>>2447913
>>Truthful
This is not the right moment to play games

>>2447913
>Truthful
Nervous, but ready.

>>2447913
>>Boastful

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>>2447913
>Truthful

"Arleigh, I didn't know I existed until a few hours ago, I'm sweating like a pig, and I'm terrified. How do you think I'm doing?"
"See what I said? She's great!" Arleigh laughs, though it's cut off short by a beam attempting to stab through the area her head was until a second prior. "That was a close one! There's not much room to maneuver here, can you help us out sis?"

As she talks, your implant informs you that you're being integrated into a tactical net. Three names pop up- Arleigh Burke, Daring, and Dragon. With a thought, you can see their missile loads remaining, and their approximate health levels. Daring's is a little lower than the others. You shake your head a little, and raise your rifle, firing off a few shells at the closest of the three enemy warships. The new tac net informs you that they're cruiser-class Abyssals, presumably the largest thing that can still get up-river this far. Unfortunately, your rifle is a little anaemic compared to whatever Arleigh is using, and you're suddenly very busy dodging shells. You're still further out from the other shipgirls, and it's easier for you to do so. In fact, that gives Arleigh and the others more chances to open fire on the enemy!

>Move in closer where your gun will be more effective and you can coordinate fire.
>Stay here and pelt the enemy with your gun, hopefully allowing the other girls to do more damage.
>Coordinate a missile strike with the last of all your loads- if you can overload their defenses you have a good chance of taking some out.
>Other (write-in).

>>2448099
>Move in closer where your gun will be more effective and you can coordinate fire.

>>2448099
>Move in closer where your gun will be more effective and you can coordinate fire.

>>2448099
>Coordinate a missile strike with the last of all your loads- if you can overload their defenses you have a good chance of taking some out.
The faster we knock them out, the less fire we have to take.

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Rolled 98, 95, 3, 26, 40, 22, 27, 53, 46, 78, 47, 65, 16, 24, 28, 95, 75, 85, 19, 81, 33, 27, 55, 46, 49 = 1233 (25d100)

>>2448099
>Move in with your rifle

Roll 1d100, best of 3 for CQB.

>>2448186
I'm... not sure why that rolled 25, but I'll only be taking the first 4.

Arleigh is a fucking god

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>2448186

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>2448186

Rolled 30 (1d100)

>>2448186

>>2448232
>>2448235
>>2448238
Looks like we don't have our sea legs quite yet.

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>>2448186
>35,98,95,3 vs 26

"I'm coming in!" You announce, putting your rifle to your shoulder and thought-clicking the fire switch. You fire as you advance at full speed, not doing much damage but keeping the fire off your fellow shipgirls enough that they can re-group. Suddenly, your rifle clicks dry. Your body seems to take over- you thought-click the magazine detach, summon a new magazine, slide it home with a satisfying click, and chamber a new shell. Huh. Okay.

By that point, you've gotten much closer to Arleigh and other two. Daring might actually be hurt worse than she's letting on- she can barely raise her rifle with her damaged arm.
"It's nice to see you, sis!" Arleigh calls, firing a burst of brilliant blue at one of the abyssals - a PG-90 plasma rifle, the tac net informs you - as she swings wide to avoid a volley of fire.
"I'd say it's nice to be here, but..."
Dragon chuckles. "I like her sense of humour, Burke. Shall we?" Arleigh nods.
"Right! I'll call it! Get ready!"
"I'll draw their fire." Daring announces.
"Okay. The guy in front, primary mass driver! On my mark!" Arleigh is all business now, coming around with her rifle - bulkier than yours - to her shoulder.

Before she gives the order, Daring opens fire. There's the faintest impression of a red beam for a split second as a small series of craters appears on the targeted abyssal's hull. All of them turn their turrets to fire at her.
"Okay! Mark!"
You, Arleigh and Dragon all fire at once. Shells, blue plasma and a volley of those much slighter beams that sound like the snapping of dried wood smash into the turret, turning it into scrap in a matter of moments.
"Quick, the peebee right behind it! Mark!"
Your aim is a little slow, but Arleigh and Dragon successfully take out what your implant informs you is a particle beam emitter- those much more powerful red beams that they keep throwing around.
"Launching torpedoes!" Daring announces, fitting a magazine into an under-barrel launcher of her rifle. Her aim's still decent enough to fire a spread that, now unmolested by the abyssal's defensive beams, hits it below the waterline. Gouts of water erupt into the air, and the monstrous cruiser shudders, then starts to sink.
"Nice work. Let's move onto the next ones!" Arleigh calls, but she's interrupted by a ripple of explosions ripping through the air battle up above.
"Looks like the flyboys are here!" Dragon smiles, carefully side-stepping an abyssal shell that lands just a few feet away from her as she looks up. "We could probably keep them busy for a bit longer and they can take 'em out for us."

