It had been a hectic explanation.
Very hectic.
Now, several hours later, everyone was preparing to "greet" the Presidential Fleet.
Yuuki stood near the command deck, watching the tactical display as the Eagle Union fleet steadily approached.
Yet despite the calm atmosphere, he couldn't help remembering the interrogation session from earlier.
It had been... relentless.
"So, you gained this when you were fifteen?"
Enterprise had been the first to ask.
"In your third lifetime?" Takao immediately followed.
"From a frog-like alien named Azmuth?" Yorktown added.
Yuuki had barely answered one question before another came flying at him.
Yuu, sitting nearby, had simply watched the chaos unfold with an amused expression.
"I told you they would have lots of questions."
Yuuki sighed.
"Yes and yes."
He raised both hands defensively.
"I already told you the story. I know it sounds absurd, but that's what happened."
He tapped the Omnitrix fused into his armor.
"Azmuth gave me the Omnitrix as a way to deal with the problems threatening Earth 2.0. At the time, GDI was still establishing itself there, so I took up the mantle as GDI's protector until the organization was fully developed."
He paused.
"And that's when I discovered there was alien involvement on Earth 2.0."
The room went quiet.
"Trust me, none of the ordinary humans knew about it. Since we dealt with aliens before, we are the perfect organization to counter them. "
Yuuki leaned back.
"There were Plumbers on Earth too."
Belfast tilted her head.
"Plumbers?"
Yuuki nodded.
"The Plumbers were basically an intergalactic law-enforcement organization. They used advanced technology and weapons to protect the universe from various threats."
Belfast considered that for a moment.
"Like the men in black?"
"Yeah."
Yuuki shrugged.
"Pretty much, except these guys actually dealt with aliens."
He paused before adding,
"Not like the men in black. They also had their own agenda. Some of them wanted access to alien technology for themselves. They even tried to pry into GDI which have their existence wiped out."
Yorktown raised an eyebrow.
"And GDI?"
"GDI was different."
Yuuki's expression became more serious.
"Officially, GDI didn't exist on Earth 2.0. We were the people who fixed problems no one else could."
He counted them off on his fingers.
"Extraterrestrial. Extrasensory. Extraordinary."
A few of the girls exchanged looks.
"The Plumbers wanted GDI to join them," Yuuki continued. "But GDI was already protecting Earth in our own way. We didn't need to become part of their organization."
"So you turned them down?" Enterprise asked.
"Basically."
Yuuki shrugged.
"We still worked with them from time to time when our interests aligned."
Belfast looked thoughtful.
"Are the Plumbers all aliens?"
"Not all of them."
Yuuki shook his head.
"They're made up of intelligent, sentient species from all over the galaxy. There are a lot of them out there."
He glanced toward the Omnitrix.
"They formed an organization operating on a galactic scale. They wanted GDI to join them, but we declined."
Anis blinked.
"Wait. So while this Earth was dealing with Sirens and Raptures, there were basically aliens running around in space too?"
"Yep. Even in Level 100, you girls can pretty much handle the sirens and raptures. I am preparing you to deal with those up there. Once you achieved level 1000, be prepare to handle threats bigger than sirens and raptures."
Yuuki sighed.
"We've dealt with Scrin and Ceph back on Earth 1.0 as well."
He rubbed his forehead.
"Man... aliens are a handful."
That earned a few laughs.
Yuuki then raised his Omnitrix.
"And this thing makes things even more complicated."
Yorktown immediately recognized where the conversation was going.
"I heard about Primus when I accidentally walked in on you and Dr. Yuu talking about it."
Yuuki nodded.
"You didn't hear the rest."
He tapped the device.
"Primus is a planet where all 1,000,910 genetic samples stored in the Omnitrix originate. It's also the home of its creator, Azmuth."
He held up the Omnitrix.
"Primus is essentially the main core."
"So this isn't the actual database?" Yorktown asked.
"No."
Yuuki shook his head.
"This thing is basically a transmitter. The actual genetic data is stored on Primus."
He gave the Omnitrix a light tap.
"Without Primus, this thing is useless."
Neon's eyes immediately lit up.
"So you can transform into over one million aliens?!"
Yuuki grimaced.
"Technically."
"That's so cool!"
"More like a gigantic pain in the ass."
Neon paused.
"...Oh."
"I could transform into all of them if I had Master Control unlocked."
Yuuki shook his head.
"But I deliberately kept it locked. I'm not turning into more than a million different aliens."
He pointed at himself.
"Even my current sixty-three forms are already a handful."
Yuu raised a hand.
"And I've already documented every one of them."
Yuuki gave her a suspicious look.
"After you chased me around the base trying to collect tissue samples."
Yuu smiled innocently.
"It was for research."
She paused.
"Although... after hearing about the second mode, I think I need to open an entirely new research file."
Yuuki's expression immediately fell.
"Please have mercy on me."
He pointed at Yuu.
"Instead of chasing me around with a scalpel, you could just ask nicely."
Yuu giggled.
"I'll consider it."
"Thank you."
Yuuki turned back toward Neon.
"Yes, Neon. I can transform into sixty-three different alien forms."
He gestured toward his armor.
"That's still fewer than the eighty-six armor systems I've created."
Neon stared at him.
"So many forms..."
"Every alien has its own abilities."
Yuuki's tone became more serious.
"And every one of them has weaknesses."
He looked down at the Omnitrix.
"That's why I don't rely on them too much."
Enterprise nodded.
"Makes sense."
"Besides..."
Yuuki looked around the room at the Shipgirls and Nikkes surrounding him.
"Those days are long gone."
He smiled.
"I have all of you now."
The room became noticeably quieter.
"Level up. Become stronger. Become the heroes."
Yuuki leaned back against the table.
"Do that for me."
He grinned.
"I'll lead GDI and claim victory. I'll join you on the battlefield from time to time, of course."
He shrugged.
"But honestly?"
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Leading is kind of boring sometimes."
Several girls stared at him.
Then Anis snorted.
"Commander... you really are weird."
Yuuki laughed.
