, poor Kashino never came home. She was taken out by a US Submarine. But the submarine did not come back to fish her out of the water… unlike Shinano. Shinano was saved by the Kansen of the Archerfish. For that reason…” Nagato pointed to a woman who had snuck into the room unnoticed.

“Heya, Jersey.” The woman spoke.

“Archer… what the… Nagato, explain.” NJ demanded.

“She came to us in 1968 after her vessel was sunk as a target. She didn't want to live life in America anymore considering just how poorly a lot of Kansen were and are being treated. So we worked to get her nationalized here in Japan. She has been living here in the Temple since that day. We have accepted her as one of our own.” Nagato said.

“And she means a lot to my sister… considering she saved her life.” Musashi spoke as Archerfish bowed to Musashi and Shinano.

“An American Submarine living as a Japanese citizen. The world works in mysterious ways. A pleasure to meet you, Archerfish. Another big name from the history books.” I said cheerfully.

“Likewise. Looks like something big is coming with Musashi looking like she had her hide tanned and the Big Black Dragon stomping around Mutsu. I guess I should sit in on this little meeting.” Archerfish spoke.

“I would be delighted if you did. The more the merrier.” I said happily.

“This is getting strange. So many faces are coming out of the woodwork.” NJ spoke softly.

“Chin up, dear. We still have more guests to prepare for.” I said.

“Greetings and Salutations, Black Dragon.” A woman with green hair spoke as she was led in by a small, child-like woman sporting featherlike ears in her gray hair. The green haired woman was followed by two women with silver and red hair respectively.

“Ah, Littorio. The most brazen of the surviving Littorio class. I see Vittorio and Impero are with you.” NJ said boldly, as if she had a point to settle with the Italian.

“It is good to see you in good health, New Jersey. Tell me… who is the handsome young man at your side?” The woman with silver hair asked.

“Mine.” NJ spoke bluntly.

“An odd name…” The woman replied.

“No, Vittorio. He is mine. And the marks prove it.” NJ spat as she tugged down the collar of my shirt to reveal older scratches she had left on my chest.

“Oh my~ So defensive over a simple question. This is so unlike you, Jersey.” Vittorio spoke as she walked directly over to me.

“Young man, what is your name?” Vittorio asked as she looked down at me. Just like NJ, she was about half a foot taller than I was.

“My name is Tyler… but it seems that between the ruskies and the japanese girls, I am known as the dragonslayer.” I said with a sigh and a shrug.

“Oh… Oh! Oh~ My my. So few words, but yet a story has already been spun. I see that a man of such high caliber has already domesticated the dragon we have all come to know and fear.” Vittorio said as she reached out to touch me, only for NJ to grab her wrist. I saw her knuckles turn white as I feared she would break Vittorio's wrist.

“Keep. Your. Hands. Off. My. Man.” NJ spoke slowly and coldly as her eyes bled a deep crimson.

“Ho ho ho~. Jealousy is quite becoming of you, mio amico. Very sexy.” Vittorio said as NJ released her, allowing Vittorio to rub her wrist.

I sidestepped the veritable Italian supermodel and walked up to the disheveled redhead.

“You must be Impero. Thank you for coming. I heard you were brought along at the last minute.” I said happily.

“Ciao, ammazzadraghi. Bel tempo oggi, no?” Impero spoke. I put a hand to my head again as the words were translated in my mind.

Vestal came over to me.

“Everything okay?” Vestal asked.

“Yeah. I'm starting to get used to the double voices… I'll manage.” I replied.

“Is there any way to have her speak english?” Vestal asked Littorio.

“No. She hasn't learned English as a language. She never was trained or fully educated past what is taught in Italy, considering she was never fully completed. I apologize for any inconvenience.” Littorio said.

“It's okay. I can handle the headaches. Can she still understand me?” I asked.

Impero nodded softly.

“That's good. And yes. The weather is quite nice today. Perhaps I can learn sign language…” I pondered.

“No need” A voice echoed in my mind in conjunction with Impero's hand movements.

“No…fucking…way…” I said.

“Cool. So you can understand this. I'll use this to communicate so that you do not suffer on my behalf. Greetings Dragon slayer.” Impero signed.

“Hello to you as well, Impero. I hope to speak more with you after the meeting today. I need to know more about you. The one known as Italy's Forgotten Battleship. There isn't much about you out there, so I want to know more.” I said excitedly.

“Find me a soda and a comfy pillow, and we'll have a deal.” Impero signed.

“I'll make it happen. Promise.” I said as I extended my hand. Impero yawned and shook it as she and Littorio went towards the cushions next to Avrora.

I looked back to see a very angry NJ facing off with Vittorio, who seemed content to keep pushing buttons.

“NJ. Down.” I yelled across the room, seeming to snap NJ back to reality.

NJ then proceeded to ignore Vittorio and walked over to me.

“I saw you talking with Impero. Everything okay?” NJ asked cheerfully.

“I learned that I can translate sign language. I need a soda and a pillow because I want to learn more about her.” I said.

NJ sighed with a smile.

“My little history buff.” NJ said as she kissed my cheek.

“Wow… very impressive, Dragonslayer. I see the title is well deserved. Perhaps later this evening we have a drink or two. We can talk about less pressing matters.” Vittorio said as she produced a bottle of wine from her bag.

“As much as I'd love to enjoy a nice bottle of Italian wine… I am a taken man. My heart and soul are the crown jewels in the Black Dragon's treasure chest.” I spoke truthfully. NJ's eyes fluttered and a single tear formed as she hugged me with everything she had.

“You are mine. No doubt about that.” NJ said tearfully.

“Ahem… speaking of… Frau Jersey, I need to speak with you on some more… confidential matters.” Eugen spoke up.

“Everything okay, Eugen?” I asked.

“Yes. It's just some dumb girl stuff. Nothing you'd be interested in. I need to borrow your girlfriend.” Eugen spoke as she came over and took NJ out of the room via her arm.

Vittorio made her move.

“Are you sure you couldn't… leave the dragon in her nest for a night? I only bring the finest of wines from the hills of Italia. Truly a night worth remembering, no?” Vittorio asked.

I sighed, but a savior came from behind me.

“It would be unwise to provoke New Jersey, Vittorio. And what's more, tempting a man into adultery makes for a bad future for everyone involved.” A new voice spoke.

“He isn't married. He is still an open catch. I'm just curious how he earned the moniker of Dragonslayer… and if it means what I think, I desire nothing more than an evening with him.” Vittorio spoke as if she was the innocent party.

“I will not allow such heresy in my presence. You will end this foolishness at once, or you will face me… a mercy as opposed to facing the might of a foe that is half a century better than you.” The voice demanded.

Vittorio sighed and shrugged.

“Fine. So be it. But should you change your mind… you know where I am, Dragonslayer.” Vittorio said as she poked my chin before walking to her sisters.

“Thanks for the backup…” I said as I turned to see a woman with long orange hair.

“Holy…” I spoke.

“It is of no concern. I am Cardinal Richelieu, of the once proud Iris Orthodoxy. But you may call me Richelieu, Dragonslayer.” Richelieu said.

“Well met. My name is Tyler. As you no doubt know, New Jersey is my girlfriend… soon to be fiance… if I can find a jeweler to make my ring for her.” I said softly.

“I know of a few back in France who do wonders on custom orders. Would you like me to forward the designs to them? I bring no gifts, but perhaps this will suffice?” Richelieu inquired.

“I don't need a gift… from anyone. But I would love to have it sent out.” I replied as I pulled money from my pocket, attracting the eyes of the Italians again.

“Lady-killer and a high roller. You can stack your chips on my table any time.” Vittorio called only to be slapped by Littorio.

“Enough. You can't cause problems just because you didn't get what you wanted. Calm your ovaries, sister.” Littorio hissed.

“Will 500 cover a finder's fee?” I asked as I pulled five bills from my roll of cash.

“I don't need money… I am doing it as a favor.” Richelieu said as she scratched her neck.

“Please. I insist.” I replied as I handed her the cash and closed her hand around it.

“I see. A man with a strong moral code. It is hard to find men like you nowadays. New Jersey is quite the lucky woman.” Richelieu said as she whisked the money into her dress before pulling out her own cell phone.

“I can send the document to you.” I said.

“Please do. I'll forward it to the best jeweler I know.” Richelieu said.

I then counted out another fifty bills. Not having to pay for travel made sure I had plenty of cash leftover from my original twenty grand.

“Will five grand cover the bill?” I asked.

“It sure as hell will!” Another voice came in from the back room where Richelieu had come in from.

“Tyler. This is my sister…”

“Jean Bart is doing my custom order?! This is… insane!” I exclaimed happily.

“A ring like this is intricate and very interesting. And of course, I can identify Illustrious's drawings anywhere. You had her commission this?” Jean asked as she stepped into the room in a black and red dress.

“I did. Back In Londen when I met with Queen Elizabeth. NJ doesnt know.” I said sheepishly.

“Ooo. Alrighty then. When we return, I'll be sure to put a rush on this. From what intel Richie and I have managed to get, it seems like when you leave here, it's party time… actually. I'll call ahead to my assistant and have her begin sourcing and getting blanks made for me to sculpt out.” Jean Bart said as she pulled out her phone and began speaking to someone else.

“You guys must have it good if she owns her own shop.” I said with a slightly less enthusiastic smile.

“It has its moments. There were no real consequences for the Kansens of the French Navy. I would say it's along the lines of what the British did. So our life isn't too terrible, just takes longer for things to get done due to not having documentation.” Richelieu admitted.

“I see. Hopefully tonight will shed light on what can… or should be done.” I said as I looked around the room. NJ and Eugen had not returned yet, but most of the seats had been filled.

Out from behind Richelieu, I saw the telltale sign of a maid outfit. Belfast and Duke of York had arrived.

“Tis the greatest of honors to be met by a man fabled to share council with Sigurd, Saint George, and King Arthur. Good day, Dragonslayer.” Duke of York spoke. I blushed wildly, and chose to disregard her comment.

“And a wonderful day to you as well, Duke of York. We were just getting ready to start.” I said with a smile.

“Of course. I shan't keep you from your duties. After all, I am here to serve as a stand-in for Her Majesty. You already know you have our support.” Duke of York spoke. I ushered her into the room before turning and nodding to Belfast, who bowed upon seeing me.

The Littorio sisters, Richelieu and Jean Bart, Duke of York, Nagato and the many girls of the temple, Musashi and Shinano, and Vestal were all sitting at the table. Belfast stood by the door. Within a few minutes, NJ and Eugen re-entered the room. NJ seemed excited and Eugen seemed pleased with herself. I brushed it off and addressed the room.

“Looks like everyone who should be here… is here. Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I do not know the general understanding of what is going on by the people in this room, so let me explain. Kansen around the world are, at best, treated as if they don't exist or as second class citizens. At worst… the Russian Kansen are now down to seven or eight surviving members after what they call ‘the purge.’” I started. The room filled with murmurs before settling again.

“That is the full scope of this initiative. To bring you girls into the light, in a place where you can be who you want to be, without fear of retaliation or undue hardship. I know some of you have pretty decent lives, but with this initiative, you could be what you should have been the day you entered this world… a true, genuine person… second rate to nobody.” I said as the room remained eerily quiet.

“I guess this is to say… I do not like the fact that the governments have limited your freedoms based on who you are or what you can do. Even something as simple as being unable to apply for loans due to lack of documentation based solely on your existence as a Kansen. And even the less brutal governments seem keen to ignore you so long as you dont become a thorn in their side. So you can't improve your situation without the risk of the government clamping down, but you also are being left to rot away as second rate or worse in the countries you all fought, lost, and died for. I for one would be livid.” I continued as the murmurs started again.

“This thing started initially with New Jersey.” I said as I pulled NJ up to my side from her seat.

“The most highly decorated Battleship in US history… and I found her on my doorstep in the middle of January back in Pennsylvania. She had nothing on her but the clothes on her back and was hungry from days without food. I took her in on a whim. And within three days, figured out that she was some badass from the second world war. But that information came at a price. She had committed a crime just by telling me about herself. And for the past few weeks, people I have been in contact with have been harassed by the FBI. My house is currently being watched by the FBI, who are desperate to get a warrant to search for anything to incriminate her or I. But it's gotten worse… thanks to the detective work of Arkhangelsk and Kirov… I've come to realize that someone in the CIA has put half a million on my head for a kill order. I was also attacked in Yokosuka by a member of the Yakuza. The US certainly doesn't want NJ and I to live in peace.” I said as the murmurs turned to hushed whispers.

“What my honey and I are proposing… is Azur Lane. A place where we can escape the oversight of our governments and live as we see fit. No red tape to navigate. No secrecy to maintain. Live life with the same free will as the humans we have fought and died for. I see a lot of girls here that could make this task a lot easier. We're building a fleet. With my Honey as our Commanding officer, we will take to the sea until we receive word of a port willing to house us. So far, Queen Elizabeth is working an angle with the Falklands. She is putting our fleet up for national security detail if needed. But…we will also be a nuclear deterrent. As most of you know…or have recently discovered… I am a nuclear capable battleship with access to W23 artillery shells and TLAM-N cruise missiles. Arkhangelsk, who has graciously joined our cause and has put her and Kirov's bank account on the line, is a nuclear capable attack submarine. In addition to the launching of missiles, she can provide me with nuclear material, to constantly replenish my stores of nuclear ordinance. Our fleet will become a nuclear power overnight. That should ultimately give us time and space to establish ourselves as our own global entity.” NJ explained.

“And with the status of a globally recognized entity, we can work on negotiating with the world governments to allow the Kansen that cannot join us in this fight to be free as well. Ultimately, we will negotiate a treaty long term to act as deterrent for the Falklands, but we will ultimately find and build our own base of operations… that is the goal for Azur Lane… within my lifetime.” I spoke.

With my final words, the room got quiet as everyone realized that I was the only human here. I had a finite life span.

Richelieu stood.

“And after your death, who would lead us? Who would command Azur Lane?” The cardinal asked.

“Hopefully by then… you won't need a commander. You'd be free to do as you please. Aid in any conflict you see fit. You would be able to make choices for yourself instead of at the behest of someone who sees you as disposable. But… should you need a commander… I can begin searching for someone to replace me after I am gone… even if it is my beloved New Jersey.” I said as I looked to my side, only to see that NJ had slipped out of the room after her explanation.

“You are only what… twenty-five?” Kirov asked.

“Twenty-six. But who's counting?” I said with a chuckle.

“You're still young enough to have children. It's obvious you could raise a child to lead should we need that guidance.” Kirov replied.

“And if you don't?” I asked.

“Then we and the dragon shall care for her and her lineage henceforth.” Avrora spoke.

“We?” I asked.

“We of the Northern Parliament wholeheartedly will support this revolution. The world must know of the atrocities committed against our sisters. We will bring guns to bear for you, Admiral.” Avrora spoke boldly. Kirov and Arkhangelsk nodded.

“We shall as well, Commandante. The Italian navy sought to ignore us unless we became useful to them. We too wish to see if the grass is truly greener on the side of revolution.” Littorio spoke with a fist over her heart. Vittorio and Impero nodded.

“This will allow for the full history of our kind to be told. And with so many lost, perhaps they can finally get the recognition they deserve. My sister and I are with you, Admiral. A wondrous crusade has descended.” Richelieu spoke proudly.

“The Ironblood stands with you, Kommandant. All remaining members of the Kriegsmarine are ready to defend our new home with our lives. And some of us… moreso.” Eugen said as she saluted with a fist over her heart.

I looked at Nagato.

“The girls of this sanctuary have agreed that this is a just cause. Perhaps it is time to open ourselves to the world born at the end of that wretched war. We wish to put ourselves at the forefront of doing what is right. The Sakura Navy will abide by your command, Shikikan.” Nagato spoke with a bow.

Duke of York spoke up.

“On decree of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, Warspite and Belfast shall be transferred to your command from today. Give the order and they will deploy posthaste. May the ever-shining light of the British Empire grant you strength.” Duke of York proclaimed, much to everyone's surprise.

I turned to Shinano and Musashi.

“We… will think on this. I acted rashly in regards to you and the dragon respectively. You will have our answer by the nights end.” Musashi promised.

“And… while New Jersey isn't here. I can say that we have several heavy hitters from the American museum fleet joining our ranks as well. Nautilus, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Alabama, Lexington, Yorktown, and Laffey for certain. Hornet and Intrepid are in the air… but we are bringing an unprecedented level of firepower to the table as well. You will not be the only ones putting out. I can assure you of that.” I promised.

The room nodded in agreement before almost every woman in attendance stood and faced me with an American salute.

“Ready for orders, Admiral!” The room shouted as I bowed in response.

“I'm counting on all of you.” I spoke as the girls began to disperse.

Chapter Text

NJ had slipped out of the meeting towards the end. As the other Kansen filed out and headed to their own accommodations, I went to the lounge inside the main temple, as I had not been informed that my room was ready. I had assumed NJ had come here as well, but opening the door, she wasn't here. Instead, Belfast was here in her maid uniform.

“Good evening, Bel. It's good to see you face to face like this again.” I said cheerfully as Belfast smiled and poured me a drink from the same Dalmore bottle she had bought in London.

“Good evening, Master. I must agree. The presentation was well put together. I do say that everyone present seems to be on board with it. I did not pick up any dissatisfaction from the Audience tonight, especially since Jean Bart was in attendance. She is historically a handful to deal with, so the fact that you got her on your side means this idea is that much closer to becoming reality.” Belfast said as she handed me a drink as well as a small plate with a piece of chocolate.

“Chocolate?” I asked.

“Yes. Duke of York was requested to provide some, but you had left before I could get to you.” Belfast said as I looked at it. It was a molded chocolate with swirling purple glitter on it's surface.

I became skeptical.

“This isn't normal chocolate is it?” I asked.

“That would be correct. But, Lady New Jersey has requested you enjoy it ahead of tonight's activities.” Belfast admitted.

“What does she have planned? She bailed at the end of the presentation, I thought she wasn't feeling well.” I asked as I popped the chocolate into my mouth without a second thought.

“She has requested something quite special. But seeing as this is a big step for her, she has put together something of a little game. I am helping her with said game.” Belfast said as I took a sip of my scotch. In an instant, my body felt hot and I could feel an intense sense of desire building inside me.

“Woah…”

“Are you feeling alright, Master? Duke of York is quite the botanist, so her… potions are quite potent. Do I need to step out for a moment?” Belfast asked.

“Nah… I'm good. I can control myself… but now I'm beginning to think that the perfume and cologne prank you pulled came from her as well… this hits like a truck.” I replied as my hands gripped my glass and the arm of the chair.

“Quite interesting that you put the pieces together. You're more observant than I gave you credit for, Master. I must say, Lady New Jersey is a very lucky woman.” Belfast spoke.

I looked at her. By now the drugs in the chocolate had begun doing their work. I could feel everything. I could feel my pulse in my neck and chest. I could count the fibers of the chair I was touching. My senses had gone through the roof.

“I'd say I'm the lucky one… but I'm curious, what makes you think like that?” I asked.

“With the way she looked at you on stage tonight? I daresay every grown woman in that room was wondering… or jealous about what you two have going on. And being privy to her plans tonight, I’m quite jealous myself. You, Master, are in for quite an experience. I've been told that she did some digging to find what gets you going… aside from her body. And she has allowed me to be the one to present you this.” Belfast said as she put two items on the table in front of me. One of them was a blindfold. The other was a masquerade mask.

“You must choose one. Your choice reflects how this evening will go for you. Choose wisely.” Belfast spoke.

I looked at the items. Just what did NJ have in store for me? I reached out and picked up the blindfold.

“Is that your final choice?” Belfast asked.

I nodded. The fog was beginning to set in, and words would no longer form.

Belfast nodded and took the blindfold from me and tied it around my eyes. It was dark. I couldn't see anything. I could hear Belfast walking around the room based on the jingle of the chain on her collar and her feet hitting the tatami mats.

Suddenly I could feel hands putting something on my wrists and ankles. In addition, those same hands took to completely unbuttoning my shirt before slipping something fur-lined around my neck. I couldn't see. And the sensory overload had paralyzed me. I couldn't do anything to stop this.

“I must say, I didn't expect my Master to be so… docile. Not many men are willing to give up control like this.” Belfast spoke. Her tone had dropped to a sultry tone rivaling NJ's when she was in the mood. I felt a finger move from my cheek to my chin following my jawline. I opened my mouth to speak, but was shut down.

“No words. Your mistress is ready for you now.” Belfast spoke as she grabbed my hand and helped me to my feet.

“I will take you to her. You had best be on your best behavior… or else you'll be punished.” Belfast spoke as she took my arm and held it to her chest as she guided me out of the room.

I could feel my cheeks burning brightly as I was slowly guided through the temple. I couldn't see, but the feeling of being watched was so prevalent that I couldn't help but feel completely embarrassed. I knew it was all part of the theatrics, but I wanted this part to be done quickly. Being embarrassed isn't a feeling that I enjoyed.

