Meanwhile, not far from the Daedalus, the Razor Gunship approached the small island under full stealth.
Its engines were nearly silent, its stealth systems masking its presence from the island's surveillance network.
Hana guided the aircraft toward the western coastline.
"Approaching the designated insertion point."
Belfast looked through her visor.
The island was small.
Much smaller than the fortress they had just left.
But even from the air, they could see defensive positions scattered along the shoreline.
A turret overlooked the beach.
Three machine-gun bunkers covered the likely landing points.
Patrol droids moved between them.
"Beachhead defenses," Belfast observed.
Hana nodded.
"That's correct."
The Razor Gunship slowed to a hover several dozen meters offshore.
"Now."
The side ramp opened.
Belfast, Ade, Soda, Cocoa and Arisa jumped.
They disappeared into the dark water below.
SPLASH!
The Razor Gunship immediately accelerated away.
Its stealth systems remained active as it climbed low over the ocean, heading back toward the Daedalus.
From the island's perspective, nothing had happened.
Belfast and the four Nikkes submerged themselves.
Their Echo Suit systems activated underwater.
Their helmets sealed.
Navigation markers appeared across their visors.
===============
INSERTION COMPLETE
WESTERN BEACH
DISTANCE: 320 METERS
==============
Belfast raised one hand.
The others stopped.
She pointed toward the shoreline.
A turret slowly rotated.
Three machine-gun bunkers stood behind it.
Droid patrols moved between the fortifications.
Belfast studied the defenses.
"We approach silently."
Ade nodded.
Soda checked her weapon.
Cocoa adjusted her visor.
Arisa prepared her own Echo suit.
They began swimming forward.
Slowly.
Quietly.
The Echo Suits' stealth systems masked their movements.
The water absorbed the faint sounds of their advance.
Above them, the droids continued their patrols, completely unaware that five heavily armed infiltrators were approaching beneath the waves.
Belfast reached the shallow water first.
She crouched.
Waited.
Then slowly emerged.
Her armor rose from the ocean like a shadow.
The droid guarding the nearest bunker turned.
Nothing.
Its sensors swept across the beach.
Belfast remained perfectly still.
The droid looked away.
She moved.
A silent burst from her weapon struck the machine's head.
THK.
The droid collapsed.
Ade emerged next.
She immediately moved toward the first machine-gun bunker.
Two droids stood inside.
Ade raised her weapon.
Two suppressed shots.
Both dropped.
Soda emerged behind her.
"Clear."
Cocoa moved toward the second bunker.
A patrol droid walked around the corner.
She grabbed it from behind and pulled it into the shadows.
The machine struggled.
Cocoa tightened her grip.
Then—
CRACK.
Its mechanical neck snapped.
She lowered the body carefully.
"Second position clear."
Belfast looked toward the final bunker.
"Proceed."
Soda and Ade moved together.
They crossed the sand without making a sound.
A pair of droids passed between them.
Soda waited.
Ade waited.
The moment the patrol separated, both Nikkes moved.
Soda fired first.
Ade followed.
The two droids collapsed before either could transmit an alert.
Cocoa moved toward the remaining machine-gun position.
A droid turned toward her.
She fired.
THK.
The machine dropped.
Belfast looked toward the large coastal turret.
It was the most dangerous defensive position on the beach.
If it remained operational, their escape could become considerably more difficult.
Arisa approached Belfast.
"I'll handle the turret."
Belfast nodded.
"Make it useful."
Arisa moved forward.
She crouched beside the turret's foundation and opened a compartment on her equipment belt.
A compact explosive charge emerged.
She attached it directly beneath the turret's armored housing.
The device locked into place.
CHIRP.
Arisa activated the timer.
"Charge planted."
Belfast looked at her.
"How long?"
"Enough to use it as a distraction."
Belfast nodded.
"Good."
She looked inland.
The island's main facilities were visible beyond the beach.
A refinery.
A power-harvesting plant.
A communications center.
And somewhere among them...
The prisoners.
Edinburgh.
Glasgow.
Newcastle.
And the other captured Shipgirls.
Belfast's expression hardened.
"Beachhead secure."
Ade checked the surrounding area.
"No additional patrols."
Soda smiled.
"That was easier than expected."
Cocoa nodded.
"Too easy."
Belfast looked toward her.
"Agreed."
She raised her rifle.
"Everyone."
The three Nikkes and Arisa gathered around her.
"We have one objective."
"Find our sisters."
"Rescue the captured Shipgirls."
"And get them to the extraction point."
Belfast looked toward the island's interior.
Her voice became quiet.
"Edinburgh..."
"Please hold on."
She took a breath.
"Your little sister is coming."
Then she turned toward the others.
"Move."
The five infiltrators disappeared into the island's vegetation.
Behind them, the beach remained silent.
The droid patrols had not yet realized anything was wrong.
And beneath the coastal turret...
The explosive charge waited.
When it finally detonated, it would serve as a distraction.
"Bel, nice landing."
Yorktown's voice came softly through Belfast's helmet.
"No alert so far."
Belfast continued moving through the vegetation, keeping low.
Yorktown continued.
"We need information on the ship they're transporting the Shipgirls to."
"Find the communications center and download everything you can."
Belfast nodded.
"Roger."
A route appeared on her visor.
==============
OBJECTIVE: COMMUNICATION CENTER
ROUTE: WESTERN FOREST
==============
Yorktown marked several patrol routes.
"Follow the road through the forest."
"Be careful with the patrols."
"Kill them or slip through."
"Your call."
Belfast glanced toward Ade, Soda, Cocoa and Arisa.
"Stay quiet."
They nodded.
The five disappeared deeper into the forest.
Their Echo Suits blended into the surrounding shadows.
Belfast moved first.
A droid patrol appeared ahead.
She raised her silenced pistol.
PFFT.
The droid's head snapped backward.
It collapsed into the undergrowth.
Ade moved past it without a word.
Another patrol appeared.
Cocoa raised her weapon.
PFFT.
Another droid fell.
They continued.
Whenever a patrol appeared, they either waited for it to pass or quietly eliminated it.
Arisa took position on a slight rise.
She deployed her R59 Pierce sniper rifle.
The weapon's scope highlighted several droids moving along the road.
"Three targets."
Belfast nodded.
"Take them."
THWIP.
The first droid dropped.
THWIP.
The second.
THWIP.
The third.