"Yeah."
He glanced at the Omnitrix one more time.
"But at least now you know what this thing is."
"Dearest."
Kaguya's voice drew Yuuki's attention.
"Yes?"
"You haven't explained the other mode yet."
Yuuki paused.
Then he looked down at the Omnitrix.
"Ah. You're right."
He glanced around at everyone.
"It's probably better if I show you."
He raised his arm.
"Prepare to shield your eyes, though. It's kind of bright."
That warning immediately made everyone brace themselves.
Yuuki turned the Omnitrix's dial.
The device activated with a soft mechanical hum.
A series of holographic images appeared above it, displaying the alien forms he had unlocked.
Everyone leaned closer.
"These are the ones I've unlocked," Yuuki explained. "Basically, this mode allows the Omnitrix to store my consciousness inside the alien while my original body is stored safely inside the Omnitrix."
Enterprise narrowed her eyes.
"So your body stays protected while you're transformed?"
"Exactly."
Yuuki tapped the dial.
"There is one catch, though. I have to work with the Omnitrix's randomizer."
"Randomizer?" Yorktown asked.
"Basically, it can choose the alien best suited for the situation, even if I already have a specific transformation in mind."
He gave the dial another press.
"Watch."
The Omnitrix suddenly flared.
FWOOM!
A brilliant green light engulfed Yuuki.
"Wah! Too bright!" San Diego cried, covering her eyes.
Everyone else had much the same reaction.
They had expected Yuuki to emerge as some gigantic, terrifying super-alien.
Instead...
The light faded.
A tiny figure hovered where Yuuki had been.
It was a short, fairy-like creature with soft blue skin, delicate purple wings, light-purple hair that stuck straight upward, and bright pink eyes framed by feminine eyelashes. Pink markings decorated its cheeks and chin. Its tiny hands each had three fingers, while its feet possessed only two toes.
And right in the center of its chest was the unmistakable Omnitrix symbol.
Everyone froze.
The tiny creature blinked.
"Puurrrrrrrrrr..."
Yuuki looked down at himself.
"Oh man... not a Nemuina."
He sighed.
"Great first impression."
The room exploded.
"KAWAII!!!"
"So cute!"
"Adorable!"
The girls immediately began squealing.
Yuu's eyes practically sparkled.
"Chief! You just turned into my favorite alien!"
Before Yuuki could react, Yuu scooped his tiny Nemuina form into her arms.
"Puurrrrr... please don't hug me too tight..."
His tiny wings fluttered helplessly.
"This body is quite small! Purrrrr..."
Yorktown immediately joined in, wrapping her arms around the tiny alien.
"He purred!"
"Ah, dearest!" Kaguya's tails fluffed up as she stared at him. "Thou really art adorable! This one cannot take it anymore!"
She stepped closer, clearly resisting the urge to join the hug.
Duke of York covered her mouth, crimson eyes wide with amusement.
"The sly snake has turned into a fairy."
Centaur stared in amazement.
"The elder Commander has become magical!"
Albion's eyes widened.
"Like us! He even has fairy wings!"
Esche and Oberis flew closer, practically circling Yuuki.
"Ah! Thou art truly surprising!"
"Great Hero turned into a magical creature!"
Neon clasped her hands together.
"So cute!"
Even Eunhwa looked completely bewildered.
She stared at the tiny blue creature being passed between Yuu and Yorktown.
"...That's our Commander?"
Vesti blinked several times.
"He's... really tiny."
Emma smiled warmly.
"Oh my, he's adorable."
Anis was already laughing.
"Commander, you went from the commander to a magical fairy."
Sandy practically bounced in place.
"Commander! You're so tiny! The same size as Eldridge."
Laffey simply stared.
"...Cute."
Arizona covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Pennsylvania shook her head with a grin.
"I wasn't expecting that."
Even Enterprise, who had spent the entire explanation trying to maintain a serious expression, couldn't suppress a smile.
Yuuki gave her an offended look from Yuu's arms.
"Puurrrrr... don't you start."
That only made Enterprise smile wider.
Yuuki eventually managed to escape Yuu's embrace.
He slowly flapped his purple wings.
The tiny Nemuina rose into the air.
As he flew, a trail of glittering particles drifted behind him.
"Puurrrrr... this is a Nemuina."
He hovered in place.
"Fairy aliens that can control dreams and invade the mind."
He looked toward Yuu.
"Purr... Yuu... please explain the rest to them."
His expression became increasingly irritated.
"The purring is... purr... annoying."
Yuu covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
"Awwww."
Several girls immediately squealed again.
Yuu finally composed herself.
"Certainly."
She turned toward the others.
"Nemuinas can release a special type of dust that causes their victims to fall asleep. It works on nearly every known species."
The room became quieter.
"Once their targets are asleep, they can enter, examine, and even manipulate their dreams."
Yuu continued explaining while Yuuki floated beside her.
"They can do this to multiple beings simultaneously. Their abilities can even be used to interrogate someone by examining their dreams and extracting information."
Eunhwa's expression changed.
"So they can enter someone's mind while they're asleep?"
"Yes."
Yuu nodded.
"They can also manipulate dreams to create nightmares."
Several girls immediately looked toward Yuuki.
Yuuki crossed his tiny arms.
"Puurrrrr... don't even think about it."
Yuu giggled.
"Nemuinas can also fly using their fairy-like wings."
She pointed toward the glittering trail behind him.
"And, as you can see, they leave behind a colored trail while flying."
Yuuki fluttered his wings again.
A sparkling trail drifted through the air.
He looked around at everyone.
"Puurrrrr..."
There was a long silence.
Then Neon pointed at him.
"Commander."
"Yes?"
"You're still adorable."
Yuuki's tiny pink eyes narrowed.
"Puuuurrrrr..."
Not long after that, Akagi finally managed to catch him.
"Purrr... Akagi! Let me go!"
Akagi held the tiny Nemuina tightly against her chest, grinning mischievously.
"No. You are mine, Shikikan-sama. All mine."
"Purrrrr..."
