Jackson Atoll - 10/11/2022, 18:53 UTC +8Field Officer Pan's impatience was infectious. He spread it by pacing back and forth across the bridge of the
Zunyi, brushing past his subordinates, occasionally rechecking his binoculars and muttering to himself. It put the entire staff at near constant unease, not that confrontation would assuage tensions. Finally, the officer broke the silence. "What the hell is that? I demand to know! A skyward naval vessel?"
"It's not ours, sir," assured the ship's captain. He'd readied that information ever since his superior asked but only recently had the opportunity to report. "Ours," of course, meant an asset of the People's Liberation Army Navy. Whether its allegiances were broadly to China was anyone's guess.
Pan grunted. "Someone get me the Air Force."
While an aide contacted Pan's peer, a junior officer announced, "The
Baise has taken severe damage, sir. The captain makes plans to scuttle the ship."
"And they still aren't asking for our aid?"
"Field Officer Luo says he has the situation under control."
At that point, two massive lasers pierced the night sky. The ship was just south of east; the lasers were just north of east. Pan's attention was momentarily distracted when his underling piped up, "Field Officer Gao on the line for you, sir!"
Pan spent a few seconds inspecting the light show before sauntering over to the comms. "Gao! Your aircraft are messing about in our waters!"
"Which aircraft? What waters? We have no exercises in that area currently."
Pan looked out through his binoculars. The floating ship and an unseen mystery surface combatant were exchanging salvos. He muted himself and asked his captain. "We have no vessels out there, right?"
The captain was about to reply with a hearty "Yessir," but he stopped just before responding. "It could be Luo's fleet, if our equipment is not properly calibrated." It was a long shot, but stranger circumstances had happened. He wasn't about to retrieve his sextant to confirm.
"You'd think Luo would mention a spectacle like that." Pan took Gao off hold. "Well,
something's out there, and it's shooting at something else. I know the enemy is prowling around these waters, and wars have only two sides. It's a big, bright aircraft. Are you sure you have no presence in the area? Perhaps your inventory missed something?"
"Our inventory missed something? Qù cāo nǐ zìjǐ, you navy swine!" responded Field Officer Gao.
The aide inspected his dial board. "He hung up, sir."
Pan threw back his shoulders and asked no one in particular. "What's the update with Luo?"
The junior officer relays what he hears. "Luo is currently engaging the enemy... wait, I'm hearing background noise." He looks up. "It's language, but it's not Chinese."
Field Officer Pan resumed his unwelcome pacing. Despite his assurances, Luo was clearly insufficient for the task. Pan would have to intervene. His superiors would be displeased, though. His orders from high command were to not engage any forces until after they had crossed 116 degrees east, and only then if they traveled westward towards Mischief Reef or another installation.
Of course, a third factor was the reputation that an engagement could provide. Victory at sea at such a dire moment would yield quite the amount of political capital for Pan's own career. No one promotes the officer who follows orders and stands idly by. Glory awaited.
"We will engage our adversary," Pan resolved.
"Excellent," the captain reassured. "Shall we approach the light beams? The floating ship?"
Pan held up his chin. Just at that moment, the ghost vessel blinked out of existence. ASEAN could very well take either position. Then again, he didn't have to choose immediately. "Plot a course for due east, on the dot," the field officer announced. "I suppose we shall return the fire of whoever hits us."
Audience Hall, Sison Auditorium, Municipality of Lingayen - 10/11/2022, 18:53 UTC+8Having arrived earlier than strictly necessary- of course, with Hannie in tow- Kaitlyn was content to spend her meager free time stressing herself out over how horrifyingly wrong this next mission could go, especially with leadership like Noel's in effect... Granted the admiral was a factor to consider now, and one she was privately thankful for.
When the briefing did start, her stress levels decided that was the perfect moment to turn that dial from 'This won't be good' to 'Jesus Christ this will be really bad.' And then crazy shit happened; apparently a flying battleship played now, the
Supply and
Stalwart were
already under attack, and Miss Lei cloned herself. She'd felt uneasy at that casual gesture of hers, but she didn't even know what to feel when she saw the already overpowered Arms Master Ditto herself.
She stared for perhaps too long at the copy.
Does she wear anything under that goop, or is it procedurally generated when she emerged? Entirely appropriate thoughts for a private about to be tossed to the sharks. Or, who knows, maybe krakens really did exist? She wouldn't be surprised if giant tentacles emerged from the deep to start dragging down battleships. She'd probably flip out, though.