No alarm.
The squad continued forward.
Eventually, the forest opened into a higher vantage point.
Belfast stopped.
"Hold."
Everyone crouched.
A small settlement appeared below.
Or what remained of one.
Belfast activated her magnification.
Her expression immediately changed.
"...What happened here?"
The settlement had once been a fishing village.
Small houses stood along a narrow delta.
Fishing boats had been pulled onto the shore.
Wooden piers extended into the water.
There were traces of gardens.
Storage sheds.
A small marketplace.
It looked like a peaceful community.
But now...
It was destroyed.
Buildings had been burned.
Boats were overturned.
Fishing equipment was scattered across the shoreline.
Several structures had collapsed completely.
And the delta itself had been converted into a temporary naval staging area.
Rapture vessels were hidden along the waterways.
Cargo containers were stacked along the shore.
Droid patrols moved between them.
Small defensive turrets had been installed around the perimeter.
Yorktown's voice came through.
"Belfast?"
Belfast didn't immediately answer.
She stared at the ruins.
"...How cruel."
Ade looked through her visor.
"This was a settlement?"
Belfast nodded.
"Yes."
She zoomed in.
The destruction was recent.
"Only a few days old."
Cocoa looked toward the remains.
"There are homes."
Soda's voice became quieter.
"People actually lived here."
Belfast slowly lowered her rifle.
"This must have been where the Shipgirls were living."
The thought hit her harder than expected.
A small community.
A few Shipgirls.
Perhaps humans who had accepted them.
Perhaps they had lived quietly here for years.
Then the Raptures came.
They destroyed everything.
Not because the village was strategically important.
Simply because they needed somewhere to stage their forces.
Belfast looked toward the delta.
"They used the coast as a temporary harbor."
Arisa examined the defenses.
"And they've built a defensive perimeter."
Belfast nodded.
"Turrets."
"Missile batteries."
"Droid patrols."
"They're expecting someone to come."
Yorktown's voice returned.
"Bel."
Belfast looked at her tactical display.
"We need information on that staging area."
"Can you plant charges?"
Belfast looked across the village.
"Yes."
"We'll create a distraction."
Yorktown nodded.
"Good."
"Be careful."
Belfast's eyes remained fixed on the ruined homes.
"We will."
The five descended from the vantage point.
They entered the abandoned village.
Every step revealed more evidence of what had happened.
A broken fishing net.
An overturned table.
A child's toy half-buried in the dirt.
A cooking pot still lying beside the remains of a house.
Belfast stopped beside it.
Her expression hardened.
"This wasn't a battlefield."
"No."
"It was a home."
Ade looked around.
"And they destroyed it anyway."
Belfast nodded.
"They didn't care."
They moved deeper into the settlement.
Arisa marked the first defensive turret.
"Charge location."
Belfast nodded.
"Plant it."
Arisa crouched beside the structure and attached a compact explosive.
Soda moved toward another defensive emplacement.
Cocoa followed.
Ade covered them.
Belfast continued toward the delta.
She found another battery hidden behind a ruined warehouse.
"Another one."
Arisa approached.
"Understood."
One by one, the explosives were planted.
The Rapture defenses remained unaware.
The destroyed village slowly became a minefield.
Not to kill civilians.
There were none left.
But to create the opening Belfast's team needed.
Belfast looked toward the distant communications center.
"Once those charges go off..."
She checked the tactical map.
"...the entire island will look toward the village."
Yorktown answered.
"Exactly."
"And while they're distracted?"
"We get the information."
Belfast nodded.
"Then we find the ship carrying my sisters."
She looked once more at the ruined village.
"And we make sure the raptures who destroyed this place never get the chance to do it again."
The team disappeared among the ruins.
Behind them, several charges waited silently.
The team continued deeper into the ruined settlement.
Belfast's visor suddenly highlighted several unusual structures buried beneath the wreckage.
"Hold."
Everyone stopped.
She zoomed in.
"Those aren't ordinary defensive emplacements."
Arisa examined the readings.
"Surface-to-air missile batteries."
Belfast's expression hardened.
"They hid them inside the ruins."
The Raptures had deliberately concealed the SAM batteries among the remains of the village, using collapsed buildings and abandoned structures to hide their launchers from aerial reconnaissance.
Yorktown's voice came through the comms.
"Can you see them?"
Belfast shook her head.
"Not clearly. They're well concealed."
"Then destroy them. Could serves as a distraction."
"Roger."
The team split up.
Arisa and Ade moved toward one battery while Soda and Cocoa approached another.
Belfast covered them from the remains of a collapsed house.
The explosives were carefully placed beneath the launch systems.
CHIRP.
"First battery rigged."
"Second battery rigged."
Belfast looked toward the delta.
"Good."
They continued along the coastline.
The further they went, the more heavily defended the area became.
More patrols.
More hidden turrets.
More Rapture equipment.
The entire coast had been transformed into a military staging ground.
Belfast stopped behind a ruined wall.
Her visor scanned the shoreline.
"There's no way through there without triggering an alert."
Ade looked toward the buildings behind them.
"Then we go through the ruins."
Belfast nodded.
"Agreed."
They moved into what appeared to be another abandoned house.
The roof was partially collapsed.
Dust covered the furniture.
The windows were broken.
For a moment, the team simply stood there.
"Take a knee."
Belfast gestured toward the interior.
"We'll rest for a moment."
The others lowered themselves into cover.
Belfast leaned against the wall.
She looked around.
Something about the house felt familiar.
Not because she had been here before.
Because it looked lived in.
There were traces of a life that had been abruptly interrupted.
A cup sat on a table.
A book remained open beside it.
A small collection of personal belongings had been left behind.
Belfast slowly stood.
She walked toward a wardrobe.
Her hand reached for the door.
She opened it.
And froze.
Inside was a maid uniform.
Old.
Dusty.
But unmistakable.
Belfast's eyes widened.
"No..."
She carefully pulled it from the wardrobe.
She knew that uniform.
She had seen it countless times.
The design.
The tailoring.
The small details.
The embroidery.
Her voice became barely audible.
"Edinburgh..."
Ade looked over.
"Head Maid?"
Belfast held the uniform against herself.
"This is hers."
The others immediately stood.
"Are you sure?" Cocoa asked.
Belfast nodded.
"I would recognize my sister's uniform anywhere."
She looked around the house.
"This was their home."
She opened another cabinet.