Yuuki struggled in her arms, but his tiny body made escaping surprisingly difficult.
Then, with one particularly determined wriggle, he slipped right through Akagi's arms.
"Got you."
Iris's strings shot out almost immediately, catching him in midair and suspending him gently.
Yuuki stared at the glowing strings around him.
"Purrr... Iris?"
Iris smiled.
"Thou's ice alien was intimidating, but this one..."
She gently pulled him closer.
"Thou shalt be my polar bear."
Yuuki's tiny pink eyes widened.
"Puuurrr... why on earth did the Omnitrix turn me into... purr... this?"
A few girls giggled.
Yuuki sighed before suddenly remembering something.
"Wait."
He looked around.
"Purr... you girls wanted to see the other function."
His tiny hands moved toward the Omnitrix symbol on his chest.
"This is called the Ultimatrix function. Purrr... It allows me to evolve the current alien form into its Ultimate state."
Everyone's attention immediately shifted toward him.
Yuuki twisted the dial on his chest counterclockwise.
Then he pressed it.
CLICK.
Four small spikes extended around the Omnitrix symbol.
The device pulsed.
A wave of bluish-green energy suddenly surged through his body.
"Whoa..."
The transformation began.
His soft blue body darkened into a rich purple. His arms and legs shifted to a vibrant pink, while his gloves became noticeably darker. His light-purple hair transformed into bright pink, growing into long, sharply pointed spikes that thrust upward.
His fairy wings expanded dramatically, growing larger as their purple color shifted into vivid pink.
The energy finally dissipated.
Yuuki hovered in the air.
He looked at his new body.
Then he grinned.
"Finally!"
He spread his larger wings.
"Ultimate Nemuina!"
His body had grown considerably, now roughly matching San Diego's height.
Yuu stared at him.
"Chief... this is..."
She immediately reached for her interface.
Around the room, the others were equally stunned.
Takao narrowed her eyes as she examined him.
"This one feels stronger."
Maya and Choukai stared in disbelief.
It wasn't just them.
Every Shipgirl and Nikke present was trying to understand what had just happened.
Yuuki hovered calmly in front of them.
"Yes, Yuu."
He flexed his fingers.
"This is the evolutionary function of the Ultimatrix."
He gestured toward his new form.
"It evolves the selected alien into its strongest and Ultimate state."
He paused.
"And it also cuts the normal ten-minute transformation time in half."
Atago immediately noticed something else.
"Shikikan-sama!"
Yuuki looked toward her.
"What?"
"You lost your purring."
Somehow, a lot of them looked disappointed.
Yuuki blinked.
He opened his mouth.
"Ah."
He paused.
"That's true."
His voice was now noticeably deeper and more feminine than his normal voice.
He frowned.
"Although my voice has become rather womanly."
He sighed.
"Not exactly what I had in mind."
A few girls struggled to hold back their laughter.
Iris's strings were still wrapped around him.
Yuuki glanced down.
"Right."
His body suddenly shimmered.
He became intangible.
The strings passed straight through him.
He floated free.
"Convenient."
Yuuki immediately flew toward Yuu.
Yuu was already waiting.
The moment he reached her, her interface expanded into a full research display.
Friday immediately began assisting her as she reopened the Nemuina Research folder.
"Chief, hold still."
Yuuki looked at the enormous amount of data already appearing on the screen.
"Uh-oh."
Yuu began documenting everything.
Pictures.
Holographic scans.
Biological measurements.
Transformation records.
Energy readings.
She created a new entry:
Ultimate Nemuina.
Yuuki watched as she rapidly updated the file.
"You're enjoying this way too much."
Yuu smiled.
"Of course."
She continued typing.
"I finally have the opportunity to study your Ultimate forms properly."
Yuuki sighed.
"Great."
Yuu glanced at him.
"I'll need to test your new abilities, capabilities, flight performance, energy output, dream manipulation, and—"
Yuuki's eyes widened.
"Wait, wait, wait."
Yuu's smile only grew.
"There is so much to test in five minutes."
Yuuki slowly backed away.
"I'm beginning to regret showing you this."
"Too late, Chief."
Yuu's eyes sparkled as she continued documenting the Ultimate Nemuina.
"Research has already begun."
"Wait, it means you can now evolve all sixty-three of your forms?!" Neon asked, eyes wide.
Yuuki nodded.
"Yes, Neon. I could."
He looked down at his new body, flexing his tiny pink fingers.
"Still..."
He tilted his head.
"Hmm. I wonder what kind of dream powers this thing has."
Anis immediately pointed at him.
"You're not manipulating our dreams now, are you?"
"No."
Yuuki gave her an incredulous look.
"I don't have a reason to."
He floated lazily through the air, his larger pink wings gently flapping as a cloud of sparkling pink dust drifted around him.
"Unless I'm interrogating someone or deliberately trying to manipulate them, there's not much reason for me to use dream abilities."
He shrugged.
"Besides, I can already read your hearts."
He glanced around the room.
"Except for the newer Nikkes and the Kancolle Shipgirls. Everyone else..."
He paused.
"Well, it would be pretty useless."
Yuuki spun lazily in the air.
"Most of what this form can do is basically the same as the normal Nemuina."
He flexed his fingers.
"Maybe a little stronger."
The others continued watching him curiously as he flew around them.
"Although..."
Yuuki looked toward the glittering trail following his flight.
"Using this form would actually let me mingle with magical creatures if we ever arrive in Aman."
Iris raised an eyebrow.
"A wise choice, beloved."
"Yeah. I still need some time to test it properly, though."
Yuuki glanced at the Omnitrix.
"More than five minutes would be nice."
Yuu suddenly spoke from behind her interface.
"Chief, you can use the Lifeform Lock function."
Yuuki stopped midair.
"Oh."
He looked toward her.
"That."
Yuu nodded.
"It'll lock your body into the current transformation."
Yuuki rubbed his chin.
"True, but it's kind of a hassle to set up."
He raised a finger.
"Plus, I don't even know whether the Ultimate function works properly with Lifeform Lock."