>Sure, all you need to do is not die for a few more minutes. How hard could that be?
>Hell no, you've already taken out one, there's just two more ships, you can get them yourselves!

>>2448336
>Sure, all you need to do is not die for a few more minutes. How hard could that be?
It's our first fight, let's not overstretch ourself.

>>2448336
>>Sure, all you need to do is not die for a few more minutes. How hard could that be?

>>2448336
>Sure, all you need to do is not die for a few more minutes. How hard could that be?

Rolled 18, 31, 52, 56 = 157 (4d100)

>>2448336
>Just don't die. How hard could it be?

We're about to find out. Roll those 1d100s.

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>2448372

Rolled 98 (1d100)

>>2448372
BANZAAAAAAI

Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>2448372

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>2448372
suddenly abyssal bomber out of fucking nowhere

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>>2448336
>98,18,31,52 vs 56

"All we need to do is distract them a bit longer, right? Easier to leave it to the air support." You say to Arleigh. Of course, even while you speak you're carefully avoiding the scattered gunfire from the two remaining cruisers. It's becoming pretty natural to you now.
"Okay." Arleigh nods. "Sis is right, we'll just wait for now. Daring, you start to back up, m'kay? We'll take care of the rest."
"Aye aye." Daring breaks off, weaving from side to side to avoid fire.
"Right, ladies! Let's give them something to shoot at." Arleigh slaps a fresh magazine into her weapon and fires off a searing volley that has the abyssals drowning her in fire. You share a glance with Dragon, and the pair of you get back into action.

It takes 20 minutes for the air battle to be won by the reinforcements- three entire squadrons of multiroles that rip through the remaining abyssal fighters with bursts of plasma fire. In that time, you finally get your sea legs, moving far more naturally with your rig and peppering the abyssal cruisers with shots from your rifle. Unfortunately, Arleigh takes a shot from a shell right through her Rig and has to pull back while you cover her retreat, and Dragon also takes a glancing blow on the leg. Fortunately, it's just hard for the abyssals to track you, especially hemmed in as they are on the river!

Finally, through, fire lances down from the sky as missiles and plasma core the slick black hulls of the enemy and the incoming fire stops abruptly. You wave up at the fighters as they peel off, and turn back to sail back to base. Dragon is rather subdued, and you're also pretty tired so you don't bother trying to speak.

Daring and Arleigh are waiting for you near the dock, first with weapons ready in case you need assistance, but also to show you where to climb up the ladder than hangs over the slow-moving, brown water of the Nene. As the four of you clamber up and starts to head into the base, the soldiers working to extinguish fires, clear debris and bodies and continue to man SAM stations notice you. From there, the applause starts.

>Drink it in, play it up. You deserve it.
>Let them applaud, you know they need somebody to look up to even if they did a lot of the work.
>You don't deserve this applause, you could've done more to help.

>>2448486
>>Let them applaud, you know they need somebody to look up to even if they did a lot of the work.

>>2448486
>>Drink it in, play it up. You deserve it.
Line up the muscular, hung boys for our enjoyment.

>>2448486
>You don't deserve this applause, you could've done more to help.

>>2448486
>>Let them applaud, you know they need somebody to look up to even if they did a lot of the work.

>>2448486
>Let them applaud
I'm going to be heading off to bed now, but I'll be continuing the quest throughout the day tomorrow, so be sure to check back!

