File: MOVE IT PEOPLE MOVE IT.jpg (179 KB, 850x1202)

179 KB JPG

Kaga and Zuikaku make their way past you, casting worried looks as Ooyodo gives them all a glare of her own to walk on: she had this under control; all she needed was for them to follow Yuubari and the MPs… whatever was up with the Admiral, she could handle.

Or so you hoped she had implied.

‘Admir – !’

He raises his hand again – Ooyodo’s expression only increases in worry as you bring him to your now-vacated table – and you drag him the best you can, thanking the strength of your prosthetic as you set him on the chair. You smell his stench, sweating up a lake… you give him a concerned glance yourself; whatever it was right now, you think it would be best for him to get some medical attention. Your first instinct is to look around, by some dumb miracle, perhaps Akashi was somewhere here.

No such luck, of course.

‘Have you told the Vice-Admiral to report himself?’ He manages, coughing and clutching his head, finally relieving you of his weight. Ooyodo doesn’t answer, raising a hand to his forehead and frowning. ‘Ooyodo!’ He shocks her into the present, giving her a glare worthy of a blizzard. ‘Have you told the VA of – ?’

‘Yes, sir!’ She uncharacteristically cuts him off, pushing him against the chair. ‘Kiyoshimo and Naganami are – !’ She closes her eyes, collecting herself, it would seem. You think to yourself that this is the first time she’d faltered in her words. ‘If you continue to push yourself you will be no good for the duration of this mission, sir!’

‘Then you have full command of this mission, Department Head Ooyodo.’

Ooyodo’s eyes widen, as do yours.

Then… she nods.

Tell Mamiya to get me some ice.’ He gives her an apologetic smile… and a thankful one to you. ‘And some tea.’

‘Admiral, what’s – ?’

‘Nothing.’ He nods – probably to himself – and pats you on the shoulder. ‘I’m just getting too old for this shit.’

‘Yes, sir.’

You feel a hand push you away – Mamiya – and as soon as it leaves, you feel another grab your wrist, dragging you away – Ooyodo’s.

‘Commander, with me!’

‘Good luck.’ Are the Admiral’s last words as you exit the establishment.

At this point, you wonder if you’re flailing… and with a sudden movement, the ground and the sky mix, before you find yourself practically slammed onto a leather seat. A buggy’s seat.

‘Whoa, whoa, Ooyo – WHOA!’

The buggy starts right up, going into speeds unfathomable at the change of gears. A document hits you right in the chest… with a mission stamp.

‘This is your mission brief.’

>‘What’s all this about?’ (Inquire about mission brief)
>‘What in the world’s going on? The Dock’s that way!’ (Tell her you’re heading the wrong way)
>‘What happened to the Commander?’ (Inquire on Admiral’s state)
>‘I think this is the most emotion I’ve seen from you in forever.’
>Look into mission brief
>Write-In

>>547274
>‘What happened to the Commander?’ (Inquire on Admiral’s state)

>>547274
>>‘What happened to the Commander?’ (Inquire on Admiral’s state)

>Look into mission brief

It's happening/10

>>547274
>>‘What happened to the Commander?’ (Inquire on Admiral’s state)

>>547274
>>Look into mission brief

File: Hidoi~.jpg (87 KB, 339x530)

87 KB JPG

'The Commander, he’s – ?’

Ooyodo’s brow twitches slightly, her mouth turning downwards in a rare show of emotional acknowledgment. You wonder if your inquiry had been a little too much for Ooyodo… considering her previously shown capacity – or lack thereof – for emotion, the last thing you had expected from her was to be something of a worry wart, but how she’d been around the Admiral, you consider that the possibility beneath an assumed range that didn’t go beyond happy and blank… and a horrific, horrific smile, there was something akin to a…

You shake your head as the wind rushes past you. That was none of your business.

‘Mamiya has him.’ Is her answer, a little more like her old self – dull and robotic. ‘He’ll be fine.’

You let out a heavy sigh. Even if she was trying to cheer you up, it sounded more like an automated answering machine.

‘What happened?’

‘Psychic pressure is a common phenomenon for the uninitiated, the overstressed or the unprotected.’ It’s like she’s reading off a dictionary’s definition, really. ‘The Admiral received an… attack of a sort, causing him severe pain and distress around 45 minutes prior to meeting with you.’ You pinch the bridge of your nose, trying to process everything she said the best you could. ‘Dutifully, for that moment he refused care and was at the high risk for an aneurysm or a stroke in order to mobilize what forces we had in lieu of his own health, stating that the prioritization of this mission prior to the black

‘He had a stroke?’

‘Almost.’ She corrects – there is a tinge of… aggression? Anger? Worry? Denial? ‘I believe, despite his recklessness, that there is no more than some bleeding and nothing that a day in the care of Akashi would not care of.’

‘That’s…’ You tentatively go on, grabbing onto the handles as the buggy swings and stops. ‘good, I guess.’

It speeds up again.

‘It would have been most unfortunate if we had to go on without him.’ She says… a grimace, scary as ever, upon her features. ‘After all, without him… we’re lost.’

Maybe you do kind of like it better when she had an emotional range you could count one hand.

‘Considering that the only things that are keeping us in this war are him and the Grand Lieutenant.’ She explains matter-of-factly. ‘I do not wish for the responsibility of our operations and personnel to be in the hands of someone that would consider us so impersonally.’ That smile comes again, making the hairs at the back of your neck stand on end. ‘Hard as it to fathom, sir, I value the lives of everyone on this base as much as you humans do each other.’

‘That’s…’

>‘I think it’s good that you care about him that much.’ (Personal)
>‘He’s a good leader.’ (Professional)
>‘You’re worried about him.’ (Blunt/Personal)
>Silently acknowledge her (Choose one of the other options previously stated)

>>547625
>>‘He’s a good leader.’ (Professional)

>>547625
>‘I think it’s good that you care about him that much.’ (Personal)

>>547625
>>‘I think it’s good that you care about him that much.’ (Personal)

>>547625
>‘I think it’s good that you care about him that much.’ (Personal)

File: I APPRECIATE THE GESTURE.jpg (38 KB, 507x172)

38 KB JPG

‘I think it’s good that you care about him that much.’

She freezes up as you give her an assuring smile; now there’s something you would have pegged to go even further from the norms of Ooyodo – a hesitation, a pair of pink lips looking like they’re about to fall off from a microsecond of stuttering. You wonder how long you could revel in the roll of the her personality, this odd back and forth that was an unexpected boon from the unfortunate condition that the Admiral had found himself in.

Ooyodo plays with the flaps of her folder, the high beams that replaced the street lights on this lone road keeping her expression from being seen. The buggy turns another corner, and the slightly brighter street lights – the ones of this particular street having been repaired as well as they could – reveal Ooyodo’s slightly red face; her expression may be as blank as can be, but you can tell that there’s at least some effort behind that work-crazy bluster at keeping it that way.

‘It’s…’

She hesitates again; you cross your legs, unfastening the folder casually.

‘It’s okay, you know.’ You chuckle slightly, hanging on as the buggy swerves.

‘Commander, I believe that you’re stepping past boundaries set on the regulations of fraternization.’ She says in a stern tone – the mechanical quality to it is gone, replaced with one that wouldn’t be out of place coming from the Admiral’s mouth. ‘Any further would require me to put this down on your record – I believe that it is an occurrence worthy of a hearing if a party would wish to designate it as a priority.’

You look up to see a small – very small – fire in Ooyodo’s eyes, one that did not kid around by the threat – yes, threat – that she would let loose the full force of bureaucratic madness upon you should you see fit to continue with your prying. You make the decision to turn your attention back to the folder, not wishing to test your luck more than you presumably had already.

‘However,’ she coughs – you turn to see the back of her head, her hair fluttering in the wind as the buggy guns along. ‘I am happy that you saw fit to do so in this instance, sir.’ She clears her throat. ‘It is appreciated.’

Even if she can’t see you, admiring the ruins of the town and hearing the roaring engine, you give her a sincere smile.

‘You’re welcome, Ooyodo.’

>‘What’s all this about?’ (Inquire about mission brief)
>‘What in the world’s going on? The Dock’s that way!’ (Tell her you’re heading the wrong way)
>‘I think this is the most emotion I’ve seen from you in forever.’
>Look into mission brief
>Write-In

>>547728
>>Look into mission brief

>>547728
>>Look into mission brief
We should read the details before saying that she's going the wrong way. For all we know, the Admiral could have us doing some secret agent stuff.

File: You Know Where This Is Going.gif (118 KB, 1024x505)

118 KB GIF

There isn’t much to go by. The only there is is a bunch of hastily-written notes which had been scribbled onto typed bold lettering – the ink was still a little wet, judging by the black marks that showed as you pushed one piece of paper away to reveal the next. You don’t see much else but these two sheets and a blurry photo with a picture of what looked like an island and a grid to accompany the hasty scribbles, which you can barely make out – they look like they’d been written by a child or someone that was in a rush.

It was the Admiral’s handwriting – he’d done all this even though there’d been…

You raise the file to your nose, trying to make out the words as the buggy gunned it right past a corner, almost making you drop the sheets. There wasn’t much to go by, not at all. You wonder why the Admiral had been so hasty to throw this mission your wa

OPERATION: -REDACTED- CODE:0000

Joint Division Assignment

Location: Approx. 400 Nautical Miles North-North-East of Base

ASSIGNMENT ONE: RETRIEVAL UNIT

Retrieve target from the atoll. The target must survive.

ASSIGNMENT TWO: INTERCEPTOR UNIT

Defend the retrieval crew’s operation. Eliminate all enemy targets.

You look from one to the other. A joint division assignment? Who was the other Division’s Commander? As far as you knew, you were the only one that was stationed at this base… no one but you and the Vice-Admiral. Where was this atoll? Why was was it a destination… in fact, the photo with the grid barely looked discernible from a charcoal drawing over some thin paper. You can see the impressions, but don’t make out much else other than the fact that it was somewhat cold that far out… and that the waters were estimated, by the report, to be extra choppy.

A sinking feeling rises in your stomach as memories come back… your Squadron, limping back to the RAY, the – !

The buggy screeches to a halt. You almost hit yourself against the metal bars, barely holding on. With a rise of your head you realize that this was…

This was Yokosuka Base – you’d been here before, you’d met up Hiei and Murakumo here.

Only you don’t remember several tents being set up or it being this noisy.

‘Come on, people, let’s move it! Move it! Move it!’ A man in orange yells, rushing several men out from army trucks – by the manner of their dress, you can tell that they’re from the RAY crew. The jumpsuits were a dead giveaway – although the Army assisting in their transportation was a little bit of a surprise.

You jump out of the buggy as soon as you see Ooyodo do the same – you both briskly walk past the destroyed gates.

‘If you have anything inconsequential to ask…’

>‘Why are we here? Dock’s the other way.’
>‘What’s this about?’
>‘I think this is the most emotion I’ve seen out of you.’
>Write-In

>>547828
>‘Why are we here? Dock’s the other way.’
I doubt the actual base facilities are in any condition to be used.

>>547828
>>‘Why are we here? Dock’s the other way.’

>>547828
>>‘Why are we here? Dock’s the other way.’

File: download.jpg (7 KB, 275x183)

7 KB JPG

A few questions do cross your mind – the mission briefing merely said that there was a retrieval team and an interceptor squadron to assist, and that meant two operating and active Commanders… of which you realized that you were the only one that that seemed to be around. Then there was a factor in the current situation that really pressed on you – and called for more immediate attention.

Namely, just why in the world had you practically hopped across town away from the Prep Dock and your team as well as your barracks to the ruins of the old base, which looked like it had been set up look like some budget construction job? Things did seem like they were in a bit of a mess now, but…

‘Hang on, if you need my team and I to launch, they’re not – !’

You’re immediately cut off, and her attention immediately taken away from you… by a man two heads taller than you in what looked like a mix of a lab coat and a HAZMAT Suit. You jog alongside them, eyes annoyingly fixed on her as she talks about some technical details with the man.

As soon as they come to a halt, however, two MPs approach the both of you, gesturing for her to follow them.