Yorktown tilted her head.
"Um... what exactly is the Lifeform Lock function?"
Yuuki turned toward her.
"It locks the transformation and prevents me from reverting back into human form."
He gestured toward himself.
"If I activate it, I can remain in the alien form for as long as I want."
Enterprise raised an eyebrow.
"But you can't change back?"
"Not until I disable the Lifeform Lock."
Yuuki nodded.
"It's somewhat similar to Master Control."
Yorktown's eyes widened.
"So Master Control can do the same thing?"
"More or less."
Yuuki explained.
"Master Control lets me choose any alien I want and remain transformed for as long as I want. In practice, it's basically permanent Lifeform Lock with complete transformation control."
He tapped the Ultimatrix crest on his chest.
"Without Master Control, Lifeform Lock is something I have to enable manually."
"And each transformation has its own command code, I have all their codes documented but, I am not sure about Ultimate aliens command codes." Yuu added.
Yuuki nodded.
"Exactly."
Takao considered it.
"That sounds useful."
"It is."
Yuuki flew slowly around the room.
"Especially if I need to explore somewhere dangerous, like a volcano, the bottom of the ocean, or somewhere else where I need to remain in a specialized form for an extended period."
He shrugged.
"Still, I don't use it unless necessary."
"Most of my armor is already lava-proof and waterproof anyway."
Iris smiled.
"Thou art like magic."
Yuuki laughed softly.
"Yeah."
He looked down at his current form.
"Magic that requires me to change forms."
His wings fluttered, scattering another trail of sparkling pink dust through the air.
"Still..."
He smiled.
"Ultimate Nemuina is actually pretty nice."
He glanced at his small hands.
"Though my body is still a bit small."
San Diego immediately raised her hand.
"Not anymore! You're taller than before!"
Yuuki looked at her.
"That's not the point, Sandy."
Neon giggled.
"I think it's cute!"
Yuuki sighed.
"Of course you do."
Yuu's interface chimed again.
"Chief, hold still. I still have several dozen measurements to take."
Yuuki's eyes widened.
"Several dozen?"
Yuu smiled.
"Perhaps more."
"...I knew there was a reason I didn't want you getting excited about this."
Yuu simply continued recording data.
"Too late."
Yuuki slowly flew backward.
"I'm beginning to regret explaining the Ultimatrix."
"Stand still for another three and a half minutes," Yuu said, completely focused on her interface. "I'm currently scanning you. Besides, the others wanted to see you too."
Yuuki glanced around.
Apparently, he had become the day's main attraction.
"To be honest, Shikikan-sama..." Shoukaku said, tilting her head as she examined him. "Your old Nemuina form was much cuter."
Yuuki raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Probably because it was smaller," Shoukaku added with a teasing smile.
Zuikaku crossed her arms, studying his Ultimate form with open curiosity.
"I wonder what else you have in store."
Yuuki shrugged.
"To be honest, I'm curious too."
He looked down at his transformed body.
"This is the second time I've actually accessed the Ultimate function. So I'm just as curious as you are."
He sighed.
"Well... might as well make the most of the three and a half minutes."
Yuuki stopped resisting and simply hovered in place.
Yuu immediately got to work.
Scanners swept across his body, recording his physical structure, energy output, wing configuration, magical particles, and every other measurable aspect of the Ultimate Nemuina form.
Friday assisted with the data collection while Yuu rapidly documented everything.
But she wasn't the only one taking advantage of the limited time.
Vestal, Mary, Pepper, Akashi, Pinkashi, and Asahi gathered around with their own equipment.
Yuuki stared at them.
"Wait... you're all taking samples too?"
Vestal gave him an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, Commander."
Mary prepared another scanner.
"Dr. Yuu's orders. We have a very limited window."
Pepper nodded.
"We need to collect as much information as possible while you're still transformed."
Akashi raised her equipment eagerly.
"It's a unique opportunity, nyaa!"
Pinkashi was already checking her instruments.
"We've never had a chance to examine an Ultimate transformation before. This is surreal power that our Kancolle world doesn't have."
Asahi quietly prepared another collection kit.
"Please bear with us, Shikikan-sama."
Yuuki sighed.
"Fine."
He extended one arm.
"Go ahead."
They began collecting samples.
Skin cells.
Energy residue.
Wing material.
And eventually, even a small blood sample.
Yuuki barely reacted.
"Well..."
He glanced toward Yuu.
"At least nobody is chasing me around with a scalpel this time."
Yuu smiled.
"Thank you for cooperating, Chief."
Yuuki looked at the medical team surrounding him.
"It's all right."
He gave a resigned shrug.
"Better than getting chased with a scalpel."
The researchers continued working at incredible speed.
Scanners flashed.
Holographic diagrams appeared.
Data streamed across multiple displays.
Yuu recorded every change.
Vestal and Mary carefully stored their samples.
Pepper checked the readings.
Akashi and Pinkashi compared their measurements.
Asahi documented everything with quiet precision.
Meanwhile, the Shipgirls and Nikkes watched their Commander hover in the middle of the room like some strange magical specimen.
Yuuki glanced at the timer.
"Three minutes left."
Yuu didn't even look up.
"Plenty of time."
Yuuki stared at her.
"That's exactly what someone says before asking for another fifty tests."
Yuu smiled.
"Perhaps."
Yuuki sighed.
It was going to be a very long three minutes.
But, surprisingly, it turned out to be a productive one.
By the time the timer was nearly finished, Yuu had collected an enormous amount of data on the Ultimate Nemuina.
And Yuuki?
He had survived his first three minutes as a research specimen.
Barely.
It had been a great three minutes.
=======================
Far beyond the horizon, the Presidential Fleet of the Eagle Union moved swiftly across the ocean.
A stealth generator concealed the fleet from conventional long-range detection, masking its presence as it advanced toward GDI territory.
At the center of the formation sailed Naval Force One, the Presidential Carrier and flagship of the fleet.
Two additional aircraft carriers guarded her flanks.