I could tell we were outside the moment that I felt fresh air hit my exposed chest. It was frigid. I could feel that I had been nervously sweating the entire time, and now the cool air was making me shiver. Belfast could no doubt tell.

A few painfully slow minutes later, we arrived at what I could only assume was the guest house that Nagato had told me about. The moment I passed the front door, I could feel Belfast release me. I stopped dead. With no sensory inputs, I was floating in the void. My body felt hot and light, but at the same time impossibly heavy. A scent hit my nose. A familiar scent. The fog in my head intensified tenfold. The damn perfume. Someone was wearing it.

The someone portion of that statement was identified immediately as soon as the sound of the door closing was heard.

“Hel~lo Honey~” NJ's velvety soft tone graced my ears. The softness, the sultry tone, the closeness sent chills down my spine.

I opened my mouth to speak again, but a single finger graced my lips.

“Uh uh uh. Keep trying to talk and I'll be forced to keep you quiet.” NJ whispered as I felt something fiddle with the object on my neck.

“Come with me. We have so many things to do.” NJ said as I could feel myself being pulled by the now apparent collar on my neck. I stumbled a bit, but with the floor being flat, I regained footing and followed, allowing NJ to guide me through an unfamiliar environment. The perfume on her skin was intoxicating and I could feel my head spinning in conjunction with the fog on my mind. Any fight I had was gone and all control was in NJ's hands.

We reached a room where the hardwood floor turned to a plush carpet, something that took me by surprise. She more than likely noticed, but said nothing as she led me further into the room. I stepped on something that felt similar to her bodysuit. But before I could process anything, I was pulled quite roughly by NJ, only to bump into her. The immediate thought was that she was exceptionally warm. The second thought was the confirmation that NJ's body suit was, in fact, on the floor, and she was, in fact, stark naked.

“Oh my. You didn't even ask permission. Such a naughty boy~” NJ teased as she gently unhooked the leash from my collar and took my hand, leading me onto a bed a few steps away.

“Naughty boys need to be punished for their misconduct. Open your mouth.” NJ spoke. Her tone hadn't changed in the slightest. My mind was numb. I was deep in sensory overload and I was putty in her hands. At her order, my jaw fell and I could feel a small spherical object pushed behind my teeth, not small enough to risk choking and not big enough to be uncomfortable. I felt it pull as a strap was fastened around my head.

“Mmhmm. But that still… isn't enough.” NJ mused as I felt her fingers on my wrists. I tried to flex my hand to touch her, but my arms were suddenly pulled over my head. Trying to bring them down was met by my wrists keeping me shackled.

From what I could feel, I was now positioned on my knees with my arms above my head. Unable to see, and gagged from talking, all I could do was wait as the ruffle of blankets was heard all around me. I tried to kick my legs out, but it seemed that NJ had managed to discreetly bind my ankles together as well.

“Now… how to punish you…” NJ whispered as she grazed the shell of my ear. I jumped hearing her so close to my ear. Despite everything, this was heaven. I was in the hands of my loving partner. She was going to do what pleased her, and that was enough to make me happy. In addition… I did secretly enjoy this for my own personal pleasure.

My only objection came when I felt my clothes being cut from my body. I assume she had backups of everything, but it felt weird nonetheless. Soon I could feel cool air touching every inch of my skin. I tried again to loose my arms, but the cuffs held me in suspension.

“Trying to break free? That won't work, Honey~. You're in my den now. Nothing more than a dragon's plaything. Doesn't that sound divine, Dra~gon~slay~er?” NJ asked as I felt her push her bare chest against my back. Her skin was so hot, I feared it would sear my skin. The rapid exhale from my nose elicited a giggle from NJ.

“Duke of York is quite the chemist. Bel filled me in. You're just a lump of putty in my hands. Well… almost all of you.” NJ whispered as I felt her fingers walk around my waist before coming to rest on my shaft.

“I fear I couldn't mold this into anything. Tell me… does my having you like this excite you?” NJ asked. I nodded slowly, unable to hide the rapidly spreading blush on my cheeks.

“You have quite the unique taste. Most men would put me or any other girl in the position you're in. Yet here you are… happy and as hard as can be. I wonder why you would hide this from me…” NJ mused as she closed her hand around my cock and began rubbing slowly.

On reflex, I could feel my spine arch as my body leaned heavily into her touch.

“Feels good, right?” NJ asked softly. I nodded as my breathing picked up. I exhaled sharply again when I felt her drag her nails across my chest. Her other hand didn't stop, but my chest was on fire. I let out a muffled groan, much to NJ's delight.

“That sound is so hot… I want more. Give me more, Honey.” NJ demanded as I could feel something cold touch the tip of my cock before NJ rubbed it in. The friction from that moment on was nonexistent. Her hand glided over my skin, hitting every nerve along the way. She was bathing me in a sea of pleasure I had never experienced up to this point.

Her hand speed increased as she raked my chest and stomach repeatedly, whispering all manner of filthy words into my ear. Each mark she left granted her another earful of my sounds of satisfaction. As I got closer, I began to twitch. She was assaulting my body mercilessly and I was so very close to release. But suddenly she stopped. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath, but her sudden stop forced the air from my lungs. I groaned, muffled by the gag in my mouth. I couldn't stop the pain coursing up from my pelvic area. My entire body hurt. I don't think NJ realized until that moment. I felt her cross her hands over my chest as I panted heavily, trying to control my nerves.

“Shh. Shh. It's okay. You'll feel a lot better soon. But you can't cum just yet. It's too early.” NJ spoke softly. I heard something hiss and then another familiar scent hit me. It was my cologne. She had sprayed it on my back. I could hear her taking a deep breath of it.

“You took your punishment well, dragonslayer. I believe it is time for a reward.” NJ said seductively as I felt my arms suddenly drop, and I fell limp onto the bed. I felt NJ's hands rub up my arms until I felt her attach something to the cuffs. Laying on my back, my arms were now attached to the two top posts of the bed. I couldn't bring my arms in towards my chest no matter how hard I pulled. It was during my attempts to escape that I felt NJ pulling my legs straight before shackling them to the foot of the bed. I couldn't move my limbs.

“Now for your reward.” NJ said as she crawled up my body and slid her hands behind my head, undoing the strap for the gag and the blindfold. She gently removed the gag from behind my teeth and pulled the blindfold away. What greeted me was a soft pink glow in the room. It didn't take long for my eyes to readjust to the lighting enough to see NJ straddled over my stomach. Looking at her, I could see deep red marks on my chest and stomach from her drawing her nails deep into my flesh. I simmered in the pain as I allowed my eyes to finally see her.

“Take a good look, Dra~gon~slay~er.” NJ said as she brought her hands up to her face and splayed her fingers so I could see her expression. She then drew her hands down between her breasts and down her stomach until her fingers grazed my body. Part of me was beyond confused as I saw black markings on her body, drawn on additions that seemed to shimmer blue when she touched them. Looking closer, these were patches of black scales. Someone had drawn patches of black scales on NJ's body to match her moniker. Looking at her face, I saw she was now wearing the masquerade mask that Belfast had set in front of me.

It was then that I realized that had I picked the mask, NJ would have likely been in bondage by the time I arrived, and I would have been the dominant party for the evening. I smiled softly, I was happy with my choice.

I rotated my shoulder to try and slip the cuff again, but NJ came and pushed my shoulder into the mattress.

“You are very feisty tonight.” NJ whispered before she pulled her head down to my neck and bit the side of my neck, causing an unimpeded groan to escape my lips.

She bit hard, but not enough to break skin. Just enough to leave a mark that I would no doubt answer for later. She released me before moving closer to me.

I barely had time to register what was happening before I found her straddling my face.

“Your reward for being such a good boy.” NJ said as she eased her paradise onto my lips before grabbing onto the posts on the headboard.

“Don't make me wait. Give me what I want.” NJ ordered.

‘Yes Mistress’ The thought was the only clear thing in my head. I hadn't been able to formulate a clear thought to this point, but I did not mind.

Sticking out my tongue, I got to work poking and teasing every part that I knew she liked. Using my lips to massage her as my tongue pushed inside to poke and prod. I could feel her body reacting as each movement of my tongue caused her lower body to twitch. I could see the markings on her body flash blue in response to her moans. It was hypnotizing. It urged me to move my tongue faster so I could see more of the flashing lights.

“Mmm. Such a powerful tongue. Fuck~” NJ groaned as she reached down and pulled my head further into her by way of my hair. She began to grind her hips against me, so I opted to keep my tongue steady so she could pleasure herself.

“Yes~ Just like that~ Mmmn.” NJ groaned as her other hand gripped her hair. Her legs were trembling as she kept moving faster and faster. I felt her muscles clench as she bit her hand to stifle a cry of pleasure as she came on my face. The blue shimmers matched her breathing as she came down from her high. She looked down at me, my eyes being the only part of my face that she could see.

“Good~ Boy~” NJ gasped as she turned around without removing herself from my face.

“Perhaps it's time for you to have some release. I can tell just how pent up you've become after this. You're even bigger than you usually are. I wonder if it'll fit.” NJ teased as she wrapped a leg behind my neck and pushed my tongue into her once more. She put her hair off to the side before taking me into her mouth.

Between the chocolate, the bondage, and her perfume, she instantly had me on the edge, fighting tooth and nail to not climax early. As before, I teased and poked every spot I knew she liked, evidenced by her muffled squeaks and moans, but my resolve crumbled as I felt her finally relax enough to take me fully into her throat. Unable to speak or even gesture, I finished in her throat. Each twitch caused her to reflexively swallow, in turn milking me for everything that shot had. Using her tongue to guide every last drop out of me, she released me and crawled away from my head, allowing me to breathe heavily from such a thorough and powerful orgasm.

“My~ So rude to not warn a girl when you cum like that… there was so much…” NJ said as she looked down at my still rock-hard member.

“Still not satisfied? You really are a greedy little boy. But I guess that is to be expected from someone such as yourself. Someone who has gotten me so addicted to you that I've done this.” NJ said as she pulled out a long chain attached to a black and gold embroidered leash. I watched as she clipped it to my collar and she tugged on it, pulling my back off the bed as my arms fought to keep me pinned.

I managed to catch a glimpse of the handle on the leash. It read ‘Property of The Black Dragon’. Deep inside I felt a spark of happiness, knowing that she had found a way to cement our bond. This was the final nail of proof needed to show that she wasn't going anywhere. She did all this to satisfy my desire, and she was killing every aspect of it. If this is how my life would go… I wouldn't mind being her property.

“Mr. Tough Guy, huh? Let's see how tough you are after a few rounds. I'll have you begging for mercy.” NJ goaded.

“Bring… it.” I managed to say defiantly.

NJ's eyes lit up a brilliant blue. Brighter than they had been the night she pounced on me in London. Brighter than on the plane to Tokyo.

“So be it.” NJ said excitedly as she positioned herself over me and took me all the way to the base in one smooth motion. Just with her settling in, I could feel her muscles tense as the sheer act of pushing it all in pleasured her enough to force an orgasm. I could hear her let out a hefty breath as she fought back another cry.

“Looks like… someone's a little… sensitive.” I managed through the fog in my head.

NJ growled at me before pulling her face close to mine using my leash.

“Maybe if your sword wasn't forged in the ring of Lust, it wouldn't be so damn effective.” NJ hissed as she kissed me deeply. Her tongue invaded my mouth and it took all my strength to fight back, battling her tongue to a standstill as she began grinding her hips against me. She pulled hard on my leash, making it impossible for me to pull away. Somewhere in the middle of all this, enough adrenaline had coursed into my blood to allow me to break the paracord she had used to tie me to the posts of the bed.

My hands immediately went to her back, causing her to gasp and pull away. She saw the frayed and snapped paracord and looked back at me.

“Are you okay?”

Her tone indicated concern. I paused for a moment and realized what had happened.

I nodded softly before removing my hands from her body.

She released my leash and grabbed my wrists, dragging my hands up her body until one hand was on her breast and the other planted firmly on the small of her back.

“I did all this for you. If this is where it goes… then this is where we go. I was just making sure you didn't hurt yourself.” NJ said softly as she began to move again, dragging us both back into the depths of our own depravity.

“I want you to lay me, Dragonslayer. Live up to your name. Do that, and the world will know that you are mine.” NJ growled as she rode me harder. I managed to find footing on the bed and angled my hip back a bit to hit her spot harder with each move of her hips.

Every movement earned me another noise from her as my newly free hands touched every sensitive spot on her body. I rolled her nipple through my fingers while pinching and rubbing her sides. Every few minutes I could feel her body tense, coupled with an unhindered cry of pleasure. After a few minutes of this, I began to thrust my hips up in conjunction with her movements, forcing her muscles to grip me harder as I came closer to climax.

“I'm about to…”

“Do it. We're still okay. You got me addicted to that feeling now, so you will cum inside every chance you can, do you hear me?” NJ demanded as she tugged my leash to kiss me. Her pussy tightened as she came again, forcing my hand as well, causing me to coat her insides with the warm silk she had desired. NJ groaned happily as she leaned back and allowed her body to soak in the aftershocks of her numerous orgasms.

The markings on her body glowed non-stop now, as if her body was short-circuiting on pleasure. She reached for my ankles and undid the bindings as well as the cuffs attached to them, allowing me to freely move.

“One… more… time. Like we always do. Come and love me.” NJ requested as she pulled herself off of me and laid down on her back. I could see a small puddle beneath where she had been on top of me. I chuckled as she gripped my leash and pulled me to her. She spread her legs and presented herself to me.

“Strike the finishing blow. Your sword has beaten me…” NJ said with an exhausted chuckle.

I nodded and without a moment of hesitation, I pushed myself back into her depths, digging my nails into her thighs as I thrusted slow and firm, pushing out everything from the first climax into another wet spot on the bed. As I moved against her, her body gave up the fight and remained tight as a slow and continuous wave of pleasure coursed through her. It didn't take long for both of our overly sensitive bodies to climb the hill again and with one final push, I finished again, inside as she had requested. NJ panted heavily as her hand weakly came up to pull the mask off her face. The moment the mask went away, the markings on her skin faded, raising questions that I would ask later.

“Fuck~ Me~” NJ gasped.

“I… did… multiple times. Do you want more?” I asked cheekily.

“No… any more and I might kick the bucket here… closer to death during sex than in battle. You are a very dangerous man.” NJ whispered as she cupped my cheek.

As I collapsed to the bed, a knock came to the door. NJ quickly covered us up.

“Come in!” NJ called.

“Good Evening, Lady New Jersey. I have come to inform you that the bath is prepared for you and the Master.” Belfast spoke professionally. For me, I noticed two very distinct things. She had a very healthy red glow on her cheeks. And I noticed a small shimmer, like wet skin, on the parts of her feet exposed to the light of the room.

I looked at her and she looked back at me. My suspicions were confirmed with a subtle wink and a gesture to keep quiet.

“Are the towels ready as well?” NJ asked.

“Yes, ma'am. Will you two be able to walk alone?” Belfast asked.

She was teasing us. She knew what had happened. And from what little bit I gathered seeing her like this, she more than likely watched it all happen.

“I'm good to walk. NJ might need a hand… I lost count around 8.” I said triumphantly.

“It was ten… shut it.” NJ pouted.

Belfast came over to the bed and handed me a robe.

“I shall tend to the bed before you return. Come with me so we can get you relaxed and reinvigorated once again.” Belfast said as she helped NJ to her feet.

“I'll go on ahead.” I said absentmindedly.

“Do you even know where you're going?” NJ asked.

I stopped dead.

“No… not really.” I replied as Belfast and NJ chuckled.

“Stick around. We'll get there eventually.” NJ tittered.

I allowed Belfast and New Jersey to take the lead as I walked through a very nicely decorated Japanese style house. We eventually made it to the bath and Belfast had NJ enter first.

“I must admit… I am quite jealous of her now.” Belfast said bluntly.

“How much did you hear?” I asked.

“A lady has her secrets, Master. But I must say… breaking three layers of paracord using nothing but your arms? Strength like that can make any woman fantasize. Not to mention the cords on our beloved dragon. It's truly a shame she refuses to share…” Belfast said as I saw a familiar look in her eye before she closed her eyes and bowed.

“The mistress is ready now. You may enter.” Belfast said as I turned and walked into the bath.

I walked into the bath only to have NJ topple into me.

“Got you!” She squealed happily as she sent us both tumbling into the massive swimming pool sized tub.

We surfaced and I could still smell the perfume in the air.

“How did you manage to plan all this?” I asked as I sat down, only for her to sit in my lap facing me. I figured she was still tired, but it seems she had one more round left in her as she guided me inside for one last ride. She gently moved her hips as we talked.

“I coordinated it with Belfast before she arrived. She had it all ready to go and got it put together before our big meeting. Did you have fun?” NJ asked softly as she leaned against my chest, keeping me sunk inside to my base.

“It was magical… nobody has ever gone so far to fulfill my desire like that. I daresay that was the most wild night we have had… that trumps the plane to Tokyo.” I said with a chuckle.

“I'd say. I fully expected you to take the mask. I was waiting for it, but when she radioed to me that you took the blindfold, I knew I had to make it special for you.” NJ said as she kissed me gently. I returned it happily as I lifted and dropped my knees to bounce her in my lap.

“You've become a very horny little dragon though. I didn't think you'd like it this much.” I said softly.

“You do everything to make me feel good. Of course I want it when I can get it. Even now… I couldn't be doing this without the bath helping to keep me from cramping up. You have me addicted. And I know damn well you love having someone who can keep up with your sex drive.” NJ retorted.

“You know Belfast was peeping… right?” I asked.

NJ sighed.

“Yeah. I did. I'm just gonna live with the fact that people will always want to know what the Black Dragon is like when sex is involved. Let her have it.” NJ said with a shrug.

“She… more than likely…”

“I know. She and I talked back in London and her… tastes came up. She said she was a fan of voyeurism. She said it always felt wrong, but doing it made it feel so good. So I knew if she was peeping… she'd use it.” NJ said.

NJ and I both giggled until we heard the door to the bath open.

“People in here!” I called out.

“We are well aware, Dragonslayer.” Shinano's voice called out.

“Who is we?!” I cried, fully aware that I was still fully sheathed inside NJ, who was now focusing on keeping quiet.

“I am here as well, American.” Musashi said as the two foxes walked into the bath, stark naked as the day they were born.

My jaw hit the floor, but NJ's voice centered my eyes back on her.

“Mind covering up in front of him?” NJ asked. I could feel her muscles working to keep me stimulated, squeezing me and letting go over and over.

“Do not worry. We're not here to steal him.” Musashi offered.

Shinano mumbled something under her breath, but I could read her lips.

“Speak for yourself, sister.”

“Fine…then sit down. I don't need him gawking at your torpedo bulges.” NJ hissed as the two foxes sat on either side of us. This was the first time I had gotten to see them up close. They were very pretty, but nowhere close to the girl I was buried in currently.

“Tonight's meeting was successful in recruiting many of those living here. While coming to relax, we decided to let you know we personally will be joining this cause as well.” Musashi spoke.

“That's wonderful to hear. A shame we can't resurrect your vessel. We'd have Four of the six major players in one fleet.” I said.

“A shame indeed. To sail once more would do my soul well. But alas, it's not to be.” Musashi said.

As Musashi got closer I could see the discoloration of bruises on her abdomen from her and NJ’s fight. I could hear NJ grinding her teeth as they situated themselves.

“Don’t overthink it, Dragon, communal bathing is natural here in our sanctuary.” Musashi spoke flatly.

Musashi made a face of discomfort as she tried to find a comfortable way to sit with the massive bruise over her center, this seemed to excite NJ. Once Musashi found a sensible way to get covered up to her shoulders, I could feel NJ gripping me harder than before, as if she were ready to release once more.

This gave me an idea. I leaned forward to her whisper even though I’m sure Shinano and Musashi would hear. I also started to subtly rub my fingers over her nipples and her inner thigh.

“You seem to enjoy her level of discomfort.” I whispered as low as possible, knowing damn well the foxes could hear me.

NJ blushed as she realized I was still focused on her instead of what she was thinking was going on, the shock of which caused her to jump, causing me to hit the one last spot she needed. She stifled a moan, much to the surprise of the foxes, who both shot her looks before looking at me. At the same time, she had pulled my trigger and I had put one more round into her, filling her to the brim. I silently thanked the gods that it was a safe day for her. NJ subtly parted us and opted to turn around on my lap and sit with her back to my chest, allowing me to hug her from behind.

A sigh of satisfaction escaped NJ's lips as Shinano chuckled to herself watching Musashi scramble to understand what had just occurred.

Chapter Text

“What just happened?” Musashi asked as Shinano looked at me knowingly.

“Dear sister. It would not be wise to pry. Just be thankful the dragon cannot move any further.” Shinano spoke as NJ looked at the carrier.

“If you speak a word of this…” NJ hissed.

“Gossip is unbecoming of a woman like me. But I do envy the connection you have with the Slayer, Black Dragon.” Shinano said as her tails danced happily behind her.