‘Department Head Ooyodo, this way please.’

‘Ooyodo!’

You jog alongside them again, feeling the ire building in your gut as you struggle to ask her just what was going on right now – if there was a mission, your team would need to be prepped for deployment, not to mention how you’d have to organize just how your team would be set-up. The lack of details was just another shred of fuel to add to your growing annoyance with her sudden uppity take.

‘The Vice-Admiral’s already there, ma’am – and the Admiral?’

‘In recovery. I’m in Command for the duration of this Operation.’

The four of you come to a halt – again – and the two MPs give the both of you salutes, walking away. The din of some mechanical whirring hits your ear, further agitating you.

‘Hey, wait a sec!’ You call out, catching her attention. ‘You say that there’s a mission, right?’

‘Correct.’ She opens her own folder, giving it a once over.

You feel something rise in your throat.

‘Didn’t it cross your mind that the Prep Dock was literally just across the street and my Division right next to me… and right now you’ve effe – !’

Ooyodo points upwards, still scanning the piece of paper.

You see a set of large doors – bay doors larger than the crudely shaped structure by the Command Tent – and what looked like an honest-to-goodness plane hangar from an air field, at least the size of an office building, its long end facing the ocean. Around it were small tents, carrying tubes and cables… and above you, you see cranes, loading complicated-looking additions to the great structure.

It hits you.

This was the Prep Dock.

‘Oh.’

>‘I didn’t see this here yesterday!’ (Surprise)
>‘Is that a Prep Dock?’ (Inquire)
>Follow Ooyodo inside

>>547982
>‘Is that a Prep Dock?’

>>547982
>‘I didn’t see this here yesterday!’ (Surprise)

>>547982
>‘I didn’t see this here yesterday!’ (Surprise)

File: Guess What's The Twist.jpg (5 KB, 275x183)

5 KB JPG

‘Is that a Prep Dock?’

‘Astute.’

You see a ghost of a smile as the doors open… revealing a familiar sight. Only bigger – much bigger… and messier and more well-worn. Bits of concrete were still littered everywhere, a command post with shattered windows was being powered by a familiar cable and generator, leading right back outside. In the water, you see RAYs – two of them, suspended by pylons and connected by cables.

‘What the – ?’

‘Commander.’ Ooyodo catches your attention – you hold back your last word, approaching her.

‘You guys had this going on?’ You frown, puzzled. ‘I didn’t think it would’ve been salvageable – I was here yesterday… and I didn’t see any of this up.’

‘That was because we did not have reason to believe that the RAYs would be able to reach a repaired capacity.’ She straightens her glasses, looking to the crew below.

‘The RAYs?’ You blink. ‘I thought there was only one left – that old model I’ve been – ?’

‘It was.’ She says crisply. ‘However, news of the… attack on your person pushed Yuubari and the Admiral to speed up the repairs to the other RAY Units.’ She opens a file, reading through it quickly before turning right back to you. ‘By Yuubari’s last report, they won’t be performing to a capacity that would be to your liking – specifically in that the calibrations for the RAYs would not be suited for the operating Commanders… some of the software is apparently still… missing.’

‘Software?’ You raise an eyebrow – it takes a while for you to make the connection. ‘You mean like one of those newfangled computer thingies?’

‘Observant.’ She gives another ghost of a smile, walking to the edge of the platform – no railing here. ‘That is indeed the case. However, they should give you considerably better protection in regards to your Stream. The Admiral is adamant to keep that head of yours Abyssal-free, and I believe I speak for the rest of the Base when I say that it would be most comforting that the risk to an infection by any Abyssal capable of doing so be considerably less.’

‘Shame.’ You rub the back of your neck. ‘I was getting used to the old girl.’

You really were.

‘As much as the Abyssal tried to make you get used to her, I speculate.’ You stiffen – she could hit close to home when she wanted to. ‘I believe there is a catch to this model, though – I am not sure that you would like it.’

'Like what?'

Ooyodo sighs.

‘These are the TEST 2.5 Models.’ She gestures to the RAYs ‘They were designed to specifically protect against stream invasion, but as a trade-off…’ She adjusts her collar. ‘You’ll be in the RAY cockpit.’

>‘Wait, aren’t I supposed to be out of the water?’
>‘That’s not a trade-off! That’s putting me in the line of fire!’
>‘No way! Can’t I just have the other one?’
>Write-In

>>548111
>>‘Wait, aren’t I supposed to be out of the water?’

>>548111
Subtitles for all 3:

>Joking
>Outraged
>Plead
>Write-In

>>548111
>ok, any other drawback?
we wanted to fight, well here is our fight

Also, be back in several hours. Sleep beckons.

Think about who you want to bring

>>548111
>"Oh hell yeah."

There's no way I'm the only one who thinks this is the tightest shit ever, right?

>>548124
Last mission showed that we were already in danger from Abyssals or Yuubari if we damage the RAY, this will be stressful but practically the same.
Hopefully...

>>548111
>>548138
[Danger Zone intensifies]

File: confused.png (339 KB, 900x1148)

339 KB PNG

>>548111
Weren't we always controlling the RAY and our forces from a cockpit? Unless you mean we were sitting in a deeper armored section and now we're sitting up front?

Did I miss something 10+ threads ago?

>>548249
Apparently our old RAY model is kind of like a drone, and we sit in a flight-simulator like cockpit back at the base and pilot it using our stream. I have to say, this one is much cooler.

>>548260
But if we were sitting back at base, then how were we personally there during the recon mission and Princess discovery? Unless we were in the RAY for specifically that occasion?

>>548264
We weren't there in those situations. If I recall correctly, our perspective can move around the cabin and exterior of the Ray, kind of like "eyes" that can fly around.

>>548271
Huh. Guess I've imagined it wrong this entire time.

Anyway, I think our force should be made up of the heaviest hitters on our team, namely Nagato, Kaga, Nachi and Shiggy-diggy-doo.

>>548111
Hey MECH, found a typo on the character page:
>Tenryuu
>Is in agreement with Tenryuu on the status and competency of his person

File: It's Ooyodo!.png (1.03 MB, 1723x2056)

1.03 MB PNG

‘Ooyodo, I must have heard wrong – are you telling me that I’m going to be in the cockpit?’ You breathe – in, then out – you try to take in the situation the best you can, your lungs expanding and contracting almost painfully as the words hit you one at a time. ‘Isn’t that kind of dangerous? I mean – the whole of point of a RAY would be to – !’

‘The TEST 2.5 models were an attempt to offer more than adequate shielding against attacks by Abyssals of Oni Rank or thereabouts… while it’s not ideal, it’s a much better layer protection than the one that you have been piloting the last two missions.’

Her quick and technical explanation makes you pinch the bridge of your nose. You pace around in a small circle to calm yourself down; you throw a glance at the two RAYs floating in the water, then back to Ooyodo, your shoulders and sides tense from the idea of being pressed in the bulkhead of the offending craft.

‘I am clear with that, Department Head.’ You let out, aggravated. Ooyodo merely raises an eyebrow at your tone and slightly-bared teeth. ‘However, wouldn’t me being out in the ocean with my team make me a liability to the operation? Not to mention the other Commander taking…’ You struggle, rubbing the back of your neck. ‘Aren’t I supposed to be as far away from the water as I can without…’

You trail off, trying to make sense of it all.

‘I don’t think you understand the concept of a trade-off, Commander.’

‘Enlighten me, Department Head.’ You let out – the sarcasm is very much intentional this time.

‘The TEST 2.5’s shielding is blessed by fairy alchemy. Your person and stream being so close instead of being stretched out over hundreds of miles gives it some extra insurance any attacks of the more invading sort.’ She adjusts her glasses, giving you a knowing look. ‘I believe that you of all people know the circumstances that have lead to us taking these precautions.’

You turn to the RAYs – they’re a bit bulkier than the last models… and looked a lot more battered and patched up.

Still, if it did what they said it was meant to do, then…

‘Yeah.’ You rub the back of your head – no use complaining about it. ‘What are the mission parameters, then?’ You raise the pieces of paper in your hand. ‘I don’t think you’re going to let me just go through these two and tell me that it’s all that we’re going to go by.’

‘Of course not.’

‘Ooyodo!’

You see Yuubari running towards the both of you.

‘Yuubari.’ Ooyodo’s voice takes its stiff tone as she puts her attention on her. ‘Is the Vice-Admiral present?’

‘He’s in the – !’

‘Ooyodo.’

You almost jump – you look beside Ooyodo to see the Vice-Admiral appear as if out of nowhere, smiling.

‘Vice-Admiral.’ You three acknowledge, saluting.

Ooyodo spares you one last glance.

‘I suppose we can begin.’ She begins walking, gesturing for you to follow her.

>>548846
>Talk to Yuubari (Specify what you wish to ask)
>Talk to the Vice-Admiral (Specify what you wish to ask)
>Write-In

>>548846
>Talk to the Vice-Admiral (Specify what you wish to ask)
Ask if he knows anything about the target we're supposed to be retrieving.

>>548848
>>Talk to the Vice-Admiral (Specify what you wish to ask)
If we're the interceptors, then how long do we have to defend the retrieval team? Who's the other Commander?

File: It's Not Electronic.jpg (118 KB, 480x360)

118 KB JPG

The both of you walk past blocks of uncleared, but collected, rubble. The whole structure seemed to be a makeshift patch job – if not more than the handiwork on the two steady RAYs – and it makes you wonder just how they had all this done in such a short span of time.

However, one matter presses on you more.

‘Do you know what’s going on, sir?’ You whisper to the Vice-Admiral as you make your way to what looks like a wooden table with compasses, blueprints and several maps – along with several messy pieces of paper with the rushed, scribbled and barely-legible handwriting.

‘Only that it’s a retrieval mission…’ He answers, honestly and solemnly, before adding, ‘and that I’m going to be heading out with you.’

‘You’re the other Commander?’ Somehow, you’re not as surprised as you thought you’d be.

‘You did go through the brief, right?’

‘I did.’ You let out a smile, a little at ease. ‘I just didn’t think that you’d be able to spare yourself for the battlefront.’

‘Hey.’ He nicks your forearm with his elbow, chuckling behind a growl. ‘Don’t make me pull rank on you.’

Ooyodo coughs, catching your attentions.

‘No fancy display, Ooyodo?’ The Vice-Admiral crosses his arms, indicating the more traditional wares upon the table.

‘This isn’t a mission from the Admiralty.’

‘Figured as much.’ The Vice-Admiral grunts, crossing his arms.

‘However, we are not operating outside their jurisdiction.’ Ooyodo adds in solemnly, resting her hands on the table as Yuubari makes her way to her side, hands in her pockets. ‘A communique has been sent to the Admiralty to tell them of our intention to go ahead with this operation without their approval – the Admiral’s salvaged quite a bit in the last couple of days and we’ve been able to put the latest RAY Units in functional – !’

Yuubari coughs into a fist, making everyone look at her. You notice Ooyodo’s lips thin slightly and her shoulders slumping… but otherwise she shows no other reaction to the Quartermaster’s interruption.

She then sighs, straightening right back up at both you and the Vice-Admiral with a tired gaze.

‘In functional enough condition.’ Ooyodo continues. ‘Vice-Admiral; you’ll be running the rounds with the Commander. Whichever assignment you choose among yourselves, delegate it accordingly. Once you’ve decided among yourselves, I’ll brief you in full on the finer details.’

‘I’m all right with either one.’ The Vice-Admiral looks to you. ‘Commander?’

‘I – uh…’

>‘If I may make a request, I think I’m more comfortable in taking the offensive point.’ Lv. 3
>‘I think I’d do well in a catch-and-hold situation. I’ll take the reins on the retrieval assignment.’ Lv. 4
>‘Actually, before I get to that… any surprises for me, Yuubari?’
>‘Why don’t you choose?’

>>548931
>>‘Actually, before I get to that… any surprises for me, Yuubari?’

>>548931
>‘If I may make a request, I think I’m more comfortable in taking the offensive point.’ Lv. 3
With our current forces we would be better suited to escort anyways.

>>548931
>‘Actually, before I get to that… any surprises for me, Yuubari?’

