Port City Casablanca
July 2, 1942
9:00 AM
Lafayette leaned back against his deck-mounted MK-110 57mm Bofors Naval Gun, his gaze fixed on the French-designed building where Clemenceau resided. He was lost in thought, replaying his recent conversation with her.
Clemenceau had flatly rejected Azur Lane's proposal to join their alliance, offering the same reasons she had used to dissuade the Sardegnan envoys who were trying to sway her towards the Crimson Axis.
"Is there any means of getting her on our side?" Lafayette asked, his voice low, without shifting his gaze from the building.
"There is one... But that is against our plan," Duke of York replied, a hint of sympathy in her voice.
"The use of force is prohibited within the Azur Lane Alliance against any nation not willing to join," Valiant added, reinforcing their standing orders.
"What else can we do then?" he pressed.
"It is up to you. You are in charge of these diplomatic talks with her," Valiant responded, placing the onus back on him.
Lafayette sighed, his head thumping softly against the MK-110 Naval Gun. "There's nothing we can do. She's determined to stay out of the conflict between Azur Lane and the Crimson Axis."
"The Iron Blood fleet will be here by noon, and this whole harbor will be bombed to oblivion," Duke of York stated grimly.
"Which are the nearest fleets we can call for help in defending this port city?" Lafayette asked urgently.
"Most of the Royal Navy shipgirls are in Pearl Harbor. The Home Fleet is unavailable, busy protecting the Royal Isles. The remaining fleets are guarding the Royal Navy's overseas bases. Currently, the navy is organizing a small detachment to assist us, but that will also take time to prepare and reach us."
"What about the Eagle Union? Can they send a small fleet to help us here?"
"Most of the Eagle Union fleet is in the Pacific, conducting operations against the Sirens. The Atlantic Fleet is busy protecting the East Coast of mainland Eagle Union. The other smaller fleets are currently protecting the shipping lines between the Eagle Union and the Royal Navy. Even if we manage to get help from them, it would take another twelve hours to arrive."
Lafayette rubbed his temples, a frustrated grunt escaping his lips. "Shit! Leaving this place and returning with sufficient force will take time. Or we hold off the upcoming attack until reinforcements arrive."
Azur Lane couldn't afford to let Morocco fall into Crimson Axis hands. If it did, the Crimson Axis could potentially blockade Gibraltar and Alexandria from the Strait of Gibraltar.
Conversely, if Azur Lane secured Morocco, they could disrupt the Sardegna Empire's Atlantic shipping, causing economic turmoil for Sardegna and a significant headache for Iron Blood.
Thus, the two factions were now in a race to seize Morocco, by force if necessary.
Valiant pondered for a moment, searching for a way to bolster their small force in Casablanca. Then, a thought struck her. "Wait!" She held up an index finger. "There was a small detachment of shipgirls currently en route to the Royal Isles after their mission in the southern part of the African Continent."
"You mean Indomitable?" Duke of York asked.
"Indomitable? Is she one of the Armored Carriers, just like Illustrious?" Lafayette inquired, recognizing the name.
"Yes. Indomitable can provide us with air cover until reinforcements arrive," Valiant confirmed.
"Where are they now?" Lafayette asked quickly.
"They were currently sailing closer to the coast of Western Sahara; they will have reached Morocco at their current speed."
"Good. Contact them before we miss the opportunity." He quickly issued the order.
Valiant nodded and swiftly sent a transmission to the Armored Carrier and her escorts en route to the Royal Isles.
...
Iron Blood Fleet
This fleet had been dispatched to either force Clemenceau to join the Crimson Axis or to seize Morocco before Azur Lane could secure its strategic position.
Battleship Littorio cruised parallel to one of the Iron Blood ships, slowly navigating the Atlantic waters. Littorio and Cmdr. Marco stood on the deck of the said ship.
"How did the diplomatic talks go?" A woman with dragon horns, wings, and tail, wearing a three-piece latex swimsuit, asked the two Sardegnans.
"Same as usual. She rejected the Crimson Axis proposal," Littorio replied.