A dozen destroyers formed the outer defensive screen, while four battleships sailed in formation around the carrier group. Beneath the waves, several submarines silently accompanied the fleet, their presence hidden even from most of their own forces.
It was a massive formation.
A fleet worthy of carrying the President of the Eagle Union herself.
Standing upon the deck of Naval Force One, President Rosalia Valen gazed toward the horizon.
She was about to meet the organization that even the Sirens and Raptures feared.
The Diving Eagle.
The name alone had spread through what remained of the world's military networks.
Rosalia had already heard the reports.
A gigantic flying command carrier.
Flying battleships.
Advanced armor.
Weapons capable of destroying Rapture forces.
Technology that seemed decades, perhaps centuries, ahead of anything the Eagle Union possessed.
And, most importantly...
The Sirens were wary of them.
The Raptures feared them.
Rosalia narrowed her eyes.
If even those two forces feared the Diving Eagle... what chance did the Eagle Union have if this meeting went wrong?
She looked toward the distant horizon.
Could this fleet even match that enormous flying carrier?
If those were merely GDI's air forces, then what did their naval forces look like?
What other weapons were they hiding?
How many more secrets did the Diving Eagle possess?
And perhaps the most important question...
Did they even want to negotiate with us?
Rosalia remained silent for several moments.
Then a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Madam President."
Rosalia turned around.
Four figures stood behind her.
The first was immediately recognizable.
Washington.
She possessed a striking gothic-punk and military-inspired appearance. Silver hair framed her face, contrasting with her blue eyes. A black choker rested around her neck, accompanied by a cross-shaped necklace and black earrings.
Her white admiral's jacket carried the silhouette of George Washington on its armband. Beneath it was a black vest decorated with gold accents and secured with a belt. A short black skirt and stockings completed the outfit, while black gloves, an arm stocking, and a chained bracelet added to her distinctive appearance. Black latex thigh-high boots completed the ensemble.
Washington stood straight and composed.
Beside her was another familiar face.
"North Carolina."
The tall battleship stepped forward.
Her blonde hair and blue eyes gave her a calm, elegant appearance. A white hairband held her hair in place, while her white military-style uniform contrasted sharply with the black choker and cross-shaped medal around her neck.
A North Carolina state flag was displayed proudly on her arm.
Black tights and white high-heeled shoes completed her uniform.
She gave the President a respectful nod.
The third figure looked almost completely different.
"Baltimore."
The heavy cruiser had a tomboyish, athletic appearance, with short dark hair and a toned physique. Her outfit looked more like something designed for a street fighter than a traditional naval officer.
A tight black sports bra was visible beneath her partially unzipped white tunic. Over it, she wore a blue hooded naval coat with a bright lime-green interior.
The markings "Baltimore twice CA68 USS" and "68 USS" were visible across the coat.
Black thigh-high stockings, garter belts, steel-toed footwear, white gloves, and a metal neck guard completed her distinctive appearance.
Baltimore gave a confident grin.
"President."
The final figure stood slightly apart from the three Shipgirls.
She wasn't a Shipgirl at all.
She was a Nikke.
A tall woman with long, straight black hair and piercing crimson eyes. Her outfit was designed around stealth: a short gray dress beneath a dark jacket, a hood, a shoulder bag, and specialized equipment suitable for an assassin.
A weapon was secured across her back.
Her presence was quiet.
Almost unnervingly so.
Rosalia looked toward her.
"And D."
The Nikke gave a slight nod.
"Madam President."
D had operated in the shadows for the Eagle Union and the Ark, serving as a double agent while maintaining her position within the organization known as Perilous Sage.
She was an assassin, an undercover operative, and someone accustomed to gathering information without being noticed.
But today, she wasn't here to assassinate anyone.
She was here because the President wanted answers.
Rosalia turned back toward the horizon.
"Washington. North Carolina. Baltimore. D."
All four waited.
"We're getting close."
Washington looked toward the horizon.
"So this is the territory of the Diving Eagle."
Baltimore crossed her arms.
"Honestly, I'm curious."
North Carolina remained more cautious.
"We don't know what we're going to find."
D said nothing.
Her crimson eyes remained fixed on the horizon.
Rosalia took a slow breath.
"We've come here to establish contact, not start a war."
She looked toward each of them.
"I want that understood before we arrive."
Washington nodded.
"Understood, Madam President."
North Carolina followed.
"Yes."
Baltimore gave a confident smile.
"Got it."
D simply nodded.
Rosalia looked ahead once more.
Somewhere beyond that horizon was the headquarters of the Global Defense Initiative.
The organization that had risen from the darkness.
The organization that had become a force even the Sirens and Raptures could not ignore.
And soon...
The Eagle Union would finally meet the Diving Eagle.
Rosalia Valen finally took off her sunglasses.
She folded them neatly in one hand before looking at the four figures standing before her.
A faint smile crossed her face.
"Is there something you need?"
Washington stepped forward.
"Madam President... are you sure meeting the Diving Eagle is a good idea?"
Rosalia raised an eyebrow.
Washington continued.
"They may have the other Eagle Union Shipgirls in their care. Or worse... they could be holding them prisoner. If they have captured our girls, they could use them against us."
North Carolina nodded.
"Washington might be right."
Her expression became more concerned.
"They already have our mothership, Yorktown."
She lowered her gaze briefly.
"Back home, Hammann begged us to bring her home. If Yorktown was captured..."
She didn't finish the sentence.
Rosalia understood.
Baltimore stepped forward.
"Permission to speak freely, Madam President?"
Rosalia looked at her.
"Granted."
Baltimore crossed her arms.
"Why did you seek them out in the first place?"
She glanced toward the horizon.
"They've surpassed the Sirens and Raptures. Do you really think they'll even listen to us?"
Rosalia was silent for a moment.
Then she put her sunglasses away.
"I have to try."
Her voice was calm, but there was determination behind it.
"For too long, the Eagle Union has lived under the control of the Sirens and Raptures."
She looked across the deck.
"While much of humanity was forced to flee to the seas or hide underground, the nations that remained above the surface have been fighting for their freedom as well."