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>>2448486
You don't feel like you particularly deserve the applause- after all, these men did most of the work while you were just keeping those ships busy. Still, they need somebody to look up to, right? So you raise your hand in a little wave, and they cheer all the harder. Eventually, an officer trots up to you- he's hastily strapped on body armour over his working uniform, and looks distinctly... harried. You don't know what his rank is, but your implant helpfully informs you that he's wearing the epaulettes of a captain.
"Ladies." He snaps off a switch salute, which Arleigh returns. "Admiral Thomas would like to see you all as soon as possible for debriefing." Ah. He must be an intel weenie.
Arleigh, however, is looking over at Daring. "Me an' Mahan can come, but Daring and Dragon need some time in sickbay. My Rig got beat up, but that can wait." The captain looks a little pained, but nods.
"I'll let the admiral know. I trust you know the way?" Arleigh nods, and he leaves back the way he came through the haze and smoke.

"I'd better get Daring to sickbay then." Dragon sighs. "As much as I'd love to see the Admiral... C'mon Dare." You catch Daring rolling her eyes before she leaves with Dragon.
"Awright!" Arleigh pats you on the back and sets off- you need to trot a few steps to catch up. "Don't worry sis, they always have to debrief us. I bet they're mad as hell though, this is supposed to be the most secure base in the UK."

Arleigh leads you through the base, and on the way shows you how to dismiss your Rig. "Vindy's got some kinda thing that makes 'em appear in her workship, I dunno what." She explains. You're left with the exo, which is very good because your legs are starting to feel somewhat wobbly. Eventually you arrive in front of a relatively nondescript building, near the edge of the concrete island that forms the base. However, when you move to open the door, Arleigh stops you.
"Hold on, sis." She seems very serious all of a sudden. "Before we go in, are you feelin' okay? First time in combat's always a bit of a shock. Any shakes or anythin'?"

You feel...
>Exhilarated.
>Slightly nervous.
>Really tired.

>>2449662
>>Slightly nervous.

>>2449662
>Really tired.
The feeling of adrenaline suddenly wearing off and leaving you realizing how exhausted you are.

>>2449662
>Really tired.

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>>2449662
Oops, I had to actually do things today.

>Really tired.

You rub one of your eyes as you think about it, and glance at your fingers. They're covered in soot. Then again, the rest of you doesn't look too good, and neither does Arleigh. "Honestly, I'm pretty worn out." You shrug slightly. In fact, your legs are starting to feel a little wobbly. Good thing you have the exo. Arleigh just pats you on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, Sis. Shouldn't take too long, and then we'll head back to the barracks. You can sleep in my room!" She gives you a smile that could be mistaken for the dawning sun, and leads the way inside. Another guy in uniform is waiting for you - another intel weenie probably - and guides the both of you down a few corridors. As you walk, the exo whirring softly just on the edge of hearing, a voice can be heard. A very loud voice.
"-the bloody hell do you mean, 'couldn't have seen this coming'!? Last time I checked this is Peterborough, not goddamned Dover!"
Your implant picks out an answering murmur, but it's too indistinct to make out what they're saying. The guy you're following has a very studiously blank expression, you notice.
"Exactly! But for a department named intelligence I can't don't seem to be getting any!"
Another answering murmur, and this time the voice is quieter, too quiet to pick up anything past a bass rumble. That's when you realise the intel weenie has stopped outside the door. He takes a quick breath, and knocks firmly. There's a pause.
"Enter."

You're waved into an office. It's a relatively nice office, but clearly meant to be for a mid-level officer, not the full-braid admiral standing behind the desk covered in reports and paperwork. Standing across from him, turning to face you, is - you wait a moment for your implant - a commodore. Arleigh salutes, and you follow her lead.
"At ease, at ease." The admiral comes around the desk to shake your hands. "Damn fine work you girls did today. Weren't there four of you?"
"Daring and Dragon are in sickbay, sir." Arleigh smiles, clearly enjoying the compliment.
"Really? I'll have to visit them if I can, give them my regards." He turns to you with a little raised eyebrow. "Now then, Mahan, isn't it? Our new addition?"

>Boast
>Neutral
>Polite

>>2449909
>Neutral
He did say at ease, so we probably oughtn't to be /too/ formal.