The woman sighed in disappointment. "She knew both factions were eyeing that strategic location of that nation. And she thought by declining both factions' offers, she would be left alone... how pathetic."
The Sardegnans understood Clemenceau's reluctance. She didn't want her people drawn into the two factions' disagreement and skirmishes.
Two women approached them to report. One had red hair and wore a naval dress uniform, while the other had white hair and wore a dress similar to a Lolita dress with a cap.
"Ah... Weiser and Elbe, what are your reports?"
Weiser spoke, holding up report papers. "My Scout Planes suffered temporary jamming as they got closer to the shores of Morocco near Casablanca."
"It seems that Modern Kansen did not leave Casablanca after that. Azur Lane is really desperate, just like Crimson Axis, in gaining the upper hand on Morocco."
"Regensburg, do not underestimate this Kansen, even if it is just a kid. This kid has a destructive power comparable to a Battleship," Cmdr. Marco warned her about the danger of confronting the Modern Kansen.
Regensburg dismissed his concern. "Friedrich reported that Mainz was able to defeat this kid and knock him unconscious. I wouldn't worry about that. This operation is like taking candy from a child," she said with a cocky air.
"Don't be so certain about victory. We might not know if that submarine that injured or crippled Friedrich's fleet is here... just lurking around and waiting," Littorio countered Regensburg's overconfidence.
Regensburg turned serious at her remark. "What do you think I'm doing?" She gestured around her as nasalized Me 262s loitered above them, searching for any submarine periscope breaking the ocean's surface. "See... I'm not going to suffer the same mistake as them."
Cmdr. Marco nudged Littorio and leaned in to whisper, "Do you think that submarine is here? I mean, I heard that Mainz and Ägir only heard the torpedo coming and not the actual submarine itself?"
Littorio whispered back, "That's only my speculation. But... the chances of that submarine being here are fifty-fifty."
Cmdr. Marco spoke with slight concern, "My gut tells me... that the same attack used in Taranto Harbor might be used against us."
Littorio simply nodded, sharing the same uneasy feeling. "Let's just hope it won't."
...
HMS Duke of York
Lafayette and his two escorts awaited the arrival of their reinforcement, standing on the deck of the Battleship Duke of York.
The Battleship slowly cruised near Casablanca, the entire city visible on the horizon. Lafayette's advanced Enterprise Air-Surveillance Radar scanned the sky for any aerial threats, detecting two propeller aircraft flying in formation. His onboard A.I. swiftly began analyzing the two aircraft.
"Looks like two aircraft are conducting aerial reconnaissance to the south, in our position," he informed them.
"That's got to be them...." Valiant said, squinting in the direction where Lafayette had detected the aircraft.
"I will order one of my drones to conduct reconnaissance in that direction for visual confirmation." Lafayette then directed one of his V-Bat drones towards the location of the two aircraft.
The V-Bat drone loitered above the five shipgirls cruising towards their location. Lafayette studied the video feed from the drone. "Is this them?"
He turned the tablet device for the two to see. Valiant and Duke of York leaned towards the screen. As the camera zoomed in on one of the lead Shipgirls, her long black hair flowed in the wind, contrasting with her white dress.
"Yes, that's them," Valiant confirmed with a nod.
Lafayette turned the tablet back to face him, his gaze fixed on the woman shown. She has the same body proportion as Illustrious, he mused.
Lost in thought about how to best utilize the fleet Indomitable was escorting, Lafayette seemed oblivious to Valiant's subsequent explanation, her words fading into a muted background noise.
Valiant, noticing his inattentiveness, raised her voice. "Hey! Eyes here, big guy!" she exclaimed, startling him back to attention.
"Huh???" was the only word he could manage, caught off guard by the sudden interruption of his concentration.
"Are you kidding me right now? Huh? Are you even listening to me!"
"Oh," he said casually, belatedly realizing his lapse in attention. "My bad, I was so engrossed in planning how to utilize Indomitable's fleet that I forgot you were saying something." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"So... what was it you were saying?"
