Summons a massive ship sinking Pacific storm to cause problems for Repulse
"Tis but a Winter's Day in the North Sea!" "What the FU----!"
Well, it's not like Repulse is a Mediterranean design after all... You'll find she's built to deal with the stiff breezes and rolling waters of the North Sea and Atlantic. They can get rather vigorous at times, don't you know?
The irony here is that Repulse in her current form is a Mediterranean design when it comes to freeboard.
But, because the realm of the Depths-Between can be influenced with enough magical juice and willpower, Repulse still thinks that she has her old North-Sea proof freeboard and it because true in that realm.
The fact that Repulse can naturally submerge makes being swamped by waves less of a concern, I expect. And she's obviously strong enough to just bull through the waves by dint of sheer brute force & Princess-level Abyssal magic, unlike the poor terrified Ka hanging on to her.
So it was with that unusual battlecry that Jia Xin raised her arms in the air and began chanting in a harsh, guttural tongue as if beseeching an eldritch god. Despite my reservations about the fel words, I forced myself to listen for Middie Team Six's sake, if not my own and endured the lengthy chanting with nary a shudder.
I think that's supposed to be "fell"; "fel" with a single l for dark magic is a Warcraft thing. Fell with two Ls is the archaic kind of language you were going for; "the fell power of Sauron" and so on.
"And that's how you give reality a great big middle finger with moxie and a lot of force!"
Tobias (Toby to his friends) should have been writing down everything Jia Xin said as she delved into the Abyssal's method of transporting entire fleets long distances. The key word there being should, as the Lieutenant Commander was far too busy worrying about the fact that it was intended for Repulse's use. But unfortunately for his blood pressure, the infamous Abyssal Stormfront/teleport manoeuvre loathed by the Allied navies worldwide relied on the practitioner having lots of mystical power and the precision to back it up.
Judging from Vampire's pale face in the corner of Tobias' vision, she'd just realised where on that scale Repulse fell and was rightfully terrified.
As for the Abyssal Aviation Superdreadnaght in question... The Officer managed an entire five seconds of watching her write in a notebook propped up on her bust before he had to turn away and take a calming breath. He wasn't sure what terrified him more; that Repulse was attentively noting everything the Ka-Class submarine said or how he knew Jia Xin understood his worry and was smirking behind her respirator.
Dark clouds poured skywards from the growing portal and heralded a nigh-immediate thunderstorm that bucketed upon us while oily, rusted chains rattled and clanked into a frame around the weeping hole in reality.
I'll be honest, when this started I immediately started listening to this. Mainly because I think it fits thematically, and also because it's just a good track in general.
The irony here is that Repulse in her current form is a Mediterranean design when it comes to freeboard.
But, because the realm of the Depths-Between can be influenced with enough magical juice and willpower, Repulse still thinks that she has her old North-Sea proof freeboard and it because true in that realm.
This just begs the question: Repulse is just full of Spooky Abyssal Bullshit. Stuff that has some effect on even the real world. So is she going to end up pulling off a ritual/spell or something which means that she treats massive waves as if she still had her original North-Sea freeboard just from not knowing she lacks it, pushing through the effort and more than a little bit of insanity deluding herself?
Also, just looked it up and apparently the waves that Repulse and Jia Xin encountered weren't the worst they could have if Repulse was right about them being 'North Sea' waves. Because whilst the North Sea is a dangerous sea which has waves apparently not uncommonly reach 14-15 metres in height... The North Atlantic has them reach 18 metres, with at least a handful having been recorded to achieve over 20 metres in height. And Repulse was built to deal with waves like that safely, which she still believes she can because 'that's what her freeboard is built for, right?'
I wonder what Jia's reaction to encountering those waves would have been...
Ah yes bring back the Ship designed to go through that reliably but designed to not be able to go through that but they just don't care about that because the symbolism of herself makes it so that she cuts through the waves as if she was still properly designed because of course she can She is a Proud Ship of the Royal Navy not being able to do so Is utterly preposterous and a shame to the Name
It's a Re and a Princess.
Since when Res cared about stuff they are doing being insane and Princesses cared about stuff they are doing being impossible?
Watcher will definitely find herself one day a bit... tied up in snek coils and constricted.
Only if she's already submerged. The threat is that water is heavy and if it's falling from height into her upper works it would be expected to smash anything not heavily armored to pieces.
Heh, I wonder if Vampire gets back home, together with a set of upgrade blueprints, where most of them give her a Naga status of some sort.
I wonder if there will be well-docks & waterplane combinations or not, though.
One thing is sure, Great Britain is suddenly finding themselves with a unexpected Abyssal Fleet Group, that continue's to grow and take back territory.
Reminds me of several proposed upgrades for the Iowa class, one turned the middle super structure into a airstrip & hangar, while most others removed the back turret for more superstructure, including a carrier, troop transport and even a supplier modification.
Yes, a Iowa class battleship with only two bow mounted main turrets, because the stern is turned into a supplier, a troop transport with helideck and even a full on V shaped deck of a carrier it's deck, rated for Harriers.
And that does not touch the missile launching stern fourth option.
I glared at the blueprint spread across my desk with a fury unbeknownst to any but the most furious individuals.
The blueprint said nothing, what with being a large rectangle of drafting paper upon which I'd attempted to create a lifesaving object, though I swore something laughed at the edge of my hearing.
"I shall make you work, you damnable thing, even if the attempt damages me!"
Alas, the fury of a Royal Navy Aviation Superdreadnaught rolled off the rough draft like water off a duck's back. I growled deep in the back of my throat, enduring the discomfort of the table's edge pressing against my chest to lean over and grab the pencil from where it'd been cast aside. Then, writing implement in hand (and warnings from my Engineers not to damage it again), I forced down my irritation and went back to work on Tobias' armour.
Though it was more honest to say that the half-finished blueprint would be the Commander's future armour if I could get it working. But, alas, I was a warship of many talents, which didn't include armoursmithing, or at the very least, not one suited for an incredibly squishy human officer. Tearing armour off thrice-damned Innie leaders and wearing it myself was something I've done and will gladly continue doing, but Tobias needed something far less crude and violent. So, fighting back a yawn as Second Shift swapped out for the Night Watch, I tapped the pencil against my lip and studied the half-finished plate armour blueprint.
Good, proper Sheffield steel was a must and formed the central breastplate, arms and gauntlets. Yet, weight was definitely a concern given Commander Williamson wasn't a warship and prevented me from armouring everything in angled plates. Every inch of my hull demanded a level of protection the descendent of my original crew couldn't handle, yet, for the life of me, I hadn't a clue how to create armour that he could move in. Vampire would be insufferable if I gave up and just shoved Tobias into an armoured sphere rated for 18-inch shellfire at the first hint of trouble, to say nothing of the man's reaction to being unceremoniously hidden away. Unfortunately, the Lieutenant Commander was as much an honourable man as his grandfather, and neither would cower and hide from the foe when they could do something to help...
