The first Gramscian KanColle fic.
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Kantai Collection: The World Set Free (KC/SCP/FreeSpace:Blue Planet/Destiny)
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Opening
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
"Man zayyana samaa-a wa djammalal fadaa-a wa arsala diyaa-a liyarsoe mad-dallaal?"
<Who decorated the sky and made outer space beautiful, and sent forth light to draw shadows?>
- Nasheed Thaak Al Adheem
"Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?"
The Holy Bible, Job 38: 16
x-x-x-x-x
"The apocalypse is not coming. It is not a distant whisper. Only the blind and conceited will say that. Only those who view this new war as some kind of glorious hunt to bring back old glories will say that.
The apocalypse had already come. It swallowed Hokkaido in black, made a tomb out of Pearl. It buried Singapore in antimatter light and poisoned the Atlantic with the malignancy of its Spire. Killed our children with tainted vaccines and cultist outbreaks. War has changed but its cost remains the same.
So how did we held, how did we survive; for me to write this and you to read it?
The shipgirls?
Part of the truth, but not all of it.
We must accept the fact that the Abyss has perfect knowledge of our warfare, knows every form and counter of blade that can be wielded against it, while we have no such advantage.
No single ship, fleet, strategy, or nation can win this war.
But an apocalypse is a revelation, and now we are enlightened. A system that restricts itself to a single approach restricts itself to defeat. All systems can be subverted. We must purge ourselves of dependence to any single instrument and method.
We have obtained the means and the knowledge to turn any weakness to strength, to bring a higher form of warfare against them: Circumspect Warfare.
If you ask, what will we become in this war?
We will become the dancers in the cosmic garden.
We will perform the divine performance of destruction and renewal.
We will set the world free.
We will become SHIVA."
- The Nataraja Thesis: The Blade Transform: A Treatise on the Principles of Circumspect Counter-Abyssal Warfare. Written by World Admiral Jin Kurosawa, CINC Sparrowmark Command, Solomon Region.
x-x-x-x-x
ACATALEPSY ACATALEPSY
IT rose from the lambent world-sea and the floodplains found confidence in legs the runner in the high grass and IT saw the final shape and thinks it beautiful and all the wonder it could be IT IT IT a WORM burrows between manifolds who gnaws on the rich roots of the world-tree killed the eagle and the rat pale breathing whispers of the infomorph and the flesh and the machine and IT turns the red flowers pale IT waits in the dark and in the light and IT opposes both dark and light opposes Creation and Decay IT hegemonic antidiversity MALIGNANCY outbreak and IT lurks within the cosmic sea IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HERE with entire worlds of thinking matter IT calculates and writes itself into reality and IT frays Indra's Net and IT is coming IMMINENT IMMINENT IMMINENT and in the END, IT will say; behold! The dream of the WORM, the pale kingdom in a hidden place!
x-x-x-x-x
"From the first they had to see the round globe as one problem; it was impossible any longer to deal with it piece by piece…"
- HG Wells, The Last War: The World Set Free.
x-x-x-x-x
KANTAI COLLECTION: THE WORLD SET FREE
A Kantai Collection fanfiction.
Start: CHAPTER 1
ACATALEPSY ACATALEPSY
IT rose from the lambent world-sea and the floodplains found confidence in legs the runner in the high grass and IT saw the final shape and thinks it beautiful and all the wonder it could be IT IT IT a WORM burrows between manifolds who gnaws on the rich roots of the world-tree killed the eagle and the rat pale breathing whispers of the infomorph and the flesh and the machine and IT turns the red flowers pale IT waits in the dark and in the light and IT opposes both dark and light opposes Creation and Decay IT hegemonic antidiversity MALIGNANCY outbreak and IT lurks within the cosmic sea IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HERE with entire worlds of thinking matter IT calculates and writes itself into reality and IT frays Indra's Net and IT is coming IMMINENT IMMINENT IMMINENT and in the END, IT will say; behold! The dream of the WORM, the pale kingdom in a hidden place!
x-x-x-x-x
"From the first they had to see the round globe as one problem; it was impossible any longer to deal with it piece by piece…"
- HG Wells, The Last War: The World Set Free.
x-x-x-x-x
KANTAI COLLECTION: THE WORLD SET FREE
A Kantai Collection fanfiction.
Start: CHAPTER 1
I hope it has been worth the wait. KC: TWSF has been re-written. The Chapter 1 has been rewritten and expanded. New chapters and lore entries as well as rewritten ones are coming soon.
Certain elements of this story are inspired and/or borrowed and may be considered a crossover with the following works; all belongs to their respective owners.
FreeSpace 2 by Volition and specifically its mod: Blue Planet, by The Blue Planet team.
Immortal Defense
Destiny by Bungie
SCP Foundation
The works of HG. Wells:
- The Last War: The World Set Free
- The Shape of Things to Come.
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Hull Fragment: Defense
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
Hull Fragment: Defense
Imagine for a moment, a girl in front of you. She is very young - she could be yours or anyone's daughter - A sweet girl. Standing at the edge of the firing range, she salutes. You stand inside the insulated observation post some kilometers away, breathing recycled air. Inwardly you remember. Pearl Harbor burns-again. Half of Japan is consumed. Mediterranean is overrun. The Siberian ice slows them down, but not for long. Only these Shipgirls stand between them and our destruction. Skin stronger than steel. Bones like the keel, they say. But there are uncertainties abound. So you are here. An observer. A 155mm artillery gun (one of the purest forms of human expression) zeroes in on the girl. Voluntary Ballistic Testing, they called it. But you saw within those girl's determined, loyal eye-a hint of tear.
Any knowledge here will be crucial for defeating them. Knowledge-you know for certain that a 155mm shell will obliterate a normal human so thoroughly-through shock, heat, shearing force, any combination of the three. Yet you remember that she is not technically a normal human. You swallowed that doubt like a bitter pill-and with every ounce of your being hoped that she is not normal. You gave the order of fire. It thunders. You see it strike down. For an instant you saw something glinting. When the smoke and dust clears, you can see her again. Now she is standing inside a crater. Slightly battered, damaged clothes. But she stands; she is alive.
In an instant relief washed down your body. Yet something in your mind yearned more. So you ran out of the observation post. Towards her. Through the ash and cinder of a thousand prior weapon impacts, across that field where humanity's killing machines were tested. She saw you and she understood. She ran towards you also. And you scooped her up in a hug-so tight, so close to your heart-and in that moment you understood. This war will be different. Not just because of the nature of your enemy, nor the weapons you use to fight them-like the one now sobbing in your arms-but because of what you must become to even fight and stand a chance...