Valiant gave him a deadpan look, her displeasure evident. Being a Queen Elizabeth-class, she was not one to repeat herself. Duke of York, sensing the rising tension, interceded to prevent an outburst.
"I'll handle this. I'll inform Sir Lafayette about what he needs to know regarding the incoming fleet." She turned her attention to Valiant. "Take your rest, Mistress Valiant. You're not looking too well."
Valiant turned her head sharply, a characteristic trait of the Queen Elizabeth-class. "Hmmp... fine. Call me if you need me. I'm in my quarters."
She strode inside, her steps heavy on the metal decks, each footfall echoing like a brewing storm.
"She's at it again," Duke of York said, shaking her head slightly.
"What was that??" Lafayette quickly turned to her, confused by the sudden shift in atmosphere.
*Sighs*
"Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth and her sisters possess a strong sense of pride and dislike being ignored or having to repeat themselves. You zoned out while she was explaining something to you with considerable enthusiasm. You simply... zoned out."
Lafayette felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't intended to disregard her like that. He had merely been assessing the strategic implications of the arriving fleet.
"Oh, I see. I tend to overthink matters and didn't realize she was giving me a concise briefing in her own way. Damn... I looked foolish there. I didn't even realize she was explaining things to me."
"Yes."
"I guess it's best to make amends then?" Lafayette leaned back against the railing and looked at the sky, muttering to himself.
"Yes, for sure."
"Hah, man... I feel like an exhausted adult—even though I look like a child," Lafayette admitted with an exasperated breath.
"Welcome to command. You've aged mentally much faster due to the stress," Duke of York said jokingly, a slight smirk playing on her lips.
~Half an hour Later~
Indomitable's fleet reached the rendezvous point where the Battleship Duke of York awaited their arrival.
Indomitable slowly sailed parallel to the battleship and gracefully jumped onto the deck where three people were waiting. She deactivated her rigging, and an Armored Carrier materialized right beside Duke of York's battleship.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. We had to take alternate routes as the current one was infested by Siren submarines," Indomitable apologized for her slight tardiness.
Lafayette spoke, "No need for that. The truth is, you arrived right on time." He reassured her.
Indomitable looked at him, a flicker of confusion in her eyes at the sight of a child accompanying Duke of York and Valiant. "Pardon my sudden rudeness, but who might you be?"
Lafayette sighed inwardly, disliking formal introductions. He cleared his throat and adopted a more formal demeanor.
"The name is USS Lafayette, hull designation FFG-65, fourth of the Constellation-class frigates of the United States Navy."
"Oh... my apologies. You're one of the Modern Kansens. Let me introduce myself properly. The name is Indomitable, fourth of the Illustrious-Class Carrier of the Royal Navy. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir Lafayette," Indomitable introduced herself with the poise befitting a "Lady of the House" of the Royal Navy.
With the introductions concluded, they began to formulate a plan to counter the impending attack on Casablanca. Lafayette ordered Indomitable to provide air cover while he, Duke of York, and Valiant would engage the Iron Blood fleet directly. Indomitable's fleet would remain near the shores of Casablanca to intercept any enemy vessels that managed to break through their initial assault.
"That's quite an absurd attack. You said the Iron Blood fleet consists of 22 vessels on your radar. The three of us would be insufficient for this charge," Valiant interjected, her voice laced with doubt about their chances against a numerically superior enemy.
Duke of York raised a hand in agreement. "I do have to side with Miss Valiant here. The last time we were overwhelmed by Iron Blood, you ended up captured. Our meager numbers would pose no significant threat nor halt their advance if they press forward with their attempt." She voiced her concern about the seemingly flawed plan.
"Yes. You two are right," Lafayette admitted, acknowledging the valid concerns about his initial assessment.
"I said there are 22 vessels in the Iron Blood fleet, but 10 of them are troop transport ships, and the other two are the Sardegnan Battleships. The Iron Blood combatant ships consist of 1 Cruiser, 7 Destroyers, and 2 Light Carriers," Lafayette clarified, displaying the live feed from one of his drones loitering above the enemy fleet, still undetected.