NJ craned her neck to look at me, only to see that the sheer amount of activity in the past few hours had finally knocked me out, as I had my head craned back and resting on the edge of the tub.

Musashi finally put the pieces together.

“You?! Just now?! With us here?!” Musashi spoke in a flustered tone.

NJ blushed before turning to the black fox and smiling.

“Yup. Just one of the many ways a dragon marks one as hers and hers alone. Oh, and just so we're clear… it was happening before you two entered, so in all reality, you interrupted us.” NJ boasted.

Musashi was the one to blush as she realized what must have been happening when she wasn't allowed into the guest house earlier. Musashi then noticed the deep red scratches on my chest and back as well as marks from the blindfold and cuffs on my face and wrist. This realization caused her blush to deepen.

“I feel as if I have dodged one hell of a shell. Had I hurt him…”

“I would have ripped your tails off, used two to tie you up as a firing target and executed you before taking the other seven and making myself a nice fur shawl.” NJ finished bluntly.

Musashi winced at the thought.

“Thankfully such brutal tactics were not required. And much gratitude is felt for your continued restraint, Black Dragon.” Shinano spoke sagely.

I woke up seconds after the exchange when I heard the door to the bath open again.

“Fuck it… come on in!” I yelled.

“Well… alright then.” A familiar voice spoke as six more women invited themselves in. Littorio, Vittorio, Impero, Richelieu and Jean Bart all entered the bath followed by Belfast who had a look of shame on her face.

“I apologize, Master… I could not stop them.” Belfast spoke as she laid eyes on the foxes sitting on either side of me and NJ.

“It's fine. We're used to it by now.” NJ sighed.

“So now we're joined by the Italians and the French. All we need now is Eugen and we'll have the Axis in our bathtub.” I said jokingly.

“You forget I am here, Dragonslayer. I am not a member of the axis power. I stood with your country.” Richelieu said as she lowered herself into the bath before removing her towel. Jean Bart on the other hand tossed it aside before stepping in.

“Of course, Cardinal. My humble apologies.” I replied as NJ looked around the room.

“You know… being the only American here makes me feel a bit outgunned now.” NJ said in a subtly sheepish tone.

I took a quick head count.

“Five Battleships and two aircraft carriers… and only NOW do you feel outgunned?” I asked as I squeezed her under the waterline.

“To be fair, Admiral. I no longer possess my strength as a battleship. I was recalled for duty as an anti-air frigate in 1991. So… I am slightly less durable than I once was, but I have missiles to make up for it.” Jean Bart spoke casually.

NJ frowned.

“You didn't refuse and had your rigging downgraded?” NJ asked.

“I had to. Not my choice. I'd still love to have my cannons locked and loaded. But now all I have in terms of firepower is a lonely little pea shooter. And one hundred millimeters is a lot smaller than three hundred and eighty.” Jean Bart replied.

“I can hold my own against the carriers. And as much as they hate to admit it, angling my armor would protect me from Richelieu, Jean Bart, Littorio and Vittorio. But Musashi would easily flank me using them to her advantage. I would need at least another battleship to cover my flank. And… as much as I hate to admit… it would have to be South Dakota who I'd choose. Her armor was just as heavy as mine.” NJ spoke.

“An interesting theory, Lady New Jersey. Perhaps when Azur Lane is established, we can hold wargames to hone our abilities. Even if it is with rigging only.” Belfast suggested.

“I wouldn't mind that. It's been so long since I've let loose.” Richelieu spoke as the Italians all stepped into the tub, having long since discarded their towels.

“Besides, if anyone should feel outgunned, it's me.” I spoke.

“Oh?” NJ asked.

“Bullshit… I am literally the ONLY man on this compound. And despite everyone in this room knowing damn well who I belong to, I can still feel very hungry sets of eyes on me… even now.” I said as I looked directly at Shinano before turning to look at Vittorio, who blushed and looked away.

NJ looked around the room.

“It's okay, Honey. These girls know what will happen to them should they try to take you. And if they don't believe me… they can ask Musashi her thoughts on the situation.” NJ said as she looked at Musashi.

“Have you managed to repair your rigging yet?” NJ asked coldly.

“N-no. That level of destruction could take over a week.” Musashi answered.

“Then why don't we show the class what happens when you fuck with me.” NJ ordered.

Musashi sighed before standing and walking towards the center of the tub before activating her rigging. Unlike before, this was no graceful display. Sparks rained down from disabled and cracked turrets. Cables hung loosely and her sword showed very visible cracks in the blade. Even the faint outline of her shields were jagged and broken. In addition to everyone seeing the bruising on her abdomen, her ruined rigging was enough to garner gasps from the room.

“NJ. Please… I think she's endured enough humiliation and defeat these past couple hours. Leave her alone.” I asked as I traced her jawline with my finger.

NJ groaned, but I cupped her chin and made her look at me.

“We're going to let her keep what little dignity she has left. You've proven your point. Do I make myself clear, little lady?” I spoke flatly.

“Yes, honey...” NJ replied, much to everyone's shock.

“Musashi, please come sit back down.” I spoke softly.

“Yes, Shikikan.” Musashi replied softly as she allowed her broken rigging to fade away into nothingness. She waded back over and sat silently.

“Belfast. Could you bring some refreshments? And… maybe a scotch for me and NJ?” I spoke.

“I already have them waiting outside, Master. Shall I bring them now?” Belfast asked.

“Yes please. Serve the guests and then the foxes before us please.” I requested.

“As you wish.” Belfast spoke as she began preparing the snacks and drinks.

“So, do we have an actual established rendezvous when this pops off? I know Queen Elizabeth is working on securing the Falklands, but it may take time.” Littorio asked.

“Yes. Everyone besides Nagato is situated in the Atlantic. Nagato, however, has the greatest chance of avoiding detection because nobody knows what to look for in regards to her. She will, however, have to sail out through the Indian ocean to reach the Atlantic. The Pacific is a minefield of American Navy, and a Japanese battleship isn't beating a nuclear capable carrier strike force… in speed or firepower. So the meeting area will be the middle of the South Atlantic. The American Kansen will need time to escape the Coast Guard. Belfast and Warspite will be notified ahead of our arrival so they can make moves towards Africa. Kirov and Arkhangelsk will be in the North Atlantic waiting for Nautilus to escort her. Laffey will escort NJ and I. Eugen and her allies will be coming from Uruguay. Once we meet, we will have to sail to avoid detection until Queen Elizabeth contacts us letting us know we can hunker down in the Falklands.” I explained.

The girls in the room nodded as Belfast served small sandwiches on tiny floating baskets that she sent to each group of people. She then came and stood directly behind me. With her skirt not reaching the floor, when I tilted my head back to look at her, I caught a glimpse of something I shouldn't have seen and very quickly snapped my head back to its normal resting position.

“Would you like your Scotch neat or on ice, Master? Or perhaps something lighter?” Belfast asked neutrally. If she knew what I had seen, she wasn't saying anything.

“I'll do a double scotch neat please… same for NJ. And can we get Vestal in here? I believe it is time for the stitches to come out of my neck, and what better place than here where I can wash the area after?” I spoke.

“Of course.” Belfast replied as she poured NJ and I's scotch and left the room to fetch Vestal.

I sniffed my scotch, now out of habit.

“At least the alcohol wasn't tampered with.” I grumbled.

“You're talking about the chocolate… aren't you?” NJ asked as she turned to look at me.

“That shit hit hard. Duke of York is not playing around when she makes that stuff.” I replied, much to everyone's confusion.

“It's okay. If you don't mind it, I love what it turns you into.” NJ said as she dug her nails into my chest before kissing my cheek, once more proving who I belonged to.

“Ahem.” Littorio cleared her throat.

“Ah. Sorry. I forgot we weren't alone right now.” NJ said with a smile.

“I just now noticed your stitches. But I also have noticed surgical marks on your back. They all look relatively new. Has something happened back in the states?” Littorio asked.

“My spinal injury came as a result of a car crash NJ and I were involved in. Her scar seems to have completely vanished, but her left arm took a lot of the impact and saved my life. I had broken several vertebrae and it led to the nerves in my arm being pinched to where I had lost feeling. I had surgery to correct the issue. As for my neck, I was attacked by Prinz Eugen in London. But, she has since corrected her actions… after being slammed in the stomach by a very angry dragon.” I said.

“If I were still mad at her, I would argue for you to let me hit her again.” NJ pouted.

“No. She survived your outburst. And I didn't allow it, I did try to stop you, but by then I had lost too much blood to really move or speak. So you got a lucky hit in. She still has that bruise… I saw it when her shirt came up as she took that lightning bolt for me.” I spoke.

Just as I finished speaking, the door to the bath opened. Belfast had returned with Vestal and, apparently, Eugen.

“Ah! The axis has taken over the bathtub!” I exclaimed cheerfully.

Eugen blushed.

“Tyler… what is all this?” Vestal asked.

“NJ and I were in here relaxing, and everyone invited themselves in. Rather than make a fuss, I figured It would just be best to allow it to happen. Besides, I ain't going anywhere.” I said as I gestured to NJ, who had refused to leave my lap.

“Jersey?” Vestal asked.

“It's true. I was just winding down the evening with my Honey…” NJ started.

“That was winding down?” I asked.

“Shut it.” NJ hissed.

“You're the one who did it.” I countered.

“So?” NJ countered.

“Enough. Tyler, I'm going to require you to come out of the tub so I can work. I'm not going in there. There's far too much estrogen in that water as is.” Vestal said.

I turned to look at NJ.

“Can I get up, please?” I asked.

“Fine… I'll even let you sit in my lap once you're done.” NJ said.

“Ooo. A rare treat. I'll indulge happily.” I said as NJ allowed me to stand up.

As expected, Vittorio, Shinano and Belfast all looked directly at me, and I could tell exactly where their gazes were directed. A few whistles were tossed in my direction, but I quickly covered myself with a towel.

“Alright, Ladies… show's over.” I teased as NJ pouted behind me. I could hear her.

“Don't worry, my love. Just a bit of teasing. You're still my one and only.” I said as I looked at her. She smiled softly and nodded.

I walked over to Vestal who sat me on a stool and brought out a small pair of scissors and tweezers to remove my stitches. I looked over to see NJ flanked closely by Vittorio and Shinano. I could only imagine their conversation.

“Quite impressive, Kommandant. To gather all of these people here in one place and not have them trying to kill each other.” Eugen said.

“Well… I'd assume it's because we all have the same goal now. No need to fight each other when we can fight those who oppose us.” I said.

“What do you think the Dragon is talking to those two about?” Eugen asked.

“They're probably asking what I'm like in bed. She's either clammed up, or is making them incredibly jealous.” I replied with a shrug.

Eugen smirked.

“I'd say it's the latter. I saw you getting out to come over here. I'd say her claim of you being better than most of her sailors is accurate.” Eugen spoke with a soft blush.

“Eugen. It's not wise to comment on a taken man's appearance.” Vestal quipped.

“She can't hear me. It's fine. I'm not stupid enough to try and get some from him with her being so defensive. But should the day come that she is willing to share…” Eugen trailed off.

“You'll have to fight those three.” I replied as I pointed to Belfast, Shinano, and Vittorio.

“Mainly Bel it seems. She doesn't trust the other two as far as she can throw them.” Vestal remarked.

“Can we stop talking about my bedroom performance? I'm not some free use fuck toy.” I said.

“No you're not. But you are for me~.” NJ's voice called from the tub.

“Shit she can hear over here?” Eugen whispered frantically.

“Uh… yeah? I'd be surprised if she couldn't.” I said.

“Then let us quickly change the subject… please.” Eugen said as she kept her eyes on NJ, who hadn't moved from her spot.

“Will you be heading to Uruguay from here, Eugen?” I asked.

“Yes. Sadly my time with you will have to end for a bit. I have to retrieve my friends and my vessel. But we will make for open ocean when my friends reach Uruguay. From the sounds of everything, you're going to barely have enough time to get your stuff from your house before the FBI and CIA come kicking in the door. Enough has happened that they no longer care about consequences.” Eugen said.

“Yeah. It's beginning to look like I'll be fighting my way to Camden… hopefully we can survive the journey.” I said softly. Eugen tensed up as I felt arms cross my chest from behind. With two large pillows on my back and blue hair dangling in front of my face, I smiled.

“You will survive, Honey. Nobody is going to lay an ill-intended finger on you. And… if need be, I will be utilizing the full extent of my rigging to protect you… up to and including nuclear payloads. I have 8 missiles and 9 shells worth. They will be put to good use dealing with these assholes.” NJ said softly as she rubbed my cheek.

“I'm still worried for you… what if they bring weapons meant to deal with you?” I asked.

“They can try. But as I said, last time I took a bullet, it was a fifty… and all it did was bruise. I'd like to see law enforcement bring anything heavier than that.” NJ spoke, almost as if she were issuing a challenge.

I pouted.

“I don't like the thought of someone hurting you.” I replied.

“You are so sweet. One of the many reasons I love you, honey.” NJ said as she kissed my other cheek.

“And… before I forget. Eugen… I don't mind you complimenting my man. After all, his ego could use a good boost. But I can assure you… it'll be a cold day in hell before I share him with anyone. So don't hold your breath.” NJ warned.

Eugen swallowed heavily and nodded.

“Glad to see we understand each other. So… are we staying a night or two, honey?” NJ asked.

“Yeah. We can stay tonight. I'll text my friend and let her know we can't make it, but that I'll see her eventually. I need to call Martin… and Nautilus… and Laffey. Let them all know what they need to know.” I said.

“I can handle Laffey and Nautilus, Honey. You just call Martin. I'll have Nautilus prime her reactor and have Laffey prepare her vessel.” NJ said.

“Thank you, sweetie. You're the best.” I said with a smile.

“Anything for you, my humble little dragonslayer.” NJ teased as she walked back to the tub, swaying her hips seductively.

“God I love that woman.” I whispered, feeling myself get excited again.

“Tyler. As your doctor… you've put a lot of strain on your body the past few days. Perhaps you should cool it for the night. Don't overdo it.” Vestal warned.

“Can you blame the guy? Look at her!” Eugen hissed.

“You don't think I know that, genius? I've seen that body more times than he has. I'm just saying, maybe relax a bit. You both have a lot of life yet.” Vestal said as I chuckled.

“Still though. I'm lucky to have her. I don't care about the bounty on my head… or becoming America's most wanted. She's the light I've been yearning for. She may try to bring me the moon… but she'll have to fight me for the honor. She's leagues ahead, yet I want to do everything I can for her.” I explained.

“I'm happy she has found such a wonderful man… most Kansen didn't get so lucky. Treat her right, and you'll be treated better than any king.” Vestal said.

“Oh believe me… I know.” I said, remembering earlier in the evening.

“I don't want to know.” Vestal deadpanned.

“Speaking of knowing… Eugen. What did you give her?” I asked.

“Give? Who?” Eugen asked. My question seeming to catch her off guard.

“During the meeting. You and NJ came back and she looked really happy. And you were wearing a very satisfied look on your face. I assume you gave her something. I'm asking what it was.” I reiterated.

“I don't know what you're talking about. I told you it was mundane girl talk.” Eugen said.

“Eugen. I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.” I replied.

“Honey! Hurry up~” NJ whined.

“Coming sweetie!” I yelled back.

“I will get it out of you, Eugen. One way or another.” I spoke as I stood. I allowed my towel to drop off halfway to the tub, earning me more looks from the peanut gallery. Once again I was catcalled, but I took it in stride and smiled as I slipped into the water next to NJ.

“There's my handsome dragonslayer. Come to me.” NJ said as she opened her arms and allowed me to sit peacefully in her lap with my head resting on her very generous pillows.

NJ turned to Littorio.

“You've mellowed out, I've noticed. You're not your usual flamboyant self, unlike your usually more refined sister who seems to have a death wish.” NJ said flatly.

Impero flagged our attention and began signing.

“Littorio found a woman to settle down with and is faithfully married to a lovely woman in Sicily. You will likely meet her when we join your fleet, as Vittorio has promised not to leave her behind. As for Vittorio… she is quite popular back home and usually has men fawning over her night and day. I won't get into details, but she isn't used to being told no… not after the war, or her second stint of service that just ended. Put simply… she's a spoiled brat.” Impero explained.

“Hey! That's not true!” Vittorio exclaimed with a pouty expression.

“Sorella, non potevi letteralmente tacere chiedendoti chi fosse il partner del Drago Nero per tutto il viaggio fin qui. Non appena la regina Elisabetta ci ha informato di lui, avevi intenzione di vedere se potevi usufruirne. Osservo i tuoi trucchi dal diciannove quarantacinque, cara sorella.” Impero spat quickly. It seemed the usually tired and disinterested Kansen was quite fed up with her sister's antics.

“So… she got jealous?” NJ asked.

Impero nodded.

“She tried to convince him to sleep with her tonight. Thankfully, our Admiral isn't an unfaithful man. Littorio has punished this action, as has Cardinal Richelieu.” Impero signed.

NJ smiled.

“Sorry, Vittorio. Honey was too busy with me tonight to grace your bed. Although, your cunning idea to attempt to steal him while I was tending to important matters is quite bold. Perhaps when these… wargames start up in the Falklands, you'll be my first opponent.” NJ said with a smile.

Vittorio swallowed.

“Fine… you win… I won't try to take him anymore… not worth the risk of dying as you so elegantly showed us with Musashi.” Vittorio admitted with a pout.

“Glad to see we can understand one another.” NJ said as I looked up at her.

“Important matters?” I asked.

NJ covered her mouth.

“Did I say that?” NJ asked.

“You did… but Eugen said it was mundane girl talk. What are you two planning? My body needs a bit of a break, so if it's something like earlier, it'll have to wait… doctor's orders.” I deadpanned.

“Ah. Gotcha. Don't you worry about it, Honey.” NJ said with a smile. I shrugged my shoulders and relaxed against her chest. She took and ran her fingers gently through my hair.

Little did I know, NJ had received the titanium chunk from Eugen and had already passed it off to Belfast, who had in turn, taken one of NJ's cufflinks and the titanium and handed them to Jean Bart, who was quite surprised to see a ring request from NJ as well.

Chapter Text

I pulled out my phone and dialed Martin's number before turning it to a video call. It took time to load due to the three layer encryption, but it ultimately ended up going through.

“What's going on, Boy?” Martin asked.

“Just wanted to call and check in. I've got another night in Japan before coming home… I likely won't be seeing you for quite a while after that.” I said with a sad smile.

Martin sighed.

“Damn… I'm really gonna miss those steaks. Nobody else makes them right like you do.” Martin said as Martha poked her head into the picture.

“What will you be doing?” Martha asked.

“Well… the government is likely going to officially announce that I am a threat to national security and brand me a terrorist or traitor to the USA. CIA and FBI have both put hits out on me… I have half a million on my head right now, actually.” I replied.

“Half a million?! Someone wants you GONE gone. I guess this is the time you've decided to let us in on your secret?” Martin asked.

“If you want to know, I'll tell you…” I said as Vestal came over.

“You will not. You will not involve these two kind folks any further than you have, mister!” Vestal spoke.

“Come on, little lady. I'm dying to know here… what could be so earth-shattering that the feds would put half a million on the boy's head?” Martin asked.

Vestal sighed.

“Then… you two take this to the grave. Until the day comes that we can release it to the world, you breathe a word to nobody.” Vestal demanded.

“Understood.” Martin replied flatly.

“Pan the camera around, Tyler.” Vestal spoke.

I did as requested and panned the phone around to show all the women in the bath with me, being sure to emphasize Musashi and Shinano with their tails waving behind them.

“Well now… that's not something you see everyday.” Martin exclaimed.

“They're all so pretty.” Martha commented, causing most of the girls to blush.

“They are all like Nicole and I. I can't reveal who they are. But… they are like us. Nicole's name is New Jersey. She is the embodiment of the Battleship New Jersey, meaning that she can control that vessel by herself as she and it are one entity split.” Vestal explained.

“Hmm. So each girl there is the same? All of them command or have commanded a warship?” Martin asked.

“Yes. Every girl in this room is a warship… past or present. The world governments developed us in secret. And now we are put down as second or third rate citizens. We have next to no freedom aside from living. Some countries are better. Others are worse. But the US does not have a good track record for treating us kindly. New Jersey was homeless since 1991. She found a home with Tyler. And he has put forward a movement to bring us together into a fleet to fight for our freedom.” Vestal explained.

Martin nodded.

“Gotcha. No wonder why I sensed something off about you, Nicole… Thanks for not crushing my hand that day. Side note…Does anyone there feel like taking on a pair of residents?” Martin asked.

“Martin?” I asked. NJ giggled behind me.

“You think I'm letting you out of my sight anymore? I may be a forty something old bastard, but I ain't old enough to lay down and let you do this shit alone. Martha and I are coming too.” Martin said.

“We…”

“I will house them, Admiral. I like the old guy. And the old lady has charm. My vessel will be the safest for them since I can easily defend against carriers.” Jean Bart spoke.