-Codex Armada, Chapter 1: Fundamentals: "Shipgirl Defense Capabilities"
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This story was posted before in the Ideas and Recs thread, now it is incorporated into this series
x-x-x-x-x
Imagine for a moment, a girl in front of you. She is very young - she could be yours or anyone's daughter - A sweet girl. Standing at the edge of the firing range, she salutes. You stand inside the insulated observation post some kilometers away, breathing recycled air. Inwardly you remember. Pearl Harbor burns-again. Half of Japan is consumed. Mediterranean is overrun. The Siberian ice slows them down, but not for long. Only these Shipgirls stand between them and our destruction. Skin stronger than steel. Bones like the keel, they say. But there are uncertainties abound. So you are here. An observer. A 155mm artillery gun (one of the purest forms of human expression) zeroes in on the girl. Voluntary Ballistic Testing, they called it. But you saw within those girl's determined, loyal eye-a hint of tear.
Any knowledge here will be crucial for defeating them. Knowledge-you know for certain that a 155mm shell will obliterate a normal human so thoroughly-through shock, heat, shearing force, any combination of the three. Yet you remember that she is not technically a normal human. You swallowed that doubt like a bitter pill-and with every ounce of your being hoped that she is not normal. You gave the order of fire. It thunders. You see it strike down. For an instant you saw something glinting. When the smoke and dust clears, you can see her again. Now she is standing inside a crater. Slightly battered, damaged clothes. But she stands; she is alive.
In an instant relief washed down your body. Yet something in your mind yearned more. So you ran out of the observation post. Towards her. Through the ash and cinder of a thousand prior weapon impacts, across that field where humanity's killing machines were tested. She saw you and she understood. She ran towards you also. And you scooped her up in a hug-so tight, so close to your heart-and in that moment you understood. This war will be different. Not just because of the nature of your enemy, nor the weapons you use to fight them-like the one now sobbing in your arms-but because of what you must become to even fight and stand a chance...
-Codex Armada, Chapter 1: Fundamentals: "Shipgirl Defense Capabilities"
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This story was posted before in the Ideas and Recs thread, now it is incorporated into this series
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Background Post
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
Background Post: I realized that I haven't been communicating my ideas properly; so hopefully this post will fix some of that issues. By their nature, these are spoilers.
Kantai Collection:
Obviously KC is the basis of this fic. I want to leverage the unknowable, alien nature of the Abyssals, as well as the supernormally powerful Shipgirls.
Both of them are extremely powerful and mysterious beings, and their presence flies in the face of conventional warfare. Conventional militaries will still have their role, as there are points where the Abyssals can be made vulnerable to normal weapons. For their part, despite wielding what appears to be WW2 weaponry, Shipgirls are significantly more powerful and advanced than our modern arsenal and not restricted to WW2 capabilities; This renders the question of modern-armed shipgirl retrofits or modern warship-girls moot.
There will be an in-universe cause for the appearance of only WW1 and WW2 ships.
FreeSpace:
Destiny:
SCP:
These are my thoughts that led to the creation of this series. Other than these, Greatest Generation by sasahara is the first ever textual Kancolle fic I followed, and it led to me joining the KC fanfic scene. I will try to the best of my ability to develop these ideas.
Kantai Collection:
Obviously KC is the basis of this fic. I want to leverage the unknowable, alien nature of the Abyssals, as well as the supernormally powerful Shipgirls.
Both of them are extremely powerful and mysterious beings, and their presence flies in the face of conventional warfare. Conventional militaries will still have their role, as there are points where the Abyssals can be made vulnerable to normal weapons. For their part, despite wielding what appears to be WW2 weaponry, Shipgirls are significantly more powerful and advanced than our modern arsenal and not restricted to WW2 capabilities; This renders the question of modern-armed shipgirl retrofits or modern warship-girls moot.
There will be an in-universe cause for the appearance of only WW1 and WW2 ships.
FreeSpace:
Combat is based upon FreeSpace's depiction of capital ship and fighter combat, mixed with the usual KC shipgirl combat. Whether or not this works, well...
Shivans are the parallel of Abyssals. They are an extremely powerful, alien, and extant force. What they consider victory may not fit our definition thereof. They have a purpose, and the means and cause of their genesis will be explored. The depiction of Shivans in the Blue Planet mod is a major inspiration, and I borrowed several concepts such as Introns and internal ecosystems from it.
Chronologically: the timeline resembles the events of FreeSpace 1 and 2.
-Humans have been fighting the Abyssals for sometime with limited success; The emergence of Shipgirls allowed us to go on the offensive. FS1
-Success brought by Shipgirl program led to complacency and division, in which the easy victories are mined for their propagandistic worth for each individual countries' purposes. This led to unhealthy competitions and selfishness between each nations who possesses shipgirls, thus crippling the global response when the Abyssals struck with their worldwide Blitz. Like in FreeSpace 2, GTVA is lulled into complacency with the Colossus' triumph over NTF and the first Sathanas.
Nagato and Warspite and Enterprise's role is central in the formation of Transitionary Joint Command-later formalized into GO-SENTAI--which managed to effect an organized global response in defeating the Blitz.
This mirrors the Vasudan-Terran unity in FS1, which allowed them to defeat the Lucifer.
The various CODEs above are contingencies for this kind of event that warrants the creation of a global shipgirl/military organization detached from any one country's purpose. These are created when the shipgirls first emerged with secret backing from the UN, who in a fit of competence anticipated the Blitz scenario.
After the formation of GO-SENTAI, the story moves towards the Abyssal's inscrutable actions and our efforts not only to defeat them, but also mend this broken world-if possible, to a state better than before the war.
One possible ending is a far-future epilogue, in the future on which FS is set, linking the Shivan's appearance with the past war against the Abyssal
Shivans are the parallel of Abyssals. They are an extremely powerful, alien, and extant force. What they consider victory may not fit our definition thereof. They have a purpose, and the means and cause of their genesis will be explored. The depiction of Shivans in the Blue Planet mod is a major inspiration, and I borrowed several concepts such as Introns and internal ecosystems from it.
Chronologically: the timeline resembles the events of FreeSpace 1 and 2.
-Humans have been fighting the Abyssals for sometime with limited success; The emergence of Shipgirls allowed us to go on the offensive. FS1
-Success brought by Shipgirl program led to complacency and division, in which the easy victories are mined for their propagandistic worth for each individual countries' purposes. This led to unhealthy competitions and selfishness between each nations who possesses shipgirls, thus crippling the global response when the Abyssals struck with their worldwide Blitz. Like in FreeSpace 2, GTVA is lulled into complacency with the Colossus' triumph over NTF and the first Sathanas.
Nagato and Warspite and Enterprise's role is central in the formation of Transitionary Joint Command-later formalized into GO-SENTAI--which managed to effect an organized global response in defeating the Blitz.
This mirrors the Vasudan-Terran unity in FS1, which allowed them to defeat the Lucifer.
The various CODEs above are contingencies for this kind of event that warrants the creation of a global shipgirl/military organization detached from any one country's purpose. These are created when the shipgirls first emerged with secret backing from the UN, who in a fit of competence anticipated the Blitz scenario.
After the formation of GO-SENTAI, the story moves towards the Abyssal's inscrutable actions and our efforts not only to defeat them, but also mend this broken world-if possible, to a state better than before the war.