"Fine... continue," Valiant said with a slight groan, still apprehensive about the plan's potential pitfalls.
"Duke of York and Valiant will take care of the two Sardegnan battleships. I will handle the cruiser, seven destroyers, and the troop transport ships." The two battleships nodded in understanding.
He then looked at Indomitable. "I want you to keep these 2 Carriers occupied for a while."
"What?" Indomitable muttered, taken aback by the seemingly reckless request. "My Spitfires will be no match for the jet-powered planes of the Iron Blood carriers." She voiced her strong disagreement with the plan.
"No, I'm not leaving them entirely to you. I just need you to distract them for a while, so I can strike them," he reassured her, his voice firm.
He then looked at the three women to confirm their readiness. "Is everyone ready?" The three nodded in unison.
Lafayette spoke, "Good... let's not keep Iron Blood waiting any longer." He punctuated his statement with a sharp clap, signaling the end of their discussion.
Indomitable immediately launched all her aircraft, including fighters to escort the attacking aircraft towards the Iron Blood fleet.
...
Crimson Axis Fleet
Cmdr. Marco gazed at the horizon, resting against one of Littorio's forward main gun turrets. His mind raced, desperately seeking a plan or countermeasure against the Modern Kansen's long-range attack capabilities. However, all his tactical knowledge felt obsolete against such advanced weaponry. He was hampered by a complete lack of understanding of the destructive power the Modern Kansen could unleash.
He sighed deeply. "All of my plans will be useless when put into practice," he mumbled to himself, a sense of helplessness washing over him.
Roma climbed onto the forward turret to fetch the Commander. Cmdr. Marco looked to his side as Roma's shadow fell over him.
"How long are you going to lazily lie down there? We're waiting for you on the ship's bridge," Roma said, a hint of frustration coloring her tone.
Cmdr. Marco groaned. "My mind and body are all tired from this stupid mission. I can't think of anything normal... now that Kansen is protecting that city," he grumbled, a touch of petulance in his voice.
Roma, with a sigh of exasperation, simply scooped up the reluctant Commander to carry him to the ship's bridge for the meeting. Cmdr. Marco offered no resistance as he was unceremoniously dragged along. His attention, however, was suddenly caught by something shining and skimming rapidly above the ocean's surface.
"What is... that..." He squinted, trying to focus on the object. Before he could fully comprehend what he was seeing, one of the troop transport ships erupted in a violent explosion.
Roma dropped him in surprise. "Go to the ship's bridge, Commander! We're under attack!" She then leaped off the deck and activated her rigging.
Cmdr. Marco scrambled to his feet and sprinted towards the ship's bridge, where Littorio and Regensburg awaited him.
"Enemy attack!" he yelled, his voice strained.
"We know!" the two responded sharply.
"What's the report on the damaged troop transport?" he asked, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Five of our troop transports were hit in the bow and are slowly taking on water," Regensburg reported tersely.
Cmdr. Marco's mind raced. They attacked our troop transport ships as a distraction for what's to come. He barked an order, "Order Weiser and Elbe to scan for any aerial threats!"
Regensburg replied, "They are currently engaging a bunch of Spitfires that showed up after the initial attack."
Without wasting any more words on her Sardegnan allies, Regensburg bolted out of the ship's bridge and jumped off, activating her rigging. Her rigging manifested as a formidable metallic dragon with numerous cannons mounted along its back.
Littorio also activated her rigging, and Cmdr. Marco instinctively clung to one of the turrets, holding on for dear life as if he were clinging to the roof of a careening vehicle.
"Damn it, Littorio! You could have at least prepared a life raft for me!" Cmdr. Marco cursed as he gripped her rigging tightly.
Littorio chuckled dryly. "My bad, but this is an emergency. Preparing a life raft for you, Marco, would take too much time."
All the Crimson Axis Shipgirls were now on their rigging, bracing for the impending enemy attack. Axis Troops frantically deployed life rafts as the five damaged troop transport ships continued to take on water in their forward sections.
