King of the High Seas Remastered (PWxAL)

Chapter 5 - Dinner and Doubt

12:18, Whistler's Rock

Monarch lightly touches down on the runway, comes to a stop, and starts taxiing to Hangar Foxtrot.

Robin takes her helmet off. "That was interesting."

Monarch just shrugs.

Robin looks at him over the seat. "Oh, come on. It was kinda fun."

Monarch gives another shrug, albeit half-hearted.

Robin is satisfied with that.

About an hour later, Monarch has dozed off in the cockpit while Robin is messing with the landing gear.

Dominic walks in.

Robin looks up from what she's doing. "What is it?"

Dominic wordlessly holds up a manilla folder containing a handful of papers.

Robin tilts her head. "Is that what I think it is?"

Dominic smirks. "We've secured ourselves a contract. Azur Lane was very impressed."

He walks over and hands her the folder. "Take a look at the pay."

Robin opens it and gives it a look. "Let's see... woah. Those are some big numbers, assuming it's around the same value as credits."

Dominic puts his hand on his chin and thinks for a second. "As far as I can tell, money here and credits are almost 1 to 1 in terms of value."

Robin hands him back the folder. "That's a lot of money per kill."

Dominic nods. "Yep. Needless to say, they were quite interested after we pulled that off."

Robin laughs. "You could say that again."

Much later in the day, Hitman Team has just finished eating dinner at a small restaurant and are waiting for the waiter to come back with Dominic's card, which he gave to them for dinner. He and the rest of Sicario are eating somewhere else.

All of a sudden, 3 shipgirls come walking in. They don't have their rigging on.

It's Cleveland, Denver, and a girl they haven't seen before.

The girl they don't recognize isn't believing a word of what the other two are saying. "No chance 11 planes took out an entire Siren fleet."

Denver is trying to convince her otherwise. "They did, Brooklyn! We got there and the Sirens were going down! Every last ship, even the supercarrier!"

The new girl, apparently Brooklyn, shakes her head. "I refuse to believe it."

Evelyn, watching all this, laughs a little.

Cleveland wheels around. "Hey! I recognize that laugh! You're one of the mercenaries who was just out there earlier today!"

Hitman is surprised by this.

Brooklyn is taken aback. "How do you remember someone by the way they laugh?"

And now it's Cleveland's turn to laugh. "Easy! She was laughing while the four of us were losing ourselves at the sight of a sunken Siren fleet!"

Evelyn is impressed. "Damn, you're good. Who would've thought?"

Denver shrugs. "That's Cleve for ya."

Brooklyn now turns to Hitman. "You're Sicario, then? I'm Brooklyn, by the way."

Peter responds, "Part of it. We have three squadrons. The four of us make up Hitman Team."

Brooklyn looks like she' trying to remember something. "Cleveland, wasn't something to do with hitmen mentioned in the debrief?"

Cleveland is confused. "You read that?"

Brooklyn scoffs. "Of course I did."

Cleveland moves on. "Anyway, yeah. Hitman Team, three man flight. They were the ones that actually took down the carrier."

Brooklyn gestures to Hitman. "How's there four of them, then?"

Robin points at Monarch. "I'm his WSO."

Brooklyn raises an eyebrow. "WSO?" 

Robin explains, "Weapon systems officer."

Brooklyn doesn't press further on that. "Anyway, you and the rest of Sicario actually took down an entire Siren fleet?"

Monarch nods.

Peter just gives her a flat stare. "You don't believe us, do you?"

Brooklyn shakes her head. "No, not really."

Peter shrugs. "Only people who were there other than us were the other two and their other two friends."

Cleveland crosses her arms. "They're my sisters."

Evelyn is skeptical. "You look nothing alike."

Cleveland just laughs. "We're ships. They're all part of the Cleveland class, and therefore my sisters."

Brooklyn laughs in turn. "Have you lot been living under a rock?"

Robin smirks. "Next best thing."

Brooklyn changes the subject. "You do realize I have to persuade just about every nation in Azur Lane to accept the fact that part of what funding they put in is going to you guys?"

When Hitman gives her a confused look, she continues. "I'm the diplomat for Azur Lane."

Peter looks amused. Brooklyn notices, and asks him, "What's so funny?"

Peter simply says, "Diplomat is my tacname."

Brooklyn on the other hand, doesn't look amused. "Sounds like a travesty."

Diplomat's mood immediately shifts. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Evelyn puts a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from going any further.

The waiter comes back with their check and the card. He sets it down carefully on the table and quickly leaves.

As Monarch takes the card and puts it in his pocket, Robin keeps going. "Anyway, you don't believe we're that good?"

Brooklyn nods. "I think mercenaries are a worthwhile venture, but you're quite pricey."

Robin shrugs. "Want us to prove ourselves to you?"

Brooklyn nods. "I'll talk my way into accompanying you on your next sortie. See you then."

Evelyn leans back in her chair. "You bet."

[Eh, this chapter wasn't that good. Especially in comparison to the last, which I'm kinda proud of.]

[Anyway, I just got off for winter break as we had a snow day called in for tomorrow, so I'll probably have more time to write. However, after the 30th I'll be gone for a week.]