Terma Lane, an Azur Lane story

Clash of Titans, 1942

[5.45 am, Harbour Laboratory]

Formidable leads Bastion to the lab, one doesn't know what awaits them. Bastion decided to just ask her. "What's the matter anyways?" 

Formidable just shrugs, it's an unusual event that she doesn't know too. Her warning earlier seems to make Stronghold reconsider, but still she does not know what is to come. "My guess is as good as yours." She knows that there is some upgrades, but not much she can expect.

They both enter the lab, a well lit, clean room with white walls and floors. There's a medical bed in the middle and some contraptions on the room corners. Inside the room, there's already two shipgirls waiting for them. Stronghold and Phalanx, Bastion's two sisters.

"Welcome." 

"Hi there sis."

The two awaiting battlecruisers greet the new arrivals. There's a sealed crate nearby them with contents out of sight.

Bastion is happy to see her two younger siblings, and with good reason. Stronghold explains the situation.

"Bastion, we have just obtained these fine upgrades bespoke made for a battlecruiser of our class. Yet high command have only sent one because they take considerable time to produce."

Phalanx continued "Yes, so because you're our big sister, you're gonna be the first to get this upgrade."

Bastion smiled with warmth towards her little sisters, flattered by their gesture towards her. "Very well, what must I do now?"

Phalanx turned to Stronghold, who is currently holding a file of papers. She begins reading the contents "So, you are to lie down here and let us work while you are sleep tranquilized. That way we can operate without much fuss."

Some time later...

"She's not awake yet?"

"She should be up just about now."

[POV Bastion]

I don't feel like waking up, there's some small stings of pain still lingering. Suddenly I feel that I'm waking up and sat on the bed. There's something definitely different with me... I can't seem to move however I want to.

I see my two sisters, both are looking at me with curiosity and worry. Phalanx asked my condition with a worried look. "Sister, are you alright? Are you feeling weird or..."

I tried to answer but I...  "Normal." What? Who? I don't understand. I don't have any control at all on my own physique. There's someone else that took the helm. I can still see how I normally see, hear how I usually do, and other senses too. Yet I cannot say or do anything, someone else is controlling me. 

Why would my sisters do this foul act though, they're very nice people. And not to mention, they both look like they don't know what to expect. Wait, Stronghold's standing up though... what is she doing?

"Now Bastion... What is your goal?" Stronghold spoke with a stoic face. Wait... did she plan this all?

"Complete annihilation of axis forces." What... I said that... no. This isn't me... What did you do to me, Stronghold. 

[3rd Person POV]

Phalanx was shocked by her sister's answer, and for a good reason. Bastion is always caring and kind, to both allies and the axis ships. Bastion's aura is alike something that a mother would have, and she treats the smaller ships in that manner too. But now it's different.

Stronghold only smiles in content, seeing her sister change so suddenly. This is even faster and more effective than she anticipated. Bastion feels like crying in disappointment but she cannot, she can only stay silent in her own body. It's like watching television, you can see all the actions of the actor, but you can't do anything to affect the flow of the show.