Beneath Celestial Depths (An Arpeggio of Blue Steel Quest)

[TheBleachDoctor]

Blue Steel was many things. A resistance group. Human collaborators. Hopelessly idealistic. But they were your friends for many years. Yes, you did go behind their backs quite a few times, selling out little bits of information, but you did all that in the interest of gaining the other's trust! You always sold the juiciest bits of info to them. You ratted them out the least. You're pretty sure that they knew this too. You're hoping that they remember you, and still feel the slightest bit grateful.

And so, with confirmation that Blue Steel headed down to Antarctica, you decide to go there. Mary was a little sad when you told her that she wouldn't be going to America just yet, but she was understanding about it. After all, the prospect of allies was quite the enticing one. You'd make it up to the dear later.

The journey down to the bottom of the world was, surprisingly, quite boring. You don't even catch a whiff of a military vessel the entire way, just civilian ships that you give a wide berth. And then, as the waters become chilly and the ice starts to appear, what little traffic existed just vanishes. It isn't there anymore. You guess the humans avoid this place entirely due to Blue Steel's presence. That's good. Means they're probably still around.
Still, you can't find any evidence of Blue Steel around...

The trip is mostly boring. While you try to spend some time with Mary, she seems rather absorbed with the books you procured. Not that you can blame her. They're a treasure trove of knowledge, and to this little girl who's been starved of the world for years they must seem like a godsend.

You manage to reconstitute some of the leftovers into a special dish in your spare time. You take a mixture of mochi, sponge cake, and rare steak and turn the resulting puree into a glorious baguette! Sure, it's, uh, kind of unconventional, but that's what makes your cooking great!
Mary even tries it, as promised. She makes a face, and doesn't go for seconds, but she does try it at least! Once you reassured her that the ingredients were actually food, she let you feed her a piece.
Still, you end up eating most of it, as once you coax her to try another bite, she turned absolutely green and dashed for the lavatory. Oh well. Next time you'll take your baguette, coat it in honey and dip it in cinnamon! With Sriracha filling, of course.

You are the Best Cook.

---

After a whole two weeks, you finally approach the Antarctic continent itself. Thick sheets of ice slide past overhead while you silently coast under it.

"Surcouf, there's a place up ahead where we can surface!" Mary points out on the sensors, and you nod in agreement. The air is getting a bit stale, what with the amount of time you've been searching under the ice sheet. CO2 scrubbers can only do so much, you know? Time to cycle the atmosphere.
You can the area, confident that there's no other ships in the vicinity, and promptly surface.

Only to come face to face with two warships.

"Red Alert!" you spring into action, quickly loading your tubes and charging your main guns as you quickly try and ID the two ships that face you. It takes but mere seconds for you to do so.

"Wait... Hyuuga!" you stand down your alarm while keeping weapons armed, "Darling, you scared me! I was afraid I had been ambushed! You've gotten quite good at hiding yourself, dear."

The seconds tick by as Hyuuga and her accompanying escort (an unfamiliar Gearing-class Destroyer) pull up alongside you. She hasn't responded yet... why?

"Surcouf..." Mary looks to you in alarm as they surround you, your camera feeds showing their turrets rotate to face you.

"Hyuuga dear, it's me, Surcouf!" you quickly plea directly via Quantum Comm lines, "There's no reason to blow me out of the water, I'm a friend, remember?"

No response.

You're considering blasting your way out when a radio transmission broadcasts from Hyuuga, an unfamiliar young woman speaking.

"You are in Blue Steel territory," she announces sternly, "State your identity and intentions, and maybe we won't sink you right now."

This... could be bad.

"You have ten seconds to comply."

[Major Options]-1​

[] Blast your way out. You trust in your guns more than your diplomatic skills.
[] Offer your surrender. They wouldn't harm a prisoner, right?
[] Comply. It's not like you have anything to hide. They're probably not going to hurt you if you do what they ask anyways. Just let the dialogue happen as it will.
[] Invoke Gunzou's name and demand to see the leader of Blue Steel. It may have been quite some time, but surely they haven't forgotten their founder!
[] You don't think they heard your hails earlier. Pretend to be dumb. Have Mary pretend that she's in control.

 

[AnonymousRabbit]

[X] Comply. It's not like you have anything to hide. They're probably not going to hurt you if you do what they ask anyways. Just let the dialogue happen as it will.

Well this was quite the pickle. Questions surfaced unto your mind as you considered possible outcomes to whatever reply you'll say. Still you were quite busy parsing out how exactly an unidentified human was onboard the Battleship Hyuuga without the Mental Model herself making an appearance. By now, she should be saying something at the very least.

Not only that but to be accompanied by an unknown Destroyer. This can't be good. There's no way they'll let you go now that you've jumped straight into their waiting jaws. Perhaps this was the worse idea after all but it's too late to back out now. You can't let Mary die here because of a blunder you've made.

"I'm Surcouf," you replied in a crisp tone, worlds different from your previous one now that you knew you weren't talking to Hyuuga, "I have a civilian with me and we've come to seek refuge. Look into your database, I'm sure you'll have records dating two hundred years ago of who I am."

"Underwater Cruiser Surcouf," the unfamiliar voice repeated, "Blue Steel aligned, gave aid during crucial battles as well as providing the rescue of numerous human survivors to fallen Fog Ships. Un-crewed... Not only that but you were aligned with a whole lot of people, Surcouf. The Scarlet Fleet, the Fleet of Fog, and records of acting as a third party informant for the Americans."

Tch, if they knew that much then why bother asking you of your identity? Humans, whole lot of them annoyed you.

"State why exactly you need to take refuge," the voice commanded, "Are you a lone vessel? Did anyone follow you? Have you made contact with the world before coming here?"

"My safehouse has bee compromised," you answered clearly, "I've taken the liberty of vacating it before my existence was uncovered. I'm pretty sure I'm the only vessel available and online at the moment. I've been running as stealthy as possible even for a submarine and I am certain that I am alone. And no, this is the first time I've actually went ahead and made contact with anyone outside of myself and the civilian with me. Not exactly the warmest welcome."

"You'd say the same if a triple agent waltzed into your front door and asked for a glass of water," the voice snapped back.

"And here I thought humans were merciful as they are horrible," you mocked as you sneered thereafter, "Seems like you're not doing yourself any favors talking down a banged up beggar asking for breadcrumbs off your table, girl."

"I can give the order to shoot you right now," the voice warned through gritted teeth, testament that you got under her skin. Good, good... Let the hate flow through you, girl.

"And without even asking what I know or what information I might hold? And after I went out of my way and became truthful as well... Or didn't you hear that I had a civilian with me, a young girl who had no say into this," you spoke darkly through your comms, "Has the Blue Steel become no better than the Scarlet Fleet? And all it took was 200 years... It seems that the succeeding generations hasn't keeping Chihaya's Ideals well enough without him."

.....
.....
....

Then a familiar male voice rang throughout the area and reached you, "You're right, Surcouf... Perhaps after two hundred years, Blue Steel has become led astray... But these are trying times for all of us, in this fragile peace the world is currently in."