File: The VA is SOLID.png (1.45 MB, 1920x1080)

1.45 MB PNG

‘You have any surprises for me, Yuubari?’ You cross your arms, nodding to Yuubari.

She lets out a dark chuckle, picking up a pad from the table.

‘Well, you’ll be pleased to know that you’ll be fighting alongside your girls as advertised.’

You frown slightly – you already knew this.

‘I know that I’m going to be in the cockpit.’ You don’t mean for it to sound so annoyed, but considering the last time you’d been easy on the details, you’d almost lost two of your Squadron members.

‘You told him.’ Yuubari turns to Ooyodo, an expression of betrayal clearly written on her face – you can even make out tears threatening to spill. ‘Wow – you really can’t let anyone around here have fun, can you?’

‘Yuubari, please?’ The Vice-Admiral presses – she holds up the pad in response.

‘Vice-Admiral, you know the layout for the TEST 2.5 Models… but I had to do a Hell of a patch job.’ She grumbles, showing a graph with some kind of parabolic line. ‘You’re looking at a major drop in maneuverability; don’t try to do any sharp turns – you’ll take a bit of a tumble before the recovery mechanism kicks in.’ She gives it a loud tap. ‘Otherwise, there’s not much of a drop in top speed but acceleration is iffy. Both RAYs have responded differently, so I’m just going to tell you that the moment you feel like your going to fall over, you’ve breached the threshold and have to cut down on the throttle.’

‘Any defensive systems?’ You inquire, leaning on the table with your prosthetic.

‘It’s a second-generation TEST Model. The Kantai Steel is barely synthesized as is.’ Yuubari points out crisply, tapping the pad again.

‘Got it.’ You answer, frowning. ‘So no emergency retreat systems?’

‘Thought you’d never ask.’ She smiles. ‘You have one charge.’

‘One charge?’ The Vice-Admiral raises an eyebrow, the annoyance in his voice apparent.

‘Although, I do suggest that you don’t abuse it – there’s a high risk of it blowing up in your face.’

‘Perfect.’ He grunts.

‘I had forty-five minutes to put all this together.’ She says icily. ‘The least you two gentlemen can do is kiss the ground I walk on.’

‘What about the RAY Interface?’ You press on.

‘You both are familiar. They’re the standard ones you used in training.’ Oh, that you’re definitely thankful for. ‘Just waiting calibration on both your ends and we’ll be good to launch 2 hours after then.’

‘2 hours.’

‘2 hours,’ she confirms, nodding, ‘and if either of you so much as come back with a single panel missing or malfunctioning…’

She points to you… then the Vice-Admiral… and taking hold of the pencil, snaps it right in half.

‘We get the picture.’

>‘I’m more comfortable in taking the offensive point.’ Lv. 3
>‘I’ll take the reins on the retrieval assignment.’ Lv. 4

>>548973
>>‘I’m more comfortable in taking the offensive point.’ Lv. 3
Put Nagato and her leadership skills in charge today

>>548973
>‘I’m more comfortable in taking the offensive point.’ Lv. 3
Were pretty good at long range too, minus Shiggy, but atleast shes an ace destroyer.

>>548973
>‘I’m more comfortable in taking the offensive point.’ Lv. 3

File: So this is where you come in.jpg (11 KB, 284x177)

11 KB JPG

'I'll take the offensive point.' You give a confirming nod. ‘Picking things up doesn’t suit me.’

‘Then I'll brief you first on your assignment.’ She pushes some maps out of the way, showing you a grid. ‘You’ll be heading off an attacking force in this mission – any attacking force. We don’t have estimates on just what’s on the way. After the initial entry into the Hot Zone, you and the Vice-Admiral will be breaking off at this point.’ She points to a circled square on the grid. ‘If any engagement is encountered here or here or anywhere at all, you are to break off from combat and should deploy one of your hitters. Your KanMusu will be able to do well enough without you for 5 minutes for you to set-up Hunker Mode and engage the rest of the mission. Wherever you choose to put yourself, make sure it is not out of range of the Vice-Admiral’s unit.’

You look from the grid showing the Hot Zone to the atoll – you notice your route hits south and has a…

‘Wait, I thought I was on intercept duty?’ You frown – it looked more like a patrol route and a scouting pattern to you.

‘You’re also covering my ass on a retreat.’ The Vice-Admiral leans over the table, tapping the grid that represented the atoll. ‘See?’

‘How is my job the easier one?’

‘You’re closer to the Hot Zone border.’ He points to the hot zone and the points of separation for both your units. ‘If you ever choose to paint yourself yellow, you have a better chance than either one of us.’ He crosses his arms, his lips forming a thin line. ‘Plus, you’re at less risk of being a sitting duck. The atoll’s deep in – it’s a dead zone.’

‘So you’re saying if things get hairy, I’ll be the more likely to survive?’ You raise an eyebrow.

‘The map says so, at least.’ The Vice-Admiral finishes tiredly.

‘So, Commander.’ Ooyodo looks to you, raising her pad and paper. ‘You know the drill by now, don’t you?’

>‘Yeah.’ (Select Squadron Leader + 3)

I'll give you folks a bit of time to decide your team. Make sure to discuss this thoroughly.

>>549027
The Connection Error is getting annoying. Be back in a bit - gonna work off my frustrations doing other things.

>>549027
Welp time to see Nagato's leadership in action, along with Kaga, Nachi and Shigure.

>>549027
I think we should definitely take Nagato, Kaga and Shigu, the problem is with 4th person. Nachi would be great for a mission like this but I'm a bit worried about her grudge against Vice-Admiral especially since she's supposed to act as his protection. I'll vote for Murakumo as 4th.

>>549041
Id say we warmed up enough to Nachi for her to atleast listen to our orders, even if she doesn't give two shits about the VA an extra heavy gun means another enemy dead, which atleast takes some pressure off the extractions team, also depending on how heavy the opposition is we kinda want Kanmusu that can also take a hit.

>>549054
It would be fine if she didn't give two shits but it's more like she actively hates him.

>>549060
Yeah, but Nachi is a professional first and foremost. As long as we point her at an objective, she's going to get it done. She may hate the VA, but she can stow it until she gets back to base.

>>549060
Lets be fair here, we haven't really seen Nachi doing much on off days, so she would have had plenty of opportunities to simply walk up to him and gut punch him, I doubt she would go out of her way to attack him, Ignore him/outright not help him when needed sure but not go after him.At the end of the day we can atleast trust Nagato to keep the others in line, not to mention were gonna be there aswell.

>>549054
Agree.
>Nagato, Kaga, Nachi, Shigure
gotta peptalk nachi and shigure together

>>549074
I support that its the bes fierpower we can bring without shooting our feet off

If something w should put nachi on the front or away from VA, i trust her to get her head in the game but just in case we should keep some precautions

>>549102
The precaution we should use is simply telling her that if she has another one of her famous bathroom incidents were not rescuing her again

>>549074
>>549041
I for sure agree with nagato and kaga and nachi, but if i understand this correctly, we arent going into the atoll ourselves. Or if we do, not deep. So we can bring our biggest guns without too much risk. The issue I have with shiggy is her clear intent to go off on her own. We already have the VA to protect, bringing shiggy is just asking for trouble. If we want to bring a destroyer, id suggest murakumo, she seems to be the most likely to stay in formation, otherwise id suggest takao.

>>553786
That's pretty understandable. We should probably take Murakumo.

Though, we could use Shiggy's independent streak to our advantage. She could hang out just outside the rest of the division's sensor range to picket for enemy forces.

>>553805
>Though, we could use Shiggy's independent streak to our advantage
In a mission like this I cant really see a way to use it effectively. This mission is clear a way in and secure the way out, but we don't know the opposition. So when building our team we need to have a clear strength, but enough versatility to react to any situation. In this case we have our sheer firepower fill up our strength, while having kaga give us air control through scouting and another avenue of attack. The biggest reason id take a destroyer here is for fast response and torps. Is tenryuu still down? having a light cruiser might be a better choice if we can

>>553857
Look at the stats sheet. Sammy, Takao, Tenryuu and Houshou are all on cooldown.

Also, on Murakumo:
>Also known as a capable scout and point man as well as scoring above average on warfare tests.

She sounds pretty ideal.

>>553883
Fuck, my bad. Feels bad when im the one who suggested it but forgot it existed. Looks like the best team we can make would be Murakumo Nachi Nagato and Kaga. Probably should make Nagato the team leader, nachi simply cant complain about that.

Mechanic here. Getting shitload of Connection Errors. Have no idea why.

Testing from PC

>>554447
Might have something to do with the shitstorm over in the /qtg/. Could also be your ISP though. You recently got a new one, right?

>>553897
>>553883
>>553857
>>553805
>>553786
>>549188
>>549102
>>549074
>>549070
>>549068
>>549060
>>549054
>>549041
>>549033
Have you folks decided yet?

>>553786
>>553805
Id be fine with Murakumo if she hadn't had glaring issues with her equipment, that consequentially caused issues with her general training. Even with our pointers to battleship training i don't think its a great idea to send her out on an important mission, especially when Shiggy got her equipment upgraded and we know for sure she is both skilled and cares for the other Kanmusu. Teamwork might be an issue but having our hard hitters and especially Nagato should defenetly keep Shiggy in line or atleast somewhat following orders.

>>554462
Nagato as leader, Nachi, Murakumo and Kaga

>>554462
My vote is:
>Nagato
>Kaga
>Nachi
>Murakumo

>>554465
>>554469
10 minutes and I'm running the next phase. Finalize your votes.

>>554481
Voting for:
>Nagato(Leader)
>Kaga
>Nachi
>Shigure

>>554465
Her equipment wasn't the problem. She was using it incorrectly at the range, at least as far as I remember.

>>554495
It sounded like a habit sort of thing, and the ammount of time that passed since then shouldn't be enough to get rid of it, so if we are picking Murakumo then I hope she doesn't jam her guns in a close range firefight since we have no idea/haven't seen her do hand to hand like Shigure or Tenryuu.

>>554490
I vote for this

>>554474
I meant this dear god

>>554481
Just in case my vote didn't count, reiterating:
>Nagato
>Kaga
>Nachi
>Murakumo

File: Mission Prep Pretty Much.jpg (414 KB, 1920x1080)

414 KB JPG

You write down the names and hand the list over to Ooyodo – she takes them with a nod and hands them over to Yuubari. You notice the Vice-Admiral sliding his own selection of names across the table, which Yuubari directly takes with a nod; she runs off without another word – more things had to be done before anything else.

‘You know what to do on your end, Vice-Admiral, I don’t think I have to tell you anything more than to set yourselves away and prepare for in a mission as tedious as one of asset retrieval.’ Ooyodo and the Vice-Admiral share a nod.

‘As long as there aren’t any surprises, of course, ma’am?’

‘Just what are we retrieving, exactly?’ You blurt out, pulling the map – the circled atoll on the grid harbored a curiosity to it.

The Vice-Admiral shifts slightly, bumping into you as he gives the maps a good look himself.

‘You might as well tell the both of us – if I don’t make it, he’s going to have to be the one to make the retrieval.’

Ooyodo regards the both of you.

‘I was planning to, anyway.’ Ooyodo’s voice, however, held a reluctance to it as the words left her lips. ‘A few weeks ago, there was to be a scheduled delivery to an outpost a hundred miles south of the atoll; however, due to the offensive the Abyssals took, it was assumed that the outpost, along with the delivery that was to be made was caught and destroyed. The delivery itself is scheduled as struck and lost. However, due to a recent occurrence… we have reason to doubt that assumption.’

You adjust your eyepatch – an itch built up as your eyebrow dragged along the strap.

‘Doubt the assumption?’ The Vice-Admiral snorts, giving Ooyodo a flat look.

‘The outpost survived?’ You’d followed the words… but the idea, strangely, didn’t feel any more comforting.

‘No; the outpost is decimated. No survivors.’ She adjusts her glasses. ‘The delivery, however, appears to still be in one piece.’

‘How do you know that?’ The Vice-Admiral questions.

Ooyodo bites her lip, as if uncertain herself.