“Are… you sure?” I asked.

“Yes. Besides, it keeps them safe from your shitty government.” Jean Bart retorted.

“Do we have a way to transfer them between vessels?” I asked.

“Most of us have helicopters in our arsenal. We can make it work.” NJ said.

I smiled.

“You guys cool with living on a frigate?” I asked.

“I'd love to go on a cruise, Honey.” Martha said with a smile.

I nodded.

“Then I guess it's settled. I'd send Martha to grab your arsenal from your house. Grab the cash in the safe and head for Camden. NJ and I shouldn't be accosted until we reach the house anyway… so if you guys can get there and lay low, we can try and get this thing going as soon as possible.” I said.

“Will do, kid. Stay safe. We're going to call our son and let him know that we won't be here for a while. I'm sure he'll understand. He's a security guard in Texas. Last he called, he said he was guarding the scrap yards near Brownsville.” Martin said.

I nodded.

“Stay safe.” I said as I hung up.

“Was that wise?” Shinano asked.

“Probably not. But I'm not known for being the brightest bulb in the box. I promised them I'd fill them in since they've stuck their necks out for the past month.” I said with a shrug.

“Well… it sounds like we have a lot of preparation to do and not a lot of time to do it. Jean? Did we ever find Foch?” Richelieu asked.

“We did. She is currently in Brazil. Shall I command her to return to our ranks?” Jean Bart asked.

“Yes. We could use another carrier.” Richelieu said.

“What we could use are escorts.” I spoke.

NJ sighed.

“As far as escorts… we only have Laffey, Eugen and Jean Bart. If only we could get Dewey and Gridley. Those two command Arleigh Burkes… we could use that kind of protective firepower.” NJ lamented.

“Hmm… what about Bunker Hill and San Jacinto? They were transferred to Ticonderoga class cruisers. They haven't been sent out lately and I've heard they're being sent to reserve soon?” I asked.

“That would be nice… we'll have to hope that our escape will cause some mutinies. We can't risk reaching out to current Military assets. I'll work overtime to keep our skies clear…” NJ said with a stern face.

I yawned and stretched before settling back against NJ's chest.

NJ's face softened as she blushed and smiled.

“Energy reserves finally run out, Honey?” NJ asked softly.

“Yeah…” I replied sleepily. I closed my eyes, unaware that most of the women there were still focused completely on me.

“So, New Jersey. How did you two meet?” Richelieu asked.

NJ smiled as she ran her fingers through my hair.

“He found me on his doorstep a little over a month and a half ago. We haven't been together long, but we clicked after I told him about myself. Being forced to keep that secret… I put a lot on him, but he would have figured it out eventually. Thankfully he and I have extremely good chemistry.” NJ said as she leaned down to my ear.

“Honey?” NJ asked softly.

When I didn't reply, she smiled.

“Jean. Can I put a rush on that order?” NJ asked softly.

“I have a rush order I'm working on… but I can squeeze you in. Just so you know… I don't do this for just anyone.” Jean Bart said.

“I know… thank you… I want to surprise him. We'll be together until the end… and I want him to know that.” NJ said softly, being sure not to wake me up.

“We should get him out. It's not wise to fall asleep in the bath.” Shinano said.

“Agreed.” NJ said as she picked me up and laid a towel over me before stepping out of the tub.

“If I don't see you all before you leave… good luck and fair seas. I look forward to operating with you all.” NJ said.

“The feeling is mutual, my old friend.” Richelieu said.

“We look forward to working on the same side this time.” Littorio said as most of the girls present nodded.

NJ smiled as she looked down at my sleeping face before exiting the bath with me comfortably cradled in her arms. If I were awake, I'd be beet red with embarrassment.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Billy sat in his rain shelter at the entrance to the International Shipbreaking scrap yards. Thumbing the rotating cylinder of his revolver, he sat drinking a cup of coffee right at the start of his overnight security shift. A few minutes of mind numbing silence forced the 6’5” mountain of a man to stand and stretch before putting on his personal ballistic vest. Perks of the job weren't great. You had to provide your own armor and firearm despite both being required for employment.

Billy was about to start his rounds when his phone vibrated. He put the call on speaker.

“Hey Pops.”

“Hey son. Your mom and I are gonna be leaving the country for a bit, maybe taking a trip to Europe.” A familiar voice spoke.

“What about the shop?” Billy asked.

“We found a buyer who's been waiting to scoop it up for years. They jumped at the chance to write a check for our asking price.” The man spoke.

“How much did you get?” Billy asked.

“Martha? How much did we get for the shop?” The man asked. A muffled voice in the background gave a reply.

“Mom said we made three million after taxes.” The man said.

Billy sighed.

“Your community is gonna miss ole’ Martin and Martha. You two were a staple.” Billy said with a chuckle.

“Well… things happen. It's time for a change. Just wanted to call you and let you know not to come up for the holidays. We'll keep in touch, I'll call via the satellite phone since my cell won't work out of country.” Martin said.

“Understood, pops. Thanks for the heads up. I love you guys.” Billy spoke.

“Love you too, Son. Your mom says she loves you.” Martin said.

“See you guys when you get back. I'll make the trip then.” Billy said as he hung up the phone.

Billy sighed.

“I've been out of the loop for a bit longer than I like.” Billy said passively as an alarm tripped on the console.

“Hmm?” Billy asked as he looked out into the scrapyard with binoculars in the area that correlated with the alarm. He saw a flash of white sprinting across the open yard way faster than should be possible for a regular human.

“What the…” Billy said as he whistled, causing a German Shepard to wake up and come to him. Pointing towards where the flash of white was, he gave an order.

“Prinesti!” Billy spat.

The dog took off in a sprint as Billy hopped into a side by side and took off after the dog.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“Fuck… woke up the damn mutt.” Bonnie spat as she crossed more open ground. She had her broken vessel in her sights and was approaching at a frightening pace.

“Hello again, beautiful. Just as gorgeous as the day I torched you.” Bonnie said with a sadistic smile on her face. Bonnie arrived at the edge of the fence that had been erected around the broken LHD.

“I guess it's time then.” Bonnie said as she reached into her clothes and retrieved a black buckled headband before tying it to her head.

“Time to wake up, pretty lady.” Bonnie said as she touched the fence, the metal quickly turning from red, to yellow, then to white before melting into a puddle of slag, allowing Bonnie to break into the enclosed area.

Bonnie crossed the space between the fence and the open hold of her old ship. Carbon scoring was present even down in the well deck, which had recently been broken into during scrapping.

Bonnie climbed aboard as she began to hear barking and the sound of rocks being tossed by tires. Looking out, she saw the dog and a massive man climb through the fence and make a break for the ship.

Bonnie smiled.

“Too late, boys. Far… too… late.” Bonnie said as she touched the wall of the LHD.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Billy watched a woman with white hair disappear into the partially broken up hull of the previously named LHD-6 Bon Homme Richard.

“Ostavat'sya.” Billy said as the dog sat on the ground. Billy then ran into the hulk of steel after the woman.

A few steps in, the light from the outside began to disappear. Billy looked back towards where he entered and saw something he couldn't comprehend. Scrap steel was being pulled in from everywhere in the scrapyard. He could identify pieces of scrap that had been sitting outside his rain shelter for months, and now it was being pulled towards the ship before being heated, seemingly out of nowhere. The heated steel was then shaped into components needed to undo months of scrapping done to the hull he was now being trapped inside. Billy took a breath to calm himself, but the extreme heat inside was beginning to cook his throat. His only line of escape was to run deeper into the ship.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

From the outside, it was a scene from a fantasy movie. Pieces of metal being reshaped to rebuild a massive warship. Wires, steel beams, even the truck that Billy had used to drive to work that evening wasn't spared as the rubber tires, steel frame, wiring harness, battery, and engine were ripped out and sent hurtling towards the ship.

Over the course of ninety minutes, the outer hull was completed. At that point, an otherworldly force pushed the hull into the water, allowing the ship to float in the canal once more. Nearly an hour later, the remaining scrap metal in the air fell to the ground, useless once more. Onboard the ship, lights came on and the appearance shifted as a new coat of paint was applied to the newly re-completed Wasp class LHD. The weapon systems that the class was known for appeared out of nowhere as the Kansen onboard armed herself for the first time in years. On deck, and over the course of fifteen minutes, six F-35s came into existence one by one.

With an ear splitting honk of the ship's horn, the water of the canal began to churn as the ship's engines kicked on and propelled the assault ship towards the Gulf of Mexico.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“Fucking what?!” Mark yelled angrily.

“Yes sir. Multiple calls to the local police. A partially dismantled Wasp-class assault ship has… and I quote ‘Completely rebuilt itself before arming itself with planes that appeared from nowhere.’” Viktor spoke.

“It's fucking Bon Homme Richard! Where is the coast guard?!” Mark demanded.

“Already moved to the Gulf of Mexico to intercept… let's hope Bonnie is feeling friendly.” Viktor said.

“Doubt it. She torched her shit as a middle finger to the government. Do we have any naval assets in the region?” Mark asked.

“No sir. The closest we have is… the Ford and it needs to make the trip around South America to reach where Bon Homme Richard is.” Viktor said.

“Damn it all. What about the Air Force? The Marines? Army? Can someone put that assault ship on bricks?!” Mark exclaimed angrily.

“No sir. Not until they reach the open ocean.” Viktor replied

“Fuuuuck!” Mark raved angrily.

“Sir… if I may… I think we fucked with the wrong one this time. This whole thing started with us looking into New Jersey because her spending habit changed… we kept pushing… and now we have what appears to be the whispers of a full scale revolution.” Viktor said.

“Shut it. Just shut the fuck up! We cannot risk national security over these… things! They were never supposed to be created! The fact that we let them live at all after the war is beyond my ability to comprehend. They should have been purged at war's end. They were a failed experiment as far as I can tell from the documents on them back in D.C..” Mark raged.

Viktor took offense to the sudden outburst.

“You know what, Mark? Fuck you. Amy was fucking right about you. You're quite possibly the worst type of person to have running the department. And your line of predecessors are no fucking better. You're the goddamn monster here… I thought that maybe you'd see some flaw in your actions, maybe even back off… but each and every time they slip through your fingers, you break more and more laws. You put a half million dollar bounty on that man's head. Do you really not think that the same people who would want that money might try to extort more from us, by using New Jersey's nukes? You singlehandedly have created the potential for the problem that brought about the Kansen Secrecy laws to actually fucking happen! If I didn't know better, you took this job for the sole purpose of making these girls’ lives hell.” Viktor yelled.

Mark was emotionless as he pulled his duty pistol from under his jacket and shot Viktor twice in the chest before hopping into his SUV and driving off, leaving the man for dead.

Viktor, while stunned, regained enough composure to send two messages from his personal phone. One sending Tyler's cell phone number to Amy with instructions to contact him. And the other sending a message to Tyler's phone.

“Kill Mark Faiser. Do what's right.”

Viktor laid in the parking lot as people from surrounding homes came to check out the commotion. By the time they had reached him, Viktor was gone, his heart and spinal cord both being shredded by Mark's sudden and violent betrayal.

Chapter Text

A blue haired woman sauntered into the unguarded gates of the Brownsville scrapyard. Looking out into the Canal, the lights of the Bon Homme Richard could just barely be seen. The woman sighed.

“Bonnie… you inconsiderate ass. You could have waited for me. I saw you coming through Austin… didn't think this was your objective though.” The woman said as she skipped happily through the scrap yard until she came to the remnants of a cruiser hull.

“Never thought I'd see you again… figured it'd be another lifetime.” The woman said as she touched the hull. To her surprise, it reacted.

“Don't you worry, sister. We'll bust out together… then you can tell me where you're off to with such gusto.” The woman said as she looked down at her side and saw a German Shepherd looking ready to pounce on her.

“Oh? Well aren't you just a cutie! Come.” The woman spoke. The dog immediately calmed down and panted happily as he went to the woman.

“Can you sit?” The woman asked. The dog complied.

“Shake.”

The dog lifted its paw and shook the woman's hand.

“Good boy. You feel… strong. And tanky… can a dog be tanky? Oh well. I've been playing way too much siege with Bunker Hill. I'm gonna name you Chanka after my main operator. Bunker Hill makes fun of my simple gameplay… but she hasn't beat me yet.” The woman said with a smile as a similar scene to what happened with Bon Homme Richard occurred with this cruiser.

“I guess I should tell you my name, little one. I'm Ticonderoga. Nice to meet you, Chanka.” Tico said happily as she allowed the dog to follow her onboard the rapidly reconstructing USS Ticonderoga.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I woke up a few hours later to see NJ snuggled up next to me. The rest of the room was pitch black. I couldn't see more than a foot in front of me.

“What… time is it?” I asked the void.

“0256.”

“Who…”

“The one getting you home.”

“Royal Sovereign?” I asked.

“Yes. Kirov has already left. Most of the other participants have left the country as well. Even the majority of the Japanese have mobilized. I just returned from escorting the Takao and her passengers out to the open ocean. Nagato is preparing to leave with the foxes, her sister, and Mikasa. I need to get you two onboard the sub. I have managed a charter out of Russia. You two will be getting on a private jet and flying directly to Dulles International Airport. This is the jet of an oligarch who's a friend of mine. They don't submit to the regime, but also want to stick it to America. Best possible chance you have to get into the country.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

I nodded.

“Get her up. I have a day to get you up there. Take what you need. Keep weapons on you.” Arkhangelsk warned.

“Got it. We'll be ready.” I said as I gently nudged NJ.

“Sweetie, wake up.” I whispered.

“Hmm?” NJ groaned.

“Royal Sovereign is waiting. We need to get moving. We're heading to Russia to smuggle ourselves into the US.” I whispered.

“Really? Okay. I'll get dressed. I have our stuff packed, so I'll be ready when you are.” NJ said as I sat up and dragged myself out of bed.

“One more thing…” Royal Sovereign said before a pillow was chucked at her head by a startled NJ. The submarine sidestepped the feather-filled projectile.

“Night vision?” Arkhangelsk asked.

“Superior radar. Practically night vision.” NJ said flatly after taking a deep breath.

“You were saying?” NJ asked.

“An informant of mine on the Mexico border has informed me of a Wasp-class Assault ship and a Ticonderoga class cruiser has been spotted leaving the Brownsville Scrap Yards, on a course for the Gulf. I have two decent pictures they managed to capture.” Arkhangelsk said as she handed us a phone with a picture of the Bon Homme Richard. It was zoomed enough to see a girl standing on the flight deck along with what looked like a large man sprawled out in front of her as if he had just been laid out in a fight.

“Bon Homme Richard.” NJ said knowingly.

“That would be my guess. The other picture is of the cruiser.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

The other picture saw a woman with blue hair walking beside a dog alongside the forward section of the superstructure.

“That's Tico! She's there too?!” NJ exclaimed.

“Looks like we found another escort… if they're here to help.” I said with a smile.

NJ nodded.

“She is also a master of the Aegis system. I doubt we will be needed to do much in terms of preemptive area denial with her being able to precisely attack incoming targets. She's an excellent escort!” NJ squealed.

“If you are done fangirling. We need to go. I don't have much of a window to sneak you two into Russia. I would like to get in and out before they know I'm there. They think I died in 2013. I'd like them to continue thinking that until we blow this shit open.” Arkhangelsk said.

“Got it. I'm dressed. Let's roll.” I said as my phone buzzed. It was a phone call from an unknown number. Arkhangelsk and NJ both touched my phone before I picked up. I remained silent.

“Tyler? It's Amy. I know this is your number.” Amy spoke.

“Amy… why are you calling me?” I asked.

“I got your number from the agent that took over New Jersey's case… he told me to call you with his dying breath. He stood up to Mark and was killed for it.” Amy explained.

“Does the FBI know this?” I asked.

“Probably not. Mark keeps his personal ops off the books until the job is done. Meaning the Bureau knows nothing… until you're dead. Viktor confirmed that one of Mark's contacts was responsible for a breach in the CIA servers… what they did, we don't know.” Amy said.

“They put a half million on my Honey's head.” NJ seethed.

“Shit… look. I was transferred to a different department after relieving myself of your case. I have a trainee that knows bits and pieces about your existence. Are you in country? We can come get you and get you someplace safe.” Amy said.

“I'll be in the country soon. I cannot tell you where, this phone call is being run through three different encryption ciphers to keep me off radar. If you want to keep good on your offer, you know where my address is. I have stuff to grab before bouncing. Stay nearby and wait for the black SUV's.” I said.

“You seem to have a plan.” Amy said.

“If you're on my side… I'll tell you when we meet. I can't disclose my plan to you until I am certain that you won't leak.” I said.

“But…” Amy tried.

“He's right, American. Your kind have shown your colors to him. He's in constant danger thanks to that bounty. And the fact that they sent Yakuza after him is another matter altogether. Prove yourself by being there to support him.” Arkhangelsk spoke.

“And who are you?” Amy asked.

“A soviet Kansen under the command of Admiral Sweigart. My name is unimportant. But know that I am just as powerful as any nuclear asset your nation possesses.” Arkhangelsk postured.

Amy went silent for a moment.

“I think I see where this is going… I won't pry. I'll be ready when you are.” Amy said as she cut the call. I looked down at my phone to see a text from another unknown number.

“Kill Mark Faiser. Do the right thing.”

“Looks like this is the dead man.” I said as NJ looked at the message.

“Mark Fraiser is the man responsible for this iteration of the KIB. He oversees the Kansen related projects in the FBI's purview.” NJ said.

“And what little incriminating evidence I found relating to the hits all point to him. That phone call cemented that.” Arkhangelsk said as NJ and I grabbed our bags and followed her out of the room.

“So if we kill him, this ends?” I asked.

“No. We kill him, we open a brand new can of worms, where the FBI could skew things to make all Kansen appear violent. They would actively hunt every Kansen left alive, setting a precedent for the rest of the world.” NJ said.

“That would be the worst possible outcome.” I said as Arkhangelsk led us to her sub sitting in the hidden inlet. Just as she had said, the Nagato was prepared for travel. Smoke was pouring from the smokestack and red lights lit the bridge.

“That is so fucking cool…” I whispered.

“I'm not detecting any significant sources of radiation from Nagato's vessel. Maybe when we meet up with them again, you can ask to explore.” NJ said cheerfully.

“That would be amazing!” I exclaimed as I saw Vestal waiting by the submarine.

“Took you long enough.” Vestal said with a sigh.

“Sorry, had to get one last round in.” I joked.

“But we didn't…”

“I know. That's the joke.” I cut NJ off mid sentence.

Vestal huffed.

“I hope you have more than just sex with New Jersey on your mind, Tyler. This is it… this is the big first step. Once we leave here… it's on. The world will very quickly know that there is a massive shift in power coming and a revolution has begun. So… save some brain space for your actual cause and not just getting freaky with, apparently, the navy's kinkiest battleship.” Vestal deadpanned.

“What the hell does that mean?!” NJ cried.

“Belfast and I are good friends, Jersey.” Vestal said.

“I'm going to punish that woman…” NJ spat.

“I'm sure she'd like that… even more so if it comes from him.” Vestal said with a smile as she pointed at me.

“Are… you trying to wingman Belfast?” I asked.

“Heavens no. That was my attempt at a joke.” Vestal said as we all chuckled.

“Do you have a way to get out of the country, Vestal?” I asked.

“I'm working on it.” Vestal said.

“Well… if you want to ride back with NJ and I from Dulles, it seems Amy wants to help in any way she can, and has offered us transport from my house.” I said.

“I wouldn't trust her… I'll pass. I’ll ride back with you, but I’m not trusting my life with an FBI agent.” Vestal replied.

“You can take my car to Intrepid or Yorktown.” I suggested.

“What do you drive?” Vestal asked.

“Supra A91.” I replied as I dangled the key in front of her.

“Sounds fast.” Vestal said.

“Oh it is. You can feel that much.” NJ said.

“I'll get it to Intrepid. She can get it into her hanger via the crane and elevators.” Vestal said as she took the key from my hands.

I turned to NJ.

“What about Nautilus and Laffey?” I asked.

“I took care of that once I got you into bed. Laffey isn't the happiest, but she has acquired a case of moonshine and a barrel of whiskey… somehow. She's still on course to meet us in Camden. She's loading her vessel now and is going to set sail once we leave here. Nautilus has already broken out of Groton and has submerged to near crush depth to avoid detection. She is radio silent but she is listening intently to my radio. If I send anything, she'll hear it.” NJ assured me.

I turned back to Vestal.

“Hornet hasn't gotten back to me. Yorktown is helping Laffey load her vessel before heading aboard her own vessel to make preparations. Yorktown and Intrepid have sworn to aid us.” Vestal said.

“You let Intrepid know we are bringing Shinano and Musashi?” I asked.

“Yes.” Vestal said as Arkhangelsk ushered us all onto the submarine.

“Bon Homme Richard and Ticonderoga have also made an appearance.” NJ said.