A hand landed on my shoulder. "Take a break for the night, Repulse."
My Captain met my betrayed glance with an implacable look that swiftly punctured my building anger like a holed boiler releasing steam. Part of me wanted to challenge his request as I would any unreasonable order, but one look into the eyes behind my Captain's clear lenses struck that urge down.
"I can't stand Tobias' safety being at risk, Captain," I half-heartedly protested, waving at the blueprint. "He needs..."
"Commander Williamson needs you to be at your best, my Dear; not strung-out hurting yourself night after night." He sighed and squeezed my shoulder. "Don't think I disagree with you, Repulse; I don't. But we're in a good spot right now, so let's shelve this for tonight and come back with a fresh head of steam?"
My gaze darted between my dearest companion's helmet and the half-finished blueprint, both demanding my focus for disparate reasons. I glanced inside myself and only needed to see the Second Shift's tired movements to nod and set the drafting pencil onto the paper. My Captain offered a relieved head-tilt as was his wont and vanished back to his post, leaving me alone in the room to tiredly glare at the insufferable blueprint. Why couldn't it be as easy to create human armour as it was to tear down Innie ships and rebuild them as superior warships in every metric?
"Lord Fisher, anyone, I'd appreciate any aid you could provide me," I whispered toward the ceiling. "God knows I need help from a bloody expert to give Tobias the protection he deserves."
Sadly, the father of the modern British Navy and myself didn't respond to my plea, not that I expected him to answer one such as me. But, silly as it was, I still felt a pang of disappointment as I turned my back on the drawing table to flick off the lights and curl up among my many blankets. While proper sleep as a human understood it wasn't within my capability, I'd learned to imitate it by leaving the Night Watch to their own devices and closing my eyes. I caught the faint edges of hushed whispers on my bridge before letting the chatter fade into the background, taking a final breath and drifting off to pseudo-sleep with thoughts of Lord Fisher.
A transparent figure beyond the sleeping Supercapital's ability to see emerged from the ether and silently moved to study the half-complete blueprint. The white-haired elderly human male examined the specifications with lidded eyes and proceeded to undo his uniform's cufflinks to roll up his sleeves. The ghost turned a proud smile Repulse's way and set about helping one of his creations (if much changed from the original specifications) after she'd been so kind as to ask him nicely. Of course, he'd need to take inspiration from the former Battlecruiser for the general lines, but the ghost of First Sea Lord John 'Jackie' Fisher had the perfect design in mind for the Australian officer that Repulse was so worried about.
It'd need some updating for the modern times, of course, but the result would be a warship with no peer and the culmination of all Jackie Fisher's dreams.
Toby genuinely didn't expect to arrive at Port George's shipyard (AKA the Snek Shed) only to have a set of honest-to-god armour shoved into his arms. The Australian staggered from the impact and managed a half-hearted glare toward the enormous Sea Naga responsible before he recovered his balance and got a good look at the metal armour. At a glance, it looked like medieval plate armour done up in the occult steel used by Abyssals worldwide, yet a closer inspection revealed the solid plates to be surprisingly flexible strips that extended and contracted while Toby shook the suit.
"Do you like it?!" Repulse demanded, or perhaps pleaded, given her expression. "Oh, do please try it on at the very least; I spent so long..."
Tobias held a hand up. "Hold on; you made this for me?"
"Of course! One never knows when the Innies might next strike, and we know how perfidious they are."
Putting aside the half-growl capping the Supercapital's sentence, which echoed oddly in the Snek Shed's cavernous interior, the Commander hurried to nod lest he offended Repulse and had to console her when she broke down. He flipped off Vampire's smirking mug in the corner of his vision to cut off an undoubtedly snarky quip and turned the armour over in his hands.
"Right, well, ah, thanks, I guess?" Toby cringed and tried again. "It's incredible, Repulse, really. I didn't know you could create something like this."
Repulse's entire face, from the bottom of her jaw to the tips of her ears, flushed a dark cyan, surprisingly not earning a cackle from Vampire. Instead, the Destroyer in question met Tobias' questioning glance with rolled eyes and wheeled herself forward to make grabby motions.
"C'mon, Tobes, lemme help you get into that."
So, while a certain Aviation Superdreadnaught was busy blushing up a storm and looking everywhere but the Australian pair, the Lieutenant Commander quickly took a knee so his friend could help pull the armour over his head with a pleasant lack of painful clasps. The lack of such had Toby grinning as the breastplate went over his head before giving his arms a little twist to slip them into the armour's greaves and gauntlets. Honestly, it was such an easy fit that the Australian didn't realise he was wearing the armour until he glanced down to find it covering his torso and arms. Tobias flexed his fingers through the gauntlets with an amazed chuckle as each digit smoothly moved without a hint of resistance, to say nothing of how damn light it felt!
"Holy shit," the curse slipped free as Toby grinned from ear to ear. "It's like I'm not wearing..."
Now, while the Lieutenant Commander wasn't in any way, shape, or form a Shipgirl, he'd spent enough time around Vampire and now Repulse to know their various alarm sounds off by heart. So Tobias' first response upon hearing a strangely muffled Bosun's whistle was to glance towards his Kanmusu and Abyssal companion to ask about the noise, only to find his view blocked. He brushed the platinum blonde strands aside with his new gauntlet to find Repulse and Vampire wearing matching gobsmacked expressions, open jaws and all. Yet, strange as their behaviour was for Toby, he shook his head to dismiss distant chattering and wondered when the Sea naga had lowered herself enough to nearly eliminate their height difference.
"What's wrong...?"
The Commander slapped a gauntlet over his mouth to very little pain when a breathy woman's voice spoke in his stead. Whoever it was had the kind of soft, lyrical accent Tobias had always loved in his handful of girlfriends, except he sure as fuck felt those words leave his mouth mere seconds ago. It was at that point that he stopped ignoring all those weird muffled sounds and realised that they weren't coming from either the stunned Repulse or Vampire gaping like a fish.
"'Course that didn't come from the Shiela's, Lass; that's us getting you worked up for the first time!"
Toby clutched his head when the easygoing man spoke inside the officer's head, prompting an unexpected view of a ship's bridge in his mind's eye. He found himself watching a team of fuzzy Koalas, Kangaroos and the odd Octopus operating the various WW2-era equipment in period-appropriate Australian uniforms. Then, stupefied yet unable to speak, Tobias' gaze drifted to the incredibly buff Koala smoking a pipe in the centre of the organised chaos who picked that moment to remove his pipe and glance right at the Commander.
"I hope ya don't mind me saying you've got the best pair of fuel bunkers I've ever seen, Lass," they gestured out the bridge windows. "A stern like a bloody massive shelf too, but that's snake tails for ya; thick and great for supporting wide loads."
The smirking son of a bitch ever so slowly pointed a finger at Toby with a smirk on his muzzle.