Ah, the bastard was still here wasn't he?

"Apologies for the welcome but I hope you understand that this is necessary," continued the male voice as Mary clutched to you as she looked around, "I had to confirm that it was indeed you. And if it is, then perhaps you can shed some light to a few questions I want to ask... After all, Spies hold the best information one would desire..."

"Chihaya..." you chuckled through a gritted teeth, "Gunzou..."

You couldn't see him, it came from a different frequency altogether but it was him. It was definitely him, you can;t mistake that voice. But something was odd about this, it's been more than two hundred years. How could this be possible?

No, since he was already on the line you could ask him yourself. The last thing you had on your logs about him was being fatally wounded, and needing to be medically assisted by Iona herself to staunch his wounds. It was on a corrupted data in your system but it was around the timeline before you fought Habbakuk.

Possibly ins some battle?

If he was alive now, then that could only mean that Iona did more than just patch him up with nanomaterials. While ultimately it was uncharted territory to use nanomaterials for medical purposes, perhaps Chihaya did something to extend his life. All good guesses but useless unless you don't ask him.

[Major Action-1]​

[] How are you alive?
[] What the actual fuck is going on here, Chihaya?
[] Are you the real Chihaya Gunzou or something else entirely?
[] Write in...

 

[Higure]

"What the actual fuck is going on here, Chihaya!?"

A long pause follows before he responds, "Hm. You mean my survival? Well, I suppose that would still be news to you, wouldn't it? I trust that you recall my injury, shortly before you slew Habbakuk and sent the Fog into dormancy?"

So, you were right. Whatever healing, perhaps repairs would be a better word, Iona had performed upon Gunzou had done far more than simply restore him to health. If his injuries had been severe enough that the means used to address them had granted him this kind of longevity, then...

"Iona, she...are you even human any longer, Chihaya?"

His voice is harsh across as it rings out, a current of anger running beneath his usual sea of calm, "Iona brought me back from the brink of death. I was changed irrevocably by the process, by one of her last acts of mercy before you drove her and the rest of your sisters into dormancy!

"You ask if I am human? That is not important. Not anymore. What's important is that you have information...information I need, if things are to be made right. Please, come inside, Surcouf. We have much to discuss."

You find yourself starting to depart your hull before you even realize what you're doing, propelled by by nothing more than his sheer force of personality, but catch yourself. Centuries of leadership may have strengthen him, but you are no fool, "Not until you tell me what's going on here. Whatever you are, I need to know what you want with me and what I'm walking into before I'm going anywhere."

His voice returns, sounding almost pleased by your refusal, "You never did just do as you were told, did you, Surcouf? Very well.

"After you slew Habbakuk and the Fog began to sink into slumber, we and the Scarlet Fleet realized that our power would be soon diminished. Neither of us could hope to survive a sustained conflict with the Fog-independent, purely human factions. Both sides were reluctant, of course: Lives on both sides had been sacrificed for our respective successes up until that point, and ending the war without achieving victory would mean letting down those who gave everything for the cause. Despite that, neither side wished for mutual destruction--the inevitable consequence of continuing to fight in our weakened states.

"Instead, we-" He pauses for a moment, heaving a sigh, "We declared a ceasefire and fled, falling back to the most defensible, isolated positions we could find. The Scarlet Fleet settled in Hawaii, leaving us out in the cold, both metaphorically and literally. In spite of that, we survived. The hulls of the Fog remained intact even after their hearts fell silent, so we did we do best and worked with what we had. We built a home for the remaining humans here, using the power of the Fog to make the situation survivable. Food could be grown, homes heated, water purified...all of our needs could be met, thanks to the reactors and shelter provided by our fallen comrades.

"To this day, I remain the leader of Blue Steel...and so I shall remain, for as long as I exist. I would like to speak to you to find out what you know about the current state of the Fog and what has happened beyond our shores since your awakening. Beyond that? You were our comrade, Surcouf. Your machinations and the ultimate consequences of your actions have not been forgotten, but you are still a member of Blue Steel, and I will not betray our own. Is that sufficient?"

'Is that enough?' You wonder. You have many more questions and remain largely lost in this era, but your host can explain things as well in person as he can over the comms...better, most likely, considering some things might be best kept behind closed doors.

'At the same time, though...' You glance down at Mary, patting her head absentmindedly, 'At the same time, I don't want to expose her. Here, I have my walls and my arsenal to defend her with. Out there...'

You feel a frisson of fear creep down your spine at the though of an enemy getting a hold of Mary. Design children might be common in the American Empire, now, but you doubted they were so easily found here...or that they'll show mercy to a child associated with someone they might want dead. Whether Chihaya Gunzou is still the man he once was or not, the rest of Blue Steel has certainly changed...these humans were never your comrades.

They have never fought beside Fog Ships, nor were they united by choice under Blue Steel's philosophies. No, these are the great grandchildren of the brave humans you once knew, at least, if not another generation or two beyond that. They are the soldiers of a nation, not the champions of a cause...you could trust them exactly as far as you could trust Gunzou to keep them in line.

With your small, fragile Mary clinging to you for safety, you find that placing such trust in him is far easier said than done.

[Major Action-1]
[ ] Disembark with Mary. Meet Gunzou in person and talk things over. You trust him, and you're not exactly helpless away from your hull anyway.
-[ ] Leave a subnode behind to watch things in your absence.
[ ] Disembark alone, leaving a subnode here with Mary to alert you if anything goes awry while you meet with Gunzou. You dislike leaving her alone, even with such a measure in place, but you don't want to risk taking her beyond the safety of your hull. Beyond that, it's likely that showing your distrust of Blue Steel might encourage them to distrust you in turn, but it's worth it.
[ ] Refuse to Disembark. Demand that Gunzou talk to you over comms, instead. You doubt that will be good for relations with Blue Steel, but they hopefully won't open fire over it.
[ ] Make a break for it. They might shoot you, but it's worth the risk to get back to the relative safety of open water.
[ ] Write-In

 

[TheBleachDoctor]

[X] Ask Mary if she wants to come along or not.
[X] Disembark, with or without Mary. It's time to get some answers.
-[X] If Mary doesn't come, explain to Blue Steel why she didn't want to.
-[X] Leave a subnode behind to watch things in your absence.
You really don't have much of a choice here. While cutting and running is an option, this is one particular bridge you don't want to burn. You spent years cultivating it as your strongest connection, and while it appears you may have frayed the trust that holds it together, it's still sound. So it's time to speak to Gunzou.

"Mary, darling, I'm going to speak with Gunzou," you look to your small charge, "Do you want to come with me? I understand if you don't, dear."

Mary shakes her head vigorously, grabbing your hand.

"I'm coming with you," she insists, gaze resolved. She really is serious... you take a moment to pat her on the head. Really, such a brave child. You hope you can foster that into something useful later in her life, but for now it's endearing.

You send your confirmation to Gunzou, and receive a prompt acknowledgement and navigation package.

"Follow the designated course, we will guide you in," the woman from earlier speaks, "deviate and you die."