One possible ending is a far-future epilogue, in the future on which FS is set, linking the Shivan's appearance with the past war against the Abyssal
Destiny:
There is an interesting parallel between Guardians and Shipgirls; both are dead things resurrected for a new purpose by some unknown, mysterious yet benign force. The force that created the shipgirls is unknown for the moment, and will not be revealed until much later in the story. The Abyssal's genesis is linked to an entity known as type:WORM as well as something known as The Deep. Several concepts such as Dreams are also taken from Destiny.
The Abyssals take on features from the Vex and the Hive: the massive computational networked cognition and space-time control of the Vex, and the superorganic existential horror of the Hive.
There is a question: If the Abyssals have this kind of ability, why haven't they wiped us out already? This is a question that will be answered later in the story.
The Abyssals take on features from the Vex and the Hive: the massive computational networked cognition and space-time control of the Vex, and the superorganic existential horror of the Hive.
There is a question: If the Abyssals have this kind of ability, why haven't they wiped us out already? This is a question that will be answered later in the story.
SCP:
Shipgirl Object Catalog and NEMESIS BELOW Threat Recognition files are obviously inspired by SCP documents. After the emergence of shipgirls in this universe, anomalies and phenomenas formerly referred as magic has become increasingly explainable, analyzed and researched upon, until it becomes a fact of life, publicly known and (mostly) accepted.
There will be an investigative "shadow war" aspect to the story as well, possibly by introducing a Cultist faction, but at the moment it's not final yet.
There will be an investigative "shadow war" aspect to the story as well, possibly by introducing a Cultist faction, but at the moment it's not final yet.
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OLD CANON Hull Fragment: Offense - Shinano.
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
Hull Fragment: Offense
Shinano was her name. Clad in green, braided hair. Tall and large, like her sisters; elegant Yamato and outrageous Musashi. Alongside them, the three giants from the depths of the ancient Imperial Japanese Navy. With a finger to its bridge, she adjusted her circular glasses (Yamato chose it for her, like she did for Musashi), and set off. Her objective-an American carrier (a conventional one) in distress. Outflanked, and her escorts trashed. Normally Shinano would be escorted, but due to "disadvantageous circumstances" none could be given. JMSDF Tactical has refused to spare her some ships to help the American carrier, on grounds that the American carrier is attacked on American waters. At this, she stormed out the Admiral's office, retrieved her gear on the docks, and went alone.
Of course she remembers what happened the last time she did that.
Her gear-freed from their past flaws as she was reborn-is a unique variation of the standard carrier bow-and-quiver gear. Her quiver is large and thick, fully intended to be part of her armor. It is mounted on articulated arms, and can be sealed and unsealed rapidly in the event of emergency. Adorned with machineguns and rocket launchers to protect her rear arc. Numerous DP, launcher, and autocannon emplacements on her shoulders, hips, and thighs protected her other approaches. Her bow is large even by daikyu standards. She could launch all 144 of her aircraft in three minutes.
Normally a large portion of her complement was intended as replacements for other carriers and bases, but modifications helped by Musashi and Midway's faeries allowed her to service, arm, and launch all of them. Her arrows are metal, jet black and distinguished with the circular red and her kana. Her deck is also heavily armored, painted green and black. If her bow is inoperable, she could use it to launch. This is how she has been equipping herself. Contingencies layered upon contingencies.
Significant concentration of ordnance will be required to sink this dreadnought carrier-or just one in the right place-she reminded herself. A chirp on her radio array. Her Saiuns returned their reports. American carrier bears the number 76. She is trailing fire. Her fighters and escorts are warding off the attacking Abyssals. Not long before they crumble. One of the escorting CGs is limping off-formation. Gunfire and missiles fill the air. Two Abyssal fleet carriers is supported by four light carriers and eight destroyers, defying the guided weapons of the American ships and fighters. Their own light cruisers are spread out as AA pickets.
Shinano reads the situation, and moved upwind. Her braids fluttering in the wind, she closed her right eye and took aim. She will fight now. She has not nearly the practiced finesse of the 1st and 2nd CarDivs. Not the youthful dynamism of the Fifth, or the US carriers' sheer skill and sophisticated tactics. What she does have in abundance is brute force. Barring certain rare American and British planes, hers are the fastest, toughest, and the most powerful air wing in the Pacific. This force needs to aim at no gap-it creates and exploits its own gaps-both hammer, chisel, and anvil. Holding her breath, she fired---
The first arrows burned into A7M Reppuus,two wings of six. Their objective, relieve the American carrier. Saiuns count at least 48 attacking planes. The Abyssal fighter/bombers, looking like the decapitated head of some abomination, were lining up for their final attack run. Final, for the Reppuus screamed down from the sun and struck them like a whirlwind. They managed no drops. The Reppuu wings cut into their formations again and again, loosing rockets and machinegun fire the entire time. The American pilots, having been trained in joint tactics, renewed their defense with vigor.
In her second shot, Shinano released two arrows. One burns into Ryuusei Gunships, sacrificing torpedo load and ASW capability for heavy cannons,turrets, and rocket pods, three wings of three. These will fly low, avoiding the Abyssal CL's radars. Flying so low as to touch the waves underneath, the Gunships struck from the Abyssal AA picket's blind spot. Their cannons and rockets ripped the thin-skinned CLs apart, detonating ammo and burning armor. Of course they didn't have many ammo, but it was enough. The Gunships bailed out. When the Abyssal counter-air wing arrived, only their slaughtered light cruisers are visible, the Gunships long gone....
The other arrow burns into Ryuusei Kai torpedo bombers, four wings of four. Their success is predicated on the Reppuu wings annihilating the majority of Abyssal fighter/bombers in their attack on the carrier, and on the Ryuusei Gunship wings drawing the rest of the Abyssal CAP away by destroying the light cruiser pickets. And they did. Approaching in a pincer, the first two wings scored direct hits on the leading Abyssal carrier, while the rest followed suit, hammering the Abyssals with torpedo and gunfire. By the end of it both Wo-class are sunk, and the rest are crippled or retreating.
Receiving these reports, Shinano allowed herself to breathe freely. Then she picked a radio transmission:
"Aircraft carrier Shinano, this is the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. We extend our most sincere gratitude for your prompt action. We are in your debt. Please come aboard, your aircraft are waiting for you..."
x-x-x-x-x
Shinano was her name. Clad in green, braided hair. Tall and large, like her sisters; elegant Yamato and outrageous Musashi. Alongside them, the three giants from the depths of the ancient Imperial Japanese Navy. With a finger to its bridge, she adjusted her circular glasses (Yamato chose it for her, like she did for Musashi), and set off. Her objective-an American carrier (a conventional one) in distress. Outflanked, and her escorts trashed. Normally Shinano would be escorted, but due to "disadvantageous circumstances" none could be given. JMSDF Tactical has refused to spare her some ships to help the American carrier, on grounds that the American carrier is attacked on American waters. At this, she stormed out the Admiral's office, retrieved her gear on the docks, and went alone.