"Why don't you look down and see for yourself?"
The heavily-armoured and equally well-developed Sea Naga glanced down at her undeniably enormous fuel bunkers and released a scream that had Vampire's crew fighting to stay on their feet. But, unfortunately, the Destroyer was much too busy gaping in shock as the white-scaled snake lady spun around in a circle and forced Repulse to leap backwards before their tail-mounted thagomizer smashed into her stomach. Somehow, despite all logic dictating that it wasn't possible, Vampire had watched Tobes don the armour made for him and turn into a dummy thick Naga whose ghostly outline bore three twin turrets with cannons as large as her bust. The snek lady in question continued spinning in place in a hail of sparks as the Abyssal steel covering her tail scored the concrete in increasingly deep gouges.
"What the fuck?!" The chunky snek that used to be Toby hissed. "W-Why am I a fucking Sea N-Naga, and why a-am I so bloody thick?!"
When nobody responded, the ludicrously over-armed Battlecruiser (Vampire was fairly sure they were one for reasons she couldn't name) ceased tearing up the floor to glare down at the wheelchair-bound Destroyer and slither closer. Vampire squeaked in fright and managed a single wheel backwards before the stupidly pretty Snek Toby abruptly hugged her without warning. It was a much harder embrace than the marshmallow heaven provided by Repulse, yet the silver-haired Kanmusu still found herself enjoying the hug and running a hand through Toby's hair. Trust her luck that Tobes, of all fucking people, turned into a thick as hell Sea Naga with tits bigger than her head and stunning platinum blonde hair reaching the concrete.
Vampire wasn't jealous of her transformed best friend, honest!
"This is bullshit," she muttered to herself.
Unfortunately, confused doe eyes the colour of polished emeralds stared at Vampire through a veritable curtain of blonde hair that didn't hide Tobes' new softened features.
"W-What's bullshit, Vamp?" Snek Toby whispered.
The question of what Battlecruiser her friend had become was answered as a ghostly figure known to every Great War veteran appeared behind and beside Repulse. Vampire's eyes widened in shock upon seeing Jackie Fisher doffing his cap with a poorly-hidden grin before jealousy-fuelled anger made her jab an accusing finger at the smug bastard.
"COME OVER HERE, YOU OLD BASTARD," she screamed over Tobes' shoulder, much to the Snek's alarm. "I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU TURNED TOBY INTO A BLOODY SNAKE VERSION OF YOUR DICK-MEASURING DESIGN, BUT I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!"
The dummy thick Naga in question (No, not Repulse, who was staring at Fisher in shock) released a breathy gasp.
"I'm an Incomparable..." Her delicate features hardened as she whirled, Vampire still in her arms. "A FUCKING INCOMPARABLE; OF ALL THE SHIT-BRAINED DESIGNS OUT THERE, YOU PICKED THE THICKEST OF THE LOT!"
Snek Toby launched herself at the panicking ghost with a banshee wail, Vampire screaming in her grip while Repulse looked on with the expression of someone who wished they weren't sober for this.
Alas, Brenny had sold all the moonshine on the down low to Toby's new crew, for a dry team was one who hadn't the energy to chase a ghostly First Sea Lord around the Snek Shed.
At least nobody had the bright idea of telling Lieutenant Commander Williamson her new displacement.
Or fun ones, especially if you can also use this for Vampire, in order to upgrade her, without upgrading her.
Hopefully that ghost added in some G3 class of battlecruisers, to his Incomparable design, which had four turrets to the G3 it's three turrets.
If perhaps in a Nelson class battleship turret layout.
I do wonder about the updated to modern states, does it include a nuclear reactor & satteliet uplinks?
This would explain the underwater swimming ability, by not having air needing engines for main power.
This would also add the Lexington class battlecruiser (turbo-)electrical propulsion to the drivetrain, in terms of moving around, on top of that of the G3 one.
For those wondering, the G3 is only topped in amoring, by the Yamato class itself, on a battlecruiser.
Would a Trimaran hull be behind that snake-tail setup of the hull or is the carrier deck on the stern, the reason for this?
And does it include any well-dock or moon-pool setup?
Does the design use a stealthed Pagoda (radar) Mast design, by change?
Any missile silos?
A V shaped flightdeck could be perfect for harrier & lightning II operations.
Depending on how things are setup, the bow has the heavy weapons and the stern, the planes and landing boats.
Depending on things, there might even be room to park tanks, while still able to act as a supplier for a escort fleet.
Really depends on the loadout of the carrier part, really.
Though that could be a reason to go Trimaran, there, since it adds in more room.
O well, I'll read in the next chapter, how nuts the design went.
It was a vision of terror for anyone with the barest idea of Abyssal force capability and dangers.
It emerged from a realm comparable to hell for any non-Abyssal with enough power to visibly distort the portal it exited.
It made Rear Admiral Julian Tennyworth weak at the knees despite being a recording from two hours ago and half a world away.
"From the mist, a shape, a ship is taking form."
Its arrival had already spread to the top of several social media sites and, like the video currently playing, remixed to popular songs by enterprising civilians.
"And the silence of the seas..."
"Shut that off," Tennyworth slashed a hand downwards.
The video cut off, bringing blessed silence to the Admiralty House's operations room, only to be left with an oppressive silence that made him wish the recording was still playing. But, alas, the Rear Admiral and current head of the Navy's Shipgirl division couldn't tear his eyes from the spine-chilling sight of an Abyssal warship's bow larger than most light cruisers dominating the wall-mounted screen. The view was made all the more terrifying by the shrouded forms of superimposed triple turrets barely visible beyond the portal's edge, muzzles seemingly tracking the officer's every move. Finally, Tennyworth tore his gaze away with a poorly-repressed shudder and put his back to that damnable scene and the titanic issues it presented.
Not even the presence of HMS Dreadnaught by his side brought Julian the oft-needed reassurance the iconic warship presented.
"Gentlemen, Ladies, I'll be blunt," he laid his hands on the drawing table. "I'd have much rather never known Repulse's fate, and that's the honest truth."
The subdued and guilty agreements that met the officer's statement said everything that needed saying about the current mood of the Royal Navy. For one of the Navy's finest missing warships to return as an Abyssal abomination was sobering enough without the added complication of what form the Renown-Class Battlecruiser had taken.
"She didn't deserve that fate, not Repulse," a Captain murmured, removing his cap with a shaking hand. "Of all the things, I..." He trailed off and never finished his sentence.
Another Captain turned to Dreadnaught. "Have you ever seen or heard of a Re-class Princess in that area, Ma'am?"
More than one person in the room cringed at the admission of something previously relegated to theoretical papers and threat guides.
Dreadnaught's lips pursed. "I can't say I have, Captain Williams, nor has there been any chatter from the usual mystical channels..." But, unusually, the first Dreadnaught-Class vessel left things at that.