Fair enough. You let the data guide your helm. With Hyuuga sailing beside you, you continue forward and dive just under the ice, gently moving forward. As time goes on, you start to notice little sensor posts. Not big enough for any crew, so likely automated. Even a little Fletcher doing patrols passes close by. Then you surface and the view is... somewhat shocking.

A large array of berths, all shielded by enormous blast doors and protected by massive turret emplacements. A high ice ceiling... likely surface camouflage. A concealed base for Blue Steel... even from what you can see, this is already nicer than what they had back during the war. Home Ports were nice and all, but they were kind of... small? Relative to this, at least.
One of the massive metal gates slowly lowers, a grinding noise that fills the metal cavern. You're guessing it's aged, but it appears to operate just fine. You glide smoothly into the dock.
At once, the scope of the docks are made clear. Ship after ship to your right, to your left. You recognize all of them. You met them, talked with them, befriended them during your times with Blue Steel. They still wear their colors, but you notice some small... differences. Fog ships tend to be pristine copies of the ships they are modeled after, and as a result never quite gain the little quirks and modifications that human vessels acquire over their lifespan. The little things the crew changes to make the vessel their home. The old Fog you knew, even Blue Steel, had none of this.

All of these ships feel lived in.
Custom paint jobs on turrets, emblems and homemade flags. Little awnings and wear from a thousand hands. Names painted on hulls, grip mats on decks. Real rope and chain.
These vessels are not just warships. They're homes.

Large docking clamps come down on your hull, magnetizing and locking on. They look formidable, but a brief scan reveals that you could tear out of them if you had to. They're more for stabilization than anything else.
The docks themselves are solid concrete with metal railing. Electric trams are hauling around pallets of boxes and armament to various ships, but overall the bright lighting and high spirits of everyone here suggests that nothing important is going on.

However, around your own berth you've seem to have attracted quite the crowd. Young men and women, as well as a few older individuals are all gawking at you. Most of them are wearing blue naval uniforms with Blue Steel patches on the shoulders and ship designations on the front. Some of them are in more utilitarian outfits with simply the Blue steel patch. You assume they just work the docks.
A ramp extends to rest on your deck. It's time to go.

You leave a little subnode behind to keep an eye on things. It comes up with you on deck, to emphasize that you're not leaving your hull unattended. Of course, a Fog ship is never truly unattended, but Humans tend to forget that.
Little Mary's clothes have become a uniform reminiscent of the uniforms on the dock, only she has no Blue Steel patch and simply sports "Surcouf" on her shoulder patch, along with your Fog emblem.
How cute.

Wary of all the eyes upon you, you make your way down the ramp as Hyuuga pulls up in an adjacent dock, her crew now on deck and staring at you. She docks just as quickly as you did.

"Are you really Surcouf?" a young blonde man apparently belonging to the crew of the Enterprise asks eagerly, "Did you know Enterprise back when she was awake? What was she like?"

Quite the barrage of questions. You haven't even gotten to ask any of your own! Still, you're tempted to reply when you're interrupted by the same voice from before.

"That's enough," the woman from earlier jumps off of Hyuuga's deck, landing on the dock with a roll and quick recover. She had short cropped black hair along with a mature complexion. She seems to be of mixed race. Partially Japanese and something else? You're not quite sure, but her uniform identifies her as Captain Mikoto of Blue Steel and, presumably, Hyuuga herself, "Gunzou wants to speak with Surcouf. Hold all questions until after they've met."

The young man nods, stepping away. Mikoto indicates for you to follow her... and you see no reason not to.

Towards the back of the docks are a series of freight elevators and, you notice, deployable cover with gun emplacements. It looks like Blue Steel is wary of an invading force. Or rather, was when they were designing the place. You step into one of the elevators with Mikoto and wait in silence as it brings you down to the next level.
The doors on the other side open onto a large storage area, with crates and stacks of munitions. You note that most of them have Blue Steel emblems. Where are they getting these from? They must have a production facility somewhere.

Mikoto takes you on a tram ride through to the other side of the warehouse, where you're faced with yet more unmanned defensive positions and a large blast door. You stand there impatiently as many locking mechanisms on the other side cycle noisily. With some annoyance, you note that they're trying to show off. Off to the side, there's a nanomaterial portion of the wall that's currently configured into a door. You guess it turns into wall when the facility comes under attack.

The massive door segments into three parts, each sliding away into the wall... and you're struck by the scene before you.

A large circulrar open domed area at least the size of New York's Central Park, with a ceiling so high you could fly a plane around inside with no issue. An artificial sky is projected on it, shining light down upon the interior, and what an interior it is! Housing complexes ring a large park area with trees and walkways, dense enough to be almost like a forest. And in the center, you see a battleship's superstructure, although you're too far away to tell which one.

"Come on," Mikoto leads you down the steps from the gate into what you assume is the residential area, "Stay on the path."

As you enter the area proper, you hear... birds. There are birds. You even pass a little recreational area where some children are playing catch. Children.
Blue Steel... they fled here, and these are their children, huh? Everyone you've met here, including this Mikoto woman, you probably knew their ancestors.

Then you get to the center, and... you're a bit speechless.
It's the Fog Battleship Missouri. Her deck is level with the ground, and all the handrails are gone. The Blue Steel flag flies from her mast, and her paint is worn in places. You can see people bustling about inside through the windows, and there are others polishing one of her dual-mount turrets. Her most forward turret's barrels are elevated, and an awning has been hung across them for a stage beneath.

She must be serving as a command post, although from the looks of things she's also somewhat of a community center.

Mikoto ushers you inside, and you can immediately feel her humming with power. Missouri must be powering this entire complex. And although she's not awake, she is alive.
Your guide leads you into a small furnished lounge, decorated in good taste with wooden furniture and soft blue walls.
Sitting in one of the chairs is Chihaya Gunzou. He doesn't look a day older than the day you left to destroy Habbakuk.

"Please, sit," he gestures to the couch on the other side of a small coffee table as he pours you and Mary a cup of tea, "I'm sure that you have many questions, just as I have many for you. So tell me, Surcouf, where have you been these past few centuries? Why are you awake when no one else is? And what exactly did you do to Habbakuk?"

Those are all very good questions. And unfortunately, you're not exactly privy to their answers. However, you do have some details to tell him...
Although, you don't have to let him know that you're in the dark as well. On the other hand, letting him think you don't know more has its advantages too. Might make it more convincing when you omit certain bits of information.

[] Imply that you know more than you're willing to disclose.
-[] Tell him everything you know
-[] Withhold information about Habbakuk
-[] Withhold information about Mary

[] Be honest in your ignorance.
-[] Tell him everything you know
-[] Withhold information about Habbakuk
-[] Withhold information about Mary

And you take some time to come up with questions of your own, but for fairness's sake, you'll only ask three questions, as he did for you.

[] How are you still alive? Be specific, please.
[] What is this place? How did you build it?
[] What has Blue Steel been doing since Habbakuk?
[] What is the state of the world?
[] How is your father? Is he similarly long-lived?
[] How is Iona?
[] Write in...