After she stewed in these thoughts for a good while- and, more importantly, stopped staring at Qingshe- she stood up and approached the admiral. The situation was rapidly escalating, and she'd rather be aware of her functions sooner rather than as she's being thrust into battle.
"Admiral..." She cleared her throat, glancing sidelong at Myron, then back to the man before her.
"Private Kaitlyn Price. I was wondering what, specifically, my function in this mission will be should I be deployed." Or, rather, when she's deployed. All hands on deck, right?
Adrián Abasolo held up his index finger. The situation was too tense for multitasking, but he sensed a brief window on the horizon. At a certain point, the Arms Masters would be too preoccupied with combat to give him an effective report. A reasonable checkpoint reached, he dismounted a muffler on his headphones and looked out to Kaitlyn.
Military experience was on occasion as valuable as supernatural powers. Abasolo didn't usually improvise but nonetheless had a general vision.
"Eyes and ears. You have permission to coordinate the team, and to assist the captains on deck as necessary. Report back any issues your team might have."Of course, if Kaitlyn had better ideas, he bore no attachment to this impromptu task assignment.
"Subject to your discretion. Is that satisfactory?" Did she have a communications device, like a radio? She'd bring it up if she didn't, he supposed. Worst came to worst, she'd wrestle the comms device from the captain of her ship. The admiral needed to return to monitoring his operation.
Her team? She's not a team leader, she's a private! He should get a corporal to do this, or a lieutenant. She fidgeted in place, considering the order.
"Y-yes sir," she stuttered, not the least bit confident in her own abilities. She still had to ask, though.
"To be clear, sir, you're putting me in charge of all of Team B?" Certainly someone is more qualified than her? Miss Lei, maybe.
The admiral's current alternatives for leadership were a civilian, a PLA turncoat, and a child. It was clear from her demeanor, though, a justification wasn't what this private required. She needed assurance and calm.
"Correct." He double checked his monitor for precisely five seconds before returning to the conversation. Hopefully that gave Private Price time to reach the "acceptance" stage of grief.
"At least its coordination. Each member in the team has an ample amount of autonomy." Certainly for the military.
"Report to me if you encounter difficulties."Iker had patiently waited in his assigned team's seating arrangement. Still, he figured that, so long as he was readily available to... touch Myron's shield? he could be anywhere in the facility. In the meantime, the current conversation piqued his interest. He arose and approached the two.
"Any developments I should be made aware of?"Kaitlyn started, turning wide eyes on the... Actually, she wasn't sure
who he was, but yet he was oddly familiar... She should probably be more aware of who is on 'her' team, so she turned to face him properly.
"Private Kaitlyn Price, acting team leader for Team B," she said, channeling her inner Corporal Castro.
She sized him up, switching gears. Average height and build. Intelligent gaze. A Support role, more than likely. A Rogue. Maybe a Paladin? Hmm... No, probably not the Paladin type.
"I'm sorry, can I get your name and rank, sir?"Iker blinked.
"Oh, so I report to you, then! Pleased to make your acquaintance." He stuck out a hand for a handshake.
"Iker Orozco. I'm a 'Mister,' if that qualifies as a rank. Volunteer. I suppose that would make me a private?"The admiral had returned to his other duties but still afforded a slight diversion.
"We're in the military, Mr. Orozco. Please salute your superior."Iker thought about it, then provided a weak but passable hand salute.
"Yes'm!"The admiral continued,
"If you require temporary ranks to reflect your current statuses, Ensign Zabala can arrange for that." He nodded to a distant female officer.
"Any other questions, Private Price?"'Mister' Orozco. That's fantastic. Iker's salute discomforted Kaitlyn, but she chose not to comment.
"N-no, sir." She had so many questions. Why her? What if she failed? What were the consequences for retreating, If that was even an option?
What if someone died under her command?
Kaitlyn paled as she heard the sound of crunching glass but quickly returned to reality.
"Mister Orozco, do you have any special talents?" Proper management required knowledge of his field abilities.
"Also, I assume you have been provided a radio? I'll need to be able to keep in contact with you in order to coordinate."She glanced aside at Myron and Miss Lei, but even if she technically commanded them... They were practically beyond her control. At least, she didn't expect Miss Lei to follow her instructions.