Of course she remembers what happened the last time she did that.
Her gear-freed from their past flaws as she was reborn-is a unique variation of the standard carrier bow-and-quiver gear. Her quiver is large and thick, fully intended to be part of her armor. It is mounted on articulated arms, and can be sealed and unsealed rapidly in the event of emergency. Adorned with machineguns and rocket launchers to protect her rear arc. Numerous DP, launcher, and autocannon emplacements on her shoulders, hips, and thighs protected her other approaches. Her bow is large even by daikyu standards. She could launch all 144 of her aircraft in three minutes.
Normally a large portion of her complement was intended as replacements for other carriers and bases, but modifications helped by Musashi and Midway's faeries allowed her to service, arm, and launch all of them. Her arrows are metal, jet black and distinguished with the circular red and her kana. Her deck is also heavily armored, painted green and black. If her bow is inoperable, she could use it to launch. This is how she has been equipping herself. Contingencies layered upon contingencies.
Significant concentration of ordnance will be required to sink this dreadnought carrier-or just one in the right place-she reminded herself. A chirp on her radio array. Her Saiuns returned their reports. American carrier bears the number 76. She is trailing fire. Her fighters and escorts are warding off the attacking Abyssals. Not long before they crumble. One of the escorting CGs is limping off-formation. Gunfire and missiles fill the air. Two Abyssal fleet carriers is supported by four light carriers and eight destroyers, defying the guided weapons of the American ships and fighters. Their own light cruisers are spread out as AA pickets.
Shinano reads the situation, and moved upwind. Her braids fluttering in the wind, she closed her right eye and took aim. She will fight now. She has not nearly the practiced finesse of the 1st and 2nd CarDivs. Not the youthful dynamism of the Fifth, or the US carriers' sheer skill and sophisticated tactics. What she does have in abundance is brute force. Barring certain rare American and British planes, hers are the fastest, toughest, and the most powerful air wing in the Pacific. This force needs to aim at no gap-it creates and exploits its own gaps-both hammer, chisel, and anvil. Holding her breath, she fired---
The first arrows burned into A7M Reppuus,two wings of six. Their objective, relieve the American carrier. Saiuns count at least 48 attacking planes. The Abyssal fighter/bombers, looking like the decapitated head of some abomination, were lining up for their final attack run. Final, for the Reppuus screamed down from the sun and struck them like a whirlwind. They managed no drops. The Reppuu wings cut into their formations again and again, loosing rockets and machinegun fire the entire time. The American pilots, having been trained in joint tactics, renewed their defense with vigor.
In her second shot, Shinano released two arrows. One burns into Ryuusei Gunships, sacrificing torpedo load and ASW capability for heavy cannons,turrets, and rocket pods, three wings of three. These will fly low, avoiding the Abyssal CL's radars. Flying so low as to touch the waves underneath, the Gunships struck from the Abyssal AA picket's blind spot. Their cannons and rockets ripped the thin-skinned CLs apart, detonating ammo and burning armor. Of course they didn't have many ammo, but it was enough. The Gunships bailed out. When the Abyssal counter-air wing arrived, only their slaughtered light cruisers are visible, the Gunships long gone....
The other arrow burns into Ryuusei Kai torpedo bombers, four wings of four. Their success is predicated on the Reppuu wings annihilating the majority of Abyssal fighter/bombers in their attack on the carrier, and on the Ryuusei Gunship wings drawing the rest of the Abyssal CAP away by destroying the light cruiser pickets. And they did. Approaching in a pincer, the first two wings scored direct hits on the leading Abyssal carrier, while the rest followed suit, hammering the Abyssals with torpedo and gunfire. By the end of it both Wo-class are sunk, and the rest are crippled or retreating.
Receiving these reports, Shinano allowed herself to breathe freely. Then she picked a radio transmission:
"Aircraft carrier Shinano, this is the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. We extend our most sincere gratitude for your prompt action. We are in your debt. Please come aboard, your aircraft are waiting for you..."
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OLD CANON Hull Fragment: Chess Against a God
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
Hull Fragment: Chess Against a God.
[CHK]...End in four?
[WPL]... Three.
[WPL]...Wait ok four.
[CHK]Four it is. Rook to A6
[WPL]King to E8. Let's talk about victory and calculations.
[CHK]Rook to A7. Your victory is a singular act of precision and control amidst all that chaos. One shot in the rightest place possible.
[WPL]King to D8. Your loss is the convergence of multiple disparate factors; lack of armored shutters, general volatility of the Long Lances...
[CHK]And these Abyssals, they emulate me. Well, some of them. Oversized surface torpedoes on exposed launchers. Rook to B7. Combined with heavy artillery...
[WPL]Suboptimal. Maladaptive. Any of my planes can hit them and blow them apart then. Why do that? King to C8.
[CHK]Says the one who kept this game going for 250 turns now...Rook to G7. Anyway, yes. The Abyssal ships has exhibited some defective adaptations as of late.
[WPL]King to D8. Indeed.
[CHK]Knight-B6....*sigh*
[WPL]King to E8. Well....
[CHK]My King to E5. What is it?
[WPL]Listen, sometimes the winning strategy isn't-wouldn't look optimal at first. King to F6.
[CHK]Their mind is vast and alien, their endgame isn't necessarily comprehensible to us...King to E8.
[WPL]...Yes. Playing chess against god, how would you know His endgame, His preferred outcome? Rook to G8. Mate.
[CHK]...End in four?
[WPL]... Three.
[WPL]...Wait ok four.
[CHK]Four it is. Rook to A6
[WPL]King to E8. Let's talk about victory and calculations.
[CHK]Rook to A7. Your victory is a singular act of precision and control amidst all that chaos. One shot in the rightest place possible.
[WPL]King to D8. Your loss is the convergence of multiple disparate factors; lack of armored shutters, general volatility of the Long Lances...
[CHK]And these Abyssals, they emulate me. Well, some of them. Oversized surface torpedoes on exposed launchers. Rook to B7. Combined with heavy artillery...
[WPL]Suboptimal. Maladaptive. Any of my planes can hit them and blow them apart then. Why do that? King to C8.
[CHK]Says the one who kept this game going for 250 turns now...Rook to G7. Anyway, yes. The Abyssal ships has exhibited some defective adaptations as of late.
[WPL]King to D8. Indeed.
[CHK]Knight-B6....*sigh*
[WPL]King to E8. Well....
[CHK]My King to E5. What is it?
[WPL]Listen, sometimes the winning strategy isn't-wouldn't look optimal at first. King to F6.
[CHK]Their mind is vast and alien, their endgame isn't necessarily comprehensible to us...King to E8.
[WPL]...Yes. Playing chess against god, how would you know His endgame, His preferred outcome? Rook to G8. Mate.
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OLD CANON Hull Fragment: LIONS ROAR
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
HULL FRAGMENT 02: Roar.