 

[AnonymousRabbit]

[x] Be honest in your ignorance.
-[x] Tell him everything you know
[X] What has Blue Steel been doing since Habbakuk?
[x] How is Iona?
[X] What is the state of the world?

You honestly didn't know where to begin. Even for you it has been an overwhelming experience. SOmething you've never encountered before. You had to admit, you were as lost as everyone was and being asked like this put you in the spot. And you hated that, knowing you had nothing to back up your words, to expose your weakness.

But you had to be truthful, no use bluffing your way nor grandstanding in your state.

"First, will you believe everything I have to say?" you asked him with a scrutinizing look, "I want to be at ease knowing you won't interrupt nor rebuke what I have to say. Otherwise it'll be useless."

"I will take it with a grain of salt," Gunzou nodded with a small smile, "I'm no fool, Surcouf. Speak."

"Well, I know nothing," you honestly told him.

"Excuse me?" Gunzou frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I've been asleep for years. Decades had gone and I've rusted beneath a Submarine Pen in an unknown Island. I'm ignorant of the world and its current state of affairs. My information network, blown up to smoke. Even the humans I had as informants are probably dead by now. I have nothing, I know nothing, I'm totally in the dark. I suppose we should get that out of the way first," you told him as firmly as you could, no doubt surprising him.

You relished at his expression as he raised his eyebrow. No doubt over the years, Gunzou had emoted little and you could notice that he strained having to show this much emotion in regards to surprise.

"O...kay..?" he murmured before taking a sip of his tea, "So you're completely blind."

"And useless too," you added, "Times haven't been kind to me."

"I see," the man before you nodded, "Go on."

"In regards to your previous questions... Perhaps I could answer them. As I said I've been asleep for the past few decades. In an isolated island far off the tail end of Hawaii. I'm led to believe that it's a hideout of mine but I am not familiar with it," you began telling him.

And so you told him of your awakening, your meeting with Mary and how you acquired outdated information about the world. You mentioned your excursion to the Cruise Ship and the attack on it once you found the wreckage of its escorts a day later. You also told him of the increased security around your old hideout, causing you to flee.

"I do not know why I'm the only one who's awake," you admitted in a dark tone, "But I'm led to believe that it will be over soon."

"You mean that others are awakening?" Gunzou guessed, invested in the discussion than before.

"I've accessed the Tactical Network. The Supreme Flagship was there. Trapped in a Nightmarescape I did not understand. But regardless, I shouldn't be the only one making a move right now. It just so happened that I was the first," you answered him as you set down your teacup.

"Kotono..." Gunzou averted his gaze before he poured you some more tea as well as himself, "Then, what of Habbakuk? What did you to... her."

"I destroyed her," you admitted, keeping the fact that you had her core, "I dashed to where she was. I fought her with all I had. And then I destroyed her."

"All by yourself. The Ultimate Fog Ship," Gunzou whispered in a low tone, "I'd say that it's impossible but with all that's happened."

"I don't expect you to believe me... But obviously deactivating Habbakuk has sent a global signal which shut down every single Fog Ship that was online. Hell, not just the Fog Ships it seems to me. I'd take a leg and guess that Homeports as well," you continued as you crossed your arms, "Thing is, Habbakuk's death was linked to all of that."

Gunzou was silent at that, his hand resting upon his hands as he stared down at the tea set before you.

"Why did you do it?" he asked you after a few more heartbeats, "Why destroy Habbakuk."

"Because she possessed that no one should ever have. I tried obtaining it," you lied as you felt your core pulse, "But I soon realized that she was dangerous. Too dangerous to let loose. Too dangerous to be allowed to exist. Habbakuk was an anomaly that would shape the Fate of the World if left in the hands of men and Fog. Even for someone who claims to be fighting for coexistence like you, Chihaya Gunzou."

"And you believe that in my hands, I would misuse such powers?" Gunzou challenged as he turned his gaze at you.

"You're a clever man, Gunzou," you told him, "You're human. You are capable as much evil as you do good. And with the way we were evolving, we Fog would be the same. I know that you agree with this notion, but would have used it anyway for the benefit of all despite it."

"I see... Well, you're not wrong, Surcouf," the man chuckled before you with an amused smile, "You're... Not wrong at all. After all, the same blood as my father flowed through me once. It's true. It's dangerous. But you're also right. I'm a simple man and I would have used it anyway."

Sighing, the man then leaned back and raised a hand to gesture at you, "Well. I suppose you have your fair share of questions. Ask away."

You huffed at his attitude before you indulged him, "After Habbakuk, what happened to the Blue Steel?"

"Well, that's... certainly a long story, Surcouf. Not one I could share in one sitting. Nevertheless, I'll indulge you for a brief moment," Gunzou replied as he crossed his arms, "Shortly after Habbakuk was deactivated, we were forced into a "truce" with the Scarlet Fleet and were forced back into Antarctica. With what available resources we have, we set up networks upon networks of facilities within the frozen continent... The Facility we are in now is our Main one as you could see... However we've been trying to branch out further ever since."

"I doubt the world took kindly to that," you mused with a smirk.

"And they didn't but with everyone spent on the Battle and the loss of the Fog Ships, they left us alone," Gunzou murmured as he took a sip of his tea, "We're entirely self sufficient. And because of this, we've turned into a generational organization as we wait for the Fog to awaken once more."

"Then your old crew members must have passed on," you pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

"They have. And they told me the same thing... 'Wait for Iona'... Though your appearance brings both good and ill tidings, I'll try clinging on to life for a bit more it would seem," the Captain of the Blue Steel sighed while looking upwards.

You frowned at this and ventured to ask him, "Then what of Iona? What's happened to her?"

"She's been asleep. Like everyone else. Unresponsive to anything we try. We dare not look into the black boxes of the Fog Ships since we don't know what will happen. But no doubt about it, she's been asleep..." Gunzou didn't really seem happy about this as he glanced at you, "This is your doing as well."

"Well, take comfort in the knowledge that I've fallen from grace as well," you told him without meeting his gaze, "I never intended for that to happen. But I might as well have with the area of effect of Habbakuk's death. However know that I stand by my decision of letting Habbakuk die. No matter the cost."

"There could have been another way. One where Iona didn't have to fall asleep," Gunzou replied in a steely tone.

"And what would you have done then?" you challenged him as you met his gaze and glared, "That power was something you shouldn't have. That no one is allowed to have. You'd be thanking me for destroying it unless you wanted the world to burn asunder."

"Since when did you start caring about the world, Surcouf?" Gunzou shot back with venom.

"Since you started caring only for Iona whereas you'd be happy to damn the world for her," you spat right back before you realized that the two of you were standing.

You then felt a tug by your side, only to realize that Mary was giving you a worried look before you sighed and sat back down. Gunzou took one glance at your Design Child and sat down as well, trying to calm himself down...

"Is there anything else, Surcouf?" he asked you.

"Yes... The world.. What is it like now..?" you asked.