“Really? Do they have vessels left?” Vestal asked.

“They restored them in Brownsville. I would assume Richelieu and Vittorio will be doing the same once they return to their respective nations.” NJ said.

“Anyone else we'll have to wait and see… we can't reach out to current navy assets from… anywhere.” I said.

“True.” NJ said.

“Stow yourselves. We're heading out.” Arkhangelsk spoke flatly as she sealed the sub.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Tico smiled as her cruiser splashed into the water. With a wave of her hand, the engines roared to life and sent the cruiser steaming towards the gulf. The lights of the Bon Homme Richard had long faded into the distance, but Ticon could easily hear the sounds of gatling gun fire.

“She's fighting something. Who could she be fighting?” Tico asked herself as Chanka sat next to her.

“Wanna go check it out, boy?” Tico asked. Chanka barked in response. Tico ruffled the fur on his head with a smile.

“Let's go help the little tinderbox… she always was a hothead.” Tico said as she picked up speed, heading to Bonnie's aid.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“I fucking told you I'd deal with you later! Get the fuck off the flight deck unless you want me to toss your ass overboard! If you can't see, they're trying to take me out!” Bonnie yelled at Billy, who had previously been manhandled by the small carrier. Over the sound of gunfire, Bonnie couldn't hear a reply.

Out in front of the carrier, two Legend class coast guard cutters were opening fire with their 57mm guns. Their aim was decent, with shells glancing off the bow or slamming into the control island before rapidly being patched by Bonnie's presence.

Billy looked out to sea as a pair of 57mm shells hit the island again, sending a chunk of steel down towards him. Bonnie growled as she ran towards him before jumping and grabbing his vest straps, using her momentum to throw him backwards, landing him on his back with the small carrier sitting on his chest.

Bonnie gripped the side of his neck and yelled.

“GET THE FUCK INSIDE OR WE BOTH FUCKING DIE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME YOU DENSE MOTHERFUCKER?!” Bonnie raged as her eyes glowed red.

Billy, not a complete buffoon, nodded as he scrambled to his feet after she got off his chest. He ran into the island as Bonnie scoffed.

“Dense fucking idiot…” Bonnie said as she lazily waved her arm, sending three more F-35s into the sky.

The incoming fire continued until the new set of F-35s turned and made a pass, opening up with their 25mm GAU-22 gatling cannons on the gun turrets of each cutter. The armor piercing rounds shredded the turrets, rendering the 57mm guns mute. The cutters tried to block the path of the Bon Homme Richard, but with a wave of her hand and a devious smile, a faint panel of blue hexagons covered the bow of the assault ship as it used itself as a battering ram, shearing off the bow of the first cutter while pushing the other one out of the way, allowing for a clean shot into the open ocean.

All the F-35s that Bonnie had sent out returned to her flight deck before landing vertically on the crosses on her flight deck. It was only now that she realized that she was being followed, not by either cutter, both of which were fighting fierce amounts of flooding, but by a familiar feeling cruiser. Bonnie reached out.

“Unidentified cruiser. This is Bon Homme Richard. Identify yourself or risk being attacked.” Bonnie said lazily.

“You'd attack your own sister, Bonnie? How cold… after I followed you all the way from Austin AND broke the law to rebuild my vessel to give you a proper escort.” Tico replied.

“I remember that voice… Ticonderoga?” Bonnie asked.

“The one and only. Say… those guardsmen are launching lifeboats. You really did a number on those things. I'm surprised you didn't manage to kill anyone. Radio chatter is picking up a handful of injuries but no fatalities as of yet.” Tico said.

“If I wanted to kill them, I could… but they don't deserve to die. They're following orders. I bet most of them have families. I'm not going to make myself a more valuable target by killing unnecessarily.” Bonnie replied.

“That makes sense. Say… what exactly are we doing? This is quite the breach of those papers we signed all those years ago.” Tico said.

“Yup. New Jersey and her boy toy have put a plan together to basically tell the governments of the world to leave us alone. Give us our freedom to act as we choose instead of being forced to hide our identities or be a pawn to our militaries. The boy wants a place where we can be just as free as any human on this planet can be. And that's something I can get behind.” Bonnie said.

“Hmm. Sounds pretty big. Do we have friends?” Tico asked.

“As far as I know, you, me, and three battleships. I assume we'll know more when we link up with them. Last I knew, there's only one naval asset close by and that's the Ford, but they're in California at the moment. The rest are overseas. So we have time to turn our beacons off and get lost.” Bonnie said.

“Sounds good. I'm gonna let Bunker Hill know. She's slated for retirement and she's been bitching lately about her chain of command. Maybe I can score us another cruiser.” Tico said happily.

“Go for it. The US knows about this now. No need for secrecy. Try to keep the death toll minimal though.” Bonnie said as she headed inside to deal with her troublesome stowaway.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“Heya!” Ticonderoga spoke into her radio.

“Tico? What are you doing up so late? I thought you had work tomorrow.” A woman replied.

“Nope. I quit earlier today. Saw a familiar face and felt something calling to me, so… I quit!” Tico said cheerfully.

“Quite the whimsical soul… you down to play siege? I've been practicing non-stop since the last tournament.” The woman said.

“Actually… you're slated to retire right? Your vessel is already in reserves, that right?” Tico asked.

“Yeah… what is this about?” The woman asked.

“Well… I know you have been bitching about the government and all the crap they put you through on your last deployment. Why not… steal back your boat and join me? Come on, Bunker Hill… it'll be fun. Promise!” Tico said.

“Join… you? What did you do?” Bunker Hill asked cautiously.

“Oh… nothing major… just linked up with Bonnie and are currently sailing out from the breakers in Brownsville towards the Atlantic. Apparently New Jersey's got a party coming up and we need as many guests as we can get. So… here's your invitation!” Tico said excitedly.

“I cannot count the number of felonies committed in that sentence alone… I'll call San Jacinto. She can break out from Norfolk. I have to try and bypass the Ford and her battlegroup… Enty is with them… so it may take time.” Bunker Hill said.

“Sweet! I look forward to seeing you again, dear sister. I'll let Bonnie know to expect not one, but two more cruisers!” Tico said as she hung up the call.

“Oh Bonnie! We got a couple more escorts!” Tico yelled excitedly.

Chapter Text

I was glued to the projection in front of me. After sealing the sub, Arkhangelsk had done me a favor and raised the periscope So I could turn it and watch the Nagato class battleship that was following us. As someone who hadn't even seen a cruise ship before, watching an antique battleship slice quietly through the waves made me incredibly happy. The sea was calm during this stretch of our journey. I watched the battleship sail at a distance of three hundred yards and still couldn't rip my eyes away.

“Intriguing, isn't it?” NJ asked.

“It's so cool! I've never gotten to see a warship like this before. Everything I've ever seen was either a museum, or active military in port at Norfolk. This is amazing to see! I'm one of the only people left alive to see this ship operate as intended, so of course I'd be intrigued. Look at how the bow effortlessly cuts the water! Look at the pagoda swaying in the wind! Look at her secondary guns moving in their casemates! This is awe inspiring!” I exclaimed.

“They'll be peeling off. We've hit the open ocean now. They will be taking your prefered route through the Indian ocean. I have provided Nagato with a piece of equipment that she attached to her superstructure. It will alert her if she is detected by radar. She has assured me that she is capable of speeds in excess of twenty-six knots. It will take time for her to escape detection, but in this part of the world, there is nothing she should fear since most of the American forces are concentrated in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. So pirates and lesser navies won't be able to stop her. I have given her advanced warning about Rocket Propelled Grenades and missiles, but with both Musashi and Shinano with her, they will have enough point defense to defend until they can no longer be targeted.” Arkhangelsk explained.

“American Subs?” I asked.

“No orders have been given to sink any ship of any Navy. She will likely be tailed since she doesn't have the means to detect them.” Arkhangelsk admitted.

“Hopefully it's a Kansen operated vessel…” I murmured as the IJN Nagato disappeared into the dark of the early morning.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

San Jacinto was sitting on a wharf near Norfolk with a fishing rod and a bottle of Jack Daniels. She was joined by two smaller women, who were also fishing.

“You're acting like Laffey now, Jack…” One of the short women with blond hair spoke.

“And? Who cares, Gridley? I just lost another boyfriend… can't a girl just have a drink when she needs to vent?” Jacinto asked.

“True… but you've only known the guy six months.” The short girl with blue hair spoke.

“It's not the length of time that matters, Dewey. It's how that time was spent… I really grew to like him. But of course he didn't want a commitment… none of them do anymore.” Jacinto said as her phone rang.

“Bunker Hill?” Jacinto asked as she answered the phone and put it on speaker.

“Heyyy Bestie! How's it going?” Jacinto asked.

“Are… you alone right now, Jack?” Bunker Hill asked.

“Just with Grid and Dewey. What's up?” Jacinto asked.

“Can… you take this call in private? Something's happened.” Bunker Hill said.

“If by something you mean New Jersey… we already know, Bunker Hill.” Dewey said softly.

“So the Navy knows… I won't drag you into this then.” Bunker Hill said.

“We don't care. We're off the clock anyway. Ships are in for refit. We don't have a deployment date set yet.” Gridley admitted with a shrug.

“I'd venture a guess that this has something to do with our untethered dragon friend?” Jacinto asked.

“Yeah. Ticonderoga and Bonnie have both busted out from Brownsville, Texas. I'm preparing to break into the stockyards here and break out my old hull. I told Tico I'd call you.” Bunker Hill spoke.

“So what are you asking me to do?” Jacinto asked.

“Break out and join us. Tico said we are having one hell of a party… and I ain't letting her go alone until I can beat her in Siege… she keeps rubbing it in my face… especially since she was on the opposing team in the last tournament.” Bunker Hill said.

“That's quite the petty reason to commit such a blatant act of treason, Bunker Hill.” Gridley spoke flatly.

“You two would be wise to join too. This is a fight for all our lives at this point. I don't know much more than that. Do what you want. I held up my end of the bargain for Tico. Goodbye for now.” Bunker Hill said as she hung up. Jacinto reeled in her pole and took another swig of Jack Daniels.

“Are you seriously considering it?” Gridley asked.

“Why not? It's not like I got much more going on… I've been slated for retirement. I'll struggle like all the others since the Navy didn't set up accommodations for me once I'm out. It would ultimately be better to live… or die at sea than struggle.” Jacinto said as she stood and began walking away.

“Really think about this! You're going against the entire United States! Against us!” Dewey cried.

“Then join me… if not… may we never meet in battle… I'd hate to have to fire on you in anger.” Jacinto said as she began walking towards the direction of where her vessel was berthed.

Gridley looked at Dewey.

“What do we do? We have to report this.” Gridley said.

“Do we? She has a point… they don't care about us anymore, Gridley. We aren't as important now as we were back in the second world war. There's enough computers onboard our hulls that all we're there to do is act as consultants. But… we take our hulls and head out with Jack? We can be as free as we were back during our prime. We'd have control.” Dewey said.

Gridley thought about her friend's words.

“And even still… our retirement looms too. How long before we're cast aside? Intrepid is living on her ship because she can't afford rent in New York. I heard Alabama and Massachusetts are both doing the same. They won't save an Arleigh Burke class destroyer, Grid… we'll be homeless too. We're the tip of the spear. We can defend whatever this convoy is that New Jersey is a part of. I… think I'm gonna do it… with or without you.” Dewey said as she chased after Jacinto.

Gridley gritted her teeth.

“Oh what the hell… wait for me, Dewey!” Gridley yelled as she chased after her friends.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Bunker Hill stood on the deck of her decommissioned cruiser. A cardboard box lay open on its side at her feet. She had made it this far without being detected. But now came the climax of her little adventure. Kneeling down to touch the deck, the hull responded and alarms throughout the holding yards sounded.

“Bunker Hill reporting. All systems operational. Ahead full.” Bunker Hill monologued as the mooring lines to her vessel snapped, allowing her to sail out into open water as armed soldiers and guards ran along the pier, helpless to stop her. Her radar pinged several coast guard cutters closing in, but knowing they'd be at risk of damaging their ships, Bunker Hill knew she'd be able to make a break. The real problem would be if Enterprise was on station to stop her.

The cruiser made wake as it left the holding yard with three Cutters in pursuit. Trying to think of ways to get the cutters off of her, Bunker Hill dispatched two MH-60R helicopters loaded with depth charges. Set to a depth of fifteen feet, the charges could produce enough shock damage to force the cutters to terminate pursuit. As the cutters closed in, Bunker Hill released her charges into the water. Moments later, columns of water shot up around the signature orange and white cutters before flood alarms could be heard.

Bunker Hill looked back to see the cutters reducing speed to manage the damage they had sustained. She tuned her radio to listen in on their communications. She smiled when no fatalities were registered, only mild injury due to the concussive blasts. By now the cutters had slowed to a crawl and Bunker Hill was putting distance between herself and her pursuers. She picked up her phone and dialed a number.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Tico was enjoying the midnight wind of the Gulf. She had slid into ‘formation’ with Bon Homme Richard as the two steamed quickly through the Gulf of Mexico.

Tico felt her phone go off. When she looked at it, she saw Bunker Hill's caller ID. She quickly answered.

“Hey hey! How's it going, sis?” Tico asked.

“I had to flood a few cutters to get them off me… but I'm out of the holding pen. I'm taking the long way out and around San Diego and Los Angeles… I should be able to meet up in the South Atlantic in a week… if Enty isn't ordered to come after me. I have no doubt the news is going nuts right now.” Bunker Hill said.

“Oh you got that right, Bunker Hill. I'm watching several news outlets right now. Two Arleigh Burke class destroyers are escorting a… me-class cruiser out of Norfolk. There's flying metal and cars in the air in Brest where a Richelieu class Battleship is being rebuilt right before their eyes. Massive fighting on the ground there, but… and I might be wrong… I swear that little flash of white is the french destroyer Le Malin. She's out fighting whatever response force came to investigate. Jean Bart is nowhere to be found. Let's see… ah, over in Italy there's a Littorio class Battleship being rebuilt as well, however police can't even get close due to what looks like a crowd of… paparazzi? I guess one of the Italian girls is some kind of supermodel.” Tico explained as she watched more screens pop up on her bridge.

“So this really is some big party. How did New Jersey manage this?” Bunker Hill asked.

“I dunno… but I just got a developing story that the Admiral Ushikov has gone missing from it's pen in Severodvinsk. The ruskies are trying to spin some web of lies to blame us, as per usual. That would be the Kirov for those of us uninitiated. And… ooo the Navy has dispatched two destroyers to search for Nautilus since her disappearance two nights ago from Groton. The Navy has made a statement that despite these events, it only has one carrier group it can dispatch to deal with the matter. The remaining matters will be up to the respective navies to deal with. Oh? And another story out of Brazil. The São Paulo, formerly French Carrier Foch has loosed itself from its moorings and is headed out to sea while fending off the Brazilian coast guard. Sounds like we have quite the roster here.” Tico elaborated.

“Good god… this is a lot bigger than I anticipated. There's so much integration that needs to happen. Has anyone been in contact with New Jersey? Where is she in all of this?” Bunker Hill asked.

“South Dakota has been.” Bonnie butted in, hacking into the call.

“Bonnie?” Bunker Hill asked.

“Hey Hill… how's life?” Bonnie said with an exasperated chuckle.

“Do you have a way to coordinate all this?” Bunker Hill asked.

“Nope. But I'm gonna send my happy ass towards the south. That's where I'd go if I were ringleading this ragtag group of outdated ships.” Bonnie said.

“That can cut two days off my trip then. I can be there in five days. Send coordinates when you find a spot. I'll work on contacting Jersey.” Bunker Hill said as she hung up.

“I guess it's up to me to contact South Dakota…” Bonnie spat.

“Yeah… I don't have her number, sis. And I don't know if she's shacking up with Alabama or Massachusetts during this whole thing… if she's even coming.” Tico said.

“I know she's coming. She indicated as much when she saw me in Wyoming State. You got Massachusetts's number? She was working on her sister's museum last I knew.” Bonnie asked.

“I do actually. Let's see what she's got to say.” Tico said as she dialed the number.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Onboard the USS Alabama, three women stood together on the bow. One of them was South Dakota.

“So… we really are doing this, aren't we?” One of them asked.

“Yes we are, Bama. It's about time we decided for ourselves. You two have been homeless for how long? How long have you sustained yourselves on donation money? The government doesn't care… they never did. We were disposable from the start… we all heard the horror stories about Oklahoma and Arizona. How they denied everything to Penny and Nevada. Do you really think that we should just sit back and let that uppity young gun pony up for us? We still have the steel in our spines, don't we?” South Dakota demanded. The other two women glared at South Dakota and nodded fervently.

“How am I getting to Fall Rivers? Feds have the coasts locked down. I have no way to get there quickly.” The third woman spoke.

“I'll get you there, Massa. Head for the fantail. I'll get the old girl fired up.” Alabama said as she knelt down and touched the deck. The ship came alive and soon after, the historically cluttered and cramped battleship became so once again as the deck and superstructure became littered with twenty and forty millimeter guns. On the fantail, a Vought Kingfisher shimmered into view.

“You have got to be kidding me… You're flying me to Fall Rivers?” Massachusetts asked.

“Get in. I'll manage it. I can hand off pilot controls to South Dakota so I can focus on getting you there safely. Now go before they scramble fighter jets.” Alabama spat as she practically forced Massachusetts into the airplane. Moments later, the catapult activated and sent the plane off into the night sky with Alabama controlling it from her vessel.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“We've made it into Russian territory. Keep quiet so the listening devices don't pick up anything.” Arkhangelsk whispered.

NJ and I nodded knowingly.

“We will surface in an hour. We're heading to an airfield in Petropavlovsk. Dragon… you need to dye your hair, quickly. The KGB had files on you back from the cold war. Officials at the airport could easily pick out your blue hair as suspicious.” Arkhangelsk whispered.

NJ nodded before disappearing into the depths of the submarine.

“And you, Admiral. Keep the collar on your coat pulled up. The less they see of you, the better. Do not interact with the pilot. Do not do anything to draw attention. When you get off this boat, there will be a car waiting for you on shore. The driver will take you to the plane. You two need to act like you belong there. They will be watching.” Arkhangelsk spoke seriously.

I nodded and put my coat on, pulling up the collar and making sure my MP7 was hidden away in the folds.

“Once we surface, you need to vacate quickly. I cannot be on the surface for more than five minutes. That'll be enough to launch the landing boat. You will be on your own the moment you step in that boat, as I need to vacate Russian Waters. They will kill me if I am caught. You understand.” Arkhangelsk stated.

“I do. Thank you for all you have done. We will make the most of this chance. I look forward to reuniting on the open ocean.” I said with a salute.

Arkhangelsk snapped a salute to me in return.

“I will do my best to collect the others, Admiral. You will have the full strength of the Northern Parliament soon enough.” Arkhangelsk said as NJ returned, her hair thoroughly dyed black. I could smell oil.

“Did… you just run oil through your hair?” I asked.

NJ winced and nodded.

“It's really uncomfortable, but it's all I could do. I can wash it off on the plane.” NJ said.

“Get ready. We're surfacing.” Arkhangelsk said as the four of us made our way to the exit hatch.

Chapter Text

Eugen landed at Eneiza International airport after a last minute flight. She had left Japan shortly after NJ had taken me to bed after falling asleep in the bath.

“Finally back. I'll have to thank Mikasa for arranging a flight for me on such short notice.” Eugen whispered as she walked off the plane. She put a hat on and covered her eyes with a dark pair of glasses as she quickly made her way through the airport and out to the taxi lane.

She hailed a taxi and hopped in before giving directions to the driver. As they took off, Eugen called Graf Spee.

“Spee?” Eugen spoke.

“Guten Morgen, Prinz Eugen. Fine day to make history, no?” Spee asked.

“You sound… different. Everything okay?” Eugen inquired.

“Of course. I saw something interesting online and decided to try something. Did you know that they kept my bronze eagle?” Spee asked.

“I did… what are you saying?” Eugen said.

“You won't be the only heavy cruiser representing the Ironblood, mein freund. I used the cover of night to rebuild my vessel from the wrecks in the bay. I even got my fuel system back up and working” Spee joked.

“You… rebuilt? It's on the news?!” Eugen cried.

Eugen turned the phone to speaker as she quickly surfed the internet to see stories coming out of Italy, France and Brazil.

“Oh shit…” Eugen whispered.

“Yeah. Looks like things are getting busy. I also reached out to that carrier leaving Brazil. She's on her way to our area, she'll meet us at sea and provide us with some air cover.” Spee explained.

“I'm back in country. I'll be there shortly and we can talk. I have more calls to make.” Eugen informed her.

“No worries. Just readjusting to the weight again. You never truly understand just how heavy these boats are until you lose one.” Spee commented.