‘She contacted the Admiral.’

‘Wait.’ You try to catch it again. ‘What?’

‘She.’ The Vice-Admiral growls, annoyance evident in his voice.

‘The Admiral’s condition is not dissimilar to your own experience with a powerful psychic presence – he received a distress signal from the atoll where she has taken refuge.’ She turns to you – you know the feeling of something in your head that just shouldn’t be there all too well. ‘The last few weeks have been taxing – the message that she sent herself appears to have only been latched on by pure chance.’

So that’s why the Admiral had looked so weak… and something else hits you.

‘Wait, who are we rescuing?’

‘I don’t know.’ Ooyodo confesses. ‘Only that she is one of our own.’

‘That’s good enough for me.’ The Vice-Admiral gives you a strong pat on the back. ‘Suit up.’

LOADING…

>>554725
AUTOSAVING...

PLEASE DON'T REMOVE MEMORY CARD IN MEMORY CARD SLOT 1 OR REMOVE CONTROLLER

:^)

>>554744
Does this mean we can revert to a previous save if we fuck up :^)

>>554749
Sometimes I wonder what the video game text messages are about.


I mean, I get that this quest began as 'XCOM meets KanColle' and the loading screen and autosaves make it video game-y, but I wonder if in-universe it means we're all in a simulation or something, and we wake up from playing XCOM to the world of XCOM 2

>>554763
Typically, i would file this under "Don't give the GM ideas" but i cant resist
Commander dies at the end, but they somehow recover our memories.
we become robo-commander
Even better, we become full on kanmusu tier,

>>554771
>Become an actual robot
>Can't feel anything
>Can't feel the wind on your face or the warm touch of a lover on your hand
>Can never sleep again because the onboard reactor keeps powering you
>The fake skin you put on just makes you look uncanny valley
>Constantly need maintenance and tune ups to even function properly
>Can't really die, just get moved into another body while everybody else dies around us
>Cyberpsychosis ensues

>>554787
Can't feel dick.

>>554787
>Our only purpose
>DESTROY
>ABYSSALS

>>554797
>>554787
so we'd become Big Boss just full robot mode instead?

>>554787
>>554797
Ill stick with punished commander for now, he still wants to kill abyssals but atleast has other emotions beyond rip and tear.

>>554806
For now.
We have to complete the main storyline before we are allowed to die

>>554806
Hey, you can't deny Doom guy isn't good at what he does.

File: Dark Admiral.jpg (575 KB, 1000x1000)

575 KB JPG

>>554797
>Commander becomes an eternally angry vengeance spirit summoned to different universes to command KanMusu forces and RIP AND TEAR Abyssals
Hell of an ending that'd be

File: Dundun.jpg (11 KB, 260x194)

11 KB JPG

Suit up didn’t actually mean much by the way of actually suiting up – all that pretty much happened was that you were given a new set of clothes to change into – namely, a white shirt and some black fatigues that were too tight around the waist. Not that you could complain, of course. Another thing also meant that you were headed into the cockpit barefooted – the cracked floor was uncomfortable to walk on… but seeing the Vice-Admiral do it without made you withhold any comments other than a desire to at least have a pair of sandals loaned.

That request, of course, was met with several pairs of rolling eyes and blank looks.

You head into the RAY, ducking slightly so as the patched wires on top didn’t knock you down. You see several of the staff members exiting as your feet make contact with the cool feel of Kantai Steel. You see several fairies, two groups of four and six, float holding several tools and wires, miniature versions of the workman crews that worked around them – as soon as they make their way past you, the RAY goes dark… and lights up red again.

You take a step back, slightly alarmed at the change.

‘Don’t worry, sir, we’re just finalizing the power lines. The magic engine will be online in a few seconds.’ A techie – one of the crew members, walks up to you, holding several pads and a wire coiled around his shoulder. He looks up at you with an assuring smile, giving you a list. ‘We’re almost done with every – !’

The lights come on as normal, lighting the hold.

‘Oh, I guess we’re done, then, sir.’ He looks around, hands on his hips. ‘Your Squadron’s just arrived for prep – anything wrong with anything at all on there, you tell me.’ He finishes cheerfully.

You give the list a once over.

UNIT 01: Nagato [BB]

UNIT 02: Nachi [CA]

UNIT 03: Kaga [CV]

UNIT 04: Murakumo [DD]

‘No.’ You answer, giving him a thankful nod. ‘Everything’s fine. The team’s all suited up to go now?’

‘Oh, no, sir.’ He waves his hands. ‘They’re just about to be attuned. Until then, I suggest that you calibrated yourself to the ship.’

He gestures for you to follow him, leading you past the bays for the KanMusu, being tended to by a few fairies and up a ladder to a hatch – which he pushes open to reveal the cockpit. Or… what you assumed was the cockpit. You recognize the circular pad in the middle, surrounded by pylon-like structures that held it in place to go with a control pad – just like basic training. In front of you is are several lines of luminescent lights, changing between yellow, orange and red. There is no view of the outside – no window, just what looked like a manual pad for data entry.

It was just like the pod, only with standing room.

‘If you will, sir?’

He gestures you to step into the circle… and hands you a helmet.

'This is to assist with your attunement to the craft.'

TBC

File: Mmm.gif (953 KB, 500x213)

953 KB GIF

If anything, the helmet reminded you more of those fancy motorcycle rider helmets that you’d seen zoom by – it was rather stylish, you might say, with a visor so pointed it almost bordered on impractical. On the side appeared to be the designation of the previous owner – CUB – with what looked like three or four ports for cables sticking out on at the back. The thumb of your prosthetic runs the visor of the helm, blank and black.

‘Is this like the band I used for – ?’

‘Oh, yes!’ He takes out what looks like a small notepad, complete with messy markers sticking out of the pages. ‘It’s an old model, but definitely newer than the last RAY model you piloted. The system provides shielding for the Commander Unit stationed inside against any attacks of the more personal sort… it’s not going to be able to withstand a full – !’

‘Yuubari and Ooyodo told me the details, thanks.’ You raise a hand, making him hastily keep quiet.

‘Well, the RAY Interface isn’t on – !’

The craft rumbles, making you almost fall over. You’re thankful you hadn’t – you don’t think landing on a man would be anything resembling what would have been an appropriate send-off. He grabs onto one of the cables overhead, grimacing as the craft rumbles again – a hum echoes from behind you… and you turn around to see two fairies dancing as the RAY Interface actually comes online.

‘Well, everything seems to be in order, sir.’ He gives you a salute, which you return. ‘Good luck.’

‘Thanks.’ You nod as he drops down the hatch… and hear him cry out from apparently a bad landing.

You sigh… and frown as you feel a tug on your arm holding the helmet to see the fairies trying to pull it out of your hand. You let go, and the helmet floats in mid-air – you instinctively take a step back as several cables seemingly come to life, automatically going for the ports. As soon as all of them are connected, the fairies hand it back to you – you look around as a lighter rumble echoes in the cockpit.

Hologramic projections – windows – begin to pop up in the space before you as you approach, each of them showing certain requirements that were missing prior to a start-up. You make out a few that you’d seen before when you’d tried out, but some are as alien to you as a foreign dialect would be.

You feel a jab to your right as a fairy gestures to you to don your helmet and to step onto the… pad.

You do so.

STANDBY

A metallic circle immediately raises, locked by the pylons in place as several shining lights appear on the pillars, apparently scanning you. Several of the windows – the ones you hadn’t understood before among them, thankfully – disappear.

You immediately feel… held. Like you’re walking on air.

Rock ‘n roll.

>Request Calibration
>Request Readout
>Bring RAY Online

>>554990
>>Request Calibration

>>554990
>>Request Calibration
>>Request Readout
GET in 10

>>554990
>Request Calibration
>Request Readout
Might aswell do everything in order, not as if we have anything better to do while we wait for our team.

>>554990
>calibrate

File: Choose.jpg (21 KB, 355x355)

21 KB JPG

‘Request Calibration.’

As soon as the words leave your mouth, you feel a rumble go down your back – as much as you feel the floating sensation, you feel a sense of turbulence that would have given you a bout of nausea if you would have been in an aircraft instead of on level ground – or as close as this was to level ground, in any case. A hum echoes in the chamber, much louder than it had been when you had been in the other cockpit; perhaps it was because you were in here instead of in there?

CALIBRATION INITIALIZING

ATTUNEMENT – 0%

You notice the alternating red, yellow and orange lights now changing between green and blue. You open a few windows, finding yourself frustrated as you are met with grey prompts, citing the lack of permission on your end to open… at least until you’d fully calibrated the ship to yourself. You try to open the visuals on several parts of the ship… only to see that you had been locked off from there, too.

A sigh escapes you as you adjust yourself.

‘This is going to take a while, isn’t it?’

One of the fairies appears before you – this one clad in a sailor’s uniform – and nods, gesturing to the lines that cut across the hull. They glowed eerily, pulsing as though alive; but you get back to the point. You don’t feel like standing for two hours – and perhaps more.

‘Might as well make myself comfortable.’

The fairy gestures to the cables as you approach one of the metallic bars to lean.

‘Okay, okay, I’ll be careful.’

You turn your head to your right… and barely avoid the pylon.

The fairies – both of them – chirp in disapproval.

You raise your hand to your visor – your vision is narrow enough, but with the addition of the helmet to your eyepatch, you feel a certain degree of discomfort at keeping the thing on. You fiddle with the strap, wondering if you could do without it – as sensitive as it is to light, according to Akashi… you think you could do away with it for the time being.

>Take off eyepatch
>Leave it on

>>555062
>>Leave it on
Never disobey the doctor's orders

>>555062
>>Take off eyepatch
What can go wrong?

>>555062
>Leave it on
Better safe than sorry

>>555062
>leave it on

File: Yeah Yeah.jpg (40 KB, 624x296)

40 KB JPG

‘I can work with this.’ You mumble to yourself… and lean back to take in the sight of the window.

You think to yourself of the mission, how it would go… how you hoped it would. It occurs to you that you hadn’t been in a situation where someone would be particularly reliant on you to cover their behinds as well as – no, that… that was a bit of a lie. There were plenty of situations where you’d had to practically jump all over the place to keep the scales from teetering. The times in the kitchens hit you particularly – even if you couldn’t recall a friendly face from your times running around wet floors amidst screaming orders and demanding personnel, there was always the buddy system that you’d fallen back on… how one person would rotate and change to optimize (and stay out of trouble), to keep things going when it felt like would fall apart with barely a sneeze into that deck of cards. The glow of the overhead lights, the lines above and around you seem to hum as you slide – and raise yourself off the pylon, feeling a painful catch on your back.

So much for the wisdom of the ages… maybe this would be the time that it’s made out just how much over your head you really are.

‘So what do you guys think?’

You look to the fairies, actively chirping with each other. One of them had their hands on their hips while the other seems to be more animated, raising their hands and spinning around to emphasize a point. You frown as you watch the one with the sailor uniform drop into a sort-of-boxing stance, throwing punches into the air; the other one stops, looking interestedly at her, before trying to imitate the movement.

A low whistle escapes you as she does an impressive-looking crescent kick… and the both of them suddenly start arguing.

‘Do you even understand a word I say?’ You chuckle, shifting yourself as you pat the top of your helmet. They don’t even pay attention to you – you suppose not. ‘Why do I even bother?’

You sigh, turning back to the display.

CALIBRATION INITIALIZING

ATTUNEMENT – 1%

You lean back again, avoiding the catch on the metal structure.

This would take a while.

After what seems like the fiftieth argument between the two fairies, a jolt courses through your body, making you immediately rise to a stand.

The humming grows lower… a static seems to echo in your ear as the lines glow into a cool, light blue.

You let out a mutter as the most welcome set of of words comes into your immediate view… with a calm, mechanical voice in tow.

WELCOME, COMMANDER

>Request Readout
>Bring RAY Online

I am this close to punching someone. Connection Error/Banned For Stuff I Didn’t Do again and again. Apparently copypasting stuff into the text box is the reason. URGH.

>>555542
>>Request Readout

>>555542
>Request Readout

>>555542
>Request Readout
here we go

anyone with some idea of why abyssals didnt wreck the objectibe along the base?