This message written by: Her Majesty's Ship, Vanguard, armed with Eight BL 15 inch cannons of finest make;
It has come to my ATTENTION that certain MISCHIEVOUS elements of our esteemed allies; that is JAPAN and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-
has engaged in unseemly behaviour; That of MOCKING us, Her Majesty's Battleships and Battlecruisers as being "habitually undergunned", and questioning the power of our primary armaments.
I offer thus in counterargument:
A lion is not regarded by the size of its fangs and claws, but by the ferocity with which it uses them in combat. Let it be KNOWN that in that regard, you shall NOT find Her Majesty's Shipgirls lacking.
---Vanguard.
This message written by: Her Majesty's Ship, Vanguard, armed with Eight BL 15 inch cannons of finest make;
It has come to my ATTENTION that certain MISCHIEVOUS elements of our esteemed allies; that is JAPAN and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-
has engaged in unseemly behaviour; That of MOCKING us, Her Majesty's Battleships and Battlecruisers as being "habitually undergunned", and questioning the power of our primary armaments.
I offer thus in counterargument:
A lion is not regarded by the size of its fangs and claws, but by the ferocity with which it uses them in combat. Let it be KNOWN that in that regard, you shall NOT find Her Majesty's Shipgirls lacking.
---Vanguard.
OLD CANON: Shipgirl Object Catalog - The Dragon's Eye
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
"This is The Dragon's Song: To the Clouds you will return; Become Master of The Skies once more..."
Shipgirl Object Catalog Entry 0342
The Dragon's Eye
Handling: Safe level 3 (General Shipgirl Usage, Specialist personnel only)
Security Level: 4 (Essential, High Value)
Description:
Object 0342 is a large (10cm in diameter) emerald gemstone, cut into a smooth spherical form. Object 0342 is currently in general usage by Aircraft Carrier Unryuu (UNY201), posted on CTG MAGIC, Atlantic Region. It is most commonly used to bind her rather voluminous hair into a braid, and appears to cause her no discomfort despite its weight. When in combat, 0342 functions as the primary component of Unryuu's flight operation capabilities. In this respect, 0342 functions in conjunction with objects 0343 (Cloud Gate) and 0344 (Cloud Banner).
0342 hosts the spiritually encoded infomorphic forms of her Air Group. This spiritual encoding is read and printed by 0343 into Unryuu's complement of paper puppets. One paper puppet does not necessarily represent one individual aircraft; on certain conditions up to 8 aircraft can be printed into one paper puppet, however this may compromise the integrity of the paper puppet and resultant aircraft. Spiritual encoding includes instructions on the material reification process, which is used by 0344 to transform the paper puppet's mass into the desired Faerie-operated aircraft (See p.761-Material Reification and Non-Equivalent Exchange-Shipgirl Usage by Prof.Seijiro, 2034)
Visual observation of 0342 in inactive state results in highly variable results, however common patterns and themes involve eastern dragons, clouds, and the sky. Most common visual imagery reported by 85% of test subjects is in the form of constantly coiling body of a dragon filling the entire field of view. In rare occassions a reptilian eye can be seen staring from inside 0342.
In addition, a soft singing can be heard emanating from it in permissive audio environments. Content analysis of this song is underway.
Shipgirl Object Catalog Entry 0342
The Dragon's Eye
Handling: Safe level 3 (General Shipgirl Usage, Specialist personnel only)
Security Level: 4 (Essential, High Value)
Description:
Object 0342 is a large (10cm in diameter) emerald gemstone, cut into a smooth spherical form. Object 0342 is currently in general usage by Aircraft Carrier Unryuu (UNY201), posted on CTG MAGIC, Atlantic Region. It is most commonly used to bind her rather voluminous hair into a braid, and appears to cause her no discomfort despite its weight. When in combat, 0342 functions as the primary component of Unryuu's flight operation capabilities. In this respect, 0342 functions in conjunction with objects 0343 (Cloud Gate) and 0344 (Cloud Banner).
0342 hosts the spiritually encoded infomorphic forms of her Air Group. This spiritual encoding is read and printed by 0343 into Unryuu's complement of paper puppets. One paper puppet does not necessarily represent one individual aircraft; on certain conditions up to 8 aircraft can be printed into one paper puppet, however this may compromise the integrity of the paper puppet and resultant aircraft. Spiritual encoding includes instructions on the material reification process, which is used by 0344 to transform the paper puppet's mass into the desired Faerie-operated aircraft (See p.761-Material Reification and Non-Equivalent Exchange-Shipgirl Usage by Prof.Seijiro, 2034)
Visual observation of 0342 in inactive state results in highly variable results, however common patterns and themes involve eastern dragons, clouds, and the sky. Most common visual imagery reported by 85% of test subjects is in the form of constantly coiling body of a dragon filling the entire field of view. In rare occassions a reptilian eye can be seen staring from inside 0342.
In addition, a soft singing can be heard emanating from it in permissive audio environments. Content analysis of this song is underway.
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OLD CANON Blitz 1
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
03.Blitz Part 1:
"On 2 December 2024, after four years of static, deadlocked warfare, The Abyss made its move. We call it the Blitz. Across the world, like a storm; entire islands consumed, millions devoured or fleeing. Abyssal landfall can not be averted. Complacency made by earlier easy victories against the Abyssals crippled our answer; serial mismanagement of Shipgirl assets complicates matters. From the ashes of this devastation, however, a new fire will be sparked to light our path against the Abyss..."
///////////
Refugee camp, Japan, 4 days after the initial strike.
Fast action coordinated by Nagato repulsed the first Abyssal Blitz strikes across Japan, but not before massive damage is incurred. Soberingly, she spent more time wrangling the chain-of-command than fighting at sea.
Refugees are pouring in from Japan's outer islands; Ryukyu, Tanegashima, and others. Survivors from the American garrison at Okinawa has also retreated to the Japanese mainland. Aid is being flown in from less-affected regions, and even from China and South Korea, under escort by the Carrier Divisions' aircraft. As the military forces regroup and plan their next move, the refugees are herded into shelters and camps; far from home, and in meager conditions.
---
To describe the sights inside this refugee camp is to describe that sights that has repeated across the thousands of years of warfare and its results. Hunger and sickness and cold. Children without their parents, parents without their children. There are death, there are life neglected. Aid workers, medics, and volunteers giving their best. Soldiers and shipgirls standing guard over them, for the enemy has finally made the terrifying extent of their strength known.
That day, Musashi was there. She regarded the sight with grim resignation. As she walked and made her way through the camp, people bowed and knelt in her presence, even in their grief. This knives into her heart, but she suppressed that for now. She is looking for someone, and in this kind of place there can be only one place where she can find that person.
She found her quarry; her reasoning was correct. In the middle of the refugee camp, Yamato was there, distributing food and care for the displaced people. Several members of her fleet aided her in various ways. Yahagi helped her prepare food; Hatsushimo and Yukikaze distributes medicine, in-between playing with the children.