Inside was a small box.
Belfast picked it up.
Her hands trembled slightly.
She opened it.
Inside was another maid outfit.
Smaller.
Different.
But familiar.
Belfast's eyes widened again.
"...Sheffield."
The name escaped her lips.
She looked around.
"Sheffield was here."
Ade stepped closer.
"Another sister?"
Belfast nodded.
"Yes."
Her voice trembled.
"Sheffield."
Then she began searching.
Another wardrobe.
Another room.
Another chest.
And suddenly she found more.
A uniform.
A coat.
Personal effects.
Small belongings that unmistakably belonged to different members of the Town-class.
Belfast slowly pieced everything together.
"Gloucester."
She moved to another room.
"Liverpool."
Another set of belongings.
"Manchester."
Her breathing became heavier.
"The entire Town-class..."
She looked toward the others.
"They were here."
Soda's eyes widened.
"All of them?"
Belfast nodded.
"All of them."
She looked at the ruined village outside.
"This wasn't merely a temporary shelter."
"This was their home."
"They lived here."
"For how long..."
Her voice faded.
Years?
Perhaps.
The evidence suggested they had established a life here long before the Raptures arrived.
Belfast looked toward the wardrobe containing Edinburgh's uniform.
"If Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle were captured..."
She looked down at Sheffield's belongings.
"...then Sheffield, Gloucester, Liverpool and Manchester escaped."
Arisa immediately understood.
"That means they're alive."
"Somewhere."
Belfast nodded.
"But Vice Commander Vergil didn't find them."
Yorktown's voice came through the comm.
"Bel?"
Belfast immediately opened a secure channel.
"Hana..."
"Can you possibly contact Vice Commander Vergil?"
There was a pause.
"What did you find?"
Belfast looked around the ruined house.
"We found the homes of my Town-class sisters."
Yorktown went silent.
"Town-class?"
"The entire Town-class, Hana."
Belfast carefully listed the names.
"Gloucester."
"Liverpool."
"Manchester."
"And Sheffield."
"Those four are the ones who escaped."
"If Vice Commander Vergil can find them..."
She looked at the belongings around her.
"...we might be able to determine where they went."
A burst of static interrupted them.
Then a familiar voice suddenly came through another channel.
"Sheffield nyaa..."
Akashi sounded almost stunned.
"Sheffield is still alive nyaa!"
Belfast smiled faintly.
"Any clues?"
The excitement in Akashi's voice faded as she eyes the feed through Belfast's visor cam.
"No, nyaa."
"There's nothing obvious."
"They probably left in a hurry."
"Plus, this place was attacked about a week ago."
"They could be long gone by now."
Belfast looked down at Edinburgh's uniform.
"I understand."
Even without knowing where they had gone, they finally knew something important.
They had survived.
Her sisters had survived.
That alone was enough to make her chest tighten with relief.
Yorktown spoke gently.
"I'll relay everything to the Vice Commander."
"Thank you, Hana."
There was a brief silence.
Then Yorktown added:
"They'll be fine, Bel."
Belfast closed her eyes.
"It's Sheffield. If she's the one whose out there, she knows how to survive."
Yorktown smiled through the comm.
"I know."
Belfast looked toward the ruined village one more time.
Somewhere beyond the island...
Her sisters were alive.
Maybe scattered.
Maybe frightened.
Maybe still running.
But alive.
And now Belfast had one more promise to keep.
Not only Edinburgh.
Not only Glasgow and Newcastle.
All of them.
She carefully folded Edinburgh's abandoned uniform and placed it inside her inventory. Then she gathered the other personal belongings they had found—Sheffield's small maid outfit, Gloucester's coat, Liverpool's keepsakes, and Manchester's belongings—and packed them inside a small dimensional cube.
Including the things belonged Glasgow and Newcastle. Also, the things belonged to Edinburgh.
Once sealed, the cube vanished into her inventory, safely preserved for the journey home.
Belfast looked toward the ruined village, her expression firm.
They had already recovered Southampton's cube, and it was safe back home. Now they had proof that the rest of the Town-class sisters, aside from herself, were still alive.
That was enough.
She would find every one of them.
She would not waste another moment.
"Hold on, sisters."
Her voice was quiet.
Ade noticed her head maid's tense.
"We'll find them, head maid."
"I know, Ade."
The team spent several more minutes searching the ruined village.
With the main structures already examined, Belfast deployed a small reconnaissance drone.
The machine slipped silently between the trees, its optical sensors scanning the terrain while its thermal signature remained almost nonexistent.
"Anything?" Ade asked.
"Scanning," Belfast replied.
The drone moved farther inland.
Then stopped.
Belfast's visor suddenly displayed a new marker.
ANOMALOUS STRUCTURE DETECTED
She frowned.
"Hold."
Everyone gathered around her.
The drone's camera feed enlarged.
Behind one of the abandoned houses, concealed beneath dense vegetation and collapsed earth, was a narrow opening.
A cave.
Belfast's eyes narrowed.
"There's a tunnel behind the house."
Soda looked toward the ruined building.
"Hidden?"
"Very."
Cocoa smiled.
"Maybe our sisters used it to escape."
Belfast nodded.
"Or perhaps it was another route they used to move around the island without being detected."
Arisa checked the tactical map.
"It extends quite far."
"Then we follow it."
Night settled over the island.
Perfect.
The team entered the cave.
Their Echo Suit optics automatically adjusted to the darkness.
The narrow passage wound beneath the ground.
At several points, they discovered signs that someone had used it before.
Footprints.
Scratches along the walls.
Old crates.
Discarded supplies.
Belfast slowed when she noticed a small piece of cloth caught against a rock.
She scanned it.
A familiar Royal Navy pattern.
"Someone definitely used this route."
Ade nodded.
"Then we're going the right way."
They continued.
The deeper they went, the quieter the world became.
The sounds of the Rapture patrols disappeared.
The distant machinery of the staging area faded.
Only their footsteps remained.
Eventually, the tunnel began to rise.
Belfast raised a hand.
"Careful."
The passage ahead opened.
She moved forward slowly and looked through the opening.
Her eyes widened.
The cave ended at a natural vantage point overlooking the coastline.
Below them was another section of the Rapture defensive network.
Two concealed SAM sites had been positioned along the coast.
And between them...
A massive naval gun.
Belfast zoomed in.
The weapon was enormous.