And that was enough to seize the Rear Admiral's interest.
"Your word choice implies otherwise from less reputable sources, Dreadnaught," Tennyworth noted softly. "The Navy needs to have that information if you know something."
His tight-laced aide spent a moment fiddling with the hem of her armoured petticoat, seemingly doing everything in her power to avoid answering the query. Yet, just when Julian decided to be more forceful, Dreadnaught straightened up and met his gaze, slate-grey fringe doing nothing to disguise the fire in her steely eyes.
"Normally, Sir, I'd refrain from mentioning scuttlebutt in official meetings, let alone one of such importance," her stiff lips quirked upwards in a tiny smile. "But I heard from Barham just the other night, who overheard it from Invincible the last time she visited the Palace, that Victory has been chewing at the bit as of these last couple of months." She looked askance at the now-infamous screenshot. "Word among the old guard is that someone's been taking prize ships into the Navy in the East Indies."
Dead silence followed her pronouncement.
A Commander seconded to the Intelligence Section spoke up. "I'm not sure I heard you correctly, Ma'am, but did you say Prize Ships?"
"That's what the rumours say, Commander," Dreadnaught offered an apologetic shrug. "But, as I said, this is second-hand information and Victory is known for her... Eccentricities."
Rear Admiral Tennyworth rapped his knuckles against the table before the resulting hubbub could destroy all semblance of order. He glared around the room at the handful of junior officers who took longer to quiet down and eventually gave a pleased nod.
"Thank you for the information, Dreadnaught, but it's safe to say that Lady Victory is mistaken in this regard. Let's focus on the real problem at hand: that the Abyssals have stolen Repulse from us and turned her into an abomination."
On cue, the tech-savvy young Lieutenant detached from Bletchley Park's revived Analysis team specifically for this meeting and adjusted the display to show the monster claiming to be a Royal Navy Battlecruiser. More than one officer recoiled on seeing the towering Re-Class writ large across half the far wall, though Julian was unnerved enough by the sight that he hadn't the heart to reprimand them. Blurred-out sidebars hid the stream's live chat from view (a necessity given the depravity shown within), giving the Royal Navy personnel a far too detailed look at the blue-skinned spectre of Abyssal insanity known across the Allied Nations.
The blessedly silent clip showed the disturbingly alluring Re-Hime, to borrow the Japanese parlance, slithering back and forth alongside Singapore's avatar while the pair meandered along a garden path. Seeing a ninth supersized Re apparently conversing happily alongside a neutral Harbour Princess and human advisors without a hint of their unstable nature set off warning bells in Julian's head; moreso than how over-sexualised the abomination was. It was a poorly-kept secret that a great degree of the Kanmusu's public support derived from their universally aesthetically pleasing forms where even the plainest carried themselves in a striking manner. And yet, no matter how hard he tried to avoid the act, the Rear Admiral couldn't not admire the False-Repulse's bountiful curves. There was an allure to the Sea Naga's form that brought to mind that of the ancient Sirens, beautiful maidens devoted to murdering sailors ensnared in their lyrical webs. A distinct lack of clothing bar a distinctively undersized jacket highlighting more than it concealed and an odd-looking metal gauntlet on their right arm likely assisted in that regard.
Which, judging by the expressions around the room, affected both genders equally and hinted at Abyssal foul play.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Sirs and Ma'ams, but you'll want to hear this," the red-haired Lieutenant abruptly said and activated the sound.
Immediately, the distinctive scrape of metal on concrete emerged from discreet speakers for all of a second before the abomination began talking.
"Forgive me for the rudeness, Singapore, but what's the purpose of your aide following us with that device?"
The abomination calling itself Repulse glanced back toward the camera-holder, giving everyone watching the faux-confused expression covering her face's soft contours. Julian wasn't certain what disturbed him more, that the monster had a mild Scottish accent or that it caused the blurred chat to explode into motion.
Singapore followed their gaze. "Yannik's holding a smartphone, my Dear..."
"Oh, I know what a smartphone is," the Re-Hime blithely interrupted offhandedly. "Tobias and Vampire have been doing their best to get me caught up with all the modern gizmos." Here, she blushed a darker blue and lowered her voice. "Though a good portion of my Crew, mostly the pilots, are demanding their own for reasons I fear aren't job-related, if you understand my worries."
What?!
"It pleases me to hear that Vampire and the Commander are in good health with yourself," Singapore smoothly replied without missing a stride. "Then I can tell you that my aide is presently engaged in what's known as a 'Live-Stream' by the younger generations." She smiled up at the Re-Hime and laid a hand on their bruised arm. "Think of it like television that nearly everyone can watch from their smartphones and homes without the bulky equipment we had in our day."
The abomination immediately froze, expression eerily frightened for something Julian knew was faking everything it felt beyond perhaps unrestrained and indiscriminate bloodlust. Its ivory-white braid lashed back and forth as the creature's focus darted between a gently smiling Singapore and the human holding the camera recording the entire thing.
"Does this..." The Sea Naga futilely (and blatantly) fought to close the zipper of its hoodie. "Does that mean the watchers can see all of me?"
"Yannik?"
Things briefly jostled as the smartphone's holder paused to check on something out of view. Curiously, the Lieutenant watching the unedited stream blushed up a storm and tried to hide her face from the Rear Admiral's sight.
"Let me find a good comment, Ma'am," a young man responded in accented English. "Let's see... Ah, here we go! 'I get that the giant Snek Lady can, like, crush my spine like a twig and probably wants to kill us all, but I bet she gives awesome mom hugs.'"
Julian's mind froze in sheer disbelief, coincidently in time for the stream to pause with a perfect shot of the Re-Hime's incredibly mortified expression and extensive blush. He grabbed onto the plotting table for support as his legs wavered, only to see several of his own subordinates nodding along as if that depraved individual had spoken something worth agreeing with! Worst of all was how even Dreadnaught had an indescribable expression on her face, one that sure as hell wasn't revulsion.
That was the straw that broke the camel's back.
"Names!" he demanded. "Give me those names!"
Everyone leapt into action, heedless if they were capable of fulfilling the order or not; the Admiral's anger wasn't to be tested. Tennyworth kept an eye on those officers who'd seemed a little too enthused with the depraved comment and only ceased when one of the men in question looked up from his tablet.
"The Australians lost a Hercules near Port Moresby three months back, Sir; HMAS Vampire and one Lieutenant Commander Tobias Williamson were among the passengers." The Captain's brows furrowed before he briefly returned to the tablet. "Tobias Williamson is the grandson of a crewmember from Repulse, Sir, one Lieutenant Carter Williamson, Royal Marines."
He snapped his fingers. "That'd explain why he sounded familiar..." Bile rose in Julian's throat as the implications sunk in. "Dear Lord, that monster's collecting anyone related to Repulse, so we can't get them."
"That... That would appear to be the case, Sir."