The destroyers immediately shifted to anti-aircraft mode, their guns blazing upwards, targeting the buzzing Spitfires and any incoming missile attacks.
A few destroyers detached from the main formation to assist with the chaotic evacuation of the sinking troop transport ships, dividing their firepower and attention.
Elbe and Weiser were heavily engaged, attempting to fend off the persistent air threats posed by the Spitfires. Most of their Navalized Me 262 Fighters had been recalled from patrol to intercept the incoming squadron.
As Light Carriers with limited aircraft capacity, Elbe and Weiser were struggling against the numerically superior Spitfire squadron, their small number of Me 262s being rapidly overwhelmed.
"Scheisse! There are too many of these pesky Spitfires! We can't deal with them all!" Elbe exclaimed as her dwindling Me 262s were being overrun by the swarming enemy fighters.
"Don't be alarmed... they may outnumber us, but they won't beat us," Weiser said, her squadron of Me 262s managing to shoot down several Spitfires despite the odds.
Unbeknownst to the two carriers, two Tomahawk Cruise Missiles were streaking towards their location, their targeting systems locked onto the vulnerable vessels.
Weiser spotted the incoming missiles just moments before impact. "Watch out!"
Elbe's rudimentary radar picked up the fast-approaching targets. Though not ideal for tracking low-flying missiles, it provided just enough warning.
Skill activation. She instinctively activated her defensive skill to ward off the impending doom. A shimmering defensive shield flickered into existence—then collapsed instantly under the sheer force of the missile's explosion. The devastating blast knocked her out of combat, leaving her unconscious and adrift.
Weiser frantically radioed, "Elbe is down! She was taken out by the enemy's missile!"
Even as she reported Elbe's demise, her own sensors blared with warnings of multiple incoming Tomahawk missiles.
"Schiesse!" she hissed, desperately activating her defensive skill. A searing explosion engulfed her as the missiles tore through her defenses.
Cmdr. Marco and the remaining Axis shipgirls watched in horror as their carriers were struck and incapacitated within mere seconds. He clung desperately to Littorio's rigging, witnessing the brutal efficiency of the attack. The two carriers hadn't even had a chance to react.
"Shit! Our air cover is compromised!" Cmdr. Marco shouted, his voice filled with alarm.
"This is bad... we need to—," Littorio began, but her words were cut short by towering plumes of water erupting beside her.
Cmdr. Marco gripped her rigging even tighter, his body jolting violently as 14-inch shells rained down perilously close to Littorio. The spray from the near misses soaked him thoroughly.
"Are you alright, Marco?" Littorio asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Yes, I'm alright... just getting soaked from the bombardment," Cmdr. Marco replied, sputtering seawater.
"Good...." Littorio sighed in relief, thankful for the Commander's safety.
Cmdr. Marco, regaining some composure, asked, "Are those 14-inch shells?"
"Si. The only one with that battleship shell caliber is Duke of York."
"How? The scouts said they were too far for naval gunnery?"
"I don't know how they got that kind of accurate gunnery at such long range," Littorio exclaimed, bewildered by the seemingly impossible accuracy at extreme distances.
Lafayette's Raiding Force
Lafayette utilized his advanced onboard radar to precisely calculate the trajectory of every battleship shell fired by Duke of York and Valiant. He acted as a highly accurate gunnery spotter for their main guns, relaying corrections for every missed shot via a secure Data Link.
They sailed in a full broadside formation to maximize their firing rate, employing a "shoot and scoot" technique to evade any potential counter-battery fire from the Axis Shipgirls.
"HAHAHA. This is fun! I never thought I could fire my own guns beyond the limits of my own range finders!" Valiant exclaimed in delight, unleashing another salvo from her main battery.
"Yes. Firing your own guns at such extreme range is quite refreshing for us battleships," Duke of York added, a rare smile gracing her lips.
"Glad you like it, Ladies..." Lafayette said, a hint of glee in his voice.
"Thanks for the flattery, Young Man," Duke of York responded.