... Come to think of it, this was a pretty unique position she'd been put in. In this moment, she actually outranked her, didn't she?
Iker scratched the back of his head.
"I must've forgotten to obtain one. I doubt my cellular phone will have much benefit.""Ensign Mendoza, Requisitions," Abasolo commented. His eyes glued to his screen and he muffled his ears again as
Myron explained to him the nature of his newest enemy asset.
"As for my 'special talents,' I have in my possession an ethereal battleaxe, which can manipulate something of whatever material it hacks into." He nodded.
"I would provide a demonstration, but I fear it wouldn't assuage any tensions in headquarters currently. I'll be striking a number of hulls on deck, I surmise." He smiled at the half excuse for comedy.
Right. An Arms Master.
"Let's head towards Requisitions while we talk, Mister Orozco," she said, taking lead and hoping that her patchwork aura of authority was enough to keep his attention.
"So you're able to manipulate physical objects so long as you strike it with your... Battleaxe?"He
really didn't look like the axe type.
"What's the range of this ability, and to what extent can you manipulate these objects? Can you only change the properties of materials? Add properties?""Certainly," Iker concurred. He walked with Kaitlyn out of the admiral's field of view.
"Roughly a kilometer or so. I have to envision before I can manipulate, so either I must see it or a helpful ally must describe it to me. I can't change its properties, just physically shift and shape-"He surveyed the number of side stations.
"Say, do you know which one's Ensign Mendoza?"Nope. "I'm sure we can find them through some trial and error," she guessed. She'd been anxious to get out of the admiral's hair. He seemed really busy. She approached the nearest station.
"Excuse me, do you know where I can find Ensign Mendoza? We're looking for Requisitions."The woman turned around and studied Kaitlyn Price over as if wondering why she'd been interrupted. The quiet condescension was palpable, though not overstated. “Three stations, that way." She pointed to a male who, squat and muscular, much better fit the archetype of "axe man." Included in his station were several unlabeled boxes of equipment. They were open, though their contents were indiscernible from this distance.
"Well, there we are!" Iker quipped. He continued,
"Anyways, I can only change shape and physical location, for the most part. If the target changes state or chemical properties, I can't control it anymore. I have experimented with humans on occasion." He concluded as if no further explanation was necessary.
Kaitlyn looked him over, her expression blank.
"... And what were the results of this human experimentation?" she asked, much more calm than she felt. Were all Arms Masters freaks? Well, sans Hannie or... Actually, Hannie was her only normal Arms Master contact.
She carried their conversation along towards Requisitions, pondering the morality of her partner.
"Also, and I'm sorry I have to say this, but there will be no 'manipulation' of humans today, Mister Orozco." Now she remembered him. Hannie mentioned him the other day.
"Well, certainly. I don't think the situation would call for it, unless we somehow draw danger-close to an enemy vessel. Apology accepted nonetheless," Iker commented matter-of-factly.
Upon seeing the two Arms Masters approach, Ensign Gonzalez rose to his feet. "Welcome! What do you require?"
"Radio communications, please," Iker ordered. In case Kaitlyn planned to order the device on Iker's behalf, he paid due respect to his superior.
"Apologies if I spoke out of line; it was not my intention."As Ensign Gonzalez picked up a military grade walkie talkie from the box and calibrated it for combat use, a thought surfaced in Iker's head.
"If it assuages your concerns, Kaitlyn, no harm is done to living creatures as a direct result of my powers." He held up a finger.
"And, and I tested it on smaller things first, like rodents and whatnot. And the humans were voluntary. There was quite a line of participants, actually; the curiosity of lumberjacks would surprise you."Gonzalez slammed the butt of the comms onto the table beside Iker. "Alright, there you go! Need anything else?"
"I'm sure..." Kaitlyn said, uneasy. She waited for Iker to retrieve the device, then took him back to their waiting room. Perhaps striking up conversation with the man was a mistake.
"Alright... Mister Orozco, you may take a seat. I need to properly assess the situation before I make any decisions." Without waiting to hear his people-pleasing response, she turned her back on him, hands on her hips, and returned to the admiral.
"Yes'm!" Iker seated on command, an express endorsement of Kaitlyn's leadership. Still, he surveyed the admiral's update.
Aaaand that's about when that power trip ended and Kaitlyn returned to being the useless
private Price she was. She cleared her throat.