Musashi is already hating herself for what she is about to do; to pull Yamato from these people who needed her-who needed hope.
"Yamato. I need you to come with me. The Fleet needs you."
Pausing from her work, Yamato answered:
"The JMSDF almost made us abandon these people. They would rather me stand watch in Tokyo Bay rather than help bring these people's boats and transports to safety. If that's what they want me to do, then no, they don't need me. These people's grief-Japan's-are mine. Let me be with them."
At this, Musashi stared at Yamato, her red eyes pleading. She spoke:
"Nagasaki does not exist anymore, Yamato. It is razed to the ground. Do you not think I would rather be there, among the people of my hometown? I want to protect them as much as you do these people! Listen carefully. If The Abyss strikes again-and they will,-none will survive if we fight alone. I do not talk about the JMSDF, but of the Fleet. "
"What do you mean?"
"Nagato is in contact with the remaining naval leadership authorities worldwide. She is rallying all the remaining Kanmusu forces. This situation here-this devastation- is repeated all across the world-some even worse. The old command crumbles. She-alongside the other nations' Kanmusu-is making something new, and she needs us-she needs you. This Fleet needs you. Please, Yamato."
....
"The world needs all of us."
"On 2 December 2024, after four years of static, deadlocked warfare, The Abyss made its move. We call it the Blitz. Across the world, like a storm; entire islands consumed, millions devoured or fleeing. Abyssal landfall can not be averted. Complacency made by earlier easy victories against the Abyssals crippled our answer; serial mismanagement of Shipgirl assets complicates matters. From the ashes of this devastation, however, a new fire will be sparked to light our path against the Abyss..."
///////////
Refugee camp, Japan, 4 days after the initial strike.
Fast action coordinated by Nagato repulsed the first Abyssal Blitz strikes across Japan, but not before massive damage is incurred. Soberingly, she spent more time wrangling the chain-of-command than fighting at sea.
Refugees are pouring in from Japan's outer islands; Ryukyu, Tanegashima, and others. Survivors from the American garrison at Okinawa has also retreated to the Japanese mainland. Aid is being flown in from less-affected regions, and even from China and South Korea, under escort by the Carrier Divisions' aircraft. As the military forces regroup and plan their next move, the refugees are herded into shelters and camps; far from home, and in meager conditions.
---
To describe the sights inside this refugee camp is to describe that sights that has repeated across the thousands of years of warfare and its results. Hunger and sickness and cold. Children without their parents, parents without their children. There are death, there are life neglected. Aid workers, medics, and volunteers giving their best. Soldiers and shipgirls standing guard over them, for the enemy has finally made the terrifying extent of their strength known.
That day, Musashi was there. She regarded the sight with grim resignation. As she walked and made her way through the camp, people bowed and knelt in her presence, even in their grief. This knives into her heart, but she suppressed that for now. She is looking for someone, and in this kind of place there can be only one place where she can find that person.
She found her quarry; her reasoning was correct. In the middle of the refugee camp, Yamato was there, distributing food and care for the displaced people. Several members of her fleet aided her in various ways. Yahagi helped her prepare food; Hatsushimo and Yukikaze distributes medicine, in-between playing with the children.
Musashi is already hating herself for what she is about to do; to pull Yamato from these people who needed her-who needed hope.
"Yamato. I need you to come with me. The Fleet needs you."
Pausing from her work, Yamato answered:
"The JMSDF almost made us abandon these people. They would rather me stand watch in Tokyo Bay rather than help bring these people's boats and transports to safety. If that's what they want me to do, then no, they don't need me. These people's grief-Japan's-are mine. Let me be with them."
At this, Musashi stared at Yamato, her red eyes pleading. She spoke:
"Nagasaki does not exist anymore, Yamato. It is razed to the ground. Do you not think I would rather be there, among the people of my hometown? I want to protect them as much as you do these people! Listen carefully. If The Abyss strikes again-and they will,-none will survive if we fight alone. I do not talk about the JMSDF, but of the Fleet. "
"What do you mean?"
"Nagato is in contact with the remaining naval leadership authorities worldwide. She is rallying all the remaining Kanmusu forces. This situation here-this devastation- is repeated all across the world-some even worse. The old command crumbles. She-alongside the other nations' Kanmusu-is making something new, and she needs us-she needs you. This Fleet needs you. Please, Yamato."
....
"The world needs all of us."
Blitz Interlude-The Hunt.
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
Blitz Interlude-The Hunt.
Flash-order.
Flash-order.
[AUTOMATED WARNING] Detecting multiple simultaneous Abyssal incursions on all sectors. Major force breakthrough imminent. All available forces immediately----
CODE GJALLARHORN INVOKED
BEGIN CASE IMMEDIATE SALLY RAGNAROK
..........
Royal Navy Advance Base. 2 days after the initial strike.
"Theaterwide situation has mostly stabilized. Atlantic Front objectives is secured and safe for now."
"It's the Channel Front and inland situations we are concerned about."
"The Abyssal Channel Princess-your bane, Warspite-who has eluded you five times now..."
"I'm liable to give you a smack, Repulse..."
"...has been seen off Brest and moving towards open seas after making Brest the latest victim in their severe hit-and-run strikes against French maritime assets."
"Two French battleteams are pursuing her. Jean-Bart's and Richelieu's. Jean-Bart's has already engaged and disengaged, Richelieu's are rolling in."
"If this is like the archetypical engagements, then they are likely in trouble. We have to move soon."
"Agreed. Gear up and prepare, ladies. We have a beast to hunt." Warspite said, a predatory grin on her face, all too familiar for her fleet...
Flash-order.
Flash-order.
[AUTOMATED WARNING] Detecting multiple simultaneous Abyssal incursions on all sectors. Major force breakthrough imminent. All available forces immediately----
CODE GJALLARHORN INVOKED
BEGIN CASE IMMEDIATE SALLY RAGNAROK
..........
Royal Navy Advance Base. 2 days after the initial strike.
"Theaterwide situation has mostly stabilized. Atlantic Front objectives is secured and safe for now."
"It's the Channel Front and inland situations we are concerned about."
"The Abyssal Channel Princess-your bane, Warspite-who has eluded you five times now..."
"I'm liable to give you a smack, Repulse..."
"...has been seen off Brest and moving towards open seas after making Brest the latest victim in their severe hit-and-run strikes against French maritime assets."
"Two French battleteams are pursuing her. Jean-Bart's and Richelieu's. Jean-Bart's has already engaged and disengaged, Richelieu's are rolling in."
"If this is like the archetypical engagements, then they are likely in trouble. We have to move soon."
"Agreed. Gear up and prepare, ladies. We have a beast to hunt." Warspite said, a predatory grin on her face, all too familiar for her fleet...
Old Canon - Blitz Part II-End of The Hunt.
ARBITRACOM
Sic transit gloria mundi
04. Blitz Part II-End of The Hunt.
"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
...and all the world wondered after the beast..."
