The sun shines at its highest points in the sky, as hundreds gather at the port of Azur Lane's main base. Commander Sicilia stands at a podium as she nervously tugs on her colr.

  Behind her are the other three Commanders and Major Freya. Sicilia swallows hard as she looks out to all the soldiers and ships in the crowd in front of her. All those eyes staring at her, makes her anxious.

  Alicorn is in the far back, watching from under a tree as she pets Avis, as he sits in her p. Dark bags under her eyes, as the stress of the past two months has been getting to her.

  Sicilia takes a deep breath before she speaks into the microphone on the podium. "I-I..." She takes another deep breath. "Thank you all for gathering today. I would like to say first, that tomorrow will be for the history book. Tomorrow will change the course of this World War. The Iron Blood, Sakura Empire and the Royal Navy have paved a way for us to begin our operations in Europe Tomorrow afternoon Eagle Union will be nding in France, while our Air Force will be in Ukraine, and our Navy will be watching their backs."

  Sicilia looks at all the faces of the soldiers and ships in front of her. "I will not lie... many of you soldiers won't be coming home tomorrow. My ships... this may be the st time we meet. Tomorrow will be the bloodiest day in history, but we will be remember as the ones who fought for freedom, the ones who gave it all to the very end."

  Only a few ships and soldiers look worried, as most of everyone has lost someone close to them due to this war.

  "We will be the ones that stopped the Siren Elite known as Equus, and the Separatist leader Raul Menendez. They will die know that all they're fighting, was for nothing! They will face justice! We will have our revenge for our fallen brother and sisters!"

  Sicilia sms a fist into the podium as she starts shouting. The three other Commanders stare at her in shock.

  "This war will end soon! And they will not be alive to see it! We will hunt them down and end this war, even if our guns run out of bullets, our knives dull and our hands go numb! Our spirit to fight is greater than the will of the enemies! Even if it costs my life, I will end this war. Our future generations will remember tomorrow as they day we turned this war around! Operation Overlord will be the spear head for our counter attack!"

  Everyone starts cheering and Sicilia looks back to Stait. Stait gives her a smile and a thumbs up. Sicilia turns back to the podium and takes a deep breath.

  "So tonight, please, spend time with your loved ones and get some rest. We will be heading out at 0600 hours tomorrow. May God looks over us. That is all, dismissed."

  Everyone starts to disperse, Laffey, Ayanami, Z23 and Javelin run to the dorms. Sicilia exits the stage with the other Commanders, and Team Destroyers run up to her.

  "We're ready ma'am!" Belchan holds up a fist.

  "Hobby is ready to kick some Siren butt!" Hobby shouts as Kalk nods in agreement.

  "What will we be doing, Commader?" Echo asks.

  Sicilia sighs as kneels down to them. "I need some capable ships to watch over to base while we're all gone."

  The girls look shocked.

  "But--" Belchan starts.

  "We're Team Destroyers!" Echo shouts. "We're the strongest team of ships!"

  Sicilia gives a soft smile. "Girls, look, someone needs to stay at base, and everyone agrees it'll be you four."

  "That's not fair!" Kalk frowns. "We didn't get a vote!"

  "Commander-" Hobby starts. but Sicilia holds up a hand.

  "Girls, just listen to me." Sicilia brings the four girls into a hug. "We'll all need our stars to be here, ready to greet us after the Operation."

  The girls sigh and looks down.

  "Okay..." Belchan says in sadness. "We'll look over the base."

  Hobby nods. "Hobby will be waiting for everyone to return."

  "Yeah, if you don't return Commander, I'll- I'll... I'll be angry!" Kalk fps her arms.

  Sicilia's eyes gain a hint of sadness as she chuckles. "Okay, I'll come back, I promise. Now, why don't you all run off and have fun!"

  "Okay!" The four ships run off.

  "Let's go see if Dace is awake yet!" Kalk suggests.

  "Hopefully she wakes soon." Echo mutters.

  Sicilia stands up and looks at the other Commanders, and nods. "Let's prepare."

  "Right." The four girls agree as they head for the Commander's office.

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  .

  .

  Alicorn, carrying three bouquets, walks into a small grave yard. A graveyard for the ships that have perished at sea. Each Graves headstone is a statue of the ship that lies there.

  Alicorn walks over to a pair of three new headstones. Dozens of flowers, envelopes, candles and other little trinkets rest at the bottom of the three statues of Clevend, New Jersey, Stanly.

  Alicorn sets a bouquet at each of the headstones, before sitting in front of them. She bites her bottom lip for a few moments, before speaking up.

  "Hey... girls... Its uh, only been two months, but it's felt so much longer. It has been, a long two months and I've been dealing with a lot of stuff."

  Alicorn's vision goes static for a few moments, as she clutches the side of her head. Warnings appear in her vision.

  Warning! Warning!Unit Unstable, please see an Administrator.

  Alicorn shakes her head. "I think the stress is getting to me, but I... There's just been too much to worry about, and with everyone on edge, there's no time to rex. And everyone's looking to me, to stop the Sirens; once again. My body's only 17 and I've been in several wars already, and I've almost died several times as well."

  Alicorn plucks at some grass under her.

  "I have no one to talk to about this, who would I even go to? I'm a living Bio-computer whose mind was created as an A.I. at first, then given a body. Then I was forced to kill my family, and fight against them. Then I was forced into a war and watch several friends die, then forced into a war against my friends again... and I killed a few. Then in the end I nearly died again. And now, a sister from another time-line is here to kill me, and has already killed a dozen of my friends... And near a million humans have already died because of her."

