Azur Lane: The Last Task Force

Misery Loves Company

Sampson had awoken the following morning
Having fallen asleep in the grass, the glass bottle of whiskey sitting on the ground. He started to get up, but realized, Eugen was still asleep, snuggled up to him, with her arm laying across him. He smiled softly, lying there and looking up at the clouded gray sky.
—————
Meanwhile, at an outdoor bar, Hornet, Cleveland, and Yorktown were all sitting at bar stools, looking around at the gloom, and sadness.

Hornet: Man, it's been really sad around here

Cleveland: Yeah...the Sirens hit us hard

Cleveland stares at Helena with a face of sorrow

Helena: Northampton...

Helena was having a breakdown, tears were trailing down her face. She couldn't bear losing one of her closest friends in the battle.

Northampton had been taken to one of the tents but ultimately suffered her brutal wounds.

Cleveland: I can't believe she's gone...

Cleveland said with a tear running down her dace.
Yorktown was sitting on a bar stool, face down, eyes filled with tears. Cleveland didn't say anything. She wiped her own tears and tried comforting Yorktown in silence.

Rubble of fallen buildings rest in piles, search teams still going through it in search of any more shipgirls caught in the destruction and debris. While Belfast was helping with the effort of delivering food and water to the injured shipgirls in the medical tents. The battle from yesterday was a victory. But a bittersweet one.
—————

Ford stands on one of the concrete piers at the port. Staring at all the stationary ships. His ship stands out the most, as it was the biggest one. Some of the sunken Siren ships were still even resting in shallow waters in the far distance.

Enterprise: I was wondering where you were, I've been looking all over.

Enterprise said as she approached Ford from behind, looking to his massive floating titan of a carrier.

Enterprise: Yours looks quite different from the rest, and a lot bigger too.

Ford: Yeah, I love it. Been great to me.

Enterprise looked up and noticed a plane flying over the island.

Enterprise: What's with that?

Ford: It's my early warning system.

She stared at the twin-engine E-2 doing rounds over the island, scanning for anything in the area

Enterprise: You don't need to close your eyes to scout?

Ford: No ma'am, it relays information to me.

Enterprise: I see...

Enterprise looks back at Ford in silence.

Enterprise: We're having a ceremony soon, and I would like your fleet to be part of it if that is okay

Ford, surprised, stands fast in reaction.

Ford: Very well, I will be pleased to inform them

Enterprise: Thank you

Enterprise smiles as she slowly turns and walks away.
—————

Sampson and Eugen finally come down from the cliff together. Under the light of day, they get a look at the gloom for the first time. Cleveland notices the two and waves them down.