"The world, huh?" Gunzou sat back, looking upwards, "We occasionally send out scouts to update our information, and we can occasionally tap into their satellite network, but what we have is an incomplete picture. Even then, that's more than I could explain in a reasonable timeframe, so I'll just give you a short summary. You can look up the rest in our Archives later. The Library is quite lovely, you might find it relaxing."

Clearing his throat, he began, "After the Scarlet Fleet and Blue Steel retreated from the oceans, Humanity retook them. They reestablished trade and travel. They seemed ready to come together as one global community and I thought for a time that maybe it was worth it. Then they went back to doing what Humanity does best. War. The United States experienced a regime change. A tyrant took power and stirred their patriotic fervor into Imperialism, and before anyone could stop them they'd conquered the entirety of the Americas, renaming themselves as the "American Empire". In response, most of the Asian countries allied together into what is called the "Oriental Alliance". They're in a cold war right now, but commerce between them is both lively and probably the only thing stopping a shooting war. Both the OA and AE are in an arms race as well, one that's been well-noticed by the global community. The American Empire perfected Design Children and has been creating them at an astonishing rate. They occupy the upper echelons of government and the military, and are responsible for the current wealth disparity the AE suffers from. The OA have been developing powerful AI based off of Mental Model data. We don't know how advanced they are; we've never gotten ahold of one of them, but I've heard that they perform well against Design Children on the Strategic side of things, but are lacking on Tactical prowess."

"But that's something to delve into later," Gunzou shook his head, refocusing, "The European Union as you knew it is still intact. They reformed after the Scarlet Fleet cleared out, fairly libertarian, and maintain a respectable defense force. As a global power, though, they can't project. We haven't sent many ships in that direction, so we can only tell you a bit about their neighbor. Russia annexed many of the surrounding countries and experienced a Communist uprising. I've heard tales of a post-scarcity society, but that's probably state propaganda. That country is locked down tight, so that's actually most of what we know. Australia is doing quite well. They possess the only working Fog vessel, aside from us and Scarlet Fleet. They've been studying it for centuries, and most modern scientific advancements can be traced back to it. We've tried getting close enough to ID her, but we never succeeded. The facility she's kept in is locked up tight and jammed on every frequency."

"Sounds like quite the mystery," you smile as you think of all the information hidden away in that facility. Gunzou fixes you with a stern glare, telling you without words that to try and break in right now would be foolhardy. Disappointing, but he's probably right.

[Major Action-1]​

[] Go to the Archives
-[] Read up on the Oriental Union
-[] Read up on the American Empire
-[] Read up on the European Union
-[] Read up on Australia
-[] Read up on Russia

[] Visit the Residential and Recreation areas. Relax and socialize with the new generation of Blue Steel members.
[] Stay with Gunzou. See if you can help him with Iona.
[] Head to the docks. See if the engineers and mechanics there would mind fixing you up a bit.
[] Leave. You've gotten all you needed.

 

[Higure]

You could, you realize, go explore Blue Steel's facilities...see what you can make of the place. You could go research the world in greater depth. You could do quite a bit...but that's not what's wisest, you decide.

No, what you need most is the support of Gunzou and Blue Steel...and you think you know how to do it.

Chihaya Gunzou has changed in your absence...a man once as unwavering as a calm sea has acquired something of a storm within his spirit. You suppose this is the natural outcome of love...human or not, no one who feels its touch can remain as icy steel.

The good captain, in his current inhumanity, has become more human than ever...and, in doing so, given you leverage.

"Thank you, Gunzou. It's good to know what we're dealing with. I'm...not completely sure what to do with that information, yet, but I do know one thing I should do."

He leans forward, hands folded in front of him, and narrows his eyes, "Oh? What exactly do you have in mind?"

You lean back in your seat, smiling slightly, "I should try to help you and Iona out."

The leader of Blue Steel frowns at your words, but it strikes you as a frown of contemplation, rather than condemnation.

You sit quietly for a short time, giving him time to think your words over. Eventually he responds, "Very well. I take it you'd like to see her?"

You nod firmly in response, and he rises, gesturing for the two of you to follow.

The being you once knew leads you from Missouri's hull, back to the main of Blue Steel's home complex. The artificial sunlight and sounds of life locked away from the antarctic chill are striking...you know instinctively what conditions you should be in, and this place subverts that expectation entirely. It's...jarring, but at the same time heartwarming. These people have created a life, and a home, for themselves. A paradise in this cruel place...Pandemonium would be an appropriate name.

Still, you cannot waste time enjoying the scenery...for all that the thought of Mary running about and playing with other children, or personally enjoying a day of peace appeals to you, you know that it's unlikely to be possible.

This is their home, not yours. Mary might, perhaps, find a place here. You...you will not. Not any time soon, at least, and perhaps not at all. You are, after all, a warship. A force of destruction created for conflict. What role do you have to play in a peaceful world such as this one?

A quiet voice in the back of your mind whispers in answer, 'Protection.'

You do not pay it any regard. Even if you chose to live such a life...there is much more to deal with in this world. When you've seen it all, maybe then you'll have an idea of where you belong. Until then...until then, you'll remain a nomad.

You glance down to Mary, who is staring in awe at her surroundings.

You could offer to let her stay here...even force her to stay here. These humans may not be those you once knew, but they seem eager to protect their own. You're certain they would take in Mary...

The thought dies an ignoble death as you realize you will never do that. Mary is yours. If she refuses to leave, then so will you. If she doesn't, she will come with you. You have no one else in this new world, and you know you cannot bring yourself to part with her.

As she turns to stare up at you with sparkling eyes, you take some comfort in knowing that she likely could not bear it either, selfish as that feeling might be.

"Huh."

You turn, and find Chihaya staring at you, his brow lightly furrowed and a faint smile on his lips.

You raise an eyebrow in response, "What?"

He chuckles slightly and shrugs, answering as he turns away, "Oh, nothing. Just...it seems you might understand after all."

You scoff, not quite sure what he's getting at, and follow as he continues onward. Mary stays close to your side, although you can tell she wants to go explore. You ruffle her hair gently, looking down at her with a faint smile, and shake your head.

She pouts in response, but reluctantly nods.

After a while, Gunzou reaches the edge of the enclosed complex...a large door is ahead, with no apparent means by which to open it.

Gunzou walks up to it, and you instinctively step back, shielding Mary as a familiar circle of blue light springs up around him.

The door opens in response, and the projection fades.

"What the hell, Gunzou?!"

He glances back at you, blinking, then chuckles, "Ah, sorry. This is quite the experience, you know...dealing with someone who knew me before. Don't worry, I was just identifying myself."

You'd guessed that much, of course. What you're reeling from is his ability to network with the system...not an ability you'd have expected to result from his repair, although you suppose he could have enhanced himself further since then.

A problem for another time, you suppose.

He leads you inside, the door closing behind your group, and you find yourself in a space altogether different: You stand on a long dock, leading out towards what appears to be the empty ocean...an ocean that cannot possibly exist here. Nothing can be seen in the distance...and, turning back, the door you entered from appears to be opening from nowhere at all.