Rosalia's gaze hardened.
"Now, with factions like the Diving Eagle emerging as potential allies, we might finally have a chance."
She looked toward the distant horizon.
"A chance to be free."
Washington frowned.
"And if they don't listen to us?"
"Then our trip will have been for nothing."
Rosalia shrugged.
"We pack up and leave."
Washington blinked.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
Rosalia's expression became serious.
"And don't even think about taking them on."
She pointed toward the horizon.
"They were able to bring down the Mother Whale that destroyed so many of our ships."
She looked at the fleet surrounding Naval Force One.
"What exactly do you think we could do against them?"
Baltimore fell silent.
North Carolina looked thoughtful.
Washington eventually nodded.
Rosalia turned back toward the horizon.
"We'll know what we're dealing with when we arrive."
She paused.
Then her expression changed slightly.
"Besides... you told me about the voice."
North Carolina looked at her.
"The voice?"
"The one that appeared in your minds more than two weeks ago."
Rosalia turned toward her.
"The one that called upon you to unite."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Any idea who it was?"
North Carolina shook her head.
"No."
She looked down at her hands.
"I don't know who it was. It was a man's voice."
Her expression became distant as she remembered it.
"Soothing. Soft."
She looked toward the other Shipgirls.
"It called upon us to unite."
Washington nodded slowly.
"We've never been able to identify the source."
North Carolina continued.
"But it wasn't just something we heard normally."
She touched the Wisdom Cube embedded within her rigging.
"The voice echoed through the Wisdom Cubes."
Rosalia's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Through the Wisdom Cubes?"
"Yes."
North Carolina nodded.
"All of us heard it."
The wind swept across the deck.
For several seconds, the four figures remained silent.
Rosalia looked toward the horizon again.
The mysterious voice.
The Diving Eagle.
The missing Shipgirls.
The Sirens.
The Raptures.
Too many unanswered questions were converging at once.
And soon, they would finally have the opportunity to ask them.
"Then perhaps," Rosalia said quietly, "we're about to find out why."
Rosalia turned her attention toward D.
The Nikke stood near the edge of the deck, silently watching the ocean. Her crimson eyes remained fixed on the waves, her expression unreadable.
"D?"
D looked back.
"You came from the Ark. Why?"
For a moment, D said nothing.
Then she finally answered.
"I don't know."
Rosalia waited.
"I was told to find out why our Nikkes began disconnecting from the Ark."
Her eyes narrowed.
"It shouldn't be possible. Even if a Nikke went rogue, their data should still remain within the Ark's database."
She clenched one hand.
"But somehow... they disappeared."
D looked toward the ocean again.
"We lost their data. That means they can't simply be recreated or mass-produced anymore."
North Carolina's expression became serious.
"Rapi was the Ark's first evolved Nikke."
D nodded.
"We've been searching for her for years."
Her voice became quieter.
"We wanted to understand how she evolved. More importantly, we wanted to find a way to mass-produce evolved Nikkes."
Rosalia studied her.
"But that's only one part of why you left, isn't it?"
D was silent for several seconds.
"Yes."
She finally turned toward Rosalia.
"I wanted to find freedom for myself."
Her expression hardened.
"For too long, I protected the Ark's interests. I followed orders. I did what I was told."
D looked down at her hands.
"I was nothing more than an attack dog."
Her crimson eyes became distant.
"When I saw those Nikkes being freed, I wanted to know how."
She paused.
"And more importantly... who freed them?"
Rosalia's expression softened.
"You wanted to be free?"
"Yes."
D's answer came immediately.
"Nikkes are treated as tools by the humans of the Ark. Nothing more than weapons given orders."
She looked toward Washington, North Carolina, and Baltimore.
"Imagine being ordered to kill someone and having no choice but to obey."
Her voice remained calm, but the weight behind her words was unmistakable.
"I've killed countless men and women who were deemed threats to the Ark."
She paused.
"But eventually, you start wondering about the people behind those targets."
D looked toward the ocean.
"They had families."
"Children."
"Sons and daughters who grew up without their parents."
Her fingers tightened.
"I killed them without mercy because that was my job."
She looked back at Rosalia.
"But that is the side of myself I have to live with."
Rosalia nodded slowly.
"Despite the burden you carry in your line of work, you still believed that what you were doing helped make the world a better place."
D remained silent.
Rosalia continued.
"You see the world on a cosmic scale of good and evil."
She glanced toward the ocean.
"You eliminate those you believe are evil, hoping the scales will gradually tip toward good."
D nodded faintly.
"And you hope that one day, the scales will remain permanently in favor of good."
D's expression tightened.
"But good and evil are often decided by whoever holds the power."
Rosalia looked at her.
D continued.
"I've seen good people genuinely try to make the world better."
She paused.
"Then money became involved."
Her voice became quieter.
"And I started wondering whether I was actually doing something good... or doing something terrible that had simply been disguised as good."
Washington frowned.
"What do you mean?"
D slowly walked toward the edge of the deck.
"Imagine someone develops a cure for cancer."
Washington listened.
"A cure that works one hundred percent of the time. Something that could save millions of lives."
She turned toward them.
"Now imagine the people running pharmaceutical companies and hospitals discover that this person has found a way to eliminate cancer."
Baltimore's expression darkened.
"And they don't want that?"
D shook her head.
"To them, that cure could be a threat."
She continued.
"People would no longer need expensive treatments. Pharmaceutical companies would lose revenue. Hospitals would lose patients. Entire industries could be affected."
She looked out over the ocean again.
"So imagine they decide the person has to disappear."
Washington's eyes widened.
"They would kill someone for discovering a way to make the world better?"
"That is the point."
D's voice remained cold.
"What is good to one side can be evil to another."
Washington clenched her fists.
"That's cruel."
"She's right, Washy."
North Carolina stepped forward.
"Good and evil can depend on which side you're standing on."
She looked toward the horizon.
"Heroes and villains can change depending on who tells the story."
Baltimore nodded.