"Enough with the flattery... we have a battle to win," Valiant interjected, clearly not amused by the lighthearted banter.
"Right..." Lafayette then calculated the erratic maneuvers of the two Sardegnan battleships as they desperately tried to evade the relentless naval artillery.
"Duke, Valiant. The Sardegnans are performing some aggressive maneuvers." He swiftly transmitted the updated coordinates of the two Sardegnan battleships.
Duke of York and Valiant subtly adjusted the aim of their main guns to match the new coordinates provided by Lafayette.
At Lafayette's command, the two battleships unleashed another devastating volley, their main guns firing with the sustained precision of field artillery.
Littorio and Roma executed sharp maneuvers to avoid the incoming shells. Cmdr. Marco, still clinging precariously to Littorio's rigging, was violently shaken by the evasive actions.
The two Sardegnan battleships found themselves under constant bombardment from Valiant and Duke of York, while the other Axis shipgirls were momentarily left untouched.
The Iron Blood Shipgirls, excluding the targeted carriers, were left unmolested as they concentrated on a desperate rescue operation for the rapidly sinking troop transport ships.
Weiser and Elbe, crippled by the direct hits from the Tomahawk Missiles, drifted helplessly alongside the life rafts filled with Axis troops evacuating the sinking transports.
"I think they are being left alone because they don't pose any immediate threat to them," Littorio observed, her gaze fixed on the chaotic evacuation of the troop transports.
"Even though they possess such monstrous capabilities, they still adhere to some semblance of the rules of war," Roma commented, noting the absence of shells falling near the evacuation efforts, the bombardment focused solely on them.
"That kid really is innocent in this kind of war. I mean, anyone else would use this opportunity to finish off their enemy. He's giving them time to escape," Cmdr. Marco said, recalling Lafayette's youthful face. He seemed too untainted for the brutal realities of this conflict.
With their attention focused on the evacuation, they momentarily forgot the deadly rain of shells still arcing towards their position.
Suddenly, Roma's turret rigging was struck by a single 15-inch shell. The powerful penetration caused a catastrophic cook-off within her main guns, followed by a deafening explosion.
She staggered, falling to her knees as one of her main turrets erupted in flames. Littorio swiftly maneuvered closer to her injured sister to provide assistance. They couldn't risk another hit; if Littorio were struck, Cmdr. Marco would be in grave danger from the resulting explosion and shrapnel.
"Come on! We'll be a floating target here!" Littorio exclaimed, gently lifting the injured Roma. While Roma had sustained a direct hit to one of her main turrets, her hull remained intact and stable.
Cmdr. Marco rested his left arm heavily on Littorio's left shoulder. Littorio glanced at him, noting the defeated look in his eyes, an expression that spoke volumes.
"Let's retreat," he said, the word heavy with reluctant acceptance. "There's nothing we can do. We're just a bunch of floating targets here... let's retreat. There's nothing we can do... but to retreat."
The two Sardegnan shipgirls gritted their teeth, the order to retreat grating against their pride. They both knew the young Kansen was holding back his true power. Had he unleashed his full potential, they would likely be at the bottom of the ocean within minutes.
He continued, his voice weary, "Let's help them assist with the evacuation."
Littorio and Roma could only nod in grim agreement, knowing this was their only chance to survive the relentless shelling.
Both of them deactivated their rigging and slowly sailed towards the life rafts and the sinking troop transport ships to aid in the rescue efforts.
Lafayette, observing the two battleships turning towards the troop transports, immediately halted his attack. "Cease Fire! Cease Fire!" He raised a fist to signal Duke of York and Valiant to stop firing.
The two battleships ceased their bombardment at his command. "So... they give up, huh," Valiant said, the barrels of her main guns slowly cooling down.
"Looks like your plan worked, Young Man," Duke of York said with a subtle smirk. Lafayette returned a confident smile.
"I really hope this works, Lafayette—I am not going to engage in a fight with numerically superior numbers," Valiant said, her annoyance at the risky plan evident.