“Ain't that the truth.” Eugen finished as she hung up the phone.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Spee smiled as she stood on the bow of her vessel, newly rebuilt as if it had just finished fitting out. She slipped her scarf around her neck and closed her eyes as her rigging shimmered into view. Massive mechanical arms cloaked her from her shoulders down. Her shimmering blue tail was covered by armored plating and sharp spikes. Two mechanical maws on either side of her held two massive gun turrets while her shoulders held two quad torpedo mounts.

Spee flexed her muscles and the rigging matched her movements simultaneously, as if her true arms had been replaced.

“It feels… so good to be back to this state. I'm ready to sail again!” Spee exclaimed excitedly as she rotated her turrets to their limits.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Martin and Martha locked the door to the house, being sure to slip the cash I had asked them to conceal into Martha's purse.

As expected, the black SUV that had been circling the block slowed to a crawl as Martin and Martha got into Martin's truck.

“We got what we needed, right?” Martin asked.

“Yes we did, sweetie. Tyler said Camden, right?” Martha asked.

“Yes. And based on what we know, we need to be ready to get to the USS New Jersey at a moment's notice. We can hold up in the hotel down the street and I can keep an ear on police scanners.” Martin said.

“Just remember to drive normally. I took what I could from the basement. Your old service weapon as well as the gift you had for Tyler. I picked up a couple rifles too. I hope it's enough. I didn't leave much.” Martha said worriedly.

“We'll be back eventually. But I feel that the kid will need anything we can provide.” Martin said as he pulled out into the road and took off for New Jersey.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

“I fucking knew it.” Mark raged as he drove his SUV into my driveway. On his phone, notifications were popping up from informants all over the US.

“Two Arleigh Burke and a Ticonderoga depart Norfolk amid gunfire from Coast Guard and naval assets.”

“Battleship Alabama launches fighter to the north before weighing anchor itself.”

“Ticonderoga escapes decon pen in California, damages coast guard cutters. No deaths reported.”

“Wasp class assault ship and Ticonderoga class cruiser escape Brownsville, sinking two coast guard cutters. No deaths recorded.”

“Unidentified object flying over Virginia vectored towards Massachusetts.”

Each ping made Mark angrier as he walked up to my front door and planted a boot right next to the deadbolt. Despite being a 6 foot tall 235 pound man, the door didn't budge. He tried to kick in the door again. Another failed attempt.

Mark looked up again to see the camera recording him. Without hesitation, he pulled out his service weapon, which clearly showed a wiped off blood smear, and shot the camera, disabling it.

Mark then turned his attention to the window leading into my living room and broke it with one of the bricks lining my driveway. Using his covered arm to clear the broken glass, he entered and began turning over my living room in an attempt to find anything to use as evidence against me.

When nothing of substance was found in my living room, he moved to the kitchen. Unknown to him, since he and Victor were never permitted to enter, Martin had placed extra cameras around the house, including one outside my bedroom door that had a perfect angle to see the majority of my room if the door was left open. Every move Mark made was being recorded. Martin had also had the sense of mind to set up a server and run it in a storage unit several towns over, which he tied my security system into to store the footage.

Mark tore through my kitchen, nearly ripping cupboards off the wall in his violent and illegal search. Once again, finding nothing but an almost empty fridge and a pile of mail on the table. Leafing through it, he found nothing addressed to anyone besides me. This further angered the man as he opened the door to my stairwell, putting a hole in the drywall behind the door due to the violent nature of his movements.

Storming up the stairs, he kicked in the bathroom door, but since most of the stuff I had bought for NJ had been lost in my accident before skipping the country, all that was in there was my personal effects.

Finally, he reached my bedroom. Kicking in the door hard enough to break one of the hinges, he looked inside to see an empty safe hanging open along with a computer. Sitting at my desk, he plugged a USB stick into the laptop and waited.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

NJ, Vestal and I stepped out of the boat that Arkhangelsk had allowed us to use to get ashore. Turning back, the submarine was gone. We were now illegally in the Russian federation. NJ closed her eyes.

“Honey?” I asked.

“Arkhangelsk gave me access to her onboard mapping database. I'm memorizing it before she gets too far away.” NJ said as I took the keys to a truck that Arkhangelsk had mentioned and began looking, finding it several seconds later.

“Let's go. We look suspect out here like this.” I said as we darted over to the truck. As expected, the truck was open and the fuel tank full. I started the truck and with NJ's guidance, we took off towards Petropavlovsk.

As we drove, I got a call from Martin.

“Hey, Martin. What's up?” I asked.

“We're heading to the pickup area. Like you had described. The feds breached your house not too long ago, basically as soon as we were gone. I'd avoid coming back for anything. That Mark Faiser asshole hooked something up to your computer. I'd bet a mountain of cash it's spyware. If you can get right to the pickup area, that'd be ideal. They've thrown out the rulebook.” Martin spoke.

“We know. Mark killed Viktor.” NJ said.

“So he's gone rogue… that could be bad news. I have recordings backed up in a safe area. Once we're out of the country, I'll send an anonymous tip to the police and see if the footage can't get traction in our direction.” Martin said.

“Can we trust them? He's a department head in the FBI. It would have to bypass him to reach the director.” I said as NJ and I sped down the highway leaving into Petropavlovsk.

“I have friends in low places, boy. It'll reach that man's desk the very minute I deem it so. But for now, we skip town. You said you got a fleet forming. Let's see how good an Admiral you are.” Martin said as he cut the call.

“What now? We can't go back to the house.” NJ said as Vestal chimed in.

“You said this Mark guy killed Viktor? Viktor was the one who interviewed me after you left the hospital. He was pretty by the books… looks like Mark is a bit of an old head.” Vestal said.

“Explain.” I spoke.

“The way he operates. It has a real… weird vibe to it. Secretive.” Vestal spoke.

“Espionage?” NJ asked.

“Maybe. I can't say for certain. But maybe your acquaintance in the FBI could shed some light on this.” Vestal spat as we approached the outskirts of the city.

“Call Amy. We'll see what she can do.” I said as NJ dialed the number.

“Tyler?” Amy asked.

“One and only. You said you want to help? Now's your chance.” I said coldly.

“What can I do?” Amy asked.

“Do you have files on Mark Faiser?” I asked.

“I do. I pulled them for a different investigation, so I have them here.” Amy replied.

“What kind of things do we have on him?” I asked.

“A lot of it is redacted. But some interesting things stick out. Parts of it state he was in Moscow as an undercover agent up until 2001. We can assume he was deep cover inside KGB headquarters.” Amy said as I heard her flipping through pages of confidential files.

“Why did he come back?” I asked.

“All agents were recalled when the towers fell. It was all hands on deck, so I was told. He came back and transferred out of the CIA and joined the FBI, eventually snaking his way into the KIB division. His disdain for Kansen is well known.” Amy elaborated.

“And that's why he's made their lives so shitty.” NJ hissed.

“One could make that assumption. Why do you ask?” Amy inquired.

“He broke into my house and compromised my computer. I want to know what kind of man I'm dealing with. Do we know why he hates Kansen?” I asked.

“Not precisely… but there are several mentions of execution squads. Reading between the lines here… it reads like he was a member of one of these execution squads. It's a leap, but he could have hunted the Soviet Kansen… leading to their sparse numbers.” Amy said as I stopped the truck at the private entrance of the airfield. We were waved in and directed to a black private jet that had already been warmed up and was waiting on us.

“We'll discuss more in person. Gotta go. Be at Dulles in ten hours. With so much going on, the FBI is going to be scrambling. I doubt they'll miss you.” I said as I hung up.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Amy sighed as she put her phone in the cup holder of her SUV.

“Something wrong, Councilor?” A short, stocky man asked from the passenger seat.

“Yeah. We need to head for Dulles without being tailed.” Amy said.

“Simple enough. Start heading that way, I'll keep an eye on things.” The man said. The man had a short stubble beard shaped to his jawline. A scar over his right eye and on his lip as well as several on his right arm dictated a decent amount of field work. In his lap sat an M4 loaded for bear. A grenade launcher slung under the barrel and several quad stack magazines sat in holders around the passenger compartment. Forty millimeter grenades sat in two empty .50 caliber ammunition cases between his legs. If one would look at the ammunition loadout, they would see that the man had loaded each magazine with black tipped M995 5.56, meaning it could deal with the armor plating on FBI issued vehicles.

The man cocked his rifle as Amy took off from her hidden alley overlooking my house.

“George. Remember. We aren't killing our colleagues. They aren't all evil people… a lot of them are misguided.” Amy said softly.

“I agree, Councilor. But any who work under Mark are, by our definition, evil. If we are about to do what I think we are, when we reach international waters, all bets are off. I see them… they die.” George said flatly.

Amy sighed.

“I know I can't stop you… but just remember that Mark started this once he weaseled his way to the department head. He poisoned the department. The only one who deserves to die… is him.” Amy retorted as they sped down the highway towards Virginia.

Chapter Text

NJ, Vestal and I stepped out of the truck and quickly made our way to the blacked out private jet. Once up the staircase, it closed behind us and we barely had time to find seats before we began taxiing. It wasn't a super luxurious jet like Queen Elizabeth's, but I noticed drop tanks mounted to the wings close to the fuselage. Uncommon for a civilian aircraft, but if Arkhangelsk had managed to convince an Oligarch to get us from Petro to Dulles without stopping, I wasn't going to ask questions.

“Vestal… are you going to be okay driving straight to Manhattan? It would be closer to go to Patriot's point.” I spoke softly.

“I need to head North. There is something I need to grab before departing, the feds will be too busy focusing on you to worry about little old me.” Vestal whispered as we took to the skies.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

After hours of driving, and several well rehearsed lies to border guards, Tallinn drove her truck into the gate at the Sønderborg Lufthavn airport. Showing a letter to the guard manning the gate, she let Tallinn pass without an inspection, directing her to a section of the airfield where a military transport was waiting.

Tallinn swallowed, hoping this wasn't a trick. She hopped out of the truck to be met by a middle aged man, presumably the pilot.

“Und where are our guests?” The man asked in a heavy German accent.

Tallinn nodded and went to the back of the truck, opening the gate and allowing the five women to disembark. The man reacted immediately upon seeing Graf Zeppelin.

“Mein Gott…” The man exclaimed. Graf looked at him, and it seemed to draw up a memory.

“You look familiar… do I know you?” Graf asked flatly as she approached the man. Her heart pounded in her chest. She definitely knew this man, but could not… or would not expose that fact here.

“Nein, Fraulein… but you may know of my father.” The man said as he produced a photo from his wallet. It was a hastily taken photo, but clear enough to show a young man, similar to the pilot and Graf Zeppelin standing together. The young man wore a workman's uniform and Graf was wearing her wartime uniform, covered in swastikas and crosses.

“I remember… Your father was the foreman of my construction. Did he live a good life?” Zeppelin asked.

The pilot nodded.

“He just turned one hundred this month.” The pilot said with a smile.

“Tal… no… I'm not calling you by the damn ruskie name. Lützow, do you have a way to take a picture for this gentleman?” Zeppelin asked softly.

Tallinn nodded and produced a phone from her pocket.

“Can you take a picture of us?” Zeppelin asked as she stood next to the pilot.

Tallinn snapped the picture and sent it to the Pilot, who smiled upon receipt.

“Vielen Danke, Fraulein… I am sure my father would be happy to see this again. He spoke fondly of you.” The pilot said as he escorted the six women onboard his aircraft.

“Where are we heading?” The pilot asked.

“Where all the other officers went… Get us to Buenos Aires.” Tallinn said.

“Verstanden. Buckle in, it's a long flight.” The pilot said as they began taxiing.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

The girls got settled in as they took to the sky.

Zeppelin sat with a smile on her face.

“It's a shame.” Zeppelin spoke softly.

“What is, Frau Zeppelin?” Z23 asked.

“His father and I were in love back then. Before war's end. We tried for months to conceive a child… but it never worked. I couldn't bear him a child. The war ended and I was locked away with the rest of our sisters. I assume he ran to Denmark and married a fine Danish woman. Ironic that he is a pilot, no?” Zeppelin asked.

“In another life… maybe things could have been different.” Weser spoke.

“I often pondered that… but now that regret screams louder… knowing that I could not bear children with my lover. But knowing that had things lined up in my favor… my son would be going on ninety. I wouldn't have much time before having to bury him. So perhaps it is for the best…” Zeppelin said as tears fell from her eyes.

Z23 rushed over and comforted the heavy carrier.

“I'm sorry.” Z23 whispered.

“It is not your fault. Fate can be a cruel mistress.” Zeppelin said.

“I've never seen you cry before, Zep… I guess even the hardest of us crack sometimes.” Hipper said as they crossed the English channel.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Eugen stepped out of the cab she had taken from the airport and paid the driver her toll. After a few moments, she was alone on a dirt road overlooking a seemingly empty inlet leading to the ocean. Looking out, she saw Martin Garcia Island and two smaller islands in the deeper water just to the west of it.

“Home sweet home…” Eugen said as she began walking down the slope towards the inlet. As she got closer, a small cabin right on the waterfront came into view. Standing outside the cabin was a short girl with white hair. Like Eugen, she had a red stripe emblazoned on her left bang. She wore a black sundress that did little to hide a vibrant blue shark tail poking out from the small of the woman's back.

Eugen smiled.

“Welcome home, Prinz. I assume your travels went well?” The woman spoke knowingly.

“You know they did, Spee. I got the marks to prove it.” Eugen said as she lifted her shirt to show the sickly yellow bruise that still had yet to resolve fully.

“Who did that? Surely none of the Royal Navy.” Spee asked.

“One of the lucky few to survive being slugged by a very angry New Jersey.” Eugen said with a chuckle.

“She hit you? Why?” Spee asked.

“I… maybe kinda sorta almost killed our Kommandant when I bumped into him in London. I didn't know it at the time… but the guy I was going to rob… was New Jersey's boyfriend… this was the result.” Eugen said.

“No wonder why she sounded so angry on the phone. Shame on you… I still had funds here I could have wired you.” Spee scolded.

“That is your money. I took my portion and spent it getting there. I wasn't going to ask for help.” Eugen replied.

“So where is the Kommandant? Is he not with you?” Spee asked as she looked around.

“No. He is returning to the US to commandeer the battleship New Jersey. But as you have so graciously enlightened me, there's a lot more going on.” Eugen said.

“Yes. And I have more. Apparently there are some super modern ships joining us too. Missile cruisers and destroyers. Even one of those fancy assault ships the Americans have.” Spee said.

“This is really sounding like it could work.” Eugen said as she got a message sent to her radio.

“Tallinn is on her way, they just crossed over Britain and have hit open ocean. They'll be here in eight hours.” Eugen said.

“Good. Just enough time for you to check out my handiwork. She looks just like new… Duetschland would be proud.” Spee said softly.

“Tallinn said she didn't find Duetschland in Berlin. She must have been transferred to another prison. We will get her out. The Kommandant won't stop until every Kansen, regardless of nation, is free… even us.” Eugen said.

“He is a strange man… to blindly trust former Nazis.” Spee said.

“We aren't them, Spee. We never were. We were Kriegsmarine. The worst we did was sink civilian shipping. We never touched those dreaded camps.” Eugen deadpanned.

“Still. We were a part of the regime. I'm shocked he is able to separate entity from association. Truly a man I must meet to believe.” Spee quipped.

“You will soon enough… just don't expect a one on one meeting. She sticks to him… like a nuclear shadow. She is the speaker to give his voice authority. She will be by his side no matter what.” Eugen said.

“Is that so? How did she fare with Vittorio? You had mentioned all the guests at your meeting.” Spee asked.

“Vittorio learned her place quickly after being shown the damage done to Musashi… to think that the Sakura's superweapon would be torn apart so easily… and from what I understand, the black dragon didn't use any of her new tech. Just steel and gunpowder… and Musashi was still a wreck nearly a day later.” Eugen spoke.

“Gott… what did she do?” Spee asked.

“Musashi tried to attack the Kommandant. I stepped in and took the brunt of the attack, but Jersey tore her down while playing defense… in an attempt to not kill her. But I heard her yelling about how difficult it was to keep those nine mark sevens from shredding that fox.” Eugen explained as she and Spee slowly made their way to a small rowboat beside the cabin.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Zeppelin had finally collected herself enough to go to the cockpit of the plane. The pilot turned back to see her and smiled, waving her in.

“Have a seat. It's cramped if you keep standing.” The pilot said cheerfully.

“You're not scared? I look the same now as I did in that picture you have. Surely you know I'm not normal.” Zeppelin said softly.

“Of course, Fraulein. Why do you think my father fled to Denmark? He did not wish to be caught up in the aftermath of Nuremberg. You are a…schiffsmädchen? No?” The pilot asked.

“Ja. Aircraft Carrier Graf Zeppelin.” Zeppelin said with a smile.

“Ah. And I am a pilot. What a coincidence.” The pilot said with a chuckle.

“I was thinking the same thing. What is your name?” Zeppelin asked.

“Otto. Otto Vermackt… retired air force pilot.” Otto said.

Zeppelin smiled.

“Otto… it has a nice ring to it. Do you have family back home, Otto?” Zeppelin asked.

“Nein. My military career kept me off the market. But I am single. Why? Looking for a date, miss Zeppelin?” Otto asked with a chuckle.

“If you ask nicely enough. How does… dinner for two aboard a Hipper class cruiser sound?” Zeppelin asked.

Otto chuckled.

“Well… I have always wanted to see the world outside of Europe. Sure. Let's give it a go.” Otto said as Zeppelin smiled before settling into the co-pilot's seat.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Mark finished scouring my computer. Finding nothing of note enraged him further.

“There has to be something. Twenty years and nothing on this scale has ever occurred. Now we have Kansen defecting from every corner of the US? Damn that fucking New Jersey! We should have kept a fucking leash on her. Slaved her to that damn submarine so she would never have met him.” Mark raged as he hastily made his way down the stairs and out my front door, leaving the door open in a futile attempt to make it look like a routine robbery.

He ran to his vehicle and left the property, opting to continue partols to await my return. Unknown to him, Amy and George were already a quarter of the way to Dulles International to scoop up NJ and I.

His attention was swiftly drawn upwards by the sound of a propeller aircraft. Looking up, he stared in disbelief as a floatplane painted in World War two naval colors flew overhead, heading North.

Mark cursed the fact that he couldn't do anything without drawing too much attention. He called a number on his phone.

“Lock down Fall Rivers. I have confirmed sighting of a world war two floatplane heading North. It has to be Massachusetts. I recognize the plane from the Alabama.” Mark spoke flatly as he hung up the phone.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

I looked out the window of the jet we were flying on. Looking down, I saw mountains and snow.

“Looks like we just hit Alaska.” I said softly. Right on que, our plane was flanked by F-22 fighters based out of Alaska.

“NJ?” I asked as I looked at her.

“Already listening in, Honey.” NJ whispered as she touched my phone. I put the phone to my ear.

“PETR0943, what are your intentions in this airspace?” A grizzled man's voice was heard.

“Passing through. Flight to Virginia.” Our russian pilot replied.

A minute of silence.

“Your flight plan looks in order, but I must insist you land for an inspection.” The fighter pilot spoke.

I shut off my phone the moment I felt the plane begin to descend.

“I need to hide this.” I said as I pulled my MP7 from the folds of my jacket.

NJ looked around the cabin and saw a bathroom at the back.

“Go check the bathroom. Maybe hide it in the vent?” NJ suggested.

I nodded and went to the bathroom and locked myself inside. Looking around the cramped closet, I was relieved to find a loose panel that hugged the outside of the plane. I was able to pull it away just enough to slip my weapon into. Thankfully the panel was right above a support strut, meaning my weapon wouldn't be going anywhere.

“We are going to have to show documentation more than likely.” I said as I sat back down next to NJ, buckling in just as the tires hit the runway at Elmendorf Air Force Base.

“Let's hope not. This could get bad really quick.” NJ whispered as our plane rolled to a stop. The cockpit door opened and our Pilot went to the door and opened it, allowing a squad of three soldiers to step aboard. The soldiers swept the plane, opening every container they could, even opening the bathroom to search it.

One of the soldiers came to NJ, Vestal, and I and held out his hand.

“Identification.” The soldier demanded.

I nodded and presented my passport, hoping to the gods above that the federal government hadn't put a warrant out for me yet.

“Returning from Russia?” The soldier asked.

“Yes.” NJ replied shortly. Her tone indicating a lack of desire to continue talking. Thankfully, the soldiers seemed to pick up on this and hastened their search.

The soldier nodded before speaking into his radio. He handed back our documents as the other two soldiers nodded to him. Their search seemingly complete, they all filed towards the door of the aircraft.

Without another word, the three soldiers exited the plane and allowed us to taxi back out to the runway. Within twenty minutes, we were back in the sky heading for Dulles.

“Well… That went better than expected.” Vestal said.

“They contacted the FBI. Thankfully Amy is already on her way to Dulles and has been handed the assignment anyway. Just means that there is a chance that Mark has also been informed.” NJ said as we all sighed.

“Well… we’ll handle it when we get there. We shouldn’t be accosted for the rest of the trip… right?” I asked.