A 460mm shore-defense turret dominated the position.
Its armored housing was partially embedded into the terrain, with the barrel pointing toward the sea.
Cocoa stared.
"That's a big turret."
Soda nodded.
"Very big."
Arisa adjusted her scope.
"More accurately..."
She examined the weapon.
"...a shore-defense cannon."
Belfast studied the emplacement.
A weapon that size could cause serious damage to anything approaching the island.
She looked at the surrounding defenses.
Two SAM batteries.
One enormous cannon.
Several droid patrols.
And, beyond them, the main staging area.
Belfast's tactical mind immediately began working.
"If we destroy that cannon..."
She looked toward the others.
"...the Raptures will assume we're attacking their coastal defenses."
Ade understood.
"And they'll send their droids out."
Belfast nodded.
"Exactly."
Arisa looked toward the cannon.
"It could serve as a distraction."
Soda smiled.
"We already planted explosives around the village."
Belfast checked the detonator network.
"And now we have another target."
She marked the 460mm turret.
"Once we blow this up..."
Her visor displayed the surrounding patrol routes.
"...we need every droid out of the main base."
Cocoa grinned.
"Draw them away from the communications center."
"Precisely."
Belfast looked toward the distant base.
The plan was beginning to come together.
First, the hidden SAM batteries.
Then the shore-defense cannon.
Then the explosives scattered throughout the ruined village.
If everything detonated together, the Raptures would have no choice but to investigate.
And while their forces poured toward the false attack...
Belfast and her Royal Maids would slip into the communications center.
They would find the transport information.
They would find where Edinburgh and the others were being held.
And then they would bring them home.
Belfast raised her weapon.
"Let's mark the targets."
Arisa immediately brought up her scope.
"Ready."
Ade, Soda and Cocoa moved into position.
Belfast looked down at the enormous cannon.
"Tonight, this island is going to become very noisy."
She paused.
"And hopefully..."
"...very distracted."
The team began preparing the charges.
Below them, the Rapture defenses continued their patrols, completely unaware that the Royal Navy had already infiltrated their strongest coastal position.
The charges were planted.
Belfast checked the detonator network one final time.
COASTAL SAM SITE — ARMED
SHORE DEFENSE CANNON — ARMED
SECOND SAM SITE — ARMED
RUINED VILLAGE EMPLACEMENTS — ARMED
Everything was ready.
But they still had one problem.
Getting into the main base.
The team left the cave and returned to the forest, deliberately avoiding the main road.
The dense vegetation gave them enough concealment to move without being spotted.
Belfast raised a hand.
Everyone stopped.
Ahead, the road curved toward the main Rapture facility.
And the defenses were absurd.
Several cannon emplacements had been built along the roadside.
Heavy turrets.
Machine-gun nests.
Missile launchers.
Droid patrols.
Even proximity mines had been scattered across the approaches.
Then—
BOOOOM!
Everyone froze.
A cannon had fired.
The projectile struck something small near the roadside.
Belfast's visor zoomed in.
A squirrel.
The unfortunate animal had been running across the road.
The cannon had fired at it.
The squirrel was no more.
The droids didn't even react.
They simply continued their patrols.
Ade stared.
"...Did that cannon seriously just fire at a squirrel?"
Cocoa looked equally bewildered.
"It did."
Soda shook her head.
"That's excessive."
Arisa quietly observed the cannon.
"At least we know their targeting system is active."
Belfast stared at the road.
"That road is completely off-limits."
Ade looked toward the fortified entrance.
"How are we going to get past that?"
Cocoa shook her head.
"Attacking head-on would alert the entire base."
"And we'd lose our advantage."
Belfast remained silent.
She studied the defensive network.
The road was covered.
The coastline was covered.
The forest was patrolled.
Even the obvious approaches had been mined.
For the first time since arriving on the island, Belfast felt genuine concern.
They couldn't simply fight their way through.
Not yet.
They needed another route.
Then...
Something caught her eye.
A small Rapture boat emerged from the coastline.
Belfast immediately raised her binocular magnification.
The vessel moved quietly across the water.
Then turned toward a large opening in the cliffs.
A cave.
The boat disappeared inside.
Belfast's eyes narrowed.
"Wait."
She reached for her reconnaissance equipment.
"Deploying Snitch."
A tiny sphere drone detached from her armor and flew toward the cave.
Its optical feed appeared on Belfast's visor.
The drone slipped through the opening.
Inside was an underground harbor.
Belfast's eyes widened.
"There's a port."
Ade moved closer.
"Inside the cave?"
"Yes."
The drone continued deeper.
The cavern opened into a larger underground facility.
Small Rapture boats were docked along the walls.
Cargo was being unloaded.
And beyond the port...
A tunnel.
Belfast enlarged the image.
The tunnel appeared to lead directly toward the main base.
More importantly...
There were significantly fewer defenses.
No major cannon emplacements.
No obvious minefields.
Only scattered droid patrols.
Cocoa smiled.
"There."
Soda nodded.
"That's our way in."
Belfast looked toward the heavily defended road.
Then toward the cave.
"The main road is off-limits."
She marked the cave entrance.
"But this..."
"This gets us into the base without walking directly into their defenses."
Ade smiled.
"Brilliant, Head Maid."
Belfast nodded.
"We'll use the cave."
All four Nikkes answered together.
"Yes!"
Arisa immediately moved toward the entrance.
"I'll take point."
Belfast nodded.
"Stay silent."
The team approached the cave.
Arisa activated her stealth systems.
She disappeared into the darkness.
A droid patrol came around the corner.
Arisa waited.
The machine passed.
She moved behind it.
A quick strike.
The droid collapsed without a sound.
Another patrol approached.
Arisa raised her silenced pistol.
PFFT.
The droid dropped.
She dragged both bodies into the shadows.
"Clear."
Belfast signaled the others.
They entered.
The cave was enormous.
Rapture boats moved through the underground harbor while droids transported supplies between loading platforms.
The team remained in the shadows.
Arisa continued forward.
Another droid appeared.
She eliminated it.
Ade followed.
Another patrol.
Soda silently took it down.
Cocoa covered the rear.
Belfast moved through the center.
The entire operation had become a ghost hunt.
The Raptures had no idea they were already inside their perimeter.
Belfast glanced at the tunnel ahead.
The main base was beyond it.
And somewhere inside...
Her sisters were waiting.