>>2449909
>>Polite

>>2449909
>>Neutral

>>2449909
>You can sleep in my room
[sudden dread intensifies]

And
> Neutral

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>>2449909
>Neutral

"Yes, sir. Happy to be here, sir." The admiral- Tomas, right? He frowns slightly, and for a moment you're worried you've said the wrong thing. Then he chuckles, and reaches out to pat you lightly on the shoulder.
"I doubt that, but I appreciate the sentiment. Sit, sit."
He waves to the chairs in front of the desk. The commodore has stepped off to the side, standing next to the wall silently. You step forward and gladly collapse into one, Arleigh manages to be a mite more graceful. The admiral settles in on the other side, lacing his fingers together on top of the paperwork.
"Now then. I'm sorry I'm meeting you here, but unfortunately the admin building was shelled and my office-" He makes an impression of an explosion with his hands. "Thankfully, Commodore Maitland here," He gestures to the other man, "Kindly offered to settle us here until we can find something more permanent. He's also a little put out because I lost my temper a little earlier." Out of the corner of your eye, you think the Commodore might be rolling his slightly. "But I have a lot of talk about with you, Mahan, and this concerns Arleigh as well. Before we do that... Do you have the recorder, Kevin?"
Maitland steps forward and places a device on the desk. He taps it, then says loudly and clearly,
"February 14th, 2067. Debriefing of Fleet Maidens Arleigh Burke and Mahan after surprise attack on Peterborough Army Base."
He steps back, and Admiral Thomas looks between the pair of you. "Thank you, Commodore. Now then, which of you wants to go first?"

>Let Arleigh tell the Admiral about what happened.
>Fill in your perspective first.
>zzzzz

>>2450265
>Let Arleigh tell the Admiral about what happened.
Get an idea of how this is supposed to go by letting her go first, and then follow her lead. Best not trip over ourself on an official recording.

>>2450265
>Let Arleigh tell the Admiral about what happened.

>>2450265
>>Let Arleigh tell the Admiral about what happened.

>>2450265
>>Let Arleigh tell the Admiral about what happened.

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>>2450265
>Let Arleigh take over.

You look over to your sister, who nods.
"Well, I heard there was gonna be a new shipgirl waking up, so I decided to head up to O'Mara's office to see who it was..." She begins, describing how you both had met... what, only a few hours ago at most. It seems so long. You try and suppress a yawn, rubbing your eyes as you half tune out to what she's saying.
"...so then I left Mahan here with Vindictive, and went outside. That was just before our friendly air got in the sky, so I helped our SAM sites with my own Sea Ravens. Then I heard that there were ships coming up the Nene from Daring and Dragon who were moving to stop them, so I followed them..." Despite how sleepy you are, you do your best to stay awake, if only because while the Admiral is giving Arleigh his full attention, that Commodore seems like he's trying to drill you a new eye socket in the side of your head with his gaze.
"...then we kept the other two distracted until the skies were clear and I called airstrikes down to finish them off. After that, we went home." Arleigh finishes, which snaps you back to attention. Man, you'd definitely have slumped over if not for the exo.

Thomas nods, and turns his gaze to you.
"Very good, Arleigh. And you, Mahan? Anything to add?"

>Nope, nothing.
>Mention that you downed the flight of bombers.
>Mention the bombers, but make it clear that it was mostly Vindy who killed them.

>>2450442
>>Mention the bombers, but make it clear that it was mostly Vindy who killed them.

>>2450442
>Mention the bombers, but make it clear that it was mostly Vindy who killed them.
We helped! Probably. A little.

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>>2450442
>Vindy is best girl desu

"Uh, not really. I went out as soon as I could. Oh, but when I went out, Vindictive was with me, and there was this flight of bombers coming in, but all the AA sites were busy, so we took 'em down. It was mostly Vindy- er, Vindictive, though. She did most of the work. Then I heard Arleigh over the radio and went to help."
Thomas looks between the both of you. "Anything else?" You shake your heads. "Very well." He taps the device, and hands it off to Commodore Maitland. "Thank you, Kevin. Tell your boys I'd like a briefing before tea, yes?"
Maitland nods, salutes, and takes his leave. As the door closes, Thomas leans back in his air, eyeing the both of you - but mostly you - with a calm, steady gaze. "Now then. I was going to be meeting you today anyway, Mahan, to discuss why you're here and not in the States. But you look exhausted and no wonder. If you wish, we can do this tomorrow morning after you've had a good night's sleep, how does that sound?"

>Well, you're feeling pretty tired...
>It's fine, you can stay awake.

>>2450650
>>It's fine, you can stay awake.

>>2450650
>It's fine, you can stay awake.

>>2450650
>>It's fine, you can stay awake.
Grab a coffee and get it over with.

