The Vipers - An Azur Lane Story

It's A Dogfight

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Akashi had been hard at work with Taihou and Unicorn for the past year restoring an F-15D from the 2nd Fighter Squadron back to airworthy condition. The aircraft had arrived in this world not with Earl and Dante but over thirty years prior. The aircraft and its crew were responsible for assisting in the search effort for USS Ranger or any survivors following her 1988 disappearance. While The Lieutenant Commanders were not certified to fly it, the new pilots most certainly could and Taihou looked rather eager to take the rear seat meaning that there was only one option.

"So I guess there's no need to flip a coin, nya?" Akashi joked.

"If we are going to fight for the well being of our country then what better way to do it than by Dante-sama's side?" Taihou sighed as she finished shining the Eagle's tires.

Akashi called Earl and Dante over to her hangar to reveal the fighter. The duo were rather surprised to see an old F-15D in markings from Tyndall Air Force Base since they had switched to F-22s when they were still kids.

"Wow...an OG Eagle. This is was before they became bomb trucks. A real no bullshit dogfighter." Earl said.

Dante recognized the serial number and his heart skipped a beat, "Didn't this one crash?"

"It's intact isn't it, nya?" Akashi teased, her arms crossed with a smug expression on her face.

"No..it crashed during a search operation. They said in the incident report that it was a mechanical failure."

"They probably covered up its disappearance." Unicorn added, "The plane is in great condition...and we'd like it if you flew it with a certain somebody?" She continued, jesting at Taihou standing next to her.

"Ehhh we like being single-seat multi-role." Earl added before flinching as Taihou reached for a wrench, "I kid, I kid!"

"Earl can always buddy lase...as of now we're awaiting further orders." Dante chuckled, smiling at Taihou.

"One more thing, nya!" Akashi added with a smug expression on her face, "There's a special modification I installed with the help of Yuubari and Ingraham-chan. It'll save you in a pinch when you find it."

"What is it?" Dante asked.

"You'll have to find out. Let's just say it can also mess things up on the ground." Akashi smirked.

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Following the offensive, rumors had spread through the base about a massive retaliation...a final one-two punch in order to cement their victory. The Viper and Eagle sat fully fueled in their hardened hangars with a full load of air-to-ground ordinance. With the two-seater being on par with an Israeli F-15D Akef, Earl or a shipgirl on the sea would have to do the lasing if Dante wanted to put warheads on foreheads.

Still, even with the civil war, Kumano and Taihou meanwhile grew far more attached to the two fighter pilots despite the conflict that surrounded them. Taihou had decided to take Dante to a special part of the base's beach where it was typically much quieter than usual.

"We have the entire evening to ourselves, free from the disturbance of anyone else...! Ahhh, my heart is throbbing even more vigorously than the ocean's waves." She finally said, wrapping her arms around him, "Do you feel the same?"

"I love you, Taihou." Dante finally said, confessing his feelings for her, "I knew Akashi was trying to pull something when she wheeled out that F-15. I want you to go up with me...for this one mission whatever it may be."

"S-Shikian-sama!" Taihou pulled him close and buried his face in her chest. It seemed, she already knew his feelings.

Just as Dante was about to pull out the ring and officially seal the deal, his phone began to vibrate. He let out a deep sigh as he looked at the screen, it was the Commander and it was urgent. Dante motioned for Taihou to follow him to the ready room. Commander Rose's face was pale with fear when she turned on the projector.