Rear Admiral Tennyworth very nearly exploded if not for a slim arm looping through his courtesy of HMS Dreadnaught; her eyes shadowed by a sadness that he knew all too well. He allowed the informal contact for want of a metaphorical shoulder to lean on while he glared at the abomination on the projector, but Julian quickly found himself physically leaning on his aide for support lest he fell. At that moment, the senior officer felt every decade of his fifty-five years and silently cursed the thrice-damned hellspawn for pretending to be Repulse while torturing any soul linked to the Battlecruiser. God only knew what it was doing to the Lieutenant Commander and HMAS Vampire, for Tennyworth hadn't the energy to imagine the horrors being visited upon them.
But there was one thing he needed to head off at the pass.
"Send a message to Bigglesworth up in Scapa Flow and tell him that Renown's being transferred to Halifax," he ordered the Communications Tech. "And make sure she doesn't have internet access; we can't let her see what the Abyss has done to her sister."
Repulse had been gone for two entire hours, and Tobias was already regretting accepting command while she was off visiting Singapore. If God existed, they'd sure as hell gotten a massive kick out of making the first hour and a half peaceful just to lure the Australian into a false sense of security. How much trouble could a naval base full of Abyssals get up to when one of, if not the worst influence in the area, was away?
Toby glared at the octuple Oerlikon some mad bastard had fabricated, or more specifically, the smoking barrels and mound of empty shell casings.
He shifted his ire towards Boa and Python, who ducked their heads and acted for all the world like the embarrassed teenagers they were... If said youths were also several thousand-ton warships able to lay waste to a small town within an hour.
Finally, the Commander sighed, pinched his nose, and turned to find Lily surrounded by a cluster of marines carrying 20mm ammo crates.
"Can someone please explain why you collectively decided to test this abomination," Tobias waved at the AA mounting. "On a perfectly good Sea Fury?" He pointed out towards the bay and the salvaging teams recovering said fighter. "Which I only found out about after you shot it down?"
Lily squeaked, not unlike a boiling kettle and hid her face behind her hands, doing nothing to hide her embarrassed blushing. The marines accompanying her glanced at one another and nigh-immediately set down their crates and pointed at Python, who also squeaked like a kettle. Toby didn't sigh this time and instead blankly stared at Boa until she reluctantly stopped playing with her hair and met his eyes.
"Y'know how Mum's got those octuple Bofors mountings? Well, they take up a bunch of space, so Bob," one of the Marines frantically waved his claws to no effect. "Figured we could, like, make a 20mm version that isn't so heavy for Lily."
Python picked up the story. "'Course, then we needed to see how well it tracked aircraft, and there's an entire airfield of them over there..."
"I think you mean the airfield full of aircraft, which isn't supposed to be used as target practice." Toby took a calming breath despite the ache in his ribs. "Right, I'm far too sober for this bullshit, so can I at least tell Repulse that the loss was worth it?"
Nervous shuffling (and slithering from the Naga twins) answered the Commander, prompting a defeated groan before he turned around and walked away from this mess. Unfortunately, he wasn't being paid to deal with this crap, and the only positive he could look forward to was Repulse berating her wayward daughters when she returned. Now, if only he could stop Vampire's horrified dive into the Snek Shed's enormous archive of theoretical upgrades and refits, Toby could have a measure of peace and quiet.
And then a burst of cannon fire behind him heralded the downing of another fucking Sea Fury.
Sometimes, Lieutenant Commander Williamson wished he'd perished in that plane crash... He shook his head with a scowl and shoved those fatalistic thoughts into the deepest corner of his mind, where they belonged.
"I do understand that this comes from the Admiralty, Sir, but why Halifax?"
Renown felt guilty voicing her confusion, but she genuinely didn't understand why she was being sent across the Atlantic when she was doing such good in the North Sea. Commodore Bigglesworth said nothing as he gazed out his office's windows toward the Fog-shrouded anchorage, fingers playing with the tips of his moustache before he glanced over his shoulder.
"I don't know, Renown; I only received the orders damn near half an hour ago during breakfast."
The guilt returned stronger than ever, bringing to mind an alarming number of reasons for the abrupt orders that had the Battlecruiser trembling in her boots. Her crew's reassurances fell on deaf ears as Renown clutched the hem of her skirt in a desperate attempt to keep her hands from shaking. Why, oh why, the warship thought, was she being sent off to Canada when her place was here, defending Britain's shores with all her ability? She found no answers in the depths of her memories, merely painful reminders of an empty shared berth and keel-deep loneliness that drove Renown to address her Commodore rather than face it.
"When am I to depart, Sir?"
A flicker of something dark crossed the officer's moustachioed face. "Immediately, Renown. No time for goodbyes, I'm afraid, and I am sorry about that." He wavered in place before approaching and squeezing the Battlecruiser's shoulder. "I wish I could provide the answers you seek, but I can't."
Renown was too busy feeling the world crumble beneath her keel to pick over his ambiguous closing statement, worry for her fleetmates driving the Shipgirl to straighten and snap a perfect salute. It was the proper, British thing to do, which is what she told herself when Commodore Bigglesworth backed away and returned the gesture with a sad smile. Neither exchanged further words before Renown departed the officer, leaving her home and its commander for the last five years behind her as surely as if she'd steamed away at full speed. Those few Shipgirls present at this hour hurried to clear the Battlecruiser's path toward the nearest docks, not even stopping when Ajax's sleepy head emerged from her dorm to call after Renown. She knew as surely as her service record that daring to stop and chat was a quick path to an emotional outburst unbecoming of a warship of Her Majesty the Queen.
And yet, Renown still paused at the pier's edge and silently waited for a greatcoat-clad Shipgirl to emerge from the dense fogbanks. The compact steel-grey Dreadnaught doffed her peaked cap and waved it toward the British warship, inviting her to take to the waves and gently skate over.
"Guten Morgen, my friend!" Kronprinz Wilhelm greeted, though her smile faltered upon seeing Renown's expression. "What ails you this morn?"
"I'm to depart for Halifax, effective immediately. Admiralty's orders were delivered to the Commodore when he was breaking fast."
The Konig's lips pursed. "That sounds, ah, how do you English put it? Fishy, to say the least." She placed an arm around her taller companion's shoulders and orientated westwards. "Nevertheless, I will accompany you as far as I can, Renown."
No matter how bleak the current situation was, Renown still smiled at the German Dreadnaught's offer and nodded in thanks as the pair headed towards the harbour's mouth. She hadn't known Kronprinz would show up when she paused at the pier, yet emerged her friend had without so much as a warning. The gesture was tiny in the grand scheme of things, yet the Battlecruiser appreciated it and carefully leaned into her friend's embrace, trying not to unbalance the compact veteran of the High Seas Fleet. But, alas, they reached the point of no return far too soon for Renown's liking, yet her attempt to slip free encountered unexpected resistance from the other warship.