She tightened her grip around her weapon.
"Keep moving."
The Royal Maids advanced deeper into the underground port.
No alarms.
No gunfire.
No explosions.
Not yet.
The island still believed itself secure.
It didn't know that the Royal Navy had already found its back door.
The service elevator waited at the end of the tunnel.
Belfast raised her hand.
"Hold."
Arisa's Snitch drone floated past them first.
Its tiny sensors mapped the elevator shaft, then slipped through the upper access point.
The data immediately began appearing across Belfast's visor.
"Snitch is mapping the main base."
They waited in silence.
Seconds later, the elevator doors opened.
The five Royal Maids slipped inside.
The doors closed.
CLANG.
The elevator began ascending.
Belfast brought up the reconnaissance data.
A three-dimensional map unfolded above her wrist interface.
The main base was much larger than they had initially assumed.
Yet the Snitch's preliminary scan had identified three major structures.
Belfast highlighted them one by one.
"Refinery."
A large industrial complex occupied one side of the base.
"Communications center."
The second structure was heavily fortified.
"And the power plant."
She enlarged the third structure.
A massive geothermal system extended beneath it.
The map revealed a tunnel descending deep beneath the facility.
Belfast's eyes narrowed.
"The power plant is connected to a geothermal generator."
Arisa studied the readings.
"Inside the volcano."
"Yes."
Ade looked at the defensive markers surrounding it.
"And heavily guarded."
Belfast nodded.
"This place is well guarded."
The elevator continued upward.
Then Yorktown's voice came through the secure channel.
"Bel."
Belfast immediately answered.
"Yes, Hana?"
"You're approaching the base."
Yorktown's voice was serious.
"The place is extremely well defended."
"Please be careful."
"We can provide an assault if you need it."
Belfast looked at the map.
She considered their options.
A direct assault would certainly work eventually.
But it would also expose the rescue team before they had located the transport information.
Unless...
She looked toward the geothermal plant.
An idea formed.
"Hana."
"Yes?"
"Once we blow up the power plant..."
Belfast paused.
"...send in the Firehawks."
Yorktown was silent for a moment.
Then:
"Understood."
Belfast continued.
"Carpet-bomb the defenses."
"We need a distraction once things go south."
"If the entire defensive network goes down, the Raptures will panic."
"And while they're dealing with the air assault..."
"We can move freely."
Yorktown immediately understood.
"Consider it done."
Then she added:
"The Commander already assigned Illustrious and Houshou to assist you."
Belfast's eyes widened slightly.
Yuuki knew she needed help.
"Their Firehawks are ready."
"You only need to give the signal."
Belfast nodded.
"Understood."
She looked toward her team.
"Once the power plant is down..."
Her expression hardened.
"...the base's defenses should be severely compromised."
She looked toward the elevator doors.
"Then we attack with everything we've got."
Back aboard the Daedalus, Yorktown turned toward the Royal Navy carrier and Sakura Empire First Carrier.
"Illustrious."
"Houshou."
Both women immediately stepped forward onto the Daedalus's command deck, where Yorktown, Enterprise, Akagi, Kaga and Kaguya standing on their own interface.
The command stage was filled with holographic displays, scrolling telemetry and a three-dimensional projection of the island. Red markers highlighted the enemy base, while the newly destroyed coastal defenses flashed across the map.
Yorktown turned toward them.
"Illustrious. Houshou."
Both carriers gave a respectful nod.
"Ready for deployment."
Two large interfaces unfolded before them, each displaying the status of twenty-four Firehawks waiting on the flight deck below.
Their aircraft were already fueled, armed and secured in launch position. Ground drones had completed the final checks, while the CORPO pilots waited inside their cockpits with engines spinning at idle.
The Firehawks' targeting systems were synchronized with the Daedalus's tactical network, allowing them to receive coordinates the moment Belfast gave the signal.
Enterprise studied the projected base.
"Once the power plant is destroyed, the entire defensive grid should be disrupted."
Akagi's eyes narrowed as she examined the surrounding markers.
"And the bombing run will force the remaining droids away from the rescue team's position."
Kaga folded her arms.
"Then we must make certain none of them have time to regroup."
Kaguya brought up the flight paths.
"The first wave will strike the power down SAM defenses. The second will carpet-bomb the surrounding facilities and defensive positions."
Yorktown nodded.
"Wait for Belfast's signal."
Illustrious and Houshou placed their hands over the deployment controls.
The two interfaces responded immediately.
FIREHAWK SQUADRONS — ARMED
LAUNCH SYSTEMS — READY
Below them, the launch deck began to open.
One by one, the Firehawks rolled toward the catapults, their engines roaring louder as the aircraft prepared to take flight.
Yorktown looked toward the island projection.
"Once the power plant goes down, send everything you have. I already marked your targets."
Illustrious smiled calmly.
"Understood."
Houshou's expression hardened.
"We shall clear the way for them."
The command deck fell silent as the two carriers waited for Belfast's signal.
Illustrious smiled calmly.
"Ready when you are."
Houshou nodded.
"We shall ensure our sisters have the support they need."
Yorktown looked toward the island displayed on the tactical screen.
"Wait for Belfast's signal."
"Once the power plant is destroyed..."
She pointed toward the target.
"...turn that island into a nightmare."
The two carriers nodded.
"Understood."
Back inside the elevator, the ascent continued.
Belfast checked the detonator network.
Every charge they had planted was still active.
The hidden SAM batteries.
The shore-defense cannon.
The turrets.
The ruined village emplacements.
Everything was waiting.
Arisa looked at Belfast.
"So..."
Belfast turned.
"We're ready."
Belfast smiled faintly.
"Then this is where our plan begins."
The elevator doors opened.
The Royal Maids stepped into a service corridor inside the main base.
Droids moved through distant corridors.
None had noticed them yet.
Belfast looked toward Arisa.
"Lady Arisa."
"Yes?"
"Will you do the honors?"
Arisa smiled.
"With pleasure."
She activated her interface.
The entire tactical map appeared.
A series of red markers began flashing.
CHARGES ARMED
REMOTE DETONATION AVAILABLE
Arisa raised her hand.
"All explosives are linked."
Belfast nodded.
"Detonate."
Arisa pressed the button.
For one second...
Nothing happened.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOM!
The first SAM site erupted.
A massive fireball tore through the ruined coastline.
BOOOOOOM!
The second SAM battery followed.