"S-sir, do you have an update for me on the current situation? I need to be aware of what's going on before we take any action."The admiral nodded in acknowledgment but didn't yet turn to face his subordinate.
"Outside what we've currently engaged, the PLA fleets don't yet appear to be attracted to either our diversion or our main fleet. We have spotted a couple- excuse me."The admiral returned to his headphones. A flash of confusion shot across his face before being drowned in discipline. He chose to accept the absurdity he heard at face value, relaying the information accordingly. Why not? Arms Masters were involved.
"Supply, Stalwart, follow recommendations. Other vessels, make way."Blockade Runners, HMAS Supply - 10/11/2022, 19:01 UTC+8Captain Kennedy heard the instructions loud and clear. She muttered briefly, "This is going to kill our navigation," then barked loudly, "Lockwood! Kill all secondary power!" She manned the comms personally. "This is the
Supply. Be advised, we are taking evasive actions to port." Her final utterance: "Port, full rudder!"
The big hulking ship tilted slightly to the side; the ships beside and behind it struggled to make way for the shadow that blocked out the stars above them. Nonetheless, the evasive maneuvers were successful, if stressful.
Captain Kennedy restored her demeanor on deck and pulled out her binoculars, curious if such a juke succeeded. The floating ship was a mesmerizing sight indeed in night waters like these. "Prepare to return starboard to original heading, on my mark."
Audience Hall, Sison Auditorium, Municipality of Lingayen - 10/11/2022, 19:01 UTC+8The admiral looked up to Kaitlyn.
"An Arms Master in a floating sloop-of-war is trying to ram the auxiliaries." Ramming tactics hadn't been relevant for millennia, but he chose to trust that his enemy was rational in her tactics.
"Are you ready to deploy, Private Price?"What the fuck? They just get crazier. "Yes, sir." They had their radios, functioning eyeballs, and little else. Well, asides from super powers, but only Iker was likely to use those actively.
"Mister Orozco, Hannie, ready yourselves. We're about to deploy."Readdressing the admiral, she focused on the upcoming situation.
"Which ships require our immediate attention?"Iker stood up promptly.
"At the ready."Depending on the speed of this magical sloop, Team B would either arrive far too late or have time aplenty. Little possibility existed in between.
"Supply and Stalwart, coordinates 10.26943, 116.27825 and 10.26774, 116.28004."Iker raised his hand before the admiral could say "Go."
"If it's not too much bother, might I take a vanguard ship? My abilities have limited range, a kilometer or so."Last-minute requests were a bother but momentarily not too much bother. He locked eyes with Orozco.
"Only with approval from Private Price. She coordinates your activity." He researched his screen.
"If she so chooses to grant approval, the Conrado Yap is two ships ahead of the Stalwart at 10.26304, 116.271157." He looked at Kaitlyn.
"I trust your judgment."Iker nodded.
"Thanks; I didn't want to push anything." He saluted.
"Awaiting orders."Kaitlyn wasn't sure she trusted her own judgement, but she didn't really have room to complain.
"Request granted," she said, trying to sort out those nautical numbers. For some reason, she was reminded of Minecraft.
I wonder if Orozco could turn an enemy ship into a water creeper? Tsk... Banishing thoughts of ships exploding with particle effects, she fetched Hannie, then headed towards Myron, already having mostly dismissed Iker.
She told them what radio frequency they'd use, then picked the
Supply. Maybe she
didn't have amazing super powers, but her extra gun would safeguard the fleet.
Also... She was told some crazy motherfucker was trying to ram them. She did not want to be on the ship that received that kind of attention.
Blockade Runners, HMAS Supply - 10/11/2022, 19:03 UTC+8Rhiannon Kennedy's binoculars were fixated on Mei Yuanyuan's craft. Rapid dots of light streamed upward as they attempted to damage the old ghost ship. Typhoon Weapon Systems weren't meant to target aircraft. Then again, sloops were never meant to fly.
"Launch the helicopters, captain?" announced a shipman.
"And alert even more to our presence? Not yet." Were this a common aircraft from the PLAN or the PLAAF, her position would already be compromised. This, however, offered more leniency and required more tact.
A few stories above them, atop a small metal tower, Kaitlyn and Hannie zapped into existence. The radar systems operated within reach. They stood together on a balcony, protected by metal rails. They saw the bridge beneath them, well, at least its roof. To reach the roof they'd have to descend a ladder for a few stories, and from there they'd need to take a few steep stairs to enter the bridge itself.