"Kronprinz, I really must be going," she tried to escape the grip. "I can't stay..."
A gloved finger reached up and flicked the Battlecruiser right between the eyes.
"Sometimes, I wonder how you English function without us Germans around to state the obvious," Kronprinz donned her cap with an amused snort. "I said I shall accompany you as far as I can, Renown, and my word is my honour."
"B-But... Your fleetmates?!" Renown waved back the way they'd come. "What happened to staying and guarding your sunken brethren until they return?"
Her fellow warship shrugged and summoned her entire rigging, all five of her turrets whirring quietly as the crews checked the mechanisms. Renown had to wait until Kronprinz had tested her rarely-deployed equipment to the point of excess before they turned shrouded amber eyes her way.
"Konig and Markgraf will return when the time is right, my Friend," they responded serenely with a slight uptick of their lips that lacked any warmth. "I would rather face the Drums from the Deep with a loyal companion at my side than alone guarding the graves of fallen siblings."
Translation: Kronprinz wanted to have Renown nearby to sink her if she finally gave up hope and answered the Abyss' call.
The Battlecruiser could only nod once, leaving unsaid that her companion's choice ran both ways as she took the lead and finally slipped free of their embrace. Informing the Commodore about Kronprinz's departure from Scapa Flow never even entered Renown's mind, especially not with the sting of betrayal still fresh in her heart of hearts. Unbidden, her Captain took the opportunity to whistle a song that the lead ship of the Renown-Class swiftly echoed into the foggy morning air. It earned her a side-eyed look from the German Dreadnaught before they too joined in, the pair harmonising as only two close friends could.
Or sisters, if either warship still had sisters to sail by their side...
Singapore paused her tour upon finding that Repulse had fallen behind her and was gazing off westward with shining eyes brimming with unshed tears. She managed a step toward the towering Princess before they began whistling a nigh-imperceptible rendition of 'We'll Meet Again', prompting a gesture at Yannik to pause the stream. Then, as her aide sorted that out, Singapore hesitantly moved past the Re-Class' twitching Tail-Head to find thick tears rolling down Repulse's cheeks. It was a minor miracle that the immediate area hadn't become a deluge the moment Repulse started crying, and it was one which continued as they kept whistling the same haunting tune Singapore knew all too well.
The Harbour Princess gently grasped Repulse's limp hand and squeezed despite the genuine danger of her companion tearing her avatar to pieces if they snapped. Singapore would recover so long as her facilities were intact, not that it made the act of reconstitution any less painful and draining. Then again, none of that mattered when Repulse needed her support, even if the elder Princess had a feeling that the Re-Hime wanted someone in particular.
But, until then, Singapore would happily hold Repulse's hand for as long as her friend needed, no questions asked.
Something a little sadder today, Folks, but then the Admiralty's response was always going to invoke that.
Now was the apo done or not?
Because I was seeing him like that, the entire time. Lol.
Don't think so, for some reason.
Bit of a shame, that.
O and I suggest you also look up the HMS Warrior, last of the linie ships, first of the armor clads.
If you are going to use ghostly rumor mills...
Now was the apo done or not?
Because I was seeing him like that, the entire time. Lol.
Don't think so, for some reason.
Bit ofa shame, that.
O and I suggest you also look up the HMS Warrior, last of the linie ships, first of the armor clads.
If you are going to use ghostly rumor mills...
Toby ain't a dummy thick Incomparable outside the omake, no. Repulse is all the Thicc Snek Lady Zuku Fleet needs... Though that omake has given me a few ideas for much lighter ships that would suit Toby better.
Repulse almost feels as a condensation of the last few ships to hold that name, including the What Iffs.
Support ships are great, why am I seeing a supplyship with two destroyers tagged to the side, so they form a Trimaran hull?
Throw in troopship capabilities as well....
So would a mermaid have Hydrofoil wings on the underside?
Toby leant back in his chair with a pleased sigh and put his feet up on the desk just because he could.
Bloody hell, he was damn glad to be back in his proper body after far too long as a particularly impressive Battlecruiser... The officer rubbed his head at the errant thought and did his best to enjoy being able to fit in Human-sized areas again. Say what you will about Port George, but it wasn't entirely Sea Naga accessible, especially with the kind of figure Toby had been cursed with. He cracked open an eye in time to wave out the window at a passing Marine for no reason beyond that he could. The crab didn't wave back, being too busy holding a massive bucket aloft, but their eye stalk bobbed in the Australian's direction regardless.
Repulse's Marines were all kinds of bullshit, and Toby was saying that after a week of watching his crew train with the crazy bastards.
Regarding crew, Tobias luxuriated in the peaceful lack of the background clamouring and a particularly sarcastic Koala that had been a constant presence in his mind as a ship. Getting to say that he'd been a motherfucking Warship for a week was something the officer never expected to say, but the cursed suit of armour he'd worn did precisely that. Thankfully, there was no sign of thrice-damned ghostly Sea Lords, not that it stopped Toby from interrupting his chill time to search around the officer just in case. Earning Repulse's ire for disparaging her metaphorical father was worth it, if only to keep Jackie Fisher from having any more fun ideas.
"I can't believe I just thought that," he muttered with an eye roll.
He found himself half-expecting a return quip from his Captain, only to shake his head and sigh when nothing occurred. Tobias couldn't believe he was missing the asshole Koala... But they'd been a good sort, if prone to snarking about his displacement as a Sea Naga shipgirl. A hurried glance downward confirmed the officer hadn't reverted to a white-scaled snek lady; it wasn't paranoia when magic and mischievous First Sea Lords were involved. Movement from outside distracted Toby, resolving into three more of Repulse's Marines bearing containers larger than their torsos, and that piqued the officer's interest. He wasn't aware of anything going on with the insane crabs at the moment, but then again, he'd rushed here when the armour was removed, and he became Human again. Clearly, something was happening to involve so many of the Marines, which meant Toby had a duty to ensure they weren't being idiots.
Again.
Tobias was already halfway to the door before his brain caught up with his body and encouraged the curious behaviour. So, armed with mild curiosity and a desire to do something other than run circles in his mind, he left the admittedly sparse office and headed outside. Muffled curses from the shut door heralded someone trying and failing to open the door, prompting Toby to do his good deed for the day and open it for whoever wanted in. He got as far as pulling the jammed handle down with a grunt before the solid metal swung inwards alongside a deluge of glowing pink liquid. The reeling Australian caught a brief glimpse of Brenny windmilling before he was drenched from head to toe in the mysterious fluid and the fucking bucket landed on his head. A sensation not unlike a full-body static shock wracked the officer's body which, alongside the bucket's impact, left him stunned, blind and cursing up a (muffled) storm while trying to remove the obstruction.
"Why don't ya put your turbines into it, Lass?"