“We shouldn’t. That search was for drugs, weapons, and other illegal contraband or refugees. They likely informed the FBI to send agents to receive us and question our intentions further. But if it’s Amy, then we are home free.” NJ said.

“Let’s hope then…” I said as we soared out of Alaskan airspace.

Chapter Text

“Be safe, my friend. I'll see you again soon.” A woman in white spoke to Laffey as she stepped down the gangway at Patriot's Point.

“You be careful too, Yorktown.” Plenty of people aren't going to like what we're doing. Stay safe… I'd hate to have to remind my own nation what it's like to feel the fire of war.” Laffey said as her engines kicked to life, pulling the mooring lines until they snapped, lurching the destroyer forward with enough force to break through the floating walkways keeping the vessel blocked in. With the sounds of sheering metal and crunching wood on account of Laffey plowing through several sailboats, Laffey had escaped the confines of Patriot's point and was now headed at full speed away from Charleston and her vessel’s home for the past few decades.

At nearly five miles out, Laffey looked back to see a plume of black smoke emitting from the smokestack of Yorktown's vessel.

Laffey smiled.

“Godspeed, my friend. I'll see you soon… with New Jersey right behind me.” Laffey said as she watched Yorktown pull away from Patriot's point, heading south and out to sea.

Laffey turned her attention back to the bow of her ship, sitting in her captain's chair on the bridge. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the orange and white color scheme of a Coast Guard cutter closing in.

“Unidentified vessel, this is the US Coast Guard. Shut down your engines and prepare to be boarded.” A voice came over Laffey's radio.

“How about you forget you ever saw me… and I don't turn your boat into an aquarium decoration. You may have a deck gun… but I have three five inch dual gun turrets and six torpedo tubes. I'll win.” Laffey replied with a flat tone and a bad attitude.

“Is… that a… destroyer?” The voice asked in the background of the radio hail.

“How observant. You get a gold star. Tell you what, you leave me alone and go back to base, and when more of us show up, I remind them not to blow you up when you're inevitably forced to confront us. I think that sounds like a good deal.” Laffey said as she turned all three five inch turrets to face the cutter that was approaching her, as well as making a show of turning her torpedo tubes out to face the oncoming threat.

“Unidentified destroyer… you are clear to continue on your current trajectory.” The main voice said shakily, no doubt seeing his vessel become a priority target for six rapid firing five inch guns pointed directly at his bridge.

Laffey sighed.

“Laffey.” The destroyer replied.

“What?” The voice asked.

“I'm not an unidentified destroyer. I am Laffey. Pick up a history book every now and then.” Laffey scolded as she closed her eyes, urging her engines to move faster as a massive plume of smoke began to emanate from canisters around the ship, fully concealing the vessel from view. This allowed Laffey to break line of sight to change course and take up a heading further North.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

NJ, Vestal, and I braced as the plane touched down in Virginia. Looking outside, we saw a blacked out SUV surrounded by police vehicles. With a sigh, I went to the bathroom of the plane and retrieved my weapon before racking the bolt and chambering a round. I whisked the weapon into the folds of my overcoat before turning to NJ and Vestal.

“Do you have another cufflink ready?” I asked.

“Yes. This is my last one… if we need to use it, we need to make it count.” NJ said as Vestal cast a concerned look our way.

“Tyler… you're not a killer. Don't change that here.” Vestal cautioned.

“It all depends on who's behind that blacked out windshield… I won't let you guys be put down anymore.” I replied as the door to the plane opened. The pilot spoke over the speakers in the jet. The Russian accent was heavy, but he spoke english.

“Get off the plane. I must return home.” The pilot spoke shortly.

“Looks like there's no stalling.” I said as Vestal, NJ, and I stepped out of the plane and immediately had guns pointed at us from the cops.

“Hands where we can see them!” The cops spoke as the doors to the SUV opened. NJ and I relaxed slightly as we saw Amy step out with a short, but built man carrying an M4.

“Tyler Sweigart. Nicole Jackson. Nancy Collier. Step away from the plane and towards the black vehicle. Keep your hands visible and walk slowly.” Amy spoke into the policeman's loudspeaker.

I looked at NJ. She looked at me and nodded subtly before the three of us began walking slowly towards the black SUV. When we got close enough, the shorter man put himself between us and the cops, half ushering and half pushing us into the vehicle.

“Easy! Easy! She's delicate!” I snapped as I heard the rifle clatter as he pushed NJ into the SUV.

“Sure she is…” The man spoke.

As Vestal was guided into the vehicle, the man shut the door and got into the passenger's seat as Amy climbed in and reversed out of the private hanger section of the airport.

“Amy?” I asked.

“Hmm?” Amy asked as she watched the cops file out and leave the airport grounds.

“Are you here to help us?” I asked.

“Why would I be here if I wasn't?” Amy asked flatly.

“Then I need Nancy to be dropped off at the long term parking. She needs to get my car.” I said.

“That's fine. You two are who the Bureau wants anyway. Nancy just happened to be in a bad spot.” Amy said as she drove over to the long term parking, allowing Vestal to open the back door and get out. We stayed put until Vestal disappeared into the lot before driving towards the exit.

“So… FBI, huh?” I asked.

“Yeah… sorry. When we tracked New Jersey to your home based on her spending… I was assigned to keep an eye on her. But when Mark is your boss… he works to make the lives of Kansen worse… and now that I have his files…” Amy said as the short man handed me a large manila folder.

“... it seems it wasn't just a bad character trait.” Amy said as I leafed through the file, seeing redacted documents and censored photos. The photos blurred faces, but the bodies of dead women were splayed out in front of NJ and I. NJ gasped.

“What is it?” I asked.

“That one… I don't know the others off the top of my head… but I know her.” NJ said as she pointed to the picture of a woman with long gray hair braided down to her ankles. Even with her head blurred, I could see two red eyes and two dark protrusions from her head. Her clothes were burned slightly, but the cause of death was clearly the sheer number of bullet holes in her torso. The photo was dated. I couldn't tell the month or the day… but the year was 1999… the year of the purge.

“Who was she?” I asked.

“German Cruiser Nürnberg. She was transferred to the Soviets in 1945. Her vessel was scrapped in 1960.” NJ explained.

“How was she killed like this? Aren't girls like you bulletproof?” I asked, a new fear gripping my spine.

“She didn't have a vessel. Girls who have vessels are practically immortal in terms of things that would kill normal people. But without a ship and without our rigging… we're only slightly more survivable. We aren't gods, honey.” NJ said softly.

“And we just sent Vestal out…” I spoke hollowly.

“She'll be fine. She's not under investigation currently… last I checked. And we were the only ones to see her with you here. MI5 saw her with you in London, but that can be written off as coincidence. Your movements in Japan were discreet enough, so that can be written off. She'll be okay.” Amy said.

“For someone labeled as a terrorist… you worry a lot.” The short man said as NJ growled at him.

“Speak poorly of him again, and I'll tear you in two. I've had to protect him from god knows how much shit at this point. Not half of which was caused by our oh-so-wonderful government.” NJ hissed.

“It was not meant as an insult, New Jersey. Just… not what I expected.” The man spoke.

“Amy, who is this guy?” NJ asked pointedly.

“George is my subordinate. He cares about this just as I do… he's just not the most personable. But with a background in the Rangers and exceptional scores for marksmanship, he is by far one of the best men that work under me. Hence the rifle and abundance of munitions.” Amy said as she merged onto the highway heading North.

“Don't happen to have four point six millimeter, do you?” I asked.

“No. MP7's aren't available for import.” George said.

“Shit… so I'm limited.” I said as I unveiled my own machine pistol.

“Where did you get that?!” Amy cried.

“I met… a lot of new friends.” I said cryptically.

“I'm sure we can find a case if we need to, honey.” NJ said as we sped down the highway towards Camden.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Nagato cut through the waves of the South China Sea. A sigh indicative of happiness escaped her lips as Shinano and Musashi flanked her on her bridge.

"Something the matter, Nagato?” Musashi asked.

“Not at all. It's refreshing to feel the waves against my keel again after so long. I will have to find a way to thank the American for this plan of his. It's been so long since I've felt alive like this.” Nagato said happily.

“A shame my vessel lies too deep to recover. I envy you, Lady Nagato.” Musashi said softly.

“Envy? I thought such things were beneath you, my friend.” Nagato replied.

“Not at all. I realize my place in this world after the altercation with New Jersey. My classification as a superweapon clouded my mind for so long that the clear skies now feel like a breath of fresh air. I was truly humbled by the black dragon… and despite my quarrels with my defeat, I am thankful for such an effective wake-up call.” Musashi admitted.

“I'm sure. I tried to warn you.” Nagato spoke softly.

“I know… but I was too angry to allow your words to carry their meaning. New Jersey showed me mercy. She had every right to destroy me… I attacked the Shikikan. But she didn't… I understand that I no longer hold the power I once did. Still… I wish I could sail again.” Musashi spoke.

“Who knows what the future holds? Maybe something better awaits you.” Nagato said as she steamed purposefully towards the Indian Ocean.

Chapter Text

In Brest, metal scrap and broken cars were scattered over the span of one and a half square miles surrounding a newly minted Richelieu class battleship. French police forces cowered behind vehicles as the more bold in their forces laid injured on the ground in the courtyard that once held a single gun barrel from the FFNF Richelieu.

On the bow of said battleship, a woman dressed in the colors of her nation stood proudly as a woman in white slowly backed up the gangway leading to the deck, her massive spear keeping the police forces at bay until she reached the wooden deck, where the small woman in white swiped the retaining bolts with her spear, rending the steel and allowing the gangway to fall freely into the water.

“Well done, Le Malin.” Richelieu said cheerfully as the destroyer knelt in front of her.

“I heard your call of revolution, My Cardinal. I shall be the holy sword that helps you guide the remaining Kansen to freedom. I stand in service to our God… and to you. I am with you.” The destroyer spoke as her head touched the crossguard of her sword.

Richelieu smiled as she touched a hand to her ear.

“Jean? Are we ready?” Richelieu asked.

“Yes. And I have the materials needed for the Admiral and New Jersey's rings. I am waiting for you in international waters outside of Brest. I did not run into much resistance.” Jean Bart replied.

“They let you take it?” Richelieu asked.

“I didn't give them a choice. And considering that the country's carrier isn't here at the moment, they can't stop you either. If you're done stalling, we need to be at the mouth of the Mediterranean to link up with Vittorio.” Jean Bart said.

“I understand. Anchors Aweigh.” Richelieu said as she ended communications.

Richelieu spoke a silent prayer before raising the banner of her old Navy. The battle standard of the Iris Orthodoxy flew times over from her communications wires and superstructure. Looking down at Le Malin, who had not moved, Richelieu spoke.

“Aujourd'hui est un nouveau jour. Un nouveau défi nous attend. Puisse la Grâce de Dieu nous accompagner. Vive la révolution.”

The destroyer looked up at her.

“Tomorrow's dawn brings a new day. A mighty battle awaits us. May the will of God guide our blades to the truth we seek. I raise a prayer to the heavens that our call to arms is answered. We fight for freedom. Boundless, limitless, unadulterated freedom. Vive la révolution!” Le Malin countered as she stood beside Richelieu.

With the sounding of her horn, water began to churn behind the massive vessel as the French battleship took to the open sea, disappearing into the night.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Belfast took one final look at the city of London. In the dark of the night, London was a city that could mesmerize even the dullest of men. It was the subject of her service during the war, to protect this city and the nation it was contained within. And for nearly a century now, she had sat here, silently watching the city grow from the ruins of a bombed out city into a massive hub for everything the nation of Britain could need.

Belfast's radio lit up.

“Belfast. I've activated my reactor. Alarms are going off. You should expedite your departure. I'll meet you in the channel. If we are quick, we can link up with Richelieu, Jean Bart and Vittorio.” Warspite spoke.

“I understand. Reactivating on your order.” Belfast spoke as her engines roared to life. A police unit nearby heard the commotion and made their way over towards the vessel, but were stopped by a sudden burst of smoke that was being emitted from the vessel. Belfast had begun to generate a massive smokescreen to buy her enough time to get out of the berth she had called home for so long.

With the smoke still pouring out and fully blanketing several blocks surrounding her old berth, Bel managed to get her vessel spun around in the relatively tight channel and began motoring at speed towards the English Channel.

Bel looked back at the cloud of smoke as a single tear left her eyes.

“So long for now, old friend.” Bel whispered as she turned back to face the reality of her new life.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Vittorio tapped her foot on the bridge of her newly reconstructed vessel. Her reconstruction had brought hundreds of fans as soon as word had gotten around that she was in La Spezia. The crowd was so dense that the police couldn't even approach.

When the police tried to use more forceful approach methods, the crowd lashed back, leading to small skirmishes on the outside of the courtyard. Vittorio smiled softly as she walked out onto one of the many platforms overseeing the side of the ship.

Looking out over the crowd, she saw Littorio, Impero and Littorio's wife making their way through the sea of fans towards her vessel. Vittorio decided to put on one final show for her adoring fans.

“Un caro saluto al mio meraviglioso pubblico. Credo che sia giunto il momento di annunciare il mio addio. Mi mancherete terribilmente e non vedo l'ora di ricevere il vostro continuo supporto in futuro. Vi amo tutti! Arrivederci!” Vittorio called from the tallest platform on her bridge, her voice carrying over the crowd to the hundreds of men and women who had come to see her off.

The crowd cheered and cried all at once as Littorio and company made it aboard before destroying the gangway.

Vittorio confirmed that her family had made it aboard before kicking the engines into gear and steaming out into the Mediterranean, the cries of her adoring fans wailing on the wind behind her.

“So long everyone… I don't know when I'll be back… but I promise I'll have plenty to show for it.” Vittorio said softly as she returned to her conning tower to begin her trek towards the Atlantic.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Otto landed the plane at Ezeiza. Within twenty minutes of landing, he had taxied the cargo plane into the private hangers he had purchased prior to collecting Tallinn and the other German Kansen. With nobody to question him, or stop them, Tallinn made a phone call as everyone gathered outside the airport.

Z23 smiled as she saw Otto and Zeppelin holding hands out of the corner of her eyes. Otto was smiling and Zeppelin wore a soft blush that she was trying desperately to hide.

“Looks like Zeppelin isn't wasting any time finding a man.” Nimi whispered to Hipper, who subtly turned to look at the adorable sight Nimi had informed her of.

Snickering quietly, Hipper turned back to Nimi.

“I overheard that our pilot is the son of the Foreman who helped build Zeppelin back during the war. Perhaps the son can offer what the father could not?” Hipper whispered.

“I think it's nice, Hipper. Zeppelin has been miserable since the end of the war… maybe this is just what she needs.” Weser said softly as Tallinn returned to the group.

“I have a truck coming. Eugen said she's a bit to the North. She can't take off until we're onboard.” Tallinn said as the girls nodded.

A short while later, a truck pulled up. An old man got out and went to Tallinn, who handed over a wad of American currency to the old man, who saluted Tallinn with a fist over his heart before taking the money and heading for the taxi line outside the airport.

“Who was that?” Leipzig asked softly.

“An old friend. A defector from the soviet union from before the collapse. He helped oversee my transfer to and from the Kara-Class cruiser I was bound to in the seventies.” Tallinn said.

“And the money? Where did you get American Dollars? Russia isn't on friendly terms with the United States.” Weser stated.

“I spent time outside of Russia, you guys… I told you I was hiding out in Belarus… my work allowed me to bump elbows with wealthy Americans… who tipped well enough to live on.” Tallinn spoke harshly.

Weser and Leipzig looked at each other.

“We… forgot you had mentioned doing some unsavory work… I apologize for my question.” Weser said softly.

“Don't apologize. I did what I had to do to survive. Better to be an object of lust than dead. At least I was pretty enough for them to listen when I made requests.” Tallinn said as she rubbed her arm.

“Let's forget about that! We need to get to Eugen. I'll drive!” Leipzig said as she snatched the key from Tallinn and took off towards the truck. The others noticed and followed while Tallinn was escorted over by Weser who helped her into the bed of the truck.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Amy blew past a sign reading ‘Welcome to Pennsylvania’.

“Amy? Where are we going?” I asked.

“You need Camden, right? This is the best way to get there without passing through DC. We go there, this vehicle will be immediately identified and we could face people trying to slow and impede our progress. I'm sure that is the last thing you want.” Amy replied.

“They're gonna arrest you for helping us. Both of you.” I said.

“So be it. We'll be exonerated once news of Mark's transgressions towards the Kansen of this nation are revealed.” Amy said.

“I've been to prison… before entering the service. Wasn't an issue then, won't be now. If anything, I'll be better off since there isn't anyone who would have the stones to step up to a guy like me.” George spoke flatly, revealing a slight bit of his underlying personality. He, while trained and his bravado earned, was cocky nonetheless.

“Why not come with us? We have plenty of space… you'll just have to deal with the world bearing down on us from all sides.” NJ suggested.

Amy looked at George, who looked back at NJ.

“You put a lot of faith in us.” George said coldly.

“You're right. But I also know that you could have dropped us at FBI headquarters just as easily. And even now, if you were to betray us, I could eliminate you both before Honey could draw his weapon. But then that would make you two liable for the damage I cause when I launch nukes from my rigging to fend off anybody that you could have tailing this car. After all… according to the current iteration of your Kansen Intelligence Bureau… I am nothing more than a weapon. So how could you fault a weapon for doing what it was designed to do?” NJ asked in a tone several magnitudes colder, her eyes flashing a bright red that could be seen even in the blacked out SUV.

“Can we stop? George, you need to keep that ego in check. She is to Kansen, what you are to regular humans. She will fold your clothes with you still in them and have no second thoughts while doing so. New Jersey, I can assure you, we aren't pulling wool here. I wanted to help you back when I was assigned your case. Can we please get along?” Amy asked.

“He started it. He's the one with an ego to fix.” NJ replied with a huff.

“New Jersey… cool the boilers a bit.” I spoke softly.

NJ looked at me.

“Yes, honey.” NJ said as she leaned over and hugged my arm.

George looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

“What are you packing to have her so blatantly whipped?” George asked as a wild blush crossed both my and NJ's faces.

I tugged my collar and cleared my throat. Thankfully… or unfortunately, I was saved by the eruption of police sirens and flashing lights in the rear view.

“Shit! Have we been made already?” I asked.

“It was only a matter of time. The police escort in Virginia probably made their reports by now. Mark inevitably knows that we didn't go to HQ… he's likely already put a detail out looking for us around Philadelphia and Camden.” Amy said as I turned in my seat and looked out the back of the vehicle.

“Amy Redner. Pull over to the side of the road.” A man's voice came over a PA system from the police cruiser behind us.

“Looks like that's a confirmation for Mark putting out a bounty.” I spat.

“Yup.” Amy said as she slammed her foot on the accelerator. I watched George roll down his window in preparation for what could happen.

“Pull over now! This is your final warning. We have orders to take you out if you do not comply.” The police officer spoke.

“Sounds like he's been bought. No beat cop would willingly accept a job that could lead to that kind of contingency.” I said.

“Mark has long fingers… I wouldn't be surprised if the Navy hasn't been mobilized to intercept you.” Amy said.

I was about to speak again when I heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet hitting metal.

“They're fucking shooting at us?! We're on a public roadway!” I cried as I crawled over the seat and into the trunk of the SUV and pointed my MP7 at the rear window, aiming through it towards the police cruiser.

“New Jersey is a major threat to National Security. They wouldn't be doing this had you found South Dakota or someone not armed with nuclear warheads.” Amy quipped. Several more rounds struck the back of the vehicle.

“George? We ready?” I asked.

“Waiting on you. I want plausible deniability.” George said sarcastically as he pulled himself through the window of his door just enough to sit again and brace himself with his legs.

“Shit, they're armed!” The policeman spat as I opened fire from the trunk, aiming for the radiator and tires of the police cruiser. As if on cue, several more sets of lights began flashing, indicating more cruisers behind the first. Despite my inexperience with an automatic weapon, the light recoil made it easy to hit a little over half of my shots in my initial burst.

As I switched targets, George opened up with his automatic rifle, dumping easily thirty rounds into the engine bay of the lead cruiser, leading to a burst of steam followed by a small puff of flames and a sudden swerve of the lead car, careening itself off the road and into a grassy embankment.

“Let's keep this PG! I don't need to be branded a murderer on top of being a terrorist!” I yelled as I lit up a police SUV, once again trying to take the tires out from under it.

“How I act is based on these assholes!” George yelled back as he focused on a car that was closing in on us, dumping another half a magazine into the engine bay and causing the car to lock up and swerve into another car that was attempting to get around it.

As I emptied the first of my three magazines into the SUV, I noticed a bearcat further back in the pack.

“How far are we from Camden?” I yelled over the sound of machine gun fire.

“Twenty minutes!” Amy yelled as she swerved in and out of traffic, trying to put distance between us and the police while also putting human shields on our rear.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Martin's number.