A couple sailors beneath them noticed the newcomers. One squinted his eyes, unsure whether to believe them or not. "Uh…"
Faintly nauseous and deeply disoriented by the complete shift in her environment - somehow she hadn't expected the instant change in humidity - Hannie stumbled straight into the railing with a yip. Her first time on a boat was... well, a lot of things she hadn't hoped for already. Casting around her surroundings, she met a sailor's eyes, and they looked at each other equally surprised. She waved. He waved back. It was uncomfortable. She looked to Kaitlyn instead.
'Uh' was right.
From shifting earth to celestial objects spontaneously generating in the sky, Kaitlyn had thought she'd experienced the worst of it. But no, Myron's method of translocation was
nothing like teleportation. Not the teleportation that began and ended with a classic 'pop.' Luckily, she suffered enough disorientation on the daily from her 'condition', so she didn't get it as badly as Hannie did. Focusing on her surroundings, she gently took Hannie's hand- squeezed it, and gave her a reassuring smile- before peeking over the railings-
And oh, wow, ships are tall. Building tall. Fatal falling height tall.
"... Hello." She blinked, focusing on the man below her.
Don't think about it. "Private Kaitlyn Price of Task Force Obsidian, acting leader of Team B. C-can I see the captain of this vessel?"A sailor kept staring in disbelief, but the other descended stairs and made his way into the bridge. It took half a minute, but eventually a gentleman in a sailor's cap came out with a bullhorn. His thick Australian accent was readily apparent. "The captain can't leave the bridge right now. Let's get you planted." He smacked the stunned sailor on the shoulder. When the sailor asked for orders, the man simply pointed up the ladder.
The floating ghost ship was still careening towards the
Stalwart, and the spectacle of glowing hot ammunition lighting the sky shone around them. The sailor reached the top and scratched the back of his head. "Hey, hello, um, I'm Seaman Murray. You need to descend, yes?"
"Y-yes…" She always hated ladders. What if you fell? They have what amounts to magic now, that Occult Programming thing. Why can't they build portals arrays nowadays?
"Hannie, maybe you should go first? Mr. Murray can probably help you towards the bottom." While she forestalled the inevitable, she pulled out a pair of binoculars to get a better look at that flying antique.
What the hell... ?Hannie made the common mistake of looking down but didn’t see why everyone said she shouldn't. It was more comfortable than the waving. She shrugged her shoulders and eased herself down the ladder, the scarf of her combat winter wear flapping in the wind and occasionally going for her face, as she took one step after another on the compelling journey to the deck.
Seaman Murray shrugged. "She descends fine, and I doubt that you need any help. Follow me, alright?" He followed Hannie towards the roof of the bridge.
The gentleman, the bullhorn by his side, looked Hannie over once she fully descended, a confused expression on his face. "Hello, Missy. Shall we get you situated in quarters?" While he gave his best impression of a caretaker, it was readily apparent that children weren't his forte. He nodded to his subordinate. "Murray, take her to galley, would you? Give her something sweet."
"Huh?" Turn around and everybody's moving on without you! Kaitlyn was quick to follow after the two, briefly forgetting her fear of ladders and replacing it with a broader fear for Hannie. Even though they're at sea, they
were on a warship, and if Battleship taught her anything, it was that you could never predict when the next torpedo was gonna blast a hunk of metal to Davy Jones's.
Again, she wondered where the kraken was supposed to be. Realistically speaking, none would appear out here. But there had to be sea monsters if magic was real.
"S-sorry for the delay... Sir."Hannie stood briefly frozen, looking among three different people to listen to. It had been Kaitlyn for the past week. Then a big military countryman said she should follow... the other guy. Umm... okay, the math worked out to attaching to Murray. Unless Kaitlyn said no. Her eyes darted, and then she took a careful step to Murray. She saluted; it seemed appropriate.
The gentleman chuckled as he returned Hannie's salute. "Good girl!" A proper salute was too advanced for him to criticize her hand posture, but he showed Hannie by example.
Realizing Hannie's internal struggle, Kaitlyn knelt before her, offering a smile and mussing up her hair.
"It's okay, Hannie. I'm sure Mr. Murray will take good care of you." Her eyes briefly flicked up towards the seaman, and her expression told him there was only one correct answer to that assertion. She returned to Hannie.