At the end of the dock, Iona is waiting. Her hull is gleaming and pristine, polished to perfection...you wonder how many hours are spent on that alone.

Gunzou leads you to the end of the dock, and then on board.

Her interior, too, is exquisitely cared for...more than that, though, it is clearly in use. A small table sits at the entrance, holding a photo of Iona's mental model. Fresh flowers are placed in vases to each side of it.

Gunzou smiles faintly, with a hint of melancholy, as he looks towards it, "I just came home, Iona."

There's no response, but he goes in anyway, addressing you without looking back, "Come."

You follow in silence, feeling awkward...you don't belong here, invited or not.

He leads you deep inside, to the Control Room. You find it in the same condition you last saw it, unchanged save for the absence of its normal occupants and a strange plinth in front of the captain's chair.

It is not strange in its nature, not to you, but is instead strange in its impossibility: The pillar looks indistinguishable from the technology of the Fog. In the current era, how could...

"Takao. Before she shut down, she constructed this...you can understand its function, I assume?"

You nod, understanding easily as you what is slotted into the top of it...Iona's Union Core, its status constantly being scanned. You assume that Gunzou is able to link to the plinth's systems as easily as he did the door earlier.

He turns to you, "So...what do you believe you can do to help?"

You approach the plinth, frowning, "May I?"

He hesitates at your question, but eventually nods, "Yes. One moment." A brief flash of blue follows, "Alright, I've granted you access to the system. Damage it, and..."

You nod quickly, "Of course."

You link to the system, and begin inspecting the logs of Iona's condition...you find little of use. Years of persistent, near-nonexistent activity. Only the earliest records show any variance...aside from, you notice, a very slight increase in the newest ones.

"She's improving."

"Slowly, and we aren't sure that will continue."

You nod, "She is the heart of the tactical network...it may not succeed, but I'll try to rouse her."

With those words, you close your eyes and bring your formidable computing power to bear...outside, you know that markings will appeared on your Mental Model as you attempt network access.

You get no response from your initial request, but you know that there must be openings for a connections to form...you just need to find one and link to it. You begin attempting to "hack" the network, trying to force connection to port after port, all while responding in real time to the security functions that are trying to obstruct you.

As you originally were, this would be a struggle of epic proportions...and your failure would almost certainly be a given. As you are now, however...with Habbakuk's resources added to your own, you eventually manage to form a single connection.

It's not an approved one, of course, so you won't be able to hold it open long, but...

You throw your consciousness forward, and find yourself sitting at a small table. Across from you, is Iona. Her eyes are closed...sleeping.

"Iona. It's time to wake up."

She doesn't respond. You hear a noise behind you. Security.

"Iona! Wake up!"

Still, only silence.

Arms grasp you...you glance back, and find yourself being grappled by Watanuki Iori and Oribe Sou. You blink, and they are now Hodzumi Shizuka and Kashihara Kyouhei.

Security. Safety. Your time has run out.

You struggle in their grips, lunging towards Iona as you scream out, "IONA!!! WAKE UP! GUNZOU'S STILL WAITING FOR YOU!!!"

You're not sure, but you think that, as you're dragged away, you see her eyelids tighten for a moment.

Your awareness snaps back to your Mental Model as the network's security ejects you...inspecting the activity feed, you can see a faint spike. Iona's mental activity rose...just for a moment, however. Now, it has returned to the same level as before...no, perhaps slightly higher.

Not enough...and, worse, you doubt you'll gain access again. Not without great struggle, at least...her security will be ready for you, next time.

"Well?"

Gunzou looks at you expectantly, and you grimace, "I saw her. Just for a moment...I made contact. I think she heard me, even, but...it wasn't enough. Not enough to wake her. For now...all we can do is hope."

He heaves a sigh, nodding reluctantly, "Very well. I was foolish to expect more...nevertheless, I appreciate the attempt. Now...if you don't mind, I'd like some time alone with her. I'd ask you to remain here a little longer...I'd like to speak to you again, before you depart."

You nod, take Mary by the hand, and disembark from the I-401.

You suppose you'll have to find something to do, while you wait for Gunzou.

[Major Action-1]​

[] Go to the Archives
-[] Read up on the Oriental Union
-[] Read up on the American Empire
-[] Read up on the European Union
-[] Read up on Australia
-[] Read up on Russia

[] Visit the Residential and Recreation areas. Relax and socialize with the new generation of Blue Steel members.
[] Stay with Gunzou. See if you can help him with Iona.
[] Head to the docks. See if the engineers and mechanics there would mind fixing you up a bit.
[] Leave, in spite of Gunzou. You've gotten all you needed.

 

[TheBleachDoctor]

[X] Visit the Residential and Recreation areas. Relax and socialize with the new generation of Blue Steel members.
Blue Steel may not have the rosiest of images of you, due to the whole treachery part, but they certainly see you as an ally... or at least a friendly individual. Now, you have to get them to like you again. Now, how does one do that? Why, you have to become their friend! Hearts and minds were always the fastest way into an in-group. So, how to worm your way into their kindness... well, with Mary, you could do it through her, but you need to be a bit more hands-on. What if she dies, after all? You can't have that. All the eggs in one basket and so to speak.

"Mary darling, shall we go socialize with our new allies?" you smile at your young companion, who practically lights up at the suggestion. Design Child she may be, but she is still a child, and you're not above exploiting that. Simple, young desires.

Heading back to the base's inner sanctum, you head towards the sounds of conversation and laughter. Before long, you find yourself in a common area beneath the fake sky. The foremost turret of the Missouri is elevated to hang a large tarp, providing shade for a stage area in which some young men and women in uniform are talking over tea, while out in the grassy field in front are children of all ages playing keep-away with a soccer ball. Mary looks to you hopefully and you nod, letting her run off to play with the other children. You're glad to see that they let her join without any questions... hm, interesting, some of those children display traits common to the original Design Children from Japan. Well, you remember some defecting to Blue Steel. You suppose it's only natural that their descendants are here. Although it is a surprise that they were able to reproduce. Quite the miracle.

As you approach the stage, conversation trails off at the closest table. An older caucasian man with an "Enterprise" patch beckons you to sit. To either side are two younger women, one with a "Hyuuga" patch and the other "I-401". The former appears to be of Latin American descent while the latter is clearly Japanese.

"So you're Surcouf, eh?" the man smirks, offering his hand, which you shake, "I'm Matthews. Anderson Matthews. Acting Captain of the Enterprise. This here is Lieutenant Chavez of the Hyuuga and Ensign Kimiko of the I-401."

"I was unaware Gunzou still crewed Iona," you look to Kimiko in surprise, "Is it a ceremonial position or do you actually have duties?"

"Ah, a bit of both," Kimiko laughs nervously, "Obviously she stays in her slip for most of the time, but every now and then we take her out for a spin, to make sure everything works right. Other than that, I mostly help keep her clean."

"I see," you look to Matthews, "And 'Acting Captain'? Is your superior indisposed?"