Lafayette offered a reassuring nod. "This will work. We just needed to inflict some substantial damage to their hulls, and the pressure of the situation will force their retreat."
"You're basing your plans on cold calculation," Valiant retorted, her tone skeptical.
Lafayette met her sharp gaze. "All plans are based on calculation—and yes, some do fail due to poor intelligence. No plan survives first contact."
He then turned serious as his advanced Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar detected another high-speed threat approaching their position.
"Don't celebrate yet; we have company." He looked intently in the direction indicated by his radar.
Duke of York and Valiant, lacking Lafayette's advanced sensors, did not detect the incoming threat. Regensburg was flying low over the ocean's surface, skillfully evading conventional radar detection.
Lafayette muttered to himself, his brow furrowed. "That can't be a jet... it's too big and fast for a 1940s jet plane?"
Duke of York squinted in the same direction, his description aligning with her own grim suspicions. "Regensburg," she breathed under her breath.
Valiant overheard her. "Regensburg??? It can't be! She is stationed on the eastern border to watch over the Northern Parliament!" she exclaimed in surprise. Regensburg was typically deployed to handle problems that other Axis shipgirls couldn't resolve.
"Is she that dangerous?" Lafayette asked, sensing the palpable unease between the two Royal Navy battleships. "I guess she is," he answered his own question, observing the worried expressions on their faces.
He swiftly readied his MK 42 Vertical Launching System (VLS) cells to intercept the approaching threat. An alarm blared across the deck, warning the two battleships of his impending missile launch.
Two SM-2 Surface-To-Air Missiles erupted from one of the VLS canisters, streaking towards the low-flying threat. The two SM-2s raced to meet the challenge.
Lafayette guided the two SM-2 Missiles through his advanced targeting systems until their own radar guidance systems activated. He gasped inwardly at the sheer size of the approaching threat's rigging—a colossal, jet-like structure with sharp, angular features on its nose and wings.
"That can't be right.... I've seen Iron Blood shark rigging—this... this is way different and... flying," he exclaimed in surprise as his onboard systems tracked the rapidly approaching aerial object.
*BOOM*
The clouds above momentarily parted as a powerful explosion ripped through the air, courtesy of the two SM-2 missiles. From the ensuing plume of dark smoke, a massive form emerged, its leathery wings beating powerfully.
Regensburg stood proudly at the head of her draconic rigging, overlooking them from a significant height advantage. Her gaze was menacing, her face cloaked in shadow, save for the eerie glow emanating from her eyes.
Lafayette's mouth hung open in disbelief. He hadn't anticipated that the airborne monstrosity would have survived a direct hit from his two advanced SM-2 Missiles.
"You've got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed in utter astonishment at the sight of the airborne dragon rigging.
Duke of York and Valiant swiftly drew their swords, recognizing that the ensuing fight would be far more perilous than they had anticipated based on Lafayette's initial, somewhat flawed, plan.
"Duke..." Valiant glanced at her comrade, her grip tightening on her sword.
"I know... bad timing..." Duke of York replied grimly, her gaze never leaving the floating dragon above.
Suddenly, Lafayette's targeting system blared a frantic alarm, warning of an imminent attack. He quickly turned back to Duke of York and Valiant.
"Evade!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice filled with urgency.
Duke of York reacted instantly, grabbing Valiant and pulling her out of the path of the incoming attack. Barely a second later, a massive beam of concentrated energy slammed into their previous position, sending plumes of water and scalding steam erupting into the air.
The intense heat from the laser beam unleashed by Regensburg's Dragon Rigging vaporized the seawater in an instant.
"What was that?!" Lafayette asked in stunned surprise. He had no prior knowledge of laser weaponry being part of the Iron Blood arsenal.
Duke of York released Valiant, her eyes fixed on the origin of the devastating attack. "Regensburg," she muttered to herself, her gaze unwavering.
Valiant slowly regained her balance after being abruptly pulled and dropped by Duke of York. "That attack came from Regensburg's Dragon Rigging... she's what we call... 'Dragon Empress'."