Time slowed to a crawl as an all-too-familiar voice echoed inside Toby's head, prompting a strangled gasp that was far too high-pitched to blame on the bucket. The Lieutenant Commander took a deep breath, prayed to God that he hadn't just heard a certain smug bastard speak, and pulled the unfortunately present mental lever to peer inside himself. Her Captain waved back in all his buff Koala glory, though their unfamiliar surroundings and uniform killed Toby's vicious retort. Gone were the archaic WW2 outfits and equipment, replaced by dated yet recognisable Navy camos and electronics alongside a smaller bridge crew. So, unsure as to what in the hell happened, the Human-turned-Sea Naga was forced to swallow her pride and ask the one being who'd know what was going on.
"Can..." Toby winced at how high-pitched she sounded. "What the hell am I this time, you bastard?"
Her Captain chewed the stem of his pipe and grinned. "No need for that language, Young Lady; I'm just a humble sailor in the Royal Australian Navy..."
Toby snarled deep in her throat.
"Invincible-Class Light Aircraft Carrier; Twelve Sea Harriers and four Merlin helicopters on deck." He blew a ring of smoke. "Gotta admit, the digs on this hull are way better than Fisher's dick compensator; we even get showers!"
No way... Awareness exploded in the Commander's mind, confirming her status as an Invincible-Class Carrier and, sure as hell, not a 50k+ ton Battlecruiser designed by a man with more money than sense. Toby's first instinct was to curse all the Gods out there for her rotten luck on turning into a Sea Naga a second time, but then the bucket was torn off her head. She spent a moment blinking away the glare to find Repulse gazing down at her with undeniable concern and perhaps a little confusion which quickly morphed into affection. But, unfortunately for the Light Carrier, she got as far as brushing her platinum blonde (what was it with this hair shade?!) fringe out of her eyes before being pulled face-first into a pillowy hug.
"Batten down the hatches, Lads and Lasses," her Captain shouted through the intercom. "We're gonna be in this lovely spot for a long while!"
Toby's face lit up like a beacon even as she struggled against the Superdreadnaught's inexorable grip to no effect, quickly realising that she hadn't a hope of escaping the embarrassing hug without the Devil's own luck. A sixth-sense the Light Carrier mentally translated as her radar gave her advanced warning for when Repulse began stroking the thick blonde locks blocking everything from view.
"I'm oh so sorry for this terrible mishap, Commander," the clingy Sea Naga apologised. "But don't you worry, I've scolded Brenny and assigned him latrine duty for the next month."
"Whyyyyyyyyyyy!" Came from somewhere behind Repulse.
That... That wasn't an answer as to why Toby was now an Invincible-Class carrier and not an Incomparable-Class Battlecruiser, but she'd be lying if she said it didn't comfort her. For all that Repulse was akin to a very shapely force of nature that couldn't be controlled; the Lieutenant Commander could feel the warships' concern radiating off her in waves. Which, when combined with a desire to avoid knowing what she looked like as long as possible, had Tobias relaxing against the Supercapital's chest and taking her enjoyment where she could. It wouldn't help come time to pull away and face the music, but the Light Carrier was in agreement with her crew that the amazing hug took precedence over boring shit.
"Hey, Repulse, have you seen Tobes around?"
Oh, God, oh bloody fuck, she couldn't be allowed to see Toby like this!
Unusually, the Light Carrier couldn't hear the hiss of Vampire's wheelchair as she undoubtedly approached the Re-Hime from behind. Toby's frantic attempts to escape died the instant Repulse noticed and hugged her tighter, leaving her conflicted between embarrassed panic and a steadily growing sense of comfort. She tried to pull away a final time, got a gentle hand on her back for the trouble, and the Light Carrier resigned herself while her Captain chuckled like a madman.
"Hold up; why's Brenny looking like someone's kicked him in his non-existent balls?" Vampire asked from far too close. "And what's with that look? You'd think I'd asked if..."
Tobias cringed against Repulse when her friend trailed off, meaning they'd spotted her new appearance, which meant...
"SON OF A BITCH; IT'S BEEN FIVE FUCKING HOURS!"
"There's no need for that sort of language, Repulse calmly chided. "Lieutenant Commander Williamson shouldn't have to hear that after her accident."
The officer in question emphatically nodded, only to rapidly shake her head when the Supercapital took that as permission to release the hug and expose her to outside scrutiny. A week's worth of long hair had Toby tucking her fringe behind her ears and struggling not to blush as Vampire's disbelieving expression took front and centre stage of the hallway. Beyond the impending teasing the Naga knew was coming, it took her a long few seconds to notice that she was damn near the same height as Vampire despite towering over them as an Incomparable and a Human...
Wait a moment, were those feet peeking out from beneath the V-Class' greatcoat?
"Holy shit," The Carrier squeaked. "When'd you get legs?!"
"Around the time you lost yours, Short Snek," Vampire fired back. "Shit, you're barely taller than me!"
A hand courtesy of a stern Repulse landed without warning on each Shipgirl's shoulder, firm without being painful yet undeniably the grip of a displeased capital ship. Toby had time to enjoy watching her Captain fall out of his seat in surprise at the sneaky Re-Hime before embarrassment had her avoiding Repulse's gaze. Her only consolation was seeing Vampire mumbling something under their breath with a beet-red face, though it wasn't much of a silver lining right now, given she'd once again become a Sea Naga.
"There's a time and a place for foul language, and right after an accident like this is certainly not one of those," Repulse blessedly turned to Vampire. "Now, Girls, we're going to try that again without unbecoming language, understand?"
The chastised pair shared an understanding look, united in mutual embarrassment.
"Yes, Ma'am," they chorused.
Repulse held her grip for a moment longer before offering a proud smile that hit Toby way harder than she expected. So, fighting back a happy grin of her own, she nervously played with her hair and met Vampire's eyes.
"I saw some of Repulse's Marines carrying buckets outside and went to see what the fuss was about," the Carrier shot Brenny a smouldering glare, making him cringe. "So I opened the door for Brenny 'cause he couldn't get in... And then he poured that dam... Darn bucket over me."
Oh, how she wanted to curse until she was blue in the face, yet seeing a certain prim and proper Supercapital's pleased expression sucked away the irritation. Toby wasn't sure how much was lingering enjoyment from the earlier marshmallow hug or just wanting to please Repulse, but the response was still self-censoring herself to avoid attracting the Supercapital's disappointment. Vampire smirked at the blatant censorship and opened her mouth to snark, only to immediately shut it when that attracted Chompy's attention. The tail-head glared at her with sightless eyes a moment longer before chuffing and returning to making faces at a miserable-looking Brenny.
"I, uh, got fixed up thanks to Repulse mixing up her own take on a Repair Bath," Vampire admitted with a smile. "I rushed here 'cause I wanted to show you and make up for the..." She sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck, cheeks dusting red. "Y'know, the things I said about you last week?"