>>2450650
>Well, you're feeling pretty tired...

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>>2450650
>Stay awake.

"No, no." You make the effort to straighten up, rubbing your eyes determinedly. "I'm fine." Thomas waits for you to settle again before nodding.
"Right then. Arleigh already knows this, so I'll cover it briefly. Until two years ago, we were in contact with the United States, and regularly had long-range cargo flights. You were a- a favour, if you will, as the US and Japan are the two countries with the most advanced Fleet Maiden production capabilities. Arleigh here was on one of the last flights, and so were you, though at the time you were- oh, what's a word? A zygote, or somesuch. Anyway, shortly after that they took Iceland, and cut off our one remaining air channel across the pond. As if the seasonal storms weren't enough. We're still in satellite contact, thankfully." The admiral pauses to search through the paperwork on his desk.
"-So in any case, that's where we stand. The Channel is still- should be relatively safe, we work with the Germans and the French to keep it clear enough, but taking a ship across the Atlantic is suicide. That's where you come in, Mahan. Peterborough is our most secure base, so we're assembling as much of our forces here as we can... well, in the hope that the Abyssals wouldn't find out. Their strike in broad daylight is rather worrying, especially because the Channel was meant to be secure." He's still looking through the paperwork. "I'm sure I had a list here, it must have been burnt with the rest. Still, you two will be part of our new force. We're waiting on a couple newly-woken Maidens, I think, as well as some girls from down South."
He gives up on trying to find the paperwork and sits back in his chair with a shrug. "Anyway, that's where we stand. We need to re-take Iceland, ladies. But... I don't want to hear word of this from anywhere else, understood?" He gives Arleigh a penetrating look. She pouts slightly, looking morally offended. After a few moments, he looks back to you. "So that's where we stand. Any questions?"

>Ask something (write-in).
>No, you're fine. Let Arleigh take you to the barracks.

>>2450765
>>No, you're fine. Let Arleigh take you to the barracks.

>>2450765
>No, you're fine. Let Arleigh take you to the barracks.

>>2450765
>Ask something (write-in).
How long from now can we expect the operation to retake Iceland to begin? And what can we expect to be doing in the meanwhile?

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>>2450765
>Ask one thing cause might as well

"Yeah, uh, how long until we start the operation?" You inquire.
"Hopefully? A month, perhaps, assuming no new major Abyssal offensives during that time." The Admiral gives a slight shrug. "Until then, Arleigh will help you train, though," He smiles broadly, "It seems as though you're already a natural." After a pause to see if you have anything else, he looks between you and your sister, "Well then, dismissed. And for god's sake Arleigh, get her in a bunk before she collapses."
You manage to get off a salute after struggling to your feet, supported by the exo all the way. You even manage to get to the door, though there's a rap just before you each it.
"Enter!" Your admiral calls, looking up from the paperwork he started in an attempt to sort. That captain from earlier opens it and steps in as you walk past.
"Admiral, the Lions will be landing in a few minutes..." You hear him say as Arleigh leads the way down the corridor. You're too tired to puzzle it, however.

Outside, you immediately start sweating again, though the air smells a little better, and there's a bit less smoke around.
"Jeez." Arleigh raises a hand to shield her eyes from the high sun overhead. "C'mon, sis. They gave me a room with two bunks, so you can stay with me." She sets off across the concrete.
The burning heat actually wakes you up a little, but it's mostly the searing brightness. You find yourself wishing fervently for a scrap of cloud, but nobody answers your prayer. On your way to the barracks, you pass groups of soldiers clearing debris and setting up a new SAM sites. Once you pass a broad, open square with a flag fitfully fluttering at one end. The square is filled with bodies covered with sheets. Arleigh actually pauses to salute them.

After that uncomfortable reminder of the earlier attack, you reach the barracks a minute or two later. Truthfully, you barely take in your surroundings. As soon as Arleigh points out a clear bunk in a room whose fittings you ignore, you throw yourself face-first onto it, and fall asleep in moment.

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And that's where I'll be leaving it for this week. Sorry that we didn't get through as much, but even when I set aside free time life just isn't having it.

I'm not sure if I'll be running Fleets of God this weekend, because of some personal issues. Check my twitter for updates.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and have a nice night!

>>2450856
Better luck next time, yo.

See you then.

Dammit missed the thread