Then the hidden turrets.
Then the defensive emplacements scattered through the village.
And finally—
KRAAAAAA-BOOOOOOM!
The enormous 460mm shore-defense cannon exploded.
Its barrel was thrown sideways as the entire emplacement disappeared beneath a towering column of fire.
The shockwave raced across the island.
Droids stopped.
Patrol units turned toward the explosions.
Warning sirens erupted.
ALERT!
UNIDENTIFIED ATTACK!
COASTAL DEFENSES COMPROMISED!
The island suddenly came alive.
Droids began flooding toward the coastline.
Others abandoned their posts.
Entire patrol formations diverted toward the ruined village.
Belfast watched the tactical map.
"It worked."
Ade looked around.
"The base is almost empty."
Cocoa smiled.
"They're all running toward the explosions."
Soda checked the corridor.
"Only a few patrols remain."
Belfast nodded.
"Exactly what we wanted."
Yorktown's voice returned.
"Bel."
Belfast answered.
"Yes?"
"Firehawks are standing by."
Belfast looked toward the power plant marker.
"Tell Illustrious and Houshou..."
She raised her weapon.
"...we're going for the power plant."
Yorktown smiled.
"I'll relay it."
Belfast looked toward her three maids.
"Move."
They disappeared into the corridor.
"Ade. Soda."
Belfast brought up the tactical map.
"Clear the power plant."
She highlighted the geothermal facility.
"Wait for my signal. Once I disable the security systems inside the structure, be prepared to destroy it."
Ade nodded.
"Understood, Head Maid."
Soda checked her weapon.
"Power plant. Got it."
Belfast shifted the map.
"Arisa. Cocoa."
Another structure illuminated.
"The refinery is yours."
Arisa gave a confident nod.
"We'll handle it."
Cocoa smiled.
"Leave the refinery to us."
Ade glanced toward Belfast.
"What about you, Head Maid?"
Belfast highlighted the communications center.
"I'll hack the communications center with Friday."
She looked at the others.
"Once I get inside their network, I'll expose the internal security layout of all three structures."
"That means we'll know exactly where the remaining droids, cameras, sentry guns and access controls are."
She paused.
"Don't worry."
Belfast tapped the chest plate of her Echo Suit.
"The Commander didn't build this armor if we couldn't handle ourselves."
Soda smiled.
"Fair point."
Belfast looked between them.
"Spread out, ladies."
The four Nikkes nodded.
"Yes!"
They separated.
Ade and Soda moved toward the power plant, keeping to the shadows between the industrial buildings.
Arisa and Cocoa disappeared toward the refinery.
Belfast remained alone.
She turned toward the communications center.
==========
The Communications Center
Communications and radar uplinks were coordinated from a single facility within military bases: the Communications Center. It was a low-profile, single-story structure, with most of its facilities located below ground level. Its sturdy construction allowed it to withstand all but the heaviest punishment. Its most distinctive feature was a tall radio mast surrounded by satellite dishes, which served as its link to the outside world.
============
Her visor displayed the service elevator that connected the underground port to the facility.
The elevator would take her directly into the communications center's basement.
Perfect.
She entered.
The doors closed behind her.
CLANG.
The elevator began ascending.
Belfast immediately activated her stealth systems.
Her Echo Suit dimmed its external lights and she dissappeared.
Her footsteps became almost completely silent.
At the same time, she opened a secure channel.
"Friday."
A familiar AI voice responded.
"Yes, Belfast?"
"I'm approaching the communications center."
"Understood."
"I need you to infiltrate their network the moment I establish a connection."
"That can be arranged once you reach the mainframe."
Belfast smiled faintly.
"Good."
The elevator continued upward.
Meanwhile, Ade and Soda reached the power plant.
The facility was enormous.
Massive pipes extended from the volcanic interior into the plant.
Geothermal turbines turned continuously beneath reinforced housing.
Droids patrolled the perimeter.
Ade crouched behind a large industrial container.
"Too many."
Soda checked the opposite side.
"Once Belfast disables the security system, we can move."
"Then we wait."
Across the base, Arisa and Cocoa reached the refinery.
The structure was even larger.
Storage tanks.
Processing equipment.
Fuel pipelines.
Automated droid workers.
Arisa studied the facility.
"Plenty of places to plant explosives."
Cocoa nodded.
"Let's make sure they can't use this place afterward."
Both teams waited.
Belfast was the key.
She reached the basement.
The elevator doors opened.
She stepped out.
The communications center's basement was surprisingly quiet.
Belfast moved deeper into the Communications Center.
The basement corridors eventually opened into a much larger underground complex.
Rows of server racks lined the walls.
Technicians—mostly droids—sat at terminals, constantly communicating with other Rapture facilities across the island.
Belfast remained in stealth.
She moved past the main communications floor without firing a shot.
The droids were too occupied to notice her.
Then she reached the security room.
She paused outside.
Voices came from within.
Belfast activated her visor's audio enhancement.
"Madam, we have transport for three of the Shipgirls to the main ship."
A droid's voice.
"They are ready to be transferred to the Exia Base."
Belfast's expression hardened.
A holographic display occupied the center of the room.
A woman appeared on it.
White hair.
Glowing green eyes.
A single horn protruding from the right side of her head.
Black, viscous material seemed to spread across portions of her body.
Belfast immediately recognized the voice.
"Good."
The woman continued.
"Prepare the transfer of the remaining prisoners."
"The four Nikkes and the ten Shipgirls on Exia Island."
She smiled coldly.
"Enough to begin the next stage of corruption."
Belfast's hand tightened around her weapon.
Corruption.
The word alone made her blood run cold.
The woman continued.
"What if we encounter the Diving Eagle?"
The white-haired woman scowled.
"Those damned bastards."
"The Shipgirl who carries my name lost to a human?"
Her expression twisted with irritation.
"An embarrassment."
"We already lost Anachiro..."
"And that Shipgirl who carries my name."
"We cannot lose the others."
"Transfer them to the base immediately."
"The Sirens will collect them next week for the next corruption cycle."
Belfast's visor quietly recorded everything.
The woman looked toward another holographic display.
"What is happening on the island?"
The droid answered.
"The SAM and turret sites are detonating."
"We have lost the shore-defense cannon."
The woman's expression darkened.
"Damn."
"Alert all defenses."
"Transfer those three immediately."
Belfast sighed.