"Get yourself a snack and help out around the ship if you can. There's gotta be something a smart young girl can do here ~"Cue doting and playful cheek pinching… God, she's so cute.
"Remember, if you need help, call me... Or Mr. Orozco if I'm otherwise occupied."She shrugged then rose to her feet, nodding respectfully towards Murray. He didn't give off the impression of an irresponsible adult.
One could hear inside the bridge the captain barking orders. "Starboard, full rudder. Steady as she goes. Status on the Typhoon."
The ship turned dramatically. Ships behind and starboard side began to decelerate and make way. Nearby sailors grabbed the railing. It took Murray a moment to remember Hannie's safety rather than merely his own, and he stabilized her after a few seconds of gripping the rails. "Don't want you to fall off the side there, now!" he quipped.
The gentleman regained his composure as the ship righted. "Murray, take her downstairs." Murray collected Hannie like a sack of potatoes and headed off to accomplish his duty.
Murray dodged past his fellow crew in his special mission. "So, Hannie, what's your favorite thing to eat? We've got a lot of options!"
Managing a wave as she passed out of sight in Murray's grip, the misfortunate child asked herself why everyone wanted to feed her all the time. Out loud, she loosely emitted,
"Iuhno."Murray took the null data at face value and entered the kitchen. Simple, quick, and, most importantly, sweet. "How about marmalade on toast, lass?" The blast of autocannons roared above him, which he forcefully ignored as he pulled out a toaster and sliced bread. If the threat was this apparent, the tot's fright must have been unfathomable. Distractions were called for. "Say, Hannie, do you know of any good songs?"
Hannie didn't quite ignore the cannons as Murray had, evidenced by a short jump and the appearance of a weapon in her hand. Today's style was a dark iron blade with a worn leather grip, looking like a pre-industrial hunter's knife. She was drawn back, wide-eyed, by his second question.
"S... songs?" Her Noble Arm hissed and crackled, starting to emit its usual mist. Hannie stared at the source of the blasts, the question forgotten.
"Yea, songs." Upon hearing hissing and crackling, Murray reinspected the toaster. "Damn navy equipment," he muttered to himself, then realizing that a minor was present. He turned around. "Please don't tell Miss Kaitlyn I said that."
He set the toaster aside and resumed his work, foregoing the toast, instead spreading marmalade on regular bread. He arranged them on a large plate, set them on a table, sat Hannie on a chair, and positioned himself across from her. He felt hunger just looking at it but resolved to let Hannie have the first bite. "Alright, there it is; eat up. If you know no songs, I do."
Hannie shifted her weight, coming to the understanding that she probably wasn't safe here. As Murray talked and she barely listened, she eventually realized what was in her hand, and shook it away like a bug. She allowed herself to be walked and sat, looking very lost and very uncomfortable. She took the bread but didn’t eat. If she knew a song, she didn’t name it.
Murray couldn’t exactly return to his superior officer and inform him that the kid won't eat. The blame would fall on Murray; Sir would only assume that Murray fell short in his duties, either due to incompetence or willful disobedience. Besides, the small desserts looked quite delectable, promising, tempting... Perhaps he would lead by example.
"See? It's, it's good, yeah?" He took a bite of his own selection. Normally it was no bother to talk with his mouth full, but in the presence of a lady, a young lady, he swallowed completely before continuing. "It's not poison, luv. Go on, try some!" He quickly finished his dessert.
A voice piped up on Kaitlyn's radio.
"Iker Orozco. I've been rematerialized on the Conrado Yap's pinnacle. I've descended a nearby ladder and am now safely on the bridge. We've spotted Mei's vessel and are attempting to neutralize it. Do you presently have particular orders, or dealer's choice?"Kaitlyn clung to those rails like her life depended on it- because it probably did.
You're a coward. How could the admiral have ever put you in charge? Kaitlyn grimaced as she righted herself, calmly taking out her radio.
"Continue at your discretion until further notice. I still need to get a lay of the land... Or sea, as it were." The gentleman saluted the mid-twenties arrival. "Private Price, I'm told. Please, follow me into the bridge."
Your orders, captain? Oh! That's right, now that you're the leader, it's your fault if somebody dies. Kaitlyn's heart beat faster, and she turned to the seaman near her.
"Yes, sir." Get ahold of yourself, Price. Miss Lei and the others can take care of the serious stuff. You have to be the lookout. She sighed, then followed the man. Focus on the mission.