  Alicorn lets out a long sigh. "I'm the reason all these people and ships are dying. Sometimes... I wish I was never created... never born. The world probably would've been better off."

  Alicorn then stands up, looking between the three statues, before staring at Clevend's. "I really could use you're cheerfulness right now..."

  Alicorn walks off.

  .

  .

  .

  Equus walks down a pristine white hallway, adorned with yellow glowing lines. Pilrs, with aquatic creatures carved into them, follow Equus' bath to a rge set of doors.

  Baxterbro

  She gnces to her side, seeing some podiums filled with items from past Timelines; trophies. She then gnces to her left and sees some Humanoid Sirens backing away from her, looking at her with caution.

  Equus doesn't acknowledge them as she reaches the rge set of doors. She takes in a deep breath, then lets it out as she pushes the doors open.

  Equus steps into a rge throne room filled with pilrs containing stories of the past timelines. Large windows line the windows, showing a massive underwater city outside.

  At the end of the Throne room is a rge throne, with a figure sitting in it.

  Equus sweats slightly as she stops in front of the steps leading up to the throne. She then goes to one knee and stares at the floor.

  "Empress..." Equus greets.

  Empress' pink eyes bare into Equus. A frown adorning her face.

  "Equus..." Empress starts, her cold voice echoing off the walls. Equus feels a cold chill run down her spine. "Your progress is... inadequate. The Alicorn of timeline 10, is still alive. She should've been dead by now. What's taking so long?"

  Equus lets out a nervous chuckle. "I-I... I just though I'd have a little fun, you know, doing this nine other times, I figured I'd have fun with this one." She keeps staring at the floor.

  Empress stands up, as three massive shark heads form out of her back. Made out of bck and blue steel, with pink glowing eyes, they are simir to another girl.

  Empress slowly walks over her steps, her shark rigging letting out a few low rumbles. Equus grits her teeth as sweat drops down her brow.

  Empress stops in front of Equus.

  "You've been there for three months, and have little to show for it." The left shark head coils down and snaps at Equus, making the girl jump. "Do I need to step in myself, Equus? You will know how that'll turn out."

  Equus looks up to her leader, a scared smile. "N-No! Just... give me till the end of the month! My massed produced Sirens army is nearly complete, and I just need to recruit a few more Sirens. So just give me a little more time!" She lets out a scared chuckle "Please..?"

  Empress stares into Equus' yellow eyes. "You have until the end of the month. If you don't kill her by then..."

  Empress' three shark heads snap at Equus, making her fall back as she holds up an arm to cover herself. Empress walks back up the steps and sits onto her throne, crossing her legs.

  "Bring Tester Alpha with you, Beta's busy in the Mirror Sea. Then bring your army to the Strong Hold in Bermuda, Omitter will help you oversee production."

  Equus nods as she looks back to the floor.

  "And what about Purifier, my Lady?"

  Empress hums as she closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them.

  "Bring her with you, show her what disobedience will bring her. Then when this timeline is done, scrap her. We can rebuild her, we've done it before. Maybe this time she will stay useful."

  Equus nods. "I understand. I will head back and continue preparations, don't worry." A smirk forms on her face as her eyes shine. "Alicorn won't be there long~"

  Empress rolls her eyes and waves Equus away. The ship-girl stands up and heads for the doors and goes to open them, when someone else enters the throne room.

  In walks a short Siren, 5 feet tall. Short and messy white hair, with a bck fish clip in her hair. She has grey-blue eyes, with bags under them. She wears an oversized white robe with blue trim. She holds a rge pillow in her hands as a metallic mako shark follows her, several cannons on its side and a ser cannon in its mouth.

  'Seer Alpha?!' Equus questions as she walks past the girl, the two make short eye contact, before she exits. 'She's said to be one of the oldest Siren's here. But why would she need to see the Empress.'

  Equus huffs and stomps down the hallway.

  Inside the throne room, Seer Alpha stops in front of the steps leading up to Empress, and stares up at her.

  "We've started preparations." Seer informs.

  A ghost smile appears on Empress' face. "Good, how long will it take this time?"

  "Somewhere between 5-8 years, my Lady."

  Empress nods. "And Project Artemis?"

  "She'll be there again."

  Empress nods again, and waves Seer off. Seer bows and leaves the room as she lets out a yawn. Empress closes her eyes and hums.

  "I do wonder if this Alicorn will be what I need." A smirk forms on Empress' face. "This next one will be very interesting. Will Nine interfere again? All in due time... Though, it is running out."

  .

  .

  .

  Alicorn sits in her room at the window, watching the waves at the beach. The moonlight shining onto the water. Cheers and singing echo in the distance.

  'Everyone's celebrating tonight, even Team Destroyers is singing. Everyone's scared, but they won't show it. I would be there, but my nerves are shot.'

  Alicorn sighs as she stands up and walks over to her bed.

  'Tomorrow we go after the Arsenal Bird, then the Commanders and Major Freya will go after the nukes the next morning. I should get some sleep... everyone will be counting on me... again'

  Alicorn sighs as she smiles into her rge bed, alone. A cold breeze blows in as she covers herself in bnkets, her yellow eyes casting a dim glow, before she shuts them.

  'The end of the war is in sight, but I'm scared I will lose more before then.'

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  03-12-2025

  2100 words