"Look at the Sirens and Raptures."
She gestured toward the sea.
"Some humans have actually started viewing them as heroes."
North Carolina nodded.
"Exactly. To those followers, we're the villains attacking their saviors."
She sighed.
"Meanwhile, from our perspective, we're fighting to protect humanity."
D remained silent.
Baltimore looked toward her.
"I understand why D wanted out."
She crossed her arms.
"An assassin's profession is one where you can be betrayed at any moment."
Her expression became grim.
"You only live as long as you're useful."
"Refuse an order... you die."
"Retire... you die."
"Know too much..."
Baltimore paused.
"You die."
D didn't respond.
Rosalia looked at her thoughtfully.
"Maybe you believed your actions were tipping the scales toward good."
She stepped closer.
"But how do you know whether you were actually doing something good... or simply doing something terrible that someone powerful told you was good?"
D's eyes narrowed slightly.
Rosalia continued.
"So what about the person who freed the Nikkes?"
D finally looked at her.
"If the Ark wants that person dead because they threaten its control over the Nikkes..."
Rosalia paused.
"Would killing that person really be the good thing?"
Silence.
"Or would it simply be protecting the Ark?"
D stared toward the horizon.
She had no answer.
For the first time since they had begun the journey, the assassin who always seemed to know exactly what she was doing...
was quiet.
"What about once you're free?" Rosalia asked quietly. "Would the Ark see you as a threat? Would you be seen as evil or good? And if you stay alive… is that good or bad?"
D remained silent.
Rosalia leaned back slightly, her expression thoughtful.
"Baltimore is right. History is written by the winner. In the end, you're either remembered as good or bad. The winner becomes the hero, and the loser becomes the villain. Or perhaps the winner was the villain all along, simply good at pretending otherwise."
She gave a small, humorless smile.
"Take me, for example. I've made decisions that I genuinely believe were good for the people. Some of them were important decisions. Some even saved lives. But there were always people who hated those decisions."
Rosalia glanced toward the horizon.
"That's the hard part of being a politician, girls. You make a good decision, and some people will appreciate it while others despise you for it. You make a bad decision, and there will still be people who benefit from it and insist that it was the right thing to do."
She sighed.
"You can never make everyone happy."
D listened without saying a word.
But Rosalia's words struck somewhere deeper than she expected.
As the leader of Perilous Siege, D had been given something she had rarely possessed before: choice.
She could decide whom to pursue.
She could decide whom to kill.
She could decide whether a target truly deserved death.
No handler stood over her shoulder giving her every order. No command forced her hand.
At least, that was what she had believed.
D lowered her eyes.
Was it really my choice?
For years, she had followed orders without question. She had been trained to identify targets, eliminate them, and move on. She had told herself that she was protecting humanity. That she was removing threats. That every kill served a greater purpose.
Now that she could make her own decisions, she had assumed that she was finally free.
But what if she had simply become better at following the same programming?
What if the decisions she called her own were merely the decisions she had been conditioned to make?
And if she chose to kill someone because she believed they were evil...
Was that truly my judgment?
Or had she simply learned to call obedience by another name?
D's crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
For the first time, the thought frightened her.
Not the possibility of dying.
Not the possibility of the Ark hunting her.
But the possibility that even after everything she had done, she still wasn't truly making her own choices.
She had escaped the leash.
But had she escaped the hand holding it?
D remained silent, staring ahead as the question settled heavily within her.
If I choose my own path... how do I know it is actually mine?
====================
Inside the presidential carrier, the atmosphere remained calm.
Around the command center, operators watched their displays while technicians monitored the fleet's stealth systems. The stealth generator was functioning perfectly, masking the entire Presidential Fleet from long-range detection.
One officer reported without looking away from his console.
"Radar is all clear."
Another checked the sonar readings.
"Sonar is clear."
A third officer scanned the aerial surveillance feed.
"Airspace is clear."
For a moment, everyone believed they were completely undetected.
Then—
WHUMM!
A massive dome of energy suddenly erupted around the entire fleet.
The shield expanded outward in an instant, enclosing the ships beneath a colossal translucent barrier.
"What is this?!"
"Madam President!"
Secret Service personnel immediately moved toward Rosalia, but she remained where she was, staring through the carrier's windows at the enormous dome surrounding them.
Her expression hardened.
"Stop all ships."
The order was immediate.
"All ships, stop! Hold position!"
The command propagated throughout the fleet.
The carriers slowed to a halt.
The battleships stopped.
The destroyers cut their engines.
Even the submarines beneath the surface received the order and ceased their advance.
Every eye turned toward the enormous energy dome.
Then—
The impossible happened.
Something began to emerge from the concealment.
At first, it was nothing more than a shadow against the sky.
Then the shadow grew.
And grew.
A colossal flying carrier emerged from the distortion, its enormous hull seemingly materializing from another world.
Behind it came its escorts.
Four flying battleships.
Twin flying carrier platforms.
Massive aerial vessels arranged in perfect formation.
Their hulls gleamed beneath the sunlight as their engines generated enormous streams of energy, holding the gigantic fleet effortlessly in the sky.
The sheer scale of the formation made the Presidential Fleet look almost insignificant by comparison.
It was as though celestial beings had descended from the heavens to reveal themselves to mortals.
"What in the world are those things?!" Washington shouted.
North Carolina could only stare.
Her mouth opened slightly, but no words came.
Baltimore's usual confidence disappeared as she looked upward.
Even D remained completely still.
"That's massive..." Baltimore finally muttered.
Rosalia said nothing.
Her eyes were fixed on one thing.
The emblem displayed prominently across the enormous command carrier.
A diving eagle.
Her expression changed.
"Diving Eagle."
They had come looking for them.
Yet somehow...
The Diving Eagle had found them first.
The fleet immediately shifted into defensive protocol.
Weapons systems armed.
Targeting systems activated.
Missile batteries prepared to fire.
Main guns rotated toward the enormous aerial vessels.
Then—
Nothing happened.
"Madam President!"
An operator frantically worked through his console.