"Ha!" he barks, grinning in amusement, "I guess you could say that. I call myself 'Acting Captain' because I haven't been accepted by the true master of the Enterprise."

"The true master of... oh," you nod, understanding. He wants Enterprise herself to accept him as Captain, but she can't because she's asleep.

"You know, I always sort of couldn't believe that our ships were, you know, alive," Chavez gapes at you, "But you... you're... you're the ship! I'm sorry, it's just so amazing! Please, can you tell me what Hyuuga was like?"

You give the Lieutenant the biggest, most smug smile you've ever made in your existence, and say five words.

"She was a pervert, darling."

The hopeful smile drops right off Chavez's face, and you relish it.
Ah, breaking the naive and innocent was great.
You spend the next few hours answering inconsequential questions about Blue Steel back in its heyday as Mary slowly begins to dominate the ball game over on the field. Eventually, though, the questions come to the inevitable...

"So why did you betray Blue Steel?" Matthews asks, his stare dead serious.

You just sigh and lean back, "My dear, please don't make such accusations of me. Chihaya Gunzou and little Iona knew exactly what they were getting into when they dealt with me. I worked with everyone. I made no deception as to where my loyalties lay. Yes, I donned the emblem of your fleet because I found your cause admirable, but never did I swear allegiance to the wonder boy and his submarine. Gunzou knew that I held no allegiance to Blue Steel. I merely favored him. There are no hard feelings there."

He seems to accept this explanation. You guess he really doesn't have a personal stake in it. He probably won't fully trust you, though. For now.

"Now now, I've answered many of your questions," you smile, leaning forward, "Now time to answer mine!"

[] Write in...

Adhoc vote count started by Higure on May 27, 2017 at 2:30 AM, finished with 1260 posts and 7 votes.

• ---

  3 people have voted

  [X] Do you have ingredients for baguettes? Mary wont accept nanomaterial as substitutes!
  [X] So who else from the Fog is here?

  • Zedman7054
  • kinigget
  • Omegastar

  1 people have voted

  [x] Can i try talking to Hyuuga?

  • angelofwhim

  1 people have voted

  [X] when does design children become so common

  • hcvquizibo

  1 people have voted

  [x] Do you have ingredients for baguettes? Mary wont accept nanomaterials as a substitute!

  • bobbananaville

  1 people have voted

  [X] So who else from the Fog is here?

  • MilitaryAaa

 

[Higure]

[X] Do you have ingredients for baguettes? Mary wont accept nanomaterial as substitutes!
[X] So who else from the Fog is here?

Matthews leans back slightly as you faintly infringe upon his personal space, his eyes widening in sync with your own smile. He takes a half step back, but you don't allow him to retreat as you strike!

"Do you have ingredients for baguettes? Mary won't accept nanomaterials as subsitutes! Not sure why."

He blinks, sighing as he finishes that step backwards and palms his face, muttering something you don't care to make out before getting to the urgent matter at hand, "Were they all like this? Baguette ingredients, you said? I...think we do? Not really sure what all you'd need..."

"Yeast, honey, flour, salt, canola oil, cornmeal, ice, ghost peppers, radishes, chocolate chips, and peanut butter." You clarify, smiling as you nod wisely, only to find yourself fighting down a blush as you realize your mistake, "Damn! Oh, right...Ketchup. That's very important."

Matthews stares at you oddly for a moment, clearly stunned by the wonders of baguettes...or maybe horrified at your horrible error? You're not sure, but you wish he'd stop and just tell you-

"Market. Kaga's deck. Just...follow the signs." His voice is a hollow deadpan, and you begin to grow more worried that you have ruined your credibility as a baguette gourmet.

Determined to distract him, you quickly stammer out the first question that comes to mind, "S-so, ah, who else from the Fog is here?"

He blinks, and you internally heave a sigh of relief as he takes the change of topic in stride, looking oddly relieved, "Well, there's a lot of them, uh...well, obviously Iona and Hyuuga. Kaga, as I just said...uh, well there's Ashigara and Nachi, and Atago is...honestly, Surcouf, there's way too many Fog Ships here for me to remember them all. Is there anyone in particular you're curious about? We've got ships from all over the world in our number...lots of Japanese and American ones especially, and a good number from Europe too."

You take a moment to ponder that, and consider what to do next.

Major Action - 1​

[] Go to the Archives
-[] Read up on the Oriental Union
-[] Read up on the American Empire
-[] Read up on the European Union
-[] Read up on Australia
-[] Read up on Russia

[] Hang around here more.
[] Visit the market. You don't have any money, but you can at least poke around.
[] Head to the docks. See if the engineers and mechanics there would mind fixing you up a bit.
[] Leave, in spite of Gunzou. You've gotten all you needed.

Minor Actions​

[] Ask about certain ship(s).
[] Ask something else.

 

[TheBleachDoctor]

[X] Ask about certain ship(s).
Your curiosity is almost satisfied! Almost. Blue Steel was a pretty big organization, and you're noticing the absence of certain ships, so it only makes sense that these people know of the absentees! You give Matthews a questioning look before asking the whereabouts and condition of certain ships you happen to know very well...

-[X] Maya.
"Maya, huh?" Matthews nods, "I'm sorry, but we don't know. After you did... whatever you did to Habbakuk, most Fog vessels lost coherency. They couldn't communicate in any sensible fashion and began to head off under their own power. Any ship that had a crew was switched over to manual control and are here now, but... we lost a good chunk of our fleet that day to something that we still don't understand. Gunzou made the decision to retreat after that... As for Maya, if I remember correctly we tracked her to near an old American submarine base, where we lost track of her. Without direction, she was likely sunk..."

An old submarine base, huh? You think about the Takao-class Core in your possession... Maya, is it you?

-[X] Kongo.
"Kongou started sailing towards the Russian arctic. We don't know what happened to her, but since Russia isn't as advanced as Australia when it comes to Fog-tech, we can safely assume that she never reached her destination, whatever the hell that was. For all we know, she turned north and started playing icebreaker..."

-[X] Kirishima.
-[X] Haruna.
"Ah, now those two are an interesting story. They started sailing in roughly the same direction... then collided. I've seen the footage. It's really bizarre. One of our leaders at the time, a Design Child named Makie, she was all alone on Haruna at the time all the ships went haywire. From some communications she sent, she was able to network Haruna with Kirishima and regain partial control, but... well, we never heard from her again. They were sailing full speed towards the coastal United States, so who knows what happened to them," Matthews sighed, shaking his head, "I've heard Makie was brilliant. If we still had her, maybe she could have found a way to wake our ships..."

Hm, informative. So the Fleet of Fog became aimless after you stole Habbakuk's Core? That's useful information... but useless towards finding a cure for this. Hell, you don't even know why you're still not in a coma like the rest of them!

[X] Head to the docks. See if the engineers and mechanics there would mind fixing you up a bit.
While it is great to chat up with Blue Steel captains once again, you have a more pressing issue to attend to; yourself.
Your hull is still in terrible shape! It's patched together with scrap metal and duct tape! After bidding Matthews and company farewell, you head back to the docks with little Mary to see if Blue Steel can spare any supplies for little old you. After all, you are an ally! Surely they have some Nanomaterials to spare!