>>555605
It said the objective never made it to the base, so theres a chance whoever was the transporter simply hid from the abyssals.

>>555605
Maybe she escaped the attack or just wasn't there yet at least I hope it's something like that and not something beyond our current understanding.

File: HUD.jpg (39 KB, 600x375)

39 KB JPG

‘Request readout.’

The interface was definitely closer to the one that you were used to – you feel yourself almost floating, touching the fixtures as you lean forward, the humming growing louder with each touch.

INITIALIZING

‘Enable permanent fixture on fuel efficiency.’

You smile as the window makes itself known to you… and nests itself in the upper right corner of your vision.

‘And It only took three tries.’ You chuckle to yourself.

You flick a switch – the windows clear themselves to reveal the dark bulkhead where your vision of the prep dock would be when the RAY would finally start up. You press a few physical switches to check the connections on board the craft, humming as you roll your shoulders, eager to move to the next stage.

‘Commence – !’

‘Commander, can you hear me?’ Yuubari’s voice, a little fuzzier than you normally would get from the connection, sounds.

‘Loud and clear, Yuubari.’ You reply.

‘Your crew is just about loaded, so hang on with that last check.’

‘Affirmative.’ You reply – you might as well get other parts of prep out of the way, if that was the case. ‘Commence equipment check.’

STATUS: YELLOW

You frown, flicking another switch for a more thorough readout – it appeared that not everything was quite in place just yet. Then again, this was a rushed job… and it wasn’t like any parts of the craft were especially vulnerable.

‘Enable permanent fixture on RAY readout.’

‘That works, too…’ You mutter. ‘Let’s see if some of these other extras.’ You tap on a window, another command coming to your mind. ‘Commence check on emergency retreat system.’

SYNCHRONIZATION MODULE OFFLINE

STATUS: GREY

That you did not expect.

‘Yuubari, ERS is telling me that the synchronization module’s offline. What does that mean?’

‘I just told you that your crew isn’t fully loaded yet.’ Her annoyed voice comes back on. ‘Have a little patience, will you?’

‘Roger that.’ You look to the fairies. ‘You guys have a good feeling about this?’

They both shrug – and as they do so, a window immediately rushes into your view.

MAGIC ENGINE STATUS: ONLINE -

CAPACITY: ERROR-00

‘Engine is fully connected.’ Yuubari sounds. ‘What’s the readout on your end?’

‘Online, but it says capacity error.’ You frown, swiping away the window for a better look at the fuel readouts – you see the number climbing.

‘Perfect.’

‘Perfect?!’

Some muttering comes on the channel – the Synchronization Module check turns from grey to green.

‘Your team’s loaded up. Finish up your readouts and we’ll be good to go.’

‘Commence crew analysis and status check.’

STATUS: GREEN

STATUS: Active

You press a button on the physical console… and a virtual hologram of a cockpit materializes around you.

>Bring RAY Online

>>555664
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9PhfUsFvj0

Accompanying music.

>>555664
>bring RAY online
anyone can hear the pacific rim theme? Becouse i am

>>555673
You can imagine Ellen McLain as the voice of the RAY if you'd like.

>>555664
>>Bring RAY Online

>>555664
>>Bring RAY Online

File: Stop Playing X-Com GM Thi(...).jpg (136 KB, 592x333)

136 KB JPG

‘The crew is clear of the bay doors and your Squadron is fully loaded.’ Yuubari’s voice crackles as you nod, resting back into… nothing. The circle provided some sort of strange balancing act for you, enabling you to keep your steadiness without letting you slip. ‘Commander, you’re cleared to bring the RAY Online.’

‘Acknowledged.’ You nod. ‘Attunement complete, synchronization locked. Division Commander on field.’

The familiar feeling enters you – your body isn’t just your body but a nexus of sensations. You are both in the cockpit and floating on the water, the crews backing off from you and rushing for the safety areas. You raise your arms, feeling a raise in altitude as your hand touches the virtual throttle, the pylons rattling slightly as they hold you in place. You look left, then right… and breathe.

SYSTEMS ONLINE

SENSORS SYNCHRONIZED

AUTHORIZATION CODE: BLUE

‘So are the comm channels open all the time on this module, or what?’ You question, looking around.

For measure of around, anyway; it felt like you were rolling an eyeball for a full turn in socket.

‘Considering that the Stream shielding is an upgrade, you don’t think that it’d be any less automated?’ Yuubari’s tone is a little condescending. ‘You’re taking the offensive point, so we’ll have you pull out first.’ You nod at that, flexing your shoulders slightly. It felt good to be able to do something rather than wait for a load-up. ‘That being said, it’s best that you keep your channel practices the same when it comes to opening one home.’

‘Need-to-do, is it?’ You chuckle.

‘Like it always is.’ She answers you crisply – a few of your windows turn yellow then back to blue, and a few instruments beep as you try to listen to Yuubari’s further words. ‘I’m opening a link between you and the Vice-Admiral; you might feel a little…’

You quickly lose your sense of balance – much to your surprise, almost keeling over – as some kind of shock ripples through your skull. You hold onto one of the metal bars, trying to make sure you don’t slip or trip into an embarrassing fall.

‘Vertigo.’ Yuubari finishes guiltily.

‘Voodoo 2, this is Voodoo 1, do you read me?’ The Vice-Admiral’s voice crackles.

‘Loud and clear… Voodoo 1.’ You grunt, pushing yourself off.

‘Seeing as you’re the escort, would you mind doing the honors?’

‘It’ll be my pleasure, Voodoo 1.’ You swipe away a few windows, ‘Detach pylons.’

PYLONS DETACHED: ENTRY POINTS SEALED

‘Bringing her out.’

You reverse from the bay into the water, a loud rumble echoing in your ears, counting your breaths as you back out and put yourself into a holding, steady position, waiting for the Vice-Admiral to do the same.

It doesn’t take long until the both of you are in place.

‘Lead the way, Voodoo 2.’

>Shoot the breeze (Specify)
>Discuss mission (Specify)
>Continue normally

>>555760
>Shoot the breeze (Specify)
Talk about the open mic night. May as well bring some levity to the situation.

>>555764
This. Doom and gloom is bad for morale, plus we've already gone over the mission details.

>>555764
>>555842
I concur.

>>555764
As much as i wanna know what the hell are we recobering, this is a better idea

File: Spoiler Image (6.25 MB, 1753x2480)

6.25 MB PNG

>>556374
We're recovering someone, someone that was thought to be missing even. Read: >>554725

File: disgusted nagato.png (83 KB, 288x234)

83 KB PNG

>>556418
This is gonna be one hell of a reunion for Nagato

>>556418
As much as i'd any of the bb abyssals himes included
i doubt that happens, the abyss wouldnt let go a strong enemy so easy

>>556443
As much as there would be hope for this, i feel that we already met them in the first operation we did. Atleast its enough coincidences to get you thinking, 2 Kanmusus, both stronger than a CA and on equal footing with an abyssal BB.

File: Zombie Yamato.jpg (363 KB, 1044x724)

363 KB JPG

>>556484
On thread 2:
>personnel of 24 and 2 Light Cruiser Class KanMusu

So nope, they ain't the abominations. And it'd just be anti-climactic for Nagato's subplot to have been resolved since the beginning.

>>556600
>>556600
Its someone important enoughtl to pull an emegency mission
im not sure but a sub with importan info on whatever happened to seaport sounds likely
thats the stuff a subprobably does when its being a fucking nazi

File: Open Mic Night.png (191 KB, 2767x2381)

191 KB PNG

‘How are you folks doing back there?’

You open the visual feed for the hold, seeing your 4 KanMusu at their stations, the fairies tending to them as they’d been instructed to do. You swing your elbows in a motion to renegotiate the craft’s balance, taking the lead from the second RAY, Voodoo 1 and turn your attention back.

‘Attunement went as well as it could, Commander.’ Nagato answers, raising her head to look at you.

You try to ease the nerves… yours or theirs, though, you can’t quite tell.

‘You know, Nagato, Nachi… I didn’t see you folks at Open Mic Night.’ You start off casually. ‘Kaga and Tenryuu killed it.’

‘I had work.’ Nagato answers, frowning. ‘I couldn’t get off as early as I would have liked, considering everything that was going on.’ Her shoulders slump and you hear a grunt, her head knocking against the hull in a show of exasperation. ‘Plus, I had to oversee the personnel change for the army… it’s a bit hard keeping them in the dark, but I can’t risk giving them anything that the Admiralty’s handed over to us, you know?’ You hear a chuckle escape her lips. ‘Professional courtesy and all that.’

At the back of your mind, you suspect that Nagato enjoyed the part of a bureaucrat a little too much for her own good.

‘I wouldn’t hold it against you, Sub-Commander.’ You snort. ‘Nachi?’

‘Busy.’ She answers crisply, raising one of her guns to her nose.

‘Well, you folks’ll be happy to know that Kaga and Tenryuu killed it for the night.’ You continue, raising your voice to as cheerful a chirp as you can.

‘Didn’t Houshou take part?’ Nagato raises her head curiously. ‘How’d she do?’

You’d completely forgotten that Houshou had taken part.

‘Stiff.’

Everyone turns to Kaga, who nods sagely.

‘Houshou’s performance was very stiff.’ She elaborates, turning to Nachi and Kaga. ‘I wouldn’t put anything against her, but it felt like she didn’t want to be on stage. It felt like she would’ve been more comfortable for her to just strum on a beach or something… maybe with a loving arm around her by the sunset, perhaps?’

All four of them snort.

You don’t.

‘Not funny, Kaga.’

‘It wasn’t my intention to be, sir.’

‘The Admiral, he’s… all right, isn’t he, sir?’Nagato’s voice – and the concern with it, immediately interjects, leaving you a little blindsided. Still… you collect yourself.

‘He looked pretty rattled when I left the place,’ you answer honestly, ‘but he’s in Mamiya’s hands. He’ll be fine. Plus, Akashi’s on-call if anything horrible happens… however unlikely it would be.’

‘Kiyoshimo was kind of upset that she didn’t get to perform.’ Murakumo adds.

‘Thank God.’ Comes a collective chorus.

ETA: 3 Hours

>Shoot the breeze (Specify topic/Personnel)
>Discuss Mission (Specify topic/Personnel)
>Continue

>>557642
>Discuss Mission;
Check if any of them know or have been doing stuff in the area we're going before.

>>557642
>Discuss Mission (Specify topic/Personnel)
Nagato.

>>557642
>Shoot the breeze
>What's wrong with Kiyoshimo performing?

File: Nagato.png (1.52 MB, 1374x2000)

1.52 MB PNG

You open a private channel with your Sub-Commander. Maybe the both of you could coordinate something between the both of you to help things go smoother.

‘Nagato, what do you know about our mission?’

‘No more than you do, I suppose.’ She answers – you see her cross her arms on the feed, looking very much as serious as she had been behind the desk. ‘We’re playing an intercept Squadron for any attacking units for the Vice-Admiral and that whatever the matter, we’re to keep any unexpected surprises at bay.’ ‘The Vice-Admiral can handle the rest.’

‘Have you ever been sent out here?’ You inquire – it would be nice to know of the details.

‘No, not this far North, no.’ She shakes her head – you sigh; it would have been nice if she had at least an inkling on the general direction of any probable offensive actions against you… but them’s the breaks, as they would say. ‘I do know that there’s an outpost several leagues away that acted as a drop-off for any connecting transports from the continent across.’

You nod, adjusting the speed; it had gone a little bumpier than you’d like, and – !

‘Wait – hang on; the Admiralty’s kept in contact with the Vanzer?!’

If it weren’t for the magical cushion – you’re convinced it’s magical in nature at this point, it couldn’t be anything else – you believe you would have lurched forward in surprise.

‘Vanzer itself?’ Nagato looks up at you through the feed. ‘No, they haven’t – not to my knowledge, but prior to us being completely cut off, the place served as a sort of depot for any and all incoming supplies from the Shamans or the Vanzer branch of the Admiralty – the last I heard from them… well, any news from that side of the world is iffy at best, but… it’s never good.’

