Zhejiang and Enterprise (Book One)

Regrouping

It doesn't take long for us to catch up to the rest of the fleet who seemingly just realized we weren't with them. The shock on their faces as we soar overhead is quite priceless but we don't get much of a chance to enjoy it.

Me: Ready?

Elizabeth: NOOO!

Laughing, I let go and we begin falling towards the water below. She screams as we fall but there's really nothing for her to be afraid of. She's still in my arms after all, which means I'm the one who'll take the force of the impact. I brace right before we hit the water.

SPLASH!

When we reemerge I find the others rushing to catch up to us. Seems I may have overshot it just a little but at the very least we landed nearby.

Wales: Your Majesties! Are you both alright?

Elizabeth: Alright? Do I look like I am alright? Tell me, would you be alright hanging from the outside of a plane while being shot at by Iron Blood? HUH? You come talking about-

Me: She's fine.

Elizabeth pouts when I interrupt her but doesn't continue her rant. She knows all too well that little stunt saved us from having to fight their fleet up close and on our own. We might have been able to take a few of them on but their numbers would eventually win out in the end and as a carrier, I'm not meant for close combat.

Me: Has everyone managed to withdraw safely?

Wales: You were the only ones missing. We were about to send out search parties when you flew overhead.

Right, my planes. Looking up, I notice that they are circling in a rather wide birth of our location. I have the others step back a bit before deploying my ship. The minute it's fully deployed, planes begin lining up to land. The Su-57s, which had been flying for hours and were all but out of fuel, land first. The J-16s follow soon after and before long, all my planes are being resupplied and stored below.

As I watch the last of them get transferred down beneath the flight deck via elevator, it occurs to me that the other girls had also sent their planes out. The minute Wales and the others join me on my deck, I ask about them.

Me: Did all the others retrieve their planes?

Enterprise: We did. Yours were the only ones unaccounted for but I simply figured you had them running interference or something along those lines.

Well, she's not exactly wrong. They were busy doing other things but if everyone else already received their own aircraft...how did I not spot them flying by? Elizabeth and I were behind the fleet after all which would mean they'd have to fly over us to get back to their carriers. I'm deeply contemplating this when we are all contacted via radio.

St. Louis: [Lady Luck calling-]

Wales: [We can all hear you, St. Louis, no need to pretend.]

St. Louis: [Never know who's listening.]

Wales: [Did something happen?]

St. Louis: [We've received an update from HQ. The Royal Navy has been attacked and blockaded, cutting them off from the rest of our forces. Iris Libre has also been attacked and driven back into their main port.]

Elizabeth: [WHHAAAATT?]

Me: [Will our allies be able to assist?]

St. Louis: [Unfortunately, ships from Eagle Union won't be able to make it in time and the Northern Parliament cannot leave the Baltic at the moment.]

Me: [So that's a no then.]

Wales: [It'll be a major blow to our fight against the SIRENS and Crimson Axis if both the Royal Navy and Iris Libre fall.]

She does have a point but can we really do much about it? As the others keep getting more and more agitated by the situation facing us, I have a Eureka moment. The answer is sitting right beneath my feet! Enterprise and I already proved my planes could travel long distances in a short amount of time when we flew to Alaska!

Me: [St. Louis, have the Eagle Union prepare food for us at their New York naval base. Also, have them clear their runways. We'll be there shortly.]

She's confused by my request but after I explain it, everyone nods in agreement. Dalian's especially happy about getting to fly one of my planes again. St. Louis records everything that we'll need then excuses herself before cutting the transmission. It's not much but they must have it prepared for me when I get there.

Me: We can't bring everyone, so we'll bring a small team that's capable of fighting on its own. Most of the girls here will have to remain in the Pacific to protect our interest here so perhaps less than ten.

Elizabeth: Well, I'm most definitely coming. I won't stand by and watch my nation get attacked!

Me: Yes, I'm aware. Hence, these are my suggestions. I'll be going, clearly and Dalian and Enterprise will also be coming, partly because of their fighting abilities but also partly because they are the only other persons who know how to fly one of my planes.

Elizabeth: Can't the planes fly themselves?

Me: Do you want to sit in one by yourself?

She pales and stops talking immediately. Laughing, I return to the list by mentioning that the others I suggest are: Warspite, Elizabeth, Hood, Belfast and Edinburgh. Everyone's surprised by my suggestion to include Edingburgh but I have my reasons. She might be clumsy and ever so slightly afraid of battle but that's precisely why she'll be a good addition. Sheffield and Belfast will work even harder to keep her out of harms' way and together, they'll provide us with the perfect vanguard to break through the blockade. 

When everyone agrees, we begin making preparations to leave. Pulling Yat Sen aside, I give her instructions for the others back in Dragon Empery and tell her to bring the other girls that had travelled with me to Azur Lane's base back with her when she returns. She nods in agreement with my commands. In truth, they really do need to return as quickly as possible as our forces there are stretched really thin.

Dalian: Everyone's ready. The others are going to return to the base.

Me: Excellent.

As everyone begins gathering around, I have a few of my J-16s return to the flight deck and lock into place for takeoff. 

Me: Here's how we are going to travel. Warspite is going with Dalian, Belfast with Enterprise, Sheffield with Edingburgh, Elizabeth with me and Hood, you'll be flying alone until we get to Eagle Union. Are you okay with that? 

Elizabeth: Of course she is.

Hood smiles but I can tell she's slightly annoyed that Elizabeth didn't allow her to answer for herself. Still, hopefully, she can hold out until we get to Eagle Union. She'll gain a travel companion there.