/////////////////
"Delacroix Team, we are going in fast. The Channel Princess is fleeing to open seas, but the Contre-Torpilleurs of Jean-Bart's Paixhans Team has blown a hole in her escort. We must finish her before she is able to link up with the Abyssal Main Body. We owe it to the defenders of Brest and to Paixhans Team to do this. We shall not disappoint them. Today, France fights back."
Battleship Richelieu relayed those words with exceeding calmness. The entirety of Europe is now in chaos on the level unseen since nearly eighty years before. Delacroix Team was assembled in haste: Herself, Dunkerque, Bretagne, Strasbourg in the front. Algerie and Dupleix leads two heavy torpedo wings: 4 heavy destroyers and 3 light cruisers each on their flank. They were sortied at best speed, too late to save Brest, but not too late to exact vengeance.
The French shipgirls have a particular affinity with speed; The Dunkerque and Richelieu class were among the best fast battleships, and their heavy destroyers are the fastest in the world, and not at all weakly armed. It can be said that speed was their element, and now they must prove this decisive, for their target is in sight.
Their target-The Channel Princess. A pale visage of a woman, wearing an expression simultaneously menacing and serene on her face. Dressed in black armor that defies simple weapons, with flowing pale white ribbons on her back. Her living turrets snarl with vicious fangs, and her presence warps reality, turning the waters around her black. She stood among the carcasses of her escort, courtesy of Jean-Bart's Paixhans Team.
Staring at the attacking Delacroix Team, she closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together with a smile.
"What's she doing?" Bretagne asked.
"I... shit! Delacroix Team, break formation!" Richelieu shouted; the alarm in her voice shook her team into action.
The Princess parted her hands, and a wave of energy bursts outward. Surprisingly, it was not aimed at Delacroix Team, but at a stretch of water in front of her.
She has opened an Entry Rift; a wound that bleeds darkness in space-time, and summoned her Beast. Her companion, an enormous Feral Abyssal familiar, emerged with a thundering roar . It is a massive black giant, hunched with jutting segmented armour plating and heavy turrets on its shoulders. Seven eyeless faces; each one spewing black, liquid fire from gaping maws crowned with thorns and tentacles crimson. On top of the central face is a large quadruple turret, each other face is adorned with one single rapid-firing turret. It turned its eyeless gaze towards Richelieu's fleet and fired, again and again, immediately saturating the seas with hellfire.
As she and Delacroix Team dodged the shells, Richelieu's comms crackled.
"Richelieu, this is Jean-Bart. Wake sensors detected an Entry Event in your AO. Say your situation!"
"Good to hear you, Jean. We've...hit a snag. Princess has summoned her consort. We will need heavy resolution or a strike mission fast."
"...I'm sorry, Richelieu. My ships and myself are hit hard from the last attack. Command has all other assets tied. We have invoked CODE GJALLARHORN on all open channels, see what help we can get. Richelieu, I.."
"It's alright Jean. This is what we do. We fight."
With a faint smile, Richelieu closed the comms.
"This is what we do..."
"Delacroix Team! Listen! I'll be honest-we aren't likely to have any support soon. For the moment, we are alone. So these are your orders: do as much damage as you can! Gut her, and make the defenders of Brest rest easier. Now, strike! Go to rapid fire-all guns, all tubes!"
With incredible crispness, those words are delivered, and with incredible valor, followed to the letter. The four battleships spearheaded the charge. Richelieu at their forefront, firing the entire way. With eight guns forward, the usage vector of her armament is simple; more guns to focus on one target, let secondaries and escorts handle the rest. Their shellfire impacted with terrifying force, cracking armor and starting fires. Off to their flank, Algerie and Dupleix's team executes their torpedo run, adding to it their own gunfire...
The Channel Princess was no less fearsome in her response; Casting monstrous thaumaturgy and firing Abyssal shells that rend and explode and poison with excellent accuracy, unfazed by the hundreds of shots landing in and around her. The Beast roared and slammed the waters with its fists, knocking torpedoes out of the water and catching shells from the air, exploding harmlessly on its biological reactive armor. It bursts liquid fire from its mouth.
Delacroix Team and The Channel Princess and her Beast fought like two opposing typhoons; charging and blasting into each other, cutting with wild abandon. And yet, the battle began to take its toll on Delacroix Team. Several of the destroyers was caught in the Beast's black fire; they immediately disengaged and dumped torpedoes. As she moved to cover the destroyers, Bretagne put herself in the Princess' line of fire, who wasted no time in firing shells and witchcraft on her; she was struck in the legs, crippling and listing her.
Then the Princess blinked herself, reappearing in-between Richelieu and Dunkerque and Strasbourg, staring them down and preventing them from helping Bretagne. Bretagne, lying in the water, aimed her guns one last time at the approaching Beast intent on finishing her-as she aimed upwards at it, a movement in the clouds caught her eye.
Then the skies screamed.
The first strike hit the Beast's top quadruple turret, shattering its armor and ripping its barrels off. The second rained upon the Princess; a danger-close strike that tore her wards and sent her reeling. As soon as it hit them, a series of explosions hit the Beast's flank, severing its myriad arms; it screamed cataclysm. Another barrage took advantage of the Princess' weakened defenses and ripped her apart with burning shrapnels. At this, Richelieu and her Team looked with a mix of elation and bewilderment.
Immediately they scanned the seas, looking for the source of this righteous apocalypse. It was the warships and aircrafts of the Royal Navy; Warspite's Hunter Fleet. Warspite, Valiant, King George V, and Repulse took vanguard. Hurricanes, Sea Furies, and Barracudas flown from the Illustrious and Indefatigable circled their prey. The Lions had arrived for the Hunt; now the Beast is the hunted. "Fire again! Second Strike Wing, attack!" Warspite's voice boomed across the comms, sounding positively divine for the beleaguered shipgirls of Delacroix Team.
An encore of the devastating play was executed. Another wave of torpedoes and bombs descends on the crippled beast; a barrage of heavy cannon fire to its head from the Hurricanes finished its fate. Then the warships opened fire on the Princess. Warspite charged ahead, dodging the Princess' desperate counterattack with agility belying her age. Warspite's shells, however, found their mark again and again, and the Princess' blue blood sprayed whenever it hits. Increasingly weak in her response, the Princess finally found herself staring down eight barrels of vengeance. With finality, Warspite fired, and with finality the Princess closed her eyes.
Thus she ended The Hunt; with a grin and eight armour-piercing fifteen inch shells.
"Thank you, Warspite, and the ships of the Royal Navy. If you hadn't arrived as you did--"
"No, Richelieu. It was yours and Jean-Bart's team's efforts that allowed us to triumph today. You deserve further credit. Know that the seas of France and Europe are now safe, thanks to your efforts. Our support ship will arrive momentarily to aid you. And I bring another message. It concerns The Fleet."
"The Fleet! Is it time already?"
"... Yes. Nagato has declared CODE CHIKARA in effect. Transitionary Command will rise soon."
"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
...and all the world wondered after the beast..."