"So much for staying quiet."
She raised her hand.
"Friday."
"Ready."
"Take the security room."
"Already connected."
Friday infiltrated the system.
The holographic displays flickered.
Security protocols began collapsing one after another.
Belfast stepped through the doorway.
Her falcon pistol rose.
PFFT!
The nearest droid dropped.
The remaining droids turned but she already shot the rest of the security droids.
"You!"
Belfast's Echo Suit concealed her identity completely.
But one detail was visible.
The GDI crest on her shoulder.
The woman on the hologram stared.
Her expression changed.
"Diving Eagle!"
Belfast lowered her pistol slightly.
"We prefer the term Global Defense Initiative."
She smiled beneath her helmet.
"Very pleased to meet you."
The woman's eyes narrowed.
"You can't take another one of our prisoners!"
"You destroyed the Mother Whale!"
"And our transport!"
Belfast calmly walked toward the main terminal.
"That's not up to you to decide."
She connected her interface to the system.
"Our commander is quite a family man."
"He has made it his mission to gather us together once more. Even Nikkes are part of us now."
She paused.
Then deliberately quoted him.
"You touch our Shipgirls and Nikkes..."
"You'll face us."
"He has declared war on you."
Belfast looked directly at the holographic woman.
"So consider us enemies."
"Miss Leviathan."
Leviathan's expression twisted.
"You..."
Belfast continued.
"It seems the Shipgirl who carries your name failed to live up to it."
She disconnected one cable.
"Consider this a failed negotiation."
Leviathan snarled, then began to laugh.
At first, it was a quiet, breathy sound.
Then it grew louder.
Her glowing green eyes narrowed with cruel amusement as black ooze slid across her skin.
"Hehe..."
She leaned closer to the holographic projection.
"Don't make me laugh."
"Do you honestly believe you can stand against us?"
"All of us?"
Her voice echoed through the security room.
"The Sirens."
"The Raptures."
"Every corrupted machine and every soldier under our command."
She gestured toward the surrounding displays, where images of fortified bases, warships and endless droid formations flickered across the screens.
"Do you think that fancy suit of yours can protect you?"
"Do you think it can protect your Shipgirls?"
"Your Nikkes?"
"Your precious commander?"
Leviathan's smile widened.
"You have no idea what you've challenged."
"The Mother Whale was only the beginning."
"We will hunt down every one of your allies."
"We will tear apart your defenses."
"And when we find your base..."
Her eyes burned brighter.
"...we will corrupt everything you tried to save."
"I'll destroy all of you!"
She slammed her hand against the console.
The holographic display flickered violently.
"Consider this payback for what you did to the Mother Whale!"
"For stealing Leviathan and Anachiro from us!"
"You took what belonged to us."
"Now we'll take everything from you."
Leviathan's laughter returned, cold and merciless.
"Run while you still can, Diving Eagle."
"Because the next time we meet..."
"There won't be anyone left to rescue you."
Belfast turned away.
Behind her, Friday completed the intrusion.
SECURITY SYSTEMS — COMPROMISED
INTERNAL LOCKDOWN — DISABLED
DROID COMMUNICATION — INTERRUPTED
The droids in the main communications room suddenly began converging toward the security room.
Belfast's visor detected them.
"Friday?"
"Sealing the entrance."
The heavy security doors slammed shut.
CLANG!
The droids outside began pounding against them.
Belfast looked toward another marker.
Her visor highlighted something buried deep within the communications network.
PRIMARY MAINFRAME DETECTED
She smiled.
"Found it."
Leviathan stared at her.
"You think you can just walk away?"
Belfast turned toward the exit.
"Good luck with that."
She began walking.
"Damn GDI!"
Leviathan slammed her hand against the controls.
Her eyes narrowed as she finally identified the organization behind the so-called Diving Eagle.
"Global Defense Initiative..."
Then her expression twisted into a malicious smile.
"I'll get that commander of yours one day."
Belfast stopped.
Slowly, she turned around.
A faint light of anger appeared in her eyes.
That wasn't merely a threat against an unknown commander anymore.
Yuuki was her commander.
Her master.
The man who had given her a home.
Her future.
Her beloved.
The person who had promised to bring her sisters back.
Threatening him struck something deep inside her.
"Over my dead body."
BANG!
Belfast fired.
The holographic display shattered.
The connection with Leviathan disappeared.
Elsewhere, Leviathan stared at the dead screen.
"Damn it!"
She slammed her hand against the console.
"No wonder Behemoth couldn't defeat them."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Let's see what happens..."
She tapped another control.
A new holographic projection appeared.
Deep beneath the island...
Something moved.
The image revealed an enormous mechanical structure buried underneath the volcanic rock.
It was unlike anything Belfast's team had encountered so far.
A colossal machine.
Its silhouette resembled a massive flying beast.
Mechanical rotors folded against its armored body.
Heavy weapon systems were mounted beneath its frame.
And deep inside its chassis...
A reactor began to glow.
Leviathan smiled.
"You may have taken control of the communications center."
"You may have destroyed our defenses."
"But let's see how you escape..."
She pressed the activation button.
Deep beneath the island...
The machine awakened.
Massive mechanical components began shifting.
Ancient systems powered up one after another.
The entire cavern trembled.
=================
Belfast followed Friday's instructions through the lower levels of the Communications Center.
The base was already on high alert.
Droid patrols were being redirected throughout the facility, alarms were flashing across the security network, and distant gunfire echoed through the corridors.
But Belfast wasn't concerned.
Friday had already extracted everything useful from the Communications Center's local servers.
Now she only needed the mainframe to finish the job.
She reached the main communications room.
Rows of terminals surrounded a massive central interface.
"Friday."
"I'm ready."
Belfast connected her Echo Suit directly to the mainframe.
The interface immediately came alive.
PRIMARY MAINFRAME CONNECTION ESTABLISHED
"Extract everything concerning prisoner transfers."
"Already searching."
Belfast waited.
Her visor filled with files.
Transport manifests.
Prisoner records.
Ship movements.
Cargo schedules.
Island maps.
Then—
TARGET DATA LOCATED.
Belfast's eyes widened.
"Show me."
Friday displayed the relevant information.
Three names immediately appeared.
Kancolle Repair Ship — Akashi
Kancolle Repair & Training Cruiser — Asahi
Kancolle Prinz Eugen
Belfast frowned.