"The weapon protocol isn't responding!"
"What?"
"We can't lock on!"
Another officer shouted from across the command center.
"The targeting systems are completely disabled!"
"Aircraft aren't responding either!"
"What do you mean?"
"We can't launch them! The planes are disabled!"
The command center erupted into confusion.
Weapons that had been fully operational moments ago were now completely unresponsive.
The fleet couldn't target the GDI vessels.
Couldn't launch its aircraft.
Couldn't fire.
It was as though someone had reached inside every weapons system and simply told them—
No.
Outside, sailors began emerging onto the decks.
If their weapons were useless, there was little point remaining inside.
They needed to see what they were dealing with.
The sight above was overwhelming enough.
But then—
A shout came from below.
"Something's in the water!"
The naval crews turned toward the ocean.
"It's massive!"
"It's moving too fast!"
"It's approaching the main carrier!"
A second voice screamed.
"Not one!"
Another sailor pointed toward the opposite direction.
"Three!"
The water erupted.
Three enormous shapes surfaced around the Presidential Fleet.
One to the north.
One to the west.
One to the east.
They moved with terrifying speed, positioning themselves around the main carrier like predators surrounding prey.
Their enormous six-legged frames rose from the water.
Mechanical monsters.
Each one towered above the surrounding ships.
Then their weapons unfolded.
KRAK—KRAK—KRAK!
Three massive 430mm cannons emerged from each vessel.
Nine enormous barrels turned toward the Presidential Carrier.
Behind them, missile launchers rose into firing position.
The atmosphere instantly became suffocating.
Everyone understood what that meant.
If those cannons fired—
The Presidential Carrier would not survive.
One salvo would be enough to tear the ship apart.
The crews stared at the mechanical giants in horror.
Rosalia's Secret Service tightened around her.
Washington instinctively reached for her weapon.
North Carolina activated her ship mode.
Baltimore stared at the three war machines.
D's eyes narrowed.
Rosalia remained calm.
"Stand down."
"Madam President—"
"Stand down!"
"But, Madam President, those things—"
"Stand down! That's an order!"
The crew hesitated.
Then slowly lowered their weapons.
Rosalia knew exactly what was happening.
They had been surrounded.
And the other side had already demonstrated complete control of the battlefield.
There was no reason to provoke them.
But before Rosalia could issue another order—
The sky changed.
WHOOOOSH!
One.
Two.
Ten.
Dozens of aircraft suddenly emerged from the surrounding airspace.
Orca Mark III gunships.
They appeared almost simultaneously, revealing themselves from the stealth field surrounding the Presidential Fleet.
Their missile racks were armed.
Their miniguns rotated into position.
Every aircraft took up a firing formation around the carrier.
The Presidential Fleet was now surrounded from above, below, and every direction around them.
Rosalia slowly looked toward the sky.
The realization settled in.
They hadn't merely been detected.
They had been completely surrounded before they even knew GDI was there.
Then—
The enormous underside weapons of the aerial platforms shifted.
One after another, massive cannons rotated downward.
The flying battleships followed.
Then the carrier platforms.
Even the colossal Daedalus turned slightly, revealing the immense weapons mounted beneath its hull.
Every cannon pointed toward the Presidential Fleet.
The message was unmistakable.
If the Presidential Fleet retaliated, even once, GDI could erase the entire formation with a single command.
Washington swallowed hard.
"It's true..."
Her eyes remained fixed on the Diving Eagle crest.
"Diving Eagle. It's them... It's really them."
Her voice carried a mixture of disbelief and fear.
"What do they want?" Washington asked. "Wipe us out?"
North Carolina and Baltimore suddenly felt their bodies tense.
Neither had ever experienced anything quite like this.
It wasn't merely facing a superior enemy.
It was facing an overwhelming force while knowing there was absolutely nothing they could do about it.
Baltimore glanced at D.
D carried only her firearm and axe.
Against an entire fleet of flying warships, massive underwater platforms, and dozens of armed gunships...
What could either weapon possibly accomplish?
Nothing.
This wasn't a battle.
It was a standoff where only one side actually possessed the power to decide how it ended.
Then—
BANG!
A gunshot rang across the deck.
Everyone froze.
"No!"
A panicked crewman stood with his firearm raised, smoke curling from the barrel.
The other sailors immediately tackled him and wrestled the weapon away.
"Are you insane?!"
"Hold him down!"
"Don't fire!"
Rosalia's eyes widened.
But the three massive six-legged war machines didn't even react.
The shot had struck harmlessly against their armor.
They didn't flinch.
Didn't move.
Didn't even bother turning their cannons toward the source.
That somehow made the situation even more terrifying.
Then—
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
A dozen trails suddenly launched from the main carrier.
The fleet's crews immediately assumed missiles.
"Missiles!"
But the objects didn't accelerate away.
They came directly toward the Presidential Carrier.
As they drew closer, their silhouettes became clearer.
They weren't missiles.
They were humanoid machines.
A dozen robots flew through the air before stopping above the Presidential Fleet, hovering effortlessly.
Their mechanical bodies stared down at the ships below.
Then another formation emerged.
Six more machines.
But these were different.
Much larger.
Bulkier.
Heavily armored.
Their frames were built like walking fortresses, with powerful weapons mounted across their bodies.
Rosalia slowly looked around.
The aerial platforms.
The flying battleships.
The Orca gunships.
The massive six-legged war machines in the sea.
And now these robots.
Every single one carried the same emblem.
The Diving Eagle.
Rosalia finally understood.
They weren't being threatened by some rogue military faction.
They were standing directly before the Global Defense Initiative.
She stepped forward.
Raising both hands where everyone could see them, Rosalia shouted toward the hovering machines.
"We come in peace!"
Her voice echoed across the carrier deck.
"Please! We don't want aggression!"
For several seconds, there was only silence.
The entire Presidential Fleet waited.
Surrounded by the overwhelming might of the Diving Eagle.
And for the first time since entering GDI territory, Rosalia truly understood just how small their fleet was compared to the force they had come to meet.