/////////////////
"Delacroix Team, we are going in fast. The Channel Princess is fleeing to open seas, but the Contre-Torpilleurs of Jean-Bart's Paixhans Team has blown a hole in her escort. We must finish her before she is able to link up with the Abyssal Main Body. We owe it to the defenders of Brest and to Paixhans Team to do this. We shall not disappoint them. Today, France fights back."
Battleship Richelieu relayed those words with exceeding calmness. The entirety of Europe is now in chaos on the level unseen since nearly eighty years before. Delacroix Team was assembled in haste: Herself, Dunkerque, Bretagne, Strasbourg in the front. Algerie and Dupleix leads two heavy torpedo wings: 4 heavy destroyers and 3 light cruisers each on their flank. They were sortied at best speed, too late to save Brest, but not too late to exact vengeance.
The French shipgirls have a particular affinity with speed; The Dunkerque and Richelieu class were among the best fast battleships, and their heavy destroyers are the fastest in the world, and not at all weakly armed. It can be said that speed was their element, and now they must prove this decisive, for their target is in sight.
Their target-The Channel Princess. A pale visage of a woman, wearing an expression simultaneously menacing and serene on her face. Dressed in black armor that defies simple weapons, with flowing pale white ribbons on her back. Her living turrets snarl with vicious fangs, and her presence warps reality, turning the waters around her black. She stood among the carcasses of her escort, courtesy of Jean-Bart's Paixhans Team.
Staring at the attacking Delacroix Team, she closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together with a smile.
"What's she doing?" Bretagne asked.
"I... shit! Delacroix Team, break formation!" Richelieu shouted; the alarm in her voice shook her team into action.
The Princess parted her hands, and a wave of energy bursts outward. Surprisingly, it was not aimed at Delacroix Team, but at a stretch of water in front of her.
She has opened an Entry Rift; a wound that bleeds darkness in space-time, and summoned her Beast. Her companion, an enormous Feral Abyssal familiar, emerged with a thundering roar . It is a massive black giant, hunched with jutting segmented armour plating and heavy turrets on its shoulders. Seven eyeless faces; each one spewing black, liquid fire from gaping maws crowned with thorns and tentacles crimson. On top of the central face is a large quadruple turret, each other face is adorned with one single rapid-firing turret. It turned its eyeless gaze towards Richelieu's fleet and fired, again and again, immediately saturating the seas with hellfire.
As she and Delacroix Team dodged the shells, Richelieu's comms crackled.
"Richelieu, this is Jean-Bart. Wake sensors detected an Entry Event in your AO. Say your situation!"
"Good to hear you, Jean. We've...hit a snag. Princess has summoned her consort. We will need heavy resolution or a strike mission fast."
"...I'm sorry, Richelieu. My ships and myself are hit hard from the last attack. Command has all other assets tied. We have invoked CODE GJALLARHORN on all open channels, see what help we can get. Richelieu, I.."
"It's alright Jean. This is what we do. We fight."
With a faint smile, Richelieu closed the comms.
"This is what we do..."
"Delacroix Team! Listen! I'll be honest-we aren't likely to have any support soon. For the moment, we are alone. So these are your orders: do as much damage as you can! Gut her, and make the defenders of Brest rest easier. Now, strike! Go to rapid fire-all guns, all tubes!"
With incredible crispness, those words are delivered, and with incredible valor, followed to the letter. The four battleships spearheaded the charge. Richelieu at their forefront, firing the entire way. With eight guns forward, the usage vector of her armament is simple; more guns to focus on one target, let secondaries and escorts handle the rest. Their shellfire impacted with terrifying force, cracking armor and starting fires. Off to their flank, Algerie and Dupleix's team executes their torpedo run, adding to it their own gunfire...
The Channel Princess was no less fearsome in her response; Casting monstrous thaumaturgy and firing Abyssal shells that rend and explode and poison with excellent accuracy, unfazed by the hundreds of shots landing in and around her. The Beast roared and slammed the waters with its fists, knocking torpedoes out of the water and catching shells from the air, exploding harmlessly on its biological reactive armor. It bursts liquid fire from its mouth.
Delacroix Team and The Channel Princess and her Beast fought like two opposing typhoons; charging and blasting into each other, cutting with wild abandon. And yet, the battle began to take its toll on Delacroix Team. Several of the destroyers was caught in the Beast's black fire; they immediately disengaged and dumped torpedoes. As she moved to cover the destroyers, Bretagne put herself in the Princess' line of fire, who wasted no time in firing shells and witchcraft on her; she was struck in the legs, crippling and listing her.
Then the Princess blinked herself, reappearing in-between Richelieu and Dunkerque and Strasbourg, staring them down and preventing them from helping Bretagne. Bretagne, lying in the water, aimed her guns one last time at the approaching Beast intent on finishing her-as she aimed upwards at it, a movement in the clouds caught her eye.
Then the skies screamed.
The first strike hit the Beast's top quadruple turret, shattering its armor and ripping its barrels off. The second rained upon the Princess; a danger-close strike that tore her wards and sent her reeling. As soon as it hit them, a series of explosions hit the Beast's flank, severing its myriad arms; it screamed cataclysm. Another barrage took advantage of the Princess' weakened defenses and ripped her apart with burning shrapnels. At this, Richelieu and her Team looked with a mix of elation and bewilderment.
Immediately they scanned the seas, looking for the source of this righteous apocalypse. It was the warships and aircrafts of the Royal Navy; Warspite's Hunter Fleet. Warspite, Valiant, King George V, and Repulse took vanguard. Hurricanes, Sea Furies, and Barracudas flown from the Illustrious and Indefatigable circled their prey. The Lions had arrived for the Hunt; now the Beast is the hunted. "Fire again! Second Strike Wing, attack!" Warspite's voice boomed across the comms, sounding positively divine for the beleaguered shipgirls of Delacroix Team.
An encore of the devastating play was executed. Another wave of torpedoes and bombs descends on the crippled beast; a barrage of heavy cannon fire to its head from the Hurricanes finished its fate. Then the warships opened fire on the Princess. Warspite charged ahead, dodging the Princess' desperate counterattack with agility belying her age. Warspite's shells, however, found their mark again and again, and the Princess' blue blood sprayed whenever it hits. Increasingly weak in her response, the Princess finally found herself staring down eight barrels of vengeance. With finality, Warspite fired, and with finality the Princess closed her eyes.
Thus she ended The Hunt; with a grin and eight armour-piercing fifteen inch shells.
"Thank you, Warspite, and the ships of the Royal Navy. If you hadn't arrived as you did--"
"No, Richelieu. It was yours and Jean-Bart's team's efforts that allowed us to triumph today. You deserve further credit. Know that the seas of France and Europe are now safe, thanks to your efforts. Our support ship will arrive momentarily to aid you. And I bring another message. It concerns The Fleet."
"The Fleet! Is it time already?"
"... Yes. Nagato has declared CODE CHIKARA in effect. Transitionary Command will rise soon."
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