"...Is that...?"
Queen Elizabeth inspected the wisdom cube in wonder, watching how its deep blue outside was contrasted with the now brilliantly shining light pink core, courtesy of the Watatsumi's influence.
"It is. That, my supercarrier friend, is what we have been all working towards. Could you give it to me so I can take a proper look myself?"
Planet answered, her attention completely focused on the cube despite herself being still injured and thus in pain.
"No." Polarstern immediately responded. "Typical. You get caught up in a near-lethal lab accident and all you can think about is science. We'll get you out of here first. Don't even try to fight against it."
The research ship helped up her less-than-healthy colleague to her feet, supporting her so that she didn't fall over.
"I will be securing the wisdom cube and the Watatsumi, then."
Queen Elizabeth responded, taking one last look at the glowing cube before picking up the now unilluminated crystal-like Watatsumi with her free arm.
"We have to bring her aboard my carrier for treatment. Gerald R. Ford is still busy with keeping her damaged reactor core stabilized, so her vessel is out of the question."
All three of them began hearing sounds of loud creaking steel all around them, with the internal structural integrity having been compromised due to the blast.
"Oh, my poor self..."
Planet muttered with a weak voice, still supporting her weight on her colleague.
"While I am happy that we achieved what we aimed for, I can feel that I have suffered high amounts of damage... We should evacuate the vessel. It is no longer structurally safe."
As the other two agreed, they all proceeded through the corridors of the research ship with the noise of creaking metal increasing. Due to the blown-out lights, the three of them had to navigate in near-darkness - one of the only few light sources being the wisdom cube Queen Elizabeth was carrying.
"...Do not enter that corridor. Risk of a ceiling collapse is high."
Planet weakly warned, helping her comrades traverse her own vessel.
"Take a left and then a right here. It is safer."
By using her natural senses a kansen has over their own ship, she helped them take a route to the outside by pinpointing areas of instability.
"I sure hope we can repair you once we get home."
Polarstern noted, taking a quick glance at her colleague she was supporting as they proceeded outside.
"...It's... alright... I was scheduled for a retrofit anyway..."
Planet responded with an increasingly tired tone.
Queen Elizabeth, noticing this, reassured her.
"Keep holding on, Planet - we are almost there. A MedEvac helicopter is waiting outside. I believe I can see sunlight leaking through the exit at the end of the hallway."
__________________________________
"Do you think she made it?"
Rheinland-Pfalz anxiously eyed the research ship from the flight deck of Queen Elizabeth, just like most others from the task force.
"I told her to reconsider... I told her that this would go wrong!"
Sachsen muttered in despair.
"Why did she go through with it...? Wasn't my little sister enough...? Now she too died right in front of us, and for what?! Just for a chance at recovering Hessen?!"
Hamburg pulled her into a hug, trying to comfort her.
"Don't say that... We still don't know what truly happened. We must wait until Queen Elizabeth and Polarstern have returned..."
"Mhm..."
Sachsen-Anhalt agreed, attempting to hold onto the last few pieces of hope like everyone else.
"Speaking of which... Why didn't Alster accompany them? She is specialized in sweeping internal areas, after all."
"She was busy."
U33 plainly responded.
"Busy...?"
Sachsen-Anhalt said, confused. Alster being 'busy' could mean a lot of things for a kansen like her.
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Azur Lane: Konvergenz
قصص الهواةOff the coast of Germany, three kansen sisters sailed in the darkness of the night. All three of them struck with curiosity. Following the trail of anomalous signals, they encountered something - unusual. Something that was not supposed to be there...