‘Never good?’

You feel a sinking feeling rising from the pit of your stomach.

‘The Vanzer Kingdom and the others following the accords on that… haven’t exactly been as successful at summoning the KanMusu as the Empire has.’

‘You’re kidding.’ You practically spit out your disbelief. ‘The Shamans come from Basilius! How many do they have?’

She doesn’t answer immediately.

‘Nagato?’

‘At the last count of summoning… when I was at Ominato,’ she clears her throat. ‘I heard that they hadn’t been successful in the slightest.’

‘Unreal.’ You almost flop back, feeling the energy sapped from your being. ‘So they don’t have any defensive countermeasures against the Abyssals?’

‘I try not to think about it, and I would suggest you focus your energies on the task at hand.’

She was correct in that aspect… the more immediate worry was getting everyone home alive.

‘Right.’

You spend the next hour or so discussing possible defensive and offensive formations.

ETA: 2 hours

>Shoot the breeze (Specify topic/Personnel)
>Discuss Mission (Specify topic/Personnel)
>Continue

>>558028
>Discuss Mission
check with VA; what kind of firepowr is he bringing/his setup.
maybe also talk w/ nagato about VAs group, what she thinks.

>>558108
this is sound advice

>>558108
Supporting

File: Solid Man.jpg (78 KB, 1024x612)

78 KB JPG

‘Voodoo 1, this is Voodoo 2, just checking in on your vector.’ You open a channel.

There are several windows that check on the strength of the protection – it never ceased to amaze you just how much radio waves and Streams had in common… how they could be tapped into, intercepted… and just how much magic affected them both in ways you probably couldn’t even make sense of.

‘Vector’s sound, ETA to break-off point approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.’ The sound’s a little fuzzy, but you can tell that it’s the Vice-Admiral. ‘How’re things on your end?’

‘The sensors are clear so far, enemy activity non-existent.’ You flick a few manual switches, lurching slightly as the RAY hits an acceleration threshold. You smile as Voodoo 1 comes into view of your visual senses, trailing slightly to your right. ‘What kind of firepower are you packing in there, Vice-Admiral?’

‘Hiei’s on board, if that’s what you’re asking.’ He chuckles audibly. ‘I don’t think she’d forgive me if I left her out of my first drop on-base.’ His tone drops as you push several windows away, sighing as you remember Yuubari’s words. ‘Something on your mind?’

‘Nothing, really.’ No, that’s not much of a truth from your end. ‘I’m just wondering what your Squadron make-up would be – it’s easier on me to know just what kind of resistance threshold I have to cover.’

‘It’s always safe to assume that whatever it is that comes your way, I wouldn’t be able to handle without you breaking down.’

‘That’s always a safe assumption.’

Assuming the worst always made you a little less surprised and a bit more prepared, after all.

‘If you’re trying to sate your curiosity, though, I have a CV on board along with a pair of DD units.’ He reveals – it’s quite a light team. ‘I’m not looking for a ruckus and I’m a big enough target as is, so I’d really appreciate that you take down the heavy hitters if you’re iffy on a full takedown of an offensive Squadron.’

‘I don’t think that’ll be a problem.’

‘Don’t get cocky, kid.’ He warns.

‘I like to think of it as faith.’

‘Then don’t put too much stock in it.’

‘I’ll remember that, sir.’ You can’t help but roll your eyes, as sound as the advice was.

‘Anything on your end?’

‘Nothing but fish.’ He grumbles audibly. ‘And a really bad drag at the acceleration threshold. This really is a patch job.’

‘You get used to it.’

‘Whatever it is, you’re going to have your work cut out for you when you’re covering my behind – if or when I’m able to take down the initial resistance, you’re going to have cover the stragglers or delay them enough for us to punch it out of there.’

You frown as you flick away a yellow window.

‘No training wheels here.’

ETA: 1 hour

>Shoot the breeze (Specify topic/Personnel)
>Discuss Mission (Specify topic/Personnel)
>Continue

>shoot the breeze nachi
Lets make sure shes pumped up and ready to kick some ass

>>559287
>Continue

>>559287
>>Discuss Mission
More specifically, give a big damn inspirational speech to the team. If there was ever a time that they needed it, it would be now.

>>559608
I can get behind this

>>559608
Id be down for a speech but since were there aswell maybe it would have more impact to do it face to face right before they deploy, to show them that we are indeed there with them in the thick of it.

File: BREACH.jpg (31 KB, 500x334)

31 KB JPG

‘Nachi, you holding up all right?’ You open up the private channel.

‘Second time you’re asking me this question.’

You snort, holding back a chuckle and flicking a switch to stabilize the listing.

‘Still haven’t answered.’

‘Forgive me for having some doubts after the last fiasco, Commander.’

You look from the visual feed to see Nachi looking right back at you, that coy smirk on her lips and her eyes flashing with what seemed to be a hint of challenge. Whatever it was, she at least seemed confident enough in her abilities tonight… and hopefully, that extended to her belief in your ability to do the job. You absent-mindedly turn yourself – turn your view of the RAY – and feel another shudder ripple through your body, the sensation of being pulled back raising your annoyance just that bit more. As much as Yuubari had been kind enough to warn you, it was still a bit of an annoyance.

‘No problem.’ You nod, understanding her point. ‘Everyone’s a little on edge tonight… but hey, this time we’ve got something simple to do, at least?’

‘What would that be?’

‘Well… for one, all you have to do is practically kill Abyssals this time.’

‘No twists?’ She actually looks like she’s about to burst from laughter through the feed.

‘I think that’ll be on the Vice-Admiral’s end.’

‘Why do I have my doubts about that?’

‘You shouldn’t.’

‘Well – !’

An orange window immediately catches your attention.

HOT ZONE BREACH IMMINENT

‘Hold that thought.’ You open the general channel for the RAY, praying that this wouldn’t have any surprises. ‘

The instruments turn immediately red as you brace yourself for entry, the counter for distance until the breach quickly counting down. You open the grid’s window, checking for any changes. You see none – the scanners pick up no immediate threat nearby, but you comm in an accelerated dash to the objective on both your designated points; the Admiral had to reach the atoll and you had to make a patrol route to intercept any Abyssals that would disrupt the operation.

A shudder rumbles through the RAY as you enter the Hot Zone and you feel a cold strike of vigilance suddenly hot-wired to your brain. You’re more aware than ever, your previous experiences making you a little bit twitchier than you’d like.

An hour passes without incident… and you relax.

‘Take point, Voodoo 1 the objective is 30 nautical miles on the – !’

RECOGNIZED HOSTILES APPROACHING

‘I believe that’s your welcome mat, Voodoo 2.’

You let out a breath.

No training wheels.

INDEPENDENT OP: CLASSIFIED IS A GO

>Engage Hunker Mode here
>Rush to your route
>Deploy Squadron here
>Write-In [Other Strategies]

You may choose more than one option so long as it does not contradict

>>560917
>>560822
>>559608
>>559520
>>559354
Sorry folks, tried to mix as much as I could from you three a couple of hours ago. Hope it came off well enough. Good luck.

Why do I keep getting banned for that stupid /mu/ post that isn't even mine? Is there a shitposter living in my house?

>>561234
If you are using a public internet it can do that. Ive gotten "banned" on my phone because some shitposter was butthurt on /v

>>561233
>Deploy Squadron here
If we have hostiles here already, we shouldnt just let them take potshots at us. Start here and shoot our way in

>>561240
>>561245
If it's all the same to you, I'll wait until a few more come along so they can give more input. Considering the nature of combat that I employ, I'd like it so that people don't drop things based on me going with just one person's decision.

>>561296
I actually prefer it that way. It may take longer, but some people have great ideas that I could never think of. Plus, its a quest, we need more than just one!

>>561233
>deploy

>>561297
>>561297
Much obliged; and thank you for your cooperation.

>>561233
>Deploy Squadron here

>>561233
>>Deploy Squadron here
Might as well stick to the plan until something goes very wrong.

>>561233
>Deploy Squadron here.

like the other mission, can i ask a map or sumthing?

File: tegaki.png (29 KB, 400x400)

29 KB PNG

>>561448
This is the current set-up.

>>561526
The purple arrows heading downwards are the Abyssal units:

ETA: Between 1 minute and 1 minute 30 seconds.

The purple circle is where you and Voodoo 2 are currently - you have to choose whether to split off or not. The turquoise line/arrows are your proposed intercept route of any other forces and the green circle is the atoll.

This map is dynamic and this is the first stage, so decide what to do.

Remember: Setting up your Hunker Mode is about 3 minutes. You may launch any able KanMusu even without Hunker Mode, but they will be fighting blind - be sure that whoever you leave to fight in that condition if you do so to be able to excel in solo combat until you are able to launch Hunker Mode and establish connection.

Current foes:

[UNKNOWN]

Flagship Threat/Presence: NONE/2%

>>561539
Do we need to be at the atoll to engage Hunker Mode?

>>561542
You're not heading to the atoll. Your job is to intercept any external oncoming forces that would otherwise head to the atoll. Anything that comes out of the intercept route, Voodoo 2 will handle - that's his mission scope.

>>561550
But do we need to be at a solid landmass to engage Hunker Mode? Because I remember us doing that in mission two, unless we can Hunker down at the sea?

Regardless, my choice is:
>Deploy Squadron here

Then run and find someplace to engage Hunker Mode.

>>561539
I'm definitely thinking it would be best to deploy the squadron here and hunker down near by. Then perform an initial sweep for enemies.

File: map thing.png (29 KB, 400x400)

29 KB PNG

>>561550
as much as i want deploy quickly i think we should get a goos spot to hunker down

also my plan

>>561539
We should both
>Deploy Squadron here
>Engage Hunker Mode here
Were putting ourselves in slight danger but it will minimize the blind combat time to a minute and a half or two rather than 3 or more if we were to relocate, since this sounds like an endurance mission we want to minimize early injuries if possible, once the initial attack is done we can relocate if need be.

>>561562
>Shiggu
We brought along Murakumo.

>>561562
We dont have Shigure, since we thought her independence would be a liability.

>>561569
>>561572
fug, i forgot, still the idea is there

>>561557
You are able to go Hunker Mode anywhere. The issue is those 3 minutes it takes to do it.. With the ETA of enemy forces given, what are your choices in regards to this - you can launch your Squadron first, tell them to hold off the enemies, whatever they are, until you are able to fully transform.

Make your final decisions, folks, and I'll type up the next part.

>>561577
>Deploy Squadron here
>Engage Hunker Mode here
As stated above, lets not end up with early injuries just for the sake of the paintjob, and I trust our Kanmusu can hold them off for a bit

>>561577
>Deploy Squadron here
>Engage Hunker Mode here

>>561589
>>561591
Roger that. Write-up out in 30 minutes.

>>561562
Also that plan is okay, except we should keep Kaga close to us since she has quite the long range, and have Nachi slightly ahead of Nagato since her guns have shorter range, otherwise lets hope that Murakumo can handle fast response

File: A nice pic.jpg (39 KB, 600x460)

39 KB JPG

‘Voodoo 1, enemy units inbound. Deploying Squadron.’

You immediately bring the RAY to a slower pace – Voodoo 1 immediately zooms past you towards the objective as you swipe away the windows. The virtual throttle reads the speed at 35 percent – the intercept distance, however, drastically closes as you realize with frustration that to even begin a defensive maneuver you would have to sacrifice initial visibility – susceptibility to attacks being the least of your worries.

Still, you wouldn’t have left your job as a cooking hand if you cared for the risks.

‘Good luck, Commander.’

You begin the activation sequence.

‘See you on the way back, sir.’

RECOGNIZED HOSTILES APPROACHING

‘Sensors on incoming bogeys.’ You sound the warning klaxon, opening the general channel for last minute orders. ‘All right, Squadron, we’re running an intercept course on my mark – dropping you off for a catch and grab.’

‘Like this?!’ Nachi cries out in disbelief. ‘We’ll be going in blind!’