The captain offered a hand as he descended the stairs. "Captain Kennedy, I present Private Kaitlyn Price, acting leader of Task Force Obsidian's Team B. Arms Masters, I believe."
Rhiannon's eyes, once inserted into her binoculars, disconnected themselves and fixated on Kaitlyn. "Private? No matter. Where are your Arms Masters presently? Do you have personal orders?" All eyes that were currently unoccupied now fixed on the private. In the quiet, the defense systems rat-a-tat-tatted.
. . .
. . . .
. . . . .
Oh God. Kaitlyn froze like a deer in headlights. She'd be sick. Or faint. Or something.
Say something! "Uh... I-I'm sorry…"I'm sorry I'm all you've got. I'm not even qualified for this. Clearing her throat, she injected some confidence into her voice, focusing on the dull roar of fire and looking at each crew member. She couldn't fail them.
"I'm not an Arms Master myself, but the rest are. Miss Lei Qingshe is currently aboard the Stalwart. Myron, as far as I understand, has remained on-base," although she supposed... She could summon him to the battlefield now, couldn't she? Miss Lei had her shadows in two places. Or is that how this worked? She'd need to ask.
"Iker Orozco is aboard the Conrado Yap, attempting to neutralize the enemy Arms Master. And Hannie Cavalet... Will be providing support, outside of combat." That seemed as good a report as any. Was there anything else she needed to say?
"As for personal orders? I'm monitoring the battle." She had no idea what anything in this room did.
"Can your special tools or personnel assist me with this?" The captain nodded, confused as to why Kaitlyn specified her lack of superpowers. It was perfectly natural for management to lack the skills of subordinates. "I don't have powers, either!" she smiled. "Excellent. I presume you're here about the sail ship." She selected a subordinate. "Contact the
Yap and the
Stalwart; tell them to expect company."
Kennedy then rattled off her ensigns, pointing to each of them as she addressed them. "Tomlinson, restore secondary power sources. Private Price, I introduce Maynard on Radar, Tomlinson on Sonar, and Lockwood on Electronics. Herberts!" A tall, tattooed woman stood at attention. She appeared as if she could kill with a mere glance. "Ensign Herberts will be your personal attendant."
Meanwhile, the comms ensign hailed his corvette counterpart. "Yes,
Conrado Yap, be advised you have an allied Arms Master onboard. Do not engage."
"We know," replied a dejected Filipino. The bridge heard Iker conversing with the captain in the background. It wasn't a heated argument but nonetheless loquacious and fast talking. "A moment." More talking, then: "Can you identify the material of the enemy sloop?"
The Australian communique looked at Kennedy, who shook her head. "Wood, perhaps?"
The communique relayed. "Negative... possibly wood?"
Kennedy returned to her guest. "Regardless, does that suffice, Private Price?"
"... Yes, it does. Thank you, captain." It was only then Kaitlyn realized how many
women operated on this vessel. She was used to terms such as 'seaman', and up until now, she'd only seen men aboard. It was... Refreshing to know that the fairer sex had not been entirely sidelined for entitled muscle heads.
Turning to Herberts, she offered her a hand and a smile.
"Pleasure to be working with you, Miss Herberts." She paused, wondering if that greeting came off a bit too enthusiastic or weird.
"Yeh," muttered Ensign Herberts, the Australian twang sounding even in her monosyllabic response. She returned the hand gesture. Whether her lips formed a genuine smile or a slight smirk was indiscernible. Otherwise, her face was a stone.
Regardless, Kaitlyn would check Sonar and Radar next. She needed to know who was where, and if there was anything pressing that needed to be conveyed. Miss Lei, at least, benefitted from some extra input.
Tomlinson pointed out a few objects on the screen's perimeter. "I'm currently following three bogeys underwater. They're moving slowly and not giving off extreme readings. They're either biologics or enemy submarines at extremely low power. I doubt that the PLA tolerates aquatic life in these waters, but they're not an immediate threat either way."
Maynard was on his headset. Noticing that Private Price was over his shoulder alongside Herberts, he preemptively spoke in a rather loud voice, clutching his mufflers to raise them. "You want a listen?"
Three unknowns? This couldn’t be good. She relayed this news over the radio, then considered the implications. That is, she was considering the implications before she was handed the mufflers.
"... Sure." 
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