Toby folded her arms beneath her blessedly much smaller (and uniformed) bust, knowing her friend's sense of humour too well to accept that at face value. No way in hell was Vampire sorry about the many, many oil tanker comments, which was another plus regarding her current form. The Carrier left her friend stewing and gave herself a quick once-over to reassure her that she hadn't reverted to Jackie Fisher's Dick Compensator. Good old jelly bean camo greeted her eyes over a figure more akin to a Light Cruiser than the incredibly thick barge she'd been, though the addition of sleek armoured inserts wasn't a standard issue. Toby made a show of checking her cuffs and briefly glaring at her Captain until the bastard did up his jacket's clasps before eventually favouring the nervously shifting Vampire with a toothy grin.
"You're forgiven, Vamp," she told the shocked Destroyer. "Both for calling me short..."
"But you're freakin tiny compared to last time!"
The Carrier ignored the interruption and slithered close to hug her friend. "I might be tiny, Vampire, but want to know what I've got now?"
While Toby couldn't see Vampire's expression, her bridge crew were more than happy to relay the nervousness creeping across their face. She fought to keep her shit-eating grin hidden behind an impassive mask as she leaned in close and whispered into the Destroyer's ear.
"I'm an Invincible-Class Light Carrier, Vamp; with Sea Harriers and SAMs~."
Was it evil to relay that she was so much more advanced than the V-Class when they'd done the same to her when she'd been an Incomparable?
Maybe, but Toby relished Vampire stiffening in her grip and shaking their head in denial, though the mouthful of silver hair needing spat out wasn't intended or wanted. Now, the Carrier wasn't an evil person (or ship snek, as was the case here and last week), so she gave her friend a final squeeze before backing away to better enjoy the Destroyer's expression of abject denial. The irritating little perverts that called themselves Toby's crew redeemed themselves by turning various mounted and handheld cameras Vampire's way, ensuring that the moment would be forever available as perfect blackmail.
But, alas, continuing the playful torment wasn't to be, for Repulse picked that moment to sneak up behind the very smug Snek Carrier and... Start braiding her hair? Toby glanced over her shoulder up at the Supercapital that nigh-immediately had deceptively strong hands making her face Vampire again before returning to their work.
"Don't think I'm letting you ruin your wonderful head of hair, Lieutenant Commander, not after the mess you left it these last few days." Repulse's chiding was gentle, yet Toby blushed anyway. "Lord knows I'm of half a mind to let my Captain have a frank discussion with yours regarding proper grooming for a Navy Officer."
Toby's Captain, the unbearably smug bastard he was, fell off his chair in terror and made her smirk at the well-deserved comeuppance for the buff Koala. But unfortunately, her delight was short-lived while Repulse continued steadily braiding her admittedly incredibly long platinum blonde locks.
"Until we get this mishap sorted out, I expect you to behave in a manner becoming an officer of the Royal Australian Navy; no more acting like a hooligan just because Vampire's rubbed off on you."
The Destroyer in question wasn't amused. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"
"You hunt fish with depth charges, Vampire, to say nothing of teaching my daughter how to cheat at cards."
Toby nodded along in agreement until the last statement registered, prompting her to hold a hand up. "Don't you mean daughters, Repulse?"
The Supercapital's bemusement would have been laugh-worthy if not for the fact that she was entirely genuine in her confusion. Toby's own confusion grew when the thick Sea Naga shook her head and lazily gestured at a cringing Brenny trying to hide inside his shell to no avail.
"I meant what I said, Dear; Sergeant Brenny was the one to teach Boa and Python how to cheat," here, she levelled a mild glare at the quivering shell. "Something he still hasn't given a good excuse for several months after the fact."
His muttered, 'it seemed like a good idea at the time', was the only thing Toby could blame for not catching on to Repulse's meaning for several excruciating minutes. It took long enough that the far larger Sea Naga had finished braiding her hair and carefully throwing it over a shoulder before the Carrier's face erupted into a blush to beat anything that'd come prior. She covered her face with her hands to hide it, which, unfortunately, left her blindsided when Vampire started laughing her ass off.
"Oh, this is worth you getting all the amazing modern shit, Tobes," her shit-eating grin was clearly audible between snatches of uncontrollable giggles. "Thick Snek considers you one of her kids, and there's nothing you can do about..." Vampire abruptly cut off with a squeak.
That had Toby cracking an eye open to find an unamused-looking Repulse holding the V-Class off the ground by her greatcoat's collar. The Supercapital side-eyed the Light Carrier and offered her a tender smile that hit her right in the feels before addressing the squirming Destroyer in their grip.
"Vampire?"
"Y-Yes, Ma'am?"
"No bullying your sister; it's terribly rude."
Vampire's dawning realisation was a balm for Toby's healthy embarrassment and let her memory hole certain earlier events in favour of smirking behind Repulse's back. The V-Class earned herself a gentle shake when she tried to glare back, forcing her to meet Repulse's stern look and appear apologetic. However, someone must have been watching out for the Snekky Carrier, for the usually oblivious Repulse saw right through the deception and slithered away, Vampire still held in front of her like a lantern. Toby mutely watched the odd pair leave the building, not quite believing what she'd just witnessed, and then turned to a cautiously uncurling Brenny.
"I'll get Repulse off your back if you do nothing but train my Marines for the next week."
It said leagues about the beret-wearing crab's current state that he started nodding his eye stalks before he'd gotten to his feet.
"Throw in a bottle of the good stuff you Aussies love, and we've got a deal."
Toby winced. "I... I, uh, don't have any." She despaired with every word. "The Royal Australian Navy's a dry one..."
Brenny crossed the distance between them and laid a consoling claw on the Light Carrier's shoulder.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Missy."
She was missing her booze (and ability to get drunk) too much to protest the title.
God, how did any Shipgirl function without alcohol to subdue the idiots they called a crew?
Repulse goes full Mom-Mode on the Smoller Tobes, much to her and Vampire's consternation.
Now I'm left wondering just what sort of antics are going to result when this mess is shared with... Honestly, considering the connection Repulse has with Singapore, both the Abyssals and Humanity's navies.
You know, after the two groups have recovered from the month spent hammered via drinking the planet Dry.
Well, here is hoping for Tobias, that it's only a temporary change.
But one long enough to get blueprints off(?).
If not, why do I see her trying out the Naga armor again?
Bonus if it results in a heavy upgrade, all aboard the board.
Even if it's only because a certain spectre has been doing it's thing.
But be glad it's not a Naga Submarine, this time around.
Just think how oddly shaped the hull, then has to be, for that to be a thing.
As for Repulse, if the name was called on a bit too much, then she might have things from more then one Repulse, in her design.
Oops....
Does that mean that Repulse, when swimming underwater, then has ICBM capabilities.....
... Everyone's become a bit concerned about the occasional moment of Eldritch glow and lightning that occurs around her, haven't they? (Said occurrences being when she dodges Death's scythe swing yet again.)