‘I need you girls to give us Vice-Admiral and I some breathing room. His ETA to the objective is five minutes; get out there and make sure he gets there.’ The distance begins to close even more rapidly, the RAY slowly grinding to a halt as you try to plot an intercept course for the offensive units. ‘Changing vector by 27 degrees and opening bay doors for launch.’

‘This is crazy!’

‘There’ll be a 3 minute blackout.’ You go on, ignoring Nachi’s protests. You pin-point at least 4 unites. ‘Nagato, I want you and Kaga to establish an inner defensive parameter. Kaga, your assignment is going Hotel-1008-Marcus-0602 – I want any stragglers gone before they can break through.’ The yellow windows begin popping up one of the other as the sensors begin to sense a deviance in the vector of some units. ‘Nagato… anything that gets through Kaga you blast to smithereens. Prioritize heavy targets until I come back online.’

The whir and bang of the doors opening is practically music to your ears.

‘Understood.’ She dives right onto the open water. ‘Battleship Nagato: DEPLOYING!’

UNIT 01: LOST

‘Carrier Kaga: DEPLOYING!’

UNIT 03: LOST

Almost immediately, you have two blobs on the screen – UNKNOWN – that could only be Kaga and Nagato, beginning to take intercept positions. You bring the RAY to a full halt, muttering a prayer under your breath that they could hold out for the next 3 minutes.

‘Nachi, Murakumo, you both are taking advance positions – Nachi, you’re going from Kilo-0103-Orville-0809 to Marcus-0707-Kilo-0110 intercept routes. Taking anything out as you can. Murakumo, you have free rein.’

The last thing you see from the both of them

‘Roger that; DEPLOYING!’

‘DEPLOYING!’

The warnings flash again, but you push them away.

‘Initiating synchronization.’

>Write-In (Key in orders upon Hunker Mode activation)

info, gonna need who what and where is everyone we can detect

>>561844
>Status report
>Number of downed enemy units
>Ask if Murakumo has spotted any other inbound units
>If coast is clear, establish a patrol around the atoll
>If not, move to intercept

>>561871
that, yeah that
adding if no enemies on sight , kaga makes recon flights

>>561844
>Kaga should stick to a centralized zone of the AO preferably around our RAY or the VA RAY if hes close enough to us
>Nagato is basically on sniping duty, taking out heavy hitters with Nachi orbiting her, generally between her and the enemy
>Murakumo is on recon and straggler elimination, nothing heavier than other abyssals of her class without support
We can relocate if needed once initial threats are dealt with.

File: HO CLASS.jpg (3 KB, 73x96)

3 KB JPG

The cockpit immediately darkens – even the glowing lines on the bulkhead dim, leaving you almost blind. The only source of light is the counter and the plethora of windows on the RAY Interface that denoted the act of entering Hunker Mode are left, leaving you anxious and vulnerable. You raise your arms to form a spread pose – a force seemingly gestures you to do so, making you lift them until you almost touch the tips of the metallic structures. There is a burning sensation that crawls down your shoulders… an almost cold, bruising pain that hits you through your – !

You cry out, dropping to your knees as you clutch your covered eye, wincing and praying for the pain to stop – it feels like a drill is boring through it right to your brain. A searing light seems to seep through, trying to burn right through to the back of your brain. Your whole body shakes – your prosthetic, so resistant to pain, actually feels like it is a complete part of you, cramping and folding.

It all stops in a sudden moment. and the first sound that reaches your ears as the pain subsides is the sound of the humming instruments… and cannon fire.

HUNKER MODE ENGAGED

UPLINK SYNCHRONIZATION INITIALIZING

A pair of jaws comes right at you.

You jolt to a stand. Once more, you are them, the RAY and yourself. Your eyepatch, having kept your right eye under recovery for so long, is rendered useless as you see through it as much as you do your uncovered. You see what your Squadron sees – water, enemies and the night sky. You can barely make out their forms, their presence, even with the night vision each of them had employed to keep up with the combat.

The knees that’d carried you since birth seem to buckle under a weight, and your covered eye sees everything in strange flashes of blue, white and green. There is breath in your throat that hitches, a stuffiness in your nose and a burning feeling on the right side of your brain, but otherwise… you’re as optimal as you can be.

UPLINK: GREEN

DISTANCE FROM EFFECTIVE RANGE: UNKNOWN

There are curse words that reach your ears as you focus on the visuals of your DD, seeing her engaged in combat with an enemy you can’t quite make out. The blinding colors in your right eye affect your ability to confirm them and you struggle to keep the Stream as balanced as you’d like.

‘Murakumo, is that – ?’

A spear finds its place in the gut of an I-Class.

‘Commander, you’re clogging up the general channel – turn to – !’

Water and sky seem to mix as Murakumo’s feed sees dark and grey – she’d taken a tumble; you can feel it.

Two signals disappear… and two more come out.

There are still four.

RECOGNIZED HOSTILES DETECTED WITHIN UNIT RANGE

DESIGNATION: LIGHT CRUISER HO-CLASS (C-Rank)

DESIGNATION: LIGHT CRUISER HO-CLASS (C-Rank)

>Write-In (Orders)

>>562040
Current Enemy Count:

2 Light Cruisers 1 Destroyer (Near Murakumo)

1 Destroyer (Near Nachi)

None near Kaga and Nagato, who are engaged as a last ditch intercept bombard Squadron.

>>562049
Nachi kills the destroyer near her, and then moves to back up Murakumo.

Murakumo makes a fighting withdrawal until Nachi can get close. At the same time, have Kaga send up a squadron to hit the Abyssals near Kumo. If she can't kill them, at least throw them off enough to give Nachi time to get to Kumo.

>>562049
nachi support murakumo

should we get nagato on it, too?

>>562055
This sounds like the most reasonable course of action.

File: Glaring Murakumo.jpg (13 KB, 234x110)

13 KB JPG

‘Nachi, Murakumo needs backup. She has two Light Cruiser units engaged and I don’t think that they’re giving her a Sunday special.’

You hear a flurry of cursing as your Stream focuses on Nachi, having an extraordinary amount of trouble with what looked to be a lone I-Class Destroyer. She rolls and tucks herself, hesitant to fire – you open up her status screen to see that Nachi had already fired a shot or two; in the melee, she had downed one and was presently engaged with an aquatic being that looked like it could bite a boat in half. You find your palms sweaty as you try to open a better avenue on the situation; Murakumo was holding her own, but seeing just how much the Ho-Class had ripped into your stratagems the first time around… you weren’t one to leave things up to chance.

Five seconds or so later, you’re practically screaming into the channel.

‘Nachi!’ You call over the private channel – you grit your teeth; if she had deliberately ignored you…

‘I know that!’ She screams right back, dodging a leaping bite from her foe.

‘Stop knowing and get doing!’ You yell – niceties had been left at home.

In one of your many visual feeds, you see Murakumo, an ornate naginata out, fending off the Ho-Class with more success than you would have pegged for someone of her disposition. She leaps into the air, the edge of her blade scraping against the surprisingly thick hide of the oncoming Abyssals – they, in turn, blast cannons her way, missing her with what seemed to be inches or mere millimeters. Steel met Abyssal flesh with every desperate swipe, every defensive maneuver that she made; through the Stream, you can feel her anxiety, her concentration as the visual feed confirms something that you’d suspected.

They were pushing her inwards – they were giving her less room, making her and easy kill; the Abyssals knew their prey… they were corralling her into a killbox.

You almost fall as a rumble and a splatter of black liquid makes itself apparent to you – even in the darkness, the night vision of Murakumo’s takes a back seat to Nachi’s suddenly-messy foe; the troublesome I-Class had been effectively gutted by Nachi in a violent mix of physical prowess and KanMusu weaponry, splattering the details all over her person; through the Stream you can feel Nachi’s relief… until you’re reminded the next instant of Murakumo’s predicament and move to order her.

Not that you need to – her vision, the green and black, turns into a blur of night sky and sea – and three figures to her right.

‘Twenty seconds!’ Nachi calls out; Murakumo is within her view.

‘Murakumo, retreat to Nachi’s position – get off that route now!’

‘I can handle this!’ She yells right back.

TBC

File: Disgraceful.jpg (118 KB, 1036x703)

118 KB JPG

You curse up a storm under your breath as Murakumo is scraped by a swipe of a Light Cruiser’s pale arms, sending her tumbling… and back up into a recovery flip, skidding – and barely avoiding – the incoming cannon fire from the Light Cruiser’s partner-in-crime. She tries to get back on the offensive, but is pushed back into a stance; she’d done the job for them at this point… her only chance would be to bait them back to Nachi’s route.

‘Get back to Nachi!’ You command, feeling the pulse of anxiety along the Stream. ‘I am not going to repeat that order a third time, soldier!’

Murakumo heeds your warning – but it’s already too late… their breaths are practically on her at this point; it’s all she can do to swipe them away with her blade. She couldn’t get enough of a reprieve to let off a shot.

‘Nachi, she’s been cut off!’ You address Nachi’s channel. ‘Inbound?!’

‘Two seconds!’

She readies her cannon.

‘Contact!’

Nachi splatters the head all over on your visual – miraculously, it doesn’t even falter. The Light Cruiser instead takes a wild aiming pattern, listing and leading to Murakumo’s right and Nachi’s left. Murakumo herself dashes out of the kill box they’d designated for her and moved to flank the both of them in a reversal, right next to Nachi. They move, both of them, weaving in left and right along the wild sprays of the damaged Light Cruiser as the other – from Murakumo’s visual – seemingly tries to take a clear firing position, their advantage long gone.

‘Drag one of ‘em into a kill box!’

‘Which one?!’

You wonder if the Stream would allow you to reach out and smack Murakumo if you thought about it hard enough.

‘I don’t care!’ You bite out, exasperated. ‘As long as one of them’s dead!’

Nachi and Murakumo nod to each other, and get to work – Murakumo pushes the damaged Light Cruiser with her melee towards its partner as Nachi pressures the latter the same. As soon as they’re in one spot, you see Murakumo circling them with the naginata, relieving them of a few more limbs… before Nachi unleashes a payload, tearing both of them apart in a messy kill.

‘Party neutralized.’

You let out a relieved sigh.

‘Status report?’

‘Ammo capacity at 80 percent.’ Comes Nachi’s cheerful voice. ‘Damage minimal.’

‘Commander, I’m getting a reading.’ Nagato grabs your immediate attention.

RECOGNIZED HOSTILES APPROACHING

‘Kaga, we have a – !’

STANDARD CARRIER WO-CLASS (A-Rank)

You swear loudly.

‘Incoming forces heading in from the south – Murakumo, Nachi, anything you can get a visual confirmation on from your end?’

‘Negative, Commander,’ Murakumo sounds. ‘visual sweep shows no.’

‘Vector states that the Wo-Class is not on the intercept route.’ Kaga presses. ‘Do we pursue?’

>Pursue (Specify KanMusu to pursue)
>Hold defense/intercept
>Write-In

>>562199
that carriers gotta die, if she gets an oportunity anyone can get his teeth kicked in
nachi and mura intercept wo, kaga gives fighter cover
nagato long range it

>>562199
Ideally we only need Kaga and Nagato to hit it from long range, lets leave Nachi and Murakumo within safe distance. No need to chase something that will end up harassing as it flees.

Lets also keep in mind that the VA has both Hiei and a CV so they can atleast deal with smaller stuff like destoyers if we get swamped with tougher enemies

>>562224
If it doesn't seem too apparent:

Hiei is one the biggest badasses in-verse. Just thought I'd remind you of that.

>>562199
Get Kaga to hit it with aircraft, Nagato to shoot it if she's in range.

>>562199
Also lets try to get ourselves back into some formation, clearly the abyssals will gun for Murakumo so her being alone wont cut it anymore, maybe hang around Nachi and act as a vanguard while Nagato shifts a bit to try and take out the carrier with Kaga supporting

>>562199
Get Kaga and Nagato to kick the shit out of that Wo-class.

>>562215
That, We don't want something to catch Nachi and Murakumo too far away from us

File: CONTACT.jpg (106 KB, 403x563)

106 KB JPG

‘Murakumo, Nachi, keep to your routes.’ You open a general comm channel – wonder of wonders, this one worked on a mental command. ‘Nagato, Kaga, what’s the current visual vector on the forces inbound? I’m only seeing a Standard Carrier; do you see anything else?’