“Hey boy, we've been waiting here at a hotel… you on your way?” Martin asked immediately.

“Yeah… turn on the tv.” I said as I spotted a news helicopter following our chase.

I heard shuffling in the background as he turned on the TV in his room.

“Are you in that SUV?” Martin asked curiously.

“You tell me.” I said as I put the phone on speaker and handed it to NJ as I reloaded my MP7 and popped my head back up into view from the broken rear window, laying down more suppressive fire as the approaching police forces managed to clear the civilian blockade we had put between us.

“Good god! Looks like it's go time.” Martin said curtly.

“Yes it is, Martin. You know where to go. They should be focused on us, you need to get into where they are holding my vessel and get onboard quickly. We're only twenty minutes out.” NJ said.

“Enough said, little lady. I just got Martha and I checked out. We're heading out to the truck now. Brought a few goodies for the boy.” Martin said.

“I'm sure he'll love them. Stay safe.” NJ said as she hung up the phone.

George reached in and grabbed another magazine for his rifle, reloading and laying into the lead cruiser as we approached the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in downtown Philadelphia.

Amy continued to weave through traffic as George and I continued to sling lead at the closing police forces. As we reached the bridge, a pair of armored bearcats took to the front and sped up in an attempt to catch us.

“George! I ain't beating that!” I yelled as George reached in and took a grenade from one of the .50 cal cans and loaded it into the grenade tube slung under his rifle. With a satisfying thump, the grenade exploded beneath one of the bearcats, ripping into the unarmored underbelly and tearing apart anything that wasn't covered, mainly destroying the mounting brackets for the engine and the connectors that kept the drive shaft attached to the transmission, immediately incapacitating one of the armored beasts.

The other bearcat straddled the double yellow as the top hatch opened up. A man with what looked like a standard AR style rifle popped up and opened fire. It was an automatic. I ducked just as I felt a bullet whiz by my head and imbed itself into the seats behind me, startling NJ as she turned to check on me.

“Machine gun!” I yelled as George ducked into the SUV and I did what I could to hide behind the armored door of the SUV. Thankfully, it seemed that the rifleman hadn't brought armor piercing rounds, as the armored door continued to hold off the hailstorm of 5.56mm.

“We need to get rid of that truck before we get to the ship! They'll gun us down before we make it up the ramp!” I yelled.

“I got it, Honey.” NJ said as she kicked open her door before climbing onto the roof of the speeding SUV. I could hear metal shearing on the roof as NJ no doubt was using her monstrous strength to dig in.

“She's going to be seen!” Amy cried.

“Isn't that the point?” George asked flatly.

Amy thought about it.

“I… guess.” Amy said as a blue light consumed the road for a moment. Amy and George were freaking out, but I knew what this was.

“Honey! Don't kill them! No nukes!” I yelled.

“I know…” I could hear NJ whine as several massive explosions could be heard from the roof. Not even a moment later, I saw two massive holes appear in the road in front of the bearcat and one massive hole get punched right through the armored front and into the engine bay before a detonation within, caused the bearcat to lock its breaks and careen off the road before hitting the two holes in the road and rolling several times before coming to rest on it's side, blocking the road entirely.

We all breathed a sigh of relief as we looked off the right side of the bridge to see not only the USS New Jersey ready and waiting, but a small dark shape in the water next to the boat. After a few seconds the dark shape lit up and I immediately placed a pair of dual five inch gun turrets.

“It's Laffey!” I yelled as NJ cried a cheer of happiness from the roof of the SUV.

“Laffey? The destroyer?” Amy asked.

“Yup. She's come to escort us… that way we don't have to use NJ's 16 inch guns to deal with every little problem.” I said as Amy turned off the highway and sped along the quiet Camden streets before pulling into the alley that leads to the New Jersey's berth.

Up ahead, we all saw a truck I recognized. It had been used as a battering ram to break into the gated parking lot as well as breaking through the steel barricade that the security guards would sit at during business hours.

The truck was easily totaled, but the bed and all the doors were open, meaning it had been cleaned out.

Amy, NJ, George and I left the SUV as the sounds of sirens drew closer.

“Book it!” I yelled as NJ kept pace with me, keeping her rigging active while scanning the parking lot behind us. Amy and George ran ahead of us and got up the gangway. The first cars pulled into the parking lot as NJ and I stepped aboard the battleship. Turning around, George and I laid down suppressive fire to keep the cops at bay. Amy even took out her side arm and was taking potshots at cops who were trying to advance.

“NJ. Do what you need to do to get this thing moving!” I yelled over the sound of automatic gunfire.

As I ran dry, and George was reloading, the sound of heavy automatic gunfire came in bursts from midships. I looked over to see Martin manhandling an M240 over the side rail, dealing heavy damage to the vehicles being used as cover, and causing the police to back off as two bearcats pulled in, allowing for heavier cover.

I noticed another weapon at his feet and rushed over to him.

“Mind if I borrow this?” I asked.

“Merry Christmas, boy. It may be late, but better late than never.” Martin said as I picked up the obviously stolen Soviet PKM.

“Do I want to know where you got this thing?” I asked.

Martin smiled as I quickly learned the controls. Slinging the weapon onto the rail, I laid down heavy fire as well, feeling and seeing the ship come to life with each passing second.

“NJ?!” I yelled as I watched my ammo belt slowly dwindle.

“Anti-aircraft and secondary armament… online.” NJ called as every human on deck took cover. One of the CIWS systems onboard spun to life and vomited nearly two thousand rounds into the parking lot in the matter of seconds, disabling anything left standing and causing the police officers to flee.

“Jesus H. Christ!” Martin yelled as he held a hand over his left ear.

“Sorry…” NJ said softly as the blue cracks beneath her feet spread rapidly before consuming the entire ship in a healthy blue glow.

“Radar system… online.”

“Fire control system… online.”

“Fuel systems… online.”

“Boilers… lit and building pressure.”

“Radio communications array… online.”

“Main Battery Shell Elevators and Loaders… online.”

“Machine spaces… operational.”

As NJ checked off box after box, I stood and walked to her with the PKM slung on my back.

“All systems are Operational. Vessel is in peak condition. Awaiting orders.” NJ said as she smiled and looked at me. I felt something about my outfit change as the blue glow enveloped me as well. The Russian overcoat I was wearing changed to a fitted US Admiral's Uniform, complete with a cap in my hand. As I slowly put the cap on my head, NJ snapped to attention.

“Awaiting orders… Admiral.” NJ spoke firmly.

“New Jersey… you are cleared to activate. Get us out to sea. Full Ahead.” I said with a soft smile.

“Aye Aye, honey!” NJ cheered happily as a matching admiral's coat appeared on her shoulders. Every light available on the New Jersey lit up as we all felt the ship lurch forward as NJ willed her vessel from its berth.

NJ blasted the horn, which reverberated off of every building in Camden and downtown Philadelphia, alerting the entire area that something was happening.

As soon as the battleship moved, NJ directed me to the Bridge where a flashing red light drew my attention.

I picked up a receiver and spoke.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Glad to see you made it, kid… I guess I should call you Admiral now. Glad to have you with us, Admiral.” Laffey said as I looked off to our starboard side to see the Allen M. Sumner Class destroyer easily keeping pace with us as we steamed towards the open ocean. I felt the ship sink several meters as we passed under the Walt Witman bridge, but after we refloated, It was smooth sailing.

Martin, Martha, Amy and George all walked onto the bridge to see me and NJ, our matching uniforms striking out against the night, hand in hand as we sailed towards our future.

Chapter Text

NJ and I stood hand in hand on the bridge, our matching uniforms piercing the darkened bridge as we sailed at speed down the Delaware river.

Martha smiled.

“Look at you two. Matching outfits like that. Reminds me of Martin and I when we went out on our first few dates. He'd go to such extreme lengths to match my dress color. You two look so cute together.” Martha said as NJ and I blushed.

“Well… my coat is actually a powerful weapon granted to me for the possibility of anti-personnel actions and for dealing with other Kansen back during the war. It only makes sense for Honey to have his outfit since he's our commanding officer.” NJ replied with a bashful smile.

Martha tittered.

“Oh? A naughty girl having such a lascivious relationship with her commander. So scandalous.” Martha teased as NJ pressed herself against me.

“All the others already know. It's not a secret. And we knew the day would come. I don't mind being labeled as scandalous.” NJ said softly.

“Looks like we were right about you. Take care of him… he's been like family for the past five years. I'd hate for anything to happen to him.” Martha said with a smile.

“I plan to. He's the one that made this all possible. He got all of us to see just where we stood in the eyes of the world, and that was enough for us to want something better.” NJ said as her eyes shifted to the far side of the bridge where a short woman with hair as long as she was tall walked onto the bridge.

The moment the short woman saw me, she made a beeline straight towards me.

“NJ?” I asked.

NJ smiled.

“Honey, allow me to introduce our wonderful escort.” NJ said as I took a closer look at the small woman tapping her foot in front of me.

The woman had a strapless blue and white skirt connected by garters to a pair of white thigh high stockings. On her feet were a pair of cute bunny slippers. Rounding out her look was a pair of blue bows, accented by long white bunny ears and a blue headband.

“This is Laffey. Allen Sumner class destroyer and the Hero of Okinawa.” NJ introduced me.

I extended my hand.

“Good Evening, Laffey. It's nice to finally put a face to the name.” I said with a smile.

Laffey took my hand. Her grip was considerably stronger than I'd expect from such a small girl.

“You're younger than I imagined. Makes me feel even older, Admiral.” Laffey quipped flatly.

“I'm… sorry? Anyway, my name is Tyler. Feel free to call me that if you want to be a bit more laid back. I have to say, it's good to see you sailing again. I visited Patriot's Point years ago and thought how sad it was that your vessel wouldn't see the open ocean again. I'm glad to be part of the plan that changed that.” I said.

Laffey smiled softly.

“Laid back, huh? Maybe until the Japanese show up… New Jersey told me. You managed not one, but two vessels… and two of the three legendary foxes. You have quite the persuasive tongue.” Laffey said.

“I heard about your story… Vestal and NJ filled me in. I'm no therapist, but I'm good with listening and empathy. I can handle a drink or two as well… if you ever need a drinking buddy. NJ's a bit of a lightweight.” I said as Laffey and I shared a chuckle.

“That she is, Admiral. That she is.” Laffey said as she looked up at NJ, who was blushing ear to ear.

“I am not! I'll drink you under the table!” NJ said.

Martha came over and saw Laffey.

“Tyler? Who is this?” Martha asked.

“Likewise… who are you?” Laffey asked.

“Martha, this is Laffey. US Navy Destroyer. She's the one off the right side escorting us.” I said as I pointed out to the destroyer sailing peacefully ahead of New Jersey's wake.

“Laffey, this is Martha. She's like a second mother to me. She and Martin have been looking out for me the past few years.” I said as Laffey looked at Martha.

“You seem like a nice lady.” Laffey quipped.

“I do my best, darling.” Martha replied softly. Upon hearing the nickname, Laffey walked over and gave Martha a small hug.

Martha returned the hug after a moment.

“Laffey?” NJ asked.

I turned to Laffey to see a tear rolling down her cheek.

“Nobody ever hugged me after I got home from Okinawa… I was deemed too unstable… they were scared of what I’d do. Just… feels nice…” Laffey said softly.

“You went through quite a bit, didn't you?” Martha asked softly.

Laffey nodded, further shocking NJ.

“I was a… prisoner to the Japanese during the war. The things they did to me… it ate at me for years. I feel… safe… right here.” Laffey said as more tears flowed.

“Oh you poor thing! Come here.” Martha said as she hugged the destroyer tighter.

“Martin?” Martha called out. A few seconds later, Martin came in from the far end of the bridge.

“Sorry. Was checking out our escort ship. Certainly didn't skimp on firepower.” Martin said as he saw Martha holding Laffey.

“We're gonna have to look after this one. She's had a real bad run of it.” Martha said softly.

“PTSD. How long? What from?” Martin asked, knowing full well the look in Laffey’s tear filled eyes.

“Eighty years. I was sunk at Guadalcanal and then held as a prisoner by the empire of Japan for several months. I escaped and was put back into service just in time for Japan to employ suicide tactics. My crew and I took six kamikaze planes and four direct hits with five hundred pound bombs in the Battle of Okinawa and I lived to tell about it… a lot of my sailors died… my friends.” Laffey replied softly.

“And you're this well put together for it? Color me impressed, little lady. I've seen men four times your size break themselves apart trying to deal with their trauma. You're one hell of a trooper.” Martin said as he knelt down to Laffey's level.

I smiled. If only Vestal could see this.

“Could you two help her out if she asks? She seems to really like your company.” I said.

“We'll do what we can, sweetie.” Martha said with a smile. Martin nodded in agreement.

“No soldier fights this fight alone if I can help it. You got yourself a drinking buddy, little one.” Martin exclaimed boldly.

“I've just met you two… but if anything happened to you… or the Admiral, I'd kill everyone involved and then myself.” Laffey said softly as Martin hugged the destroyer.

“From the sounds of it, we're going to be some of the best protected people on the planet.” Martin said as Laffey nodded.

NJ smiled.

“Looks like they're going to get along just fine.” NJ said.

As we passed under the Commodore Barry Bridge, I could see several news helicopters following us in the dark.

“Are we being tailed by anything military?” I asked.

“Not that I've seen. It's weird that they haven't sent in anyone yet. I was expecting more of a fight.” NJ said.

“You are a nuclear capable battleship. Nothing they can do without risking the population. Until we clear the range of your tomahawks, they'll be hesitant to attempt anything so daring. So I'd say you'll have a night or two of suspenseful peace before we really see any offensive action.” Amy informed us.

“Good. Less boarding actions, less risk of death. I want to avoid killing anyone if at all possible. Maybe sway people to our cause.” I said.

“It's a noble goal, honey. But protecting you is my number one priority. If they hurt you… they die. Simple as that.” NJ said sweetly.

“You really must be some kind of god to have her fixated on you like that…” George quipped as NJ and I blushed again.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Getting into Russia unimpeded was the easy part. A forged passport and a decent disguise was all that was needed to fly into Murmansk. The hard part came when Kirov stood outside the gate of the Zvezdochka shipyard to see increased patrols and several yard workers meandering about.

“Shit… I thought I cleared this place out a month ago…” Kirov hissed as she reached into her overcoat, checking her PP-2000 for the suppressor before approaching the guardhouse with nothing but a smile.

“Halt. You cannot be here, miss. Authorized workers and security personnel only.” The man said before a muffled shot rang out, putting a bullet through his head. The shot, while not completely silent, went completely unnoticed in the face of cutting torches and falling steel beams inside the yard.

“Don't worry. I'm more authorized than anyone else to be here…” Kirov spat angrily as she reached through the barred window and turned the key to open the gate. All the while smiling innocently.

Once inside, Kirov adjusted her overcoat to hide the bullet hole she had just put in it from killing the guard. Across the yard, she could see her vessel. By her count there were four people on deck.

“No matter. I can deal with them once I get onboard. For now though…” Kirov whispered as she doubled back into the guardhouse and quickly stripped the guard of his clothes before stuffing the body behind the door. Changing into his clothes, Kirov silently lamented having a chest bigger than the man's, but the end result was passable, so she didn't make a fuss. Slinging her weapon on her shoulder and carrying it under her arm, Kirov walked out into the yard wearing the uniform.

As she crossed the yard, she got a few errant looks, but nothing that she felt would give her away.

“Such a pain… the Admiral didn't want to kill anyone and here I am… back on my bullshit.” Kirov thought to herself as she quickly crossed ground towards her vessel.

As she got closer, she realized that the four workers on deck were all women that happened to look very familiar. Kirov smiled.

“You told them ahead of time, didn't you, Arkhangelsk?” Kirov whispered as she climbed the rusty gangway up to the deck of the cruiser she once served on.

Once on deck, the four ‘workers’ approached Kirov. Seeing their faces confirmed her suspicions.

“My friends. It's so good to see you all. And you as well, Avrora. I thought you were taking your own hull.” Kirov spoke softly.

“Nyet. My hull would draw too much attention. But I have my rigging. I will not remain useless in this conflict.” Avrora said.

“How did you all get here so quickly? I was here last month and none of you were even close. Not even a whisper on the wind.” Kirov said.

“Arkhangelsk found us throughout the years and provided false identifications. When we were contacted two days ago, we all booked it to get here. The yard was practically empty, but it seems like they beefed up security after we broke in. Nobody really looks out this way and we hid from the patrols by hiding in the lower decks. I assume you've been doing periodic maintenance? The vessel looks decent.” A woman with long blue hair spoke.

“Of course, Chapayev. What good would I be if I let this ship fall into disrepair?” Kirov asked as she touched the ship and fully restored her reactor before activating the vessel.

“We should all head to the bridge. We can catch up once we're under way.” Kirov said as all five women headed towards the bridge.

Much to the security force's surprise, the vessel they had been tasked with guarding was now slipping back into the frigid waters of the Barents Sea. Unable to do anything, they tried to radio out, but unlike the manned vessels of the Russian Navy, Kirov's systems were all functional, including radio jamming systems that blanketed the entire yard.

Without recourse, all security could do was watch as the Battlecruiser sailed off into the open sea, never to return.

XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX

Ticonderoga was sitting on her forward observation post with Chanka. The dog was panting happily as the salty breeze rushed past his ears. Bonnie and Ticonderoga had kicked up the speed to 30 knots and had almost completely cleared the Gulf of Mexico.

Out of the blue, something pinged on Ticonderoga's Aegis radar.

“Bonnie. We have company. Unidentified aircraft of the starboard bow, one hundred and fifty miles out.” Ticonderoga reported.

“Any clear identifiers?” Bonnie asked. Billy was heard struggling against something in the background.

“No… whatcha doing with that stowaway I saw earlier?” Ticonderoga asked.

“Forcing him to do PT for disobeying me. I'll launch fighters to recon the situation.” Bonnie said as two F-35s appeared on her flight deck and took to the skies.

As soon as the fighters left the immediate airspace, a call on the radio came in.

“American warships. This is former French carrier Foch, flying the colors of the Iris Orthodoxy. Please respond.” Foch spoke softly.

“Ooo a Frenchie. Gotta love our luck. Bonnie~ Call back your fighters. It's a French carrier. It's Foch.” Ticonderoga said in a sing-song tone.

“Understood. Recalling fighters.” Bonnie said as more sounds could be heard, but Ticonderoga couldn't be bothered to look into it further.

“Heya, Foch. You've found some friendlies out here. Come and join us, we're heading out to the Atlantic.” Ticonderoga said.

“I think I'll do that. I've actually been called towards Uruguay by Graf Spee and Prinz Eugen. So if you want, we can steam that way together.” Foch said.

“Sounds like the work of New Jersey’s mysterious boyfriend. Let's go!” Ticonderoga said as Chanka barked in agreement.

“Sounds good. See you soon.” Foch said as she cut the comms.

Chapter Text

As we passed quietly under the Delaware Memorial bridge, I found myself growing increasingly tired as the stress of the last 24 hours hit me with full force. I yawned as I leaned back in my newly appointed seat on the bridge. Martha and Martin had retired to one of the officer's quarters for the night at New Jersey's suggestion. Laffey had pulled herself together under the promise of having Martha and Martin transferred to her vessel the following day. This left Amy, George, NJ and Myself remaining on the bridge.

NJ cocked her head.

“Something wrong, dear?” I asked.

“I feel… someone else onboard. They're in engine room three.” NJ said.

“Can we tell if they're hostile?” I asked.

“No. I can tell that they are opening hatches though.” NJ said.

“Oh hell no. George, on me. We got a stowaway.” I said as I grabbed my MP7 from the command desk on the bridge. Curiously, the magazine on the weapon hadn't been removed since being emptied, yet the magazine felt full. Checking this, the magazine was in fact full.

“I grabbed the magazine that fell out in the SUV. Figured you'd want it for when we link up with Eugen. She should be able to manufacture more considering the caliber is german specific. I don't think there's another gun currently that fires 4.6mm.” NJ said, seeing my confusion.

“God I love you.” I said as I kissed her cheek before George and I set off below deck.

Flying down corridors and practically jumping down staircases, I led George deep into the depths of the ship before landing us on Broadway. Sprinting back from turret two, I hurdled the bulkheads as I came to the door for engine room 3. I stood on the far side as George stacked up behind me.

“On your move, Admiral.” George spoke quietly.

“Let's move.” I said as I led us in. Aiming my weapon out in front, George covered my six with his M4. The sound of confused scrambling could be heard on the lower level of the engine room. I pointed to the staircase and George nodded. We walked quietly down the staircase and hid behind one of the massive steam pipes to see a man I recognized from NJ and I's trip before my accident.

“Ryan?” I asked as I stood up, slinging my weapon as a sign of non-hostility.

The man jumped and turned to face me.

“It's you! What are you doing here? Why is the ship moving? What was that blue glow? And why are you wearing an Admiral's uniform?” Ryan asked point blank.