Azur Lane: Konvergenz

Chapter 23: Return To Base

Sailing through the sea was a task force, steadily proceeding on their journey. Two carriers were in the center, surrounded by multiple frigates and auxiliary ships.

All vessels beard scars from the previous battle, a testament to the damages they sustained, and the losses they suffered – with one particular frigate no longer being among them.

And yet - the battle was won and the once raging sounds of warfare were replaced with calmness, a sense of peace finally but slowly seeping in.

"...There is nothing left."
Gerald R. Ford exclaimed, responding to the information her planes gave her.
"The battlefield is completely empty. There are no traces of the engagement left, as if nothing had happened in the first place..."

A hand suddenly reached out from behind, touching her shoulder. She turned her head around when she found her partner Queen Elizabeth next to her.
"Being this tense for a prolonged timespan does not reflect positively upon your general health."

"I know, I know.... I have read the reports Alster sent me. The Sirens have been put out of action for the time being due to the massive electromagnetic pulse from the blast having directly hit their networks through their portals."
She diverted her eyes away, staring into nothingness.

Queen Elizabeth's grasp on her shoulder fastened.
"Ford, I have known you long enough to know that something is bothering you deeply."
Her gaze intensified. The nuclear carrier knew she could not get out of this.

She closed her eyes, replaying the events of the preceding hours over and over again in her mind.
"Hessen... We were sent to rescue her. The entire point of our task force was to do just that. The fact that this had the possibility of turning into a suicide mission was something that we all accepted. And in the end... it was a sad irony that she was the one saving us... saving me instead."
She lowered her head in sadness, the image of Hessen sacrificing herself eternally burned into her mind.
"I am supposed to be an aircraft carrier. The lead ship of the class of my name, a floating fortress protecting everyone. But I feel like a failure of a carrier, as if I let her down – I could have taken the hit instead of her, I would have endured it so that Hessen could survive, I-"

Her partner quickly silenced her, putting her hand over her mouth to do so.
"No. You would have not."
Gerald R. Ford's eyes went wide, surprised by that sudden move.
"You were occupied with stabilizing your reactor. One more hit, and you would have been taken out of action – and with it, the bombs which secured our last-minute victory and survival. Hessen, by sacrificing herself, prevented the entirety of Lacuna – One and millions of souls in this world from being annihilated."

"But-"
The nuclear carrier's words, despite being muffled due to the hand blocking her mouth, attempted to protest, only to be shut down again.

"No buts. We already suffered enough tragedies in one short time span. We must ensure that Hessen's sacrifice was not in vain. There is already enough sadness in this fleet, especially for Sachsen and Hamburg. Losing one's sister is something nobody wants to ever experience – especially when it happens twice. For them, it was like fate kept twisting the knife."
She paused for a moment, deciding on her next words carefully.
"Planet is doing everything she can to hopefully remedy the situation. But she said herself – A completely cracked wisdom cube is basically impossible to recover. So please, do not depend on that tiny sliver of hope – it is best to move on."

Gerald R. Ford relented, the words of her partner hitting deep.
"I understand. The past cannot be changed – we must focus on the future."
Her eyes wandered over the many vessels sailing together in the fleet, before focusing again on the flight deck of Queen Elizabeth's carrier below them.