You enter their feeds, getting confirmation for yourself. Nagato and Kaga look around – they see each other in the distance, maybe quarter of a mile away from each other, maybe less. Their sensors don’t echo the same readings as your own – the KanMusu had built a sensitivity to the appearance of Abyssals… whatever you didn’t see, you could rely on them to see. Kaga and Nagato skate along the water – the read-out of the incoming forces says the same thing.

‘Not on my sensors – there must be a supporting force nearby; I’d stake my reputation on it.’ Nagato takes a more advanced position, readying her guns – you can hear the whirring and the turning; Nagato looks left, right, and upwards, wondeirng ‘Moving outside of designated post. Requesting permission to proceed, Commander.’

‘Permission granted.’ You wave it on, opening a few windows to check for any other present units.

‘No full visual confirmation, but they’re not heading our way – I can’t make out what their vector is; sir?’

‘They’re not heading for the atoll, but chances are they’re not here to give us a full parade back home, either.’ You offer.

The both of them enter the south-eastern quadrant of their designated grid; you yourself open the south-western quadrant, trying to get a better view of the situation – the whole affair seemed rather odd. The Wo-Class seemed intent on staying its course… but its course didn’t seem like it was headed anywhere near what you would would have pegged to be its objective. You didn’t dare try to open a channel with the Vice-Admiral just yet – you’d been told to wait for him to give you the go-ahead and that’s what you’d do.

Till then, you’d do your best covering their asses.

‘Kaga, Nagato, I want you to intercept that Wo-Class but do not – I repeat, do not pursue if the parameters exceed the operation’s.’

‘Understood.’ Kaga acknowledges, zooming southwards. ‘I am taking advanced position. Estimated contact in 60 seconds.’

‘Nagato, Kaga is taking the offensive point – I want defensive fire and suppressive motions; are you able to do that?’

Before she can answer, your instruments go haywire – you don’t see any Abyssals anywhere – the lone Wo-Class stays.

‘BUZZARDS!’

RECOGNIZED HOSTILES DETECTED WITHIN UNIT RANGE

That’s why she had stayed so far away…

It was an air raid.

‘CONTACT!’

It is the first time in forever that you feel such primal glee course through you…

You’re not sure if it’s all yours, either.

>Live Combat Initiated (5 Questers Roll a 1d8 each)

Rolled 4, 6, 2, 1, 4 = 17 (5d8)

>>562334
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3PyHDKWU5k

Some accompanying music.

Also, roll against me, Questers. It's combat time!

>>562344
Oh, and before I forget: Easy/Normal/Hard Mode?

Rolled 4 (1d8)

>>562348
normal

Rolled 8 (1d8)

>>562348
Normal.

Does difficulty affect the DC and mission rewards?

Rolled 5 (1d8)

>>562344
>>562348
Does easy mode mean Hiei snipes the carrier before we even attempt to engage it?

Rolled 7 (1d8)

>>562344
Ideally normal. Normal is good.

File: BTFO.png (537 KB, 700x922)

537 KB PNG

>>562366
>>562376
>Rolling rules
>DC 7+ is an auto-win for Questers unless Hard Mode is Turned On

Is combat over?

>>562378
Even if its a battle of the dice totals we still made it by quite a bit so it should be fine

Rolled 5 (1d8)

>>562344
Normal, I really don't want to fuck this up for us now.

>>562383
better safe than sorry!

>>562370
Yes. And Zuikaku comes over and rolls her eyes saying that you don't deserve Kaga.

>>562400
Too late for Hiei to save the day, And also this is why Zuikaku is still single

>>562400
She needs to get laid.

>>562481
words of wisdom, right here

>>562481
>>562491
We should set her up on a blind date with the Major, from the Army.

>>562497
Why do you want to condemn the Major to a life of denial akin to Zuikakus?

>>562497
you think she go with some army dog? actually navy/army hate each other here?

>>562503
The guy works for the Army. He's already in denial. Also, why are we communicating via spoilers?

I need to take a break. Work beckons in a few hours. I swear I'll have this settled, though.

>>562512
Don't underestimate Zuikakus hippie inner peace bullshit denial, that would be a whole new low even for the army We're communicating via spoilers because this isn't related to whatever were doing, unless Zuikaku comes over mid mission to try to convert us again

>>562526
I suppose that makes sense. He just seems like the least terrible candidate for her, considering her other potential suitors.

>>562547
witch as far as i know are 3 an one is a harcore perv witch i dont trust even a second and the other is us, and no aint happeninggreat pepole out there

>>562547
>>562552
Nothing will ever be as terrible as fingers fucking love-murder letter
The VA might also count, under extreme circumstances

>>562555
hoss, we are civileesoitin Fingers even if we gotta rip our good arm and beat him with it

>>562555
His letter sounded like some shit Colonel Kurtz would write.

>>562557
>>562561
Worst part is that someone might associate us with that letter since we delivered it,we should begin some heavy damage control once we get back

File: sweating.jpg (68 KB, 300x300)

68 KB JPG

>>562566
Nobody SAW us deliver it though, luckily. Hopefully.

>>562574
Fingers might shit hes pants that Irako didnt like the letter, and might try damage controlling by throwing us under the bus under the pretext that it was ours
There is but one solution if it ever comes to that, we gotta dispose of him

>>562581
nah mate, we gotta soften the blow, she didnt quite get the rhyme and shit like that, teach his ass some basic poetry and, while not exactly smooth, it would do

>>562587
Im legit worried about all the rapey vibes that letter implied, I dont think Irako would want to even get close to him after that
And we're defenetly not hiding the fact he wrote the letter if it ever comes down to it, that would mean betraying her trust and mortal fear she now has of Fingers

>>562600
im with ya, if shit gets in the bad kind of weird, we tellin'
still i think its more Fingers being a hardcore thug right to the bone more than anything, ever seen a thug pull a shakespeare? me nether

File: Nervous.jpg (72 KB, 960x960)

72 KB JPG

>>562610
For a hardcore thug he sure fucking managed to spill enough spaghetti to feed the entirety of africa in one tiny ass letter.This might go deeper than him being a thug and that worries me.

>>562619
probably true, but dont tell me that you wouldnt fumble like him with a nice and cute girl like irako

>>562631
Don't think any of my fumbles would be able to morbidly terrify a Kanmusu,who knows maybe Fingers has a gift, maybe we can get him to send a letter over to the navy and terrify them into giving us that plot for Atagos grave

>>562649
just send them the fingers letter to some one in chage and see what happens

>>562649
crazy enough to work

>>562663
Literally just have to replace Irako with [REDACTED] and we have achieved our ultimate psychological warfare device
We should send one to that piece of shit deputy mayor too for good measure

>>562683
a weapon to surpres even metal gear

>>562716
Our Outer Heavenis beginning to take shape.

File: Something Like This.jpg (132 KB, 850x478)

132 KB JPG

The question on the matter of a KanMusu being attacked from the sky instead of on the open ocean had never crossed our mind. However, considering that your last attempt at departure from Yokosuka had been interrupted by a flurry of airborne Abyssals, it really should have come up on the list a few times when the subject of combat crossed your mind. Now, however, considering that you were up against more than a dozen Abyssal fighters and had not prepared for them, it wasn’t so much about wallowing in regret as it was coming up with a defensive command in order to keep your KanMusu alive for the foreseeable future.

You try to yell out the order, but it’s too late.

1ST ROLL: 4 vs 4 – RESULT: Nagato: DAMAGED!

Nagato is immediately rained upon by a hail of bullets from the sky – you can feel her pain, but mostly you feel her frustration. Having just entered combat without so much as a warning, she takes the onslaught shard by shard, covering herself with her forearms – she doesn’t dare look away, peering through the gaps in her guard as she makes a move to thrust herself out of the killbox, wide as it is. Your ears ring as Kantai Steel meets Abyssal Alloy, the scraping sound of bullets against sturdy, enchanted flesh and metal reach you as though you’re right there, right in Nagato’s place, taking in blow after blow as she tries to move as best she can. The buzzards don’t leave, however, and they give Nagato a run for their money; you notice her guns trying to train on the Buzzards, whirring and groaning as she wills them to push on back.

There isn’t much that you can see from where you are, but there’s everything to feel. Nagato was – is – one of the best on your Squadron and probably one of the best period… she wouldn’t go out this easily, and definitely not at the hands of an incompetent Commander like you. You gather yourself, making out the targets from the incoming buzzards.

‘Nagato, full reverse and train your guns up on my target!’ You’ve done this before – with a training dummy, but you’d done this before; you aim right in the middle of the messy swarm, another eye on the now-advancing Standard Carrier on the sensors. You raise your arms in a makeshift reticule… getting a feel for the position… ‘FIRE MAIN CANNON!

2ND ROLL: 8 vs 6 – RESULT: DEFENSIVE MANEUVERS SUCCESSFUL! CRITICAL!

It doesn’t do much – but it does scatter the swarm. You have a feel for Nagato’s ammo supply, a whole bar depleting from the action. Still, the action wasn’t waste. She had hit one of the buzzards in the mess and the opportunity now presented itself for her to take a more commanding role in the battlefield. Your instincts push her to retreat – your Stream strengthens considerably; you can feel the bond tightening and holding on... a warm embrace.

TBC

File: Also Like This.jpg (102 KB, 850x442)

102 KB JPG

You find yourself reaching over to Kaga’s link, almost on instinct – you see her approach the Wo-Class first, taking a more aggressive stance compared to before.

‘Launching fighters.’ Goes Kaga, raising her bow on your feed.

‘You read my mind.’ You mutter into the link, counting down the buzzards as Nagato makes a tactical retreat for a wider shot – getting out of the clutches of the buzzards was only the first step, and the damage didn’t render her as hopeless as it had seemed; she still packed a few shots. ‘Nagato, ram it right down their throats that this is our damn threshold!’

‘Understood, Commander!’ Nagato takes a more confident stance; you feel the anger, the need for release in her, her embarrassment at having taken by surprised by, of all things, mindless buzzards – rather than the black marks along her skin and the holes on her top, her pride had taken more of a dent than any tear in her throat would do. ‘Firing!’

You don’t realize that Nagato’s cannons weren’t aiming at the swarm to break off the assault – she’d launched a shell in a direction you would have considered as secondary to emphasizing territorial superiority… but you find yourself thankful.

After all, it’s not every day you see a Wo-Class with half its head gone from arced cannon fire.

The buzzards move like an entity, crying out with an inhuman shrill as they rush to protect their master. Kaga launches her first plane – you see what looks like an old man in a flight jacket, nodding somberly for an instant – and it takes to the sky, meeting the buzzards.

3RD ROLL: 5 vs 2 – RESULT: OFFENSIVE MANEUVERS SUCCESSFUL!

You really can’t see a thing. Kaga had launched a second plane now, but the buzzards had tried to take a more offensive maneuver in their efforts to protect the Wo-Class; you can’t even make out if the first plane had been downed with all the explosions overriding your sense. Quick wits have you open up Nachi and Murakumo – still alive and in one piece, but ineffective even if they did take the trip down here. Water, fire, metal and night sky mix into your view as you try to make sense of what was going on – even the night vision from both of them couldn’t give you a semblance of sense; you didn’t know if you were winning or losing.

The fact that you had practically cleaved a monster jellyfish in a messy strike wasn’t that much of a reprieve, considering just what it was.

‘Kaga, Nagato, I can’t get a proper visual on your ends – how messy is it there?’

‘We’re pressing, but the buzzards are keeping us from getting a clean shot!’ Nagato grunts in frustration, firing off a volley into the rush; you see none of them get visibly damaged – but it’s hard to tell.

Kaga and Nagato move apart; the both of them assess the Wo-Class and her dozens of buzzards. You grit your teeth, scanning for an opening.

TBC

>>565041
god damn it 4chan
why the hell you gotta fall now

>>565236
To be fair it was only down for like 5 minutes, sure the home page stays down for longer but atleast this board came back quickly