"Oh, yes, in fact," the Dock Quartermaster, a mature redhead answers your inquiry as he fiddles with a tablet computer, "Gunzou just authorized you to receive a small allotment of Nanomaterials. It isn't much, but you should be able to repair some of your hull with it. I had a cursory look a while ago and just... damn, I'm surprised you got here in one piece."

He brings up your schematics on the large viewing screen in his office (a spartan, drab affair without much personal decoration) and continues, "You don't have to use it now, but I think you could probably repair your Wave Force Armor back up to half strength, rebuild your CIWS systems, or restore your Photon Cannons. But not all three. You only have enough for one of those tings."

"I understand dear, but," you frown, "Is it too much to ask for more Nanomaterials? Blue Steel has surely been stockpiling it, seeing as you haven't run out in all this time."

"...To be frank, Ms. Surcouf," the Quartermaster fixes you with an unamused stare, "We don't trust you to not cut and run. We're under orders to not let you, quote 'take us for a ride', unquote."

You wince, "Ouch, does Gunzou trust me that little?"

"...No, not really miss." he sighs, "But it's not like we won't reward you for helping us. Gunzou authorized me to give you more Nanomaterials for any information or materials you can provide us. A little goes a long way."

Earning your keep, huh? Well, you could certainly do that. Information is your bread and butter, and providing any would be remarkably easy, but once divulged you can't sell it again. Perhaps some scavenging is a better option?
Anyways, you've got to repair yourself...

"We should fix your armor," Mary suggests, "Weapons aren't any good if we can't get close to the fighting."

You're not inclined to disagree....

Major Action - 1​

[] Prove your loyalty by providing information to Blue Steel.
-[] Information on Habbakuk.
-[] Information on Musashi (that you've been hoarding).
-[] Information on the American Fleet (horribly outdated).
-[] Information regarding American operations around Hawaii.
-[] Write in...

[] Prove your loyalty by scavenging material goods.
-[] Provide leftovers.
-[] Provide baguettes.
-[] Go on a supply run, there's got to be something around here!
-[] Provide books.
-[] Hand over the Takao Core you came across.

Minor Action - 1​

[] Repair Wave Force Armor to Operational status.
[] Restore CIWS.
[] Reconstruct Photon Cannons.
[] Do nothing, store the Nanomaterial. (+400 Nanomaterial)

 

[Higure]

Posting on behalf of AnonymousRabbit, who is currently drowning.

---

[X] Prove your loyalty by scavenging material goods.
-[X] Hand over the Takao Core you came across.
[X] Repair Wave Force Armor to Operational status.

You huffed for a moment before deciding on the best course of action. Information that you wield now may be useful leverage for future encounters so that was an immediate no go for you to disclose. But you may have something else that may interest Blue Steel into coughing more resources for you to partake in.

Seeing you crack a smile no doubt made the mature Quartermaster wary. You walked up to him and produced the Takao class core you had picked up a while back while you were making your way to Antarctica. It was light in your hand, tossing it up and down before lobbing it to the man.

"That should be more than enough, correct?" You hummed with a smile, "A Takao Class core. Mind you it's not fake but it should interest your researchers more than anything."

"W-Wait, are you sure?" The Quartermaster blinked in surprise, "Tossing out core like they're coins."

"Better those than anything else. Unless you wish to partake in my baguettes?" You offered with a smile.

With an uncomfortable look the Quartermaster blanched and shook his head, "No thanks. I'll send this to the right people and notify Gunzou."

Well then with that done, perhaps you should take up Mary's offer and repair your Wave Force armor. After all it would be bad if things went hay wire and you were as vulnerable as a slug. Still, even after you do that you were left with few things to do here.

Blue Steel has the entire ice block to themselves and you're not about to leave here without their permission. Just by being here, you did pretty much gain information off of them you could sell but still, you won't be anywhere near to resolving the problem of your fellow Fog.

You decided to wander back to your own hull to begin your preparations. Mary tagged along as always, keeping much of the humans away from you as you approached. You had a lot to answer for but you doubted that people would accost you in front of a child. Sometimes these were the perks and you relished in it.

.....
....
...

You spent the next hour or so making use of the nanomaterials you had on hand to perform your repairs. Vital areas were in the top of your list just so you could keep yourself afloat and running. You'd prefer to pretty yourself up as well arm yourself with weapons. You doubted that you'd be able to do that while under Blue Steel's eyes but them's the brakes.

You sighed, a human gesture of being tired and resigned. Perhaps a more proactive approach to planning out you future may be in store later. You need to work. Being cooped up here wasn't doing you any favors.

Mary certainly was having fun but you doubted that she saw that staying here would let her be closer to the stars.

You clicked your tongue as you got up and looked over the more damaged portion of your hull. You could really go for a sound of Houston's voice now. It would energize you to be more motivated.

Alas, no such miracle has occured.

However something else happened.

You raised an eyebrow as a siren blared at the distance making you frown. Your first instinct was to ready your weapons and scan the area... However being in Blue Steel's core there wasn't suppose to be a reason for that. You can't help but be cautious.

"W-What's going on?" Mary asked as maintenance workers ran by the docks.

"I don't know. But they're being awfully noisy," you clicked in an annoyed tone.

Mary blinked before tugging at your dress, "Let's go check it out!"

"Really? It may be dangerous," you told her with an amused smile.

BOOM

Your smile disappeared.

"It'll be fun! Come on, Surcouf!" Mary said as she dragged you along.

You directed your sensors to the center of the disturbance and felt the engines of a Fog Ship ignite. Something was waking up? This may be something worth seeing. You carried Mary in your arms and jumped over the surrounding facilities.

Mary held on your neck and squealed as the wind howled past you. You jumped a few more buildings before landing on top of a warehouse overseeing the chaos.

"It's not an enemy attack at least," you hummed as you rubbed your chin.

"That Fog Ship though..." Mary murmured in surprise as you zoned in on the photon cannons of the Fog Ship in question.

A Heavy Cruiser?

You couldn't recognize it but you could tell from the lingering photon particles that a gun had been used. You studied the scene as the humans put out the fire and medics tended to the injured. The offending Fog Ship no longer activated and simply became dormant once more.

How... Curious.

"Oh my... This is interesting," you chuckled as you sat on the edge of the building.

Mary sat with you and you grabbed the other side of her shoulder to pull her close. A safety net in case she tipped forward. Still, seeing the fire and chaos was interesting.

Mary seemed worried but your eyes eventually found something else.

Apparently Gunzou was on the scene and was looking directly at you.

He turned away to receive the reports as you stirred your thoughts in your head.

[] Go investigate the Fog Ship. It may enlighten you on your own awakening.
[] Go tease Gunzou about this incident since he probably wants to talk.
[] Use the current commotion to get some supplies, you'll bug their security to cover your tracks.
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AFTER TEN THOUSAND YEARS