Arpeggio of Blue Steel: The Ghosts of Pacific

Episode 3: Friends and Foes

February 13, 2047- 5:00 A.M.

At 5:00 A.M., we saw the entrance towards Manila. According to the history of this place, it has several islands, acting as a line of defense to protect the naval base inside. Two of the famous bases in Manila Harbor's defenses were the Concrete Battleship Fort Drum, and Corregidor Island, known as "The Rock". When we saw Fort Drum, we saw that the "Concrete Battleship" is now armed with 2 20mm automatic cannons, surface to air missiles, and surface to surface missiles launchers. We saw one of the officers that manned the garrison. He uses a loudspeaker and said –

"Stop or else we will open fire!" The garrison officer said.

"This is Captain Leandro Ian Estrella of the Philippine Navy! Let us go through. I need to meet the Navy's Flag Officer in Command of the Naval Forces immediately. I will tell an important report to him directly." I said.

"What report?" The garrison officer said.

"Intel about Rodrigo Dela Cruz! Call the military police as well to encircle the Dela Cruz's residence." I said.

"How can we trust you?" The garrison officer asked.

"Is this scar of his betrayal that I have doesn't give you a signal that Dela Cruz should be trusted less than me?! He shot me, in an attempt on killing me! I need to report this to the flag officer! If you threaten again on shooting me, it will be an act of war! This is going to be my final warning" I ordered.

"Understood, sir. Admiral Santiago is waiting for you at the headquarters, sir." The garrison officer said.

"Thank you." I said to the garrison officer.

"Enterprise, Hood, Prince of Wales, Iowa, Missouri, Indianapolis, follow me to the naval base. The others will stand guard to the entrance of Manila Bay." I said.

Our ships went to the Philippine Navy HQ's Harbor, and saw Admiral David Santiago, the flag officer in charge of the navy. After standing up in front of him, I saluted to him and he salutes back. I said –

"Admiral, I would like to report on about Dela Cruz." I said.

"Firstly, I want to say welcome back. I thought that you were killed in the battle against the fog. Vice Admiral Dela Cruz told it to me. What is the report that you want to tell me about him." Admiral Santiago said.

"Last December, 20th day, to be precise, he and 6 of his crew kills 32 of the crew and fatally injures me as he shoots his low caliber revolver in my left eye." I said.

"Wait what?!" Admiral Santiago was shocked.

"And that's not all. Rear Admiral Dela Cruz shouldn't be a Rear Admiral in the first place. Alexandre Avila, a resistance leader during the Third World War informed me. He was just rise to the ranks by his influential father. His father is none other than Delfin Dela Cruz himself!" I said.

"Him?! So that man is corrupting the ranks of our naval officers after all! Follow me, Captain Estrella." Admiral Santiago said.

We went inside the headquarters and I brought the evidences of Dela Cruz's murder, including the bloodied dog tags and a piece of the Rear Admiral's pistol's bullet which was shot to my eye. Even after seeing the evidences, the admiral said –

"It's still wasn't enough for me to believe it. We need a video or proof of the event." The admiral said.

"If I may speak, Admiral Santiago, I actually have the scene of the crime recorded to my database, sir." Enterprise said.