"The three Kancolle Shipgirls..."
Friday confirmed it.
"All three have already been transferred."
"Destination?"
"Main transport vessel."
Belfast looked at the screen.
"Then they're already on the ship."
She continued reading.
Another set of files appeared.
Her heart suddenly stopped.
ROYAL NAVY PRISONERS
EDINBURGH
GLASGOW
NEWCASTLE
STATUS: AWAITING TRANSFER
Belfast leaned closer.
"Where?"
Friday highlighted a location.
A harbor behind the main base.
A small stealth submarine was already prepared there.
"Transfer vessel?"
"Confirmed."
Belfast's expression softened.
"They're still here."
She stared at Edinburgh's name.
After all these years...
Her sister was still here.
Alive.
Waiting.
Belfast quietly whispered:
"Found you..."
She looked at the image of the harbor.
"Wait for me, Edin."
She immediately disconnected from the mainframe.
Friday spoke.
"The remaining prisoners are scheduled for transfer once the island's defenses stabilize."
Belfast checked her tactical map.
"Then we're not giving them time to stabilize."
She turned toward the exit.
"Ade and Soda are waiting at the power plant."
"Arisa and Cocoa are at the refinery."
"And Yorktown is waiting for our signal."
Belfast raised her weapon.
"Let's get my sisters."
She moved into the corridor.
Her pace quickened.
For the first time since arriving on the island, she wasn't searching blindly anymore.
She knew exactly where Edinburgh was.
And Belfast had no intention of leaving without her.
===================
The security network was down.
That was all Ade and Soda needed.
They abandoned stealth.
"Go loud."
Ade raised her laser rifle.
Soda grinned.
"Finally."
They stepped out from behind the industrial structures and opened fire.
ZZZRAK!
A concentrated laser beam tore through the first droid.
ZZZRAK!
Another collapsed.
The power plant's remaining security units immediately turned toward them.
Too late.
Ade and Soda advanced through the facility, their Echo Suits absorbing the return fire.
Rounds sparked harmlessly against their armor.
Laser bursts flashed through the corridors.
Droids dropped one after another.
"Don't waste time!" Ade shouted.
"We're going straight for the master control terminal!"
Soda nodded.
"Understood!"
They didn't bother stopping at the local control rooms.
Friday had already provided them with the internal layout.
The master terminal was deep within the power plant.
The heart of the entire facility.
They reached the reinforced chamber.
A heavy security door stood between them and the control room.
Soda raised her laser rifle.
ZZZRAK!
The locking mechanism exploded.
Ade kicked the door open.
"Master control."
The room was enormous.
Holographic displays surrounded a central geothermal control system.
Below them, enormous pipes carried geothermal energy from deep inside the volcanic complex.
Friday's data appeared on Ade's visor.
GEOTHERMAL CORE
PRIMARY COOLANT FLOW
PRESSURE REGULATION
ENERGY DISTRIBUTION
Ade immediately connected her interface.
"Got it."
Soda moved beside her.
"What's the plan?"
"Reverse the geothermal flow."
Soda stared at her.
"You're going to make the system push energy backward?"
"Exactly."
Ade began entering commands.
The facility's systems protested.
WARNING
FLOW REVERSAL NOT RECOMMENDED
THERMAL PRESSURE INSTABILITY
Ade ignored the warnings.
"Come on..."
She completed the final command.
The enormous machinery beneath the facility groaned.
Then—
THOOM.
The pipes shook.
Soda looked around.
"It's working."
Ade watched the pressure readings climb.
"Energy is backing up."
"How long?"
"Not long."
She opened the self-destruct interface.
A warning appeared.
CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE
FACILITY EVACUATION RECOMMENDED
SELF-DESTRUCT AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED
Ade looked at Soda.
"Ready?"
Soda smiled.
"Do it."
Ade pressed the activation command.
SELF-DESTRUCT ARMED
COUNTDOWN: 150 SECONDS
Soda's eyes widened.
"One fifty?"
"Move."
They turned and ran.
The power plant began shaking violently behind them.
Steam erupted from damaged pipes.
Warning lights flashed.
Emergency sirens screamed throughout the facility.
EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY
GEOTHERMAL CORE INSTABILITY
CRITICAL PRESSURE
Ade and Soda sprinted through the corridors.
Their Echo Suits' hydraulics kicked into maximum output.
They accelerated toward the exit.
A droid attempted to block their path.
Ade didn't even slow down.
She fired.
ZZZRAK!
The droid collapsed.
"Keep moving!"
They burst through the outer doors.
Behind them, the power plant continued to shake.
The ground itself began trembling.
Ade looked back.
"Two minutes."
Soda laughed.
"Then let's make sure we're nowhere near it."
They sprinted away from the main source as they head to the cooling elevator.
The power plant's warning sirens echoed across the island.
And deep beneath the volcanic complex...
The geothermal system continued forcing its own energy backward.
The countdown continued.
01:10
01:05
00:52
The Rapture power plant was no longer a power source.
It was a bomb.
===================
Meanwhile, inside the refinery...
Arisa and Cocoa moved through the industrial complex according to Friday's instructions.
The refinery was far more than a simple processing facility.
It was one of the Raptures' industrial hearts.
Raw materials were being processed here.
Metals were refined.
Chemical compounds were prepared.
Components were manufactured.
And through the massive automated production lines, those resources were being converted into the machines that would eventually become part of the Rapture army.
Cocoa looked at the machinery surrounding them.
"So this is where they're getting the materials for all those droids."
Arisa nodded.
"Then we make sure they don't get another batch."
Friday's map appeared on their visors.
PRIMARY REFINERY CONTROL
REFINERY CORE 1
REFINERY CORE 2
REFINERY CORE 3
AUXILIARY REFINERY CORES
Cocoa looked toward the main terminal.
"Let's shut everything down."
Arisa nodded.
They moved directly toward the central control area.
The refinery's automated systems continued operating around them.
Conveyor belts moved.
Pumps circulated material.
Massive processing machines rumbled.
Neither woman bothered with the ordinary control stations.
Friday had already identified the central terminal.
They reached it.
Arisa connected her interface.
"Accessing refinery controls."
The system immediately displayed multiple warnings.
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS
SECURITY PROTOCOL ACTIVE
Cocoa raised her laser rifle.
"Droids."
Arisa didn't even look away from the terminal.
"Give me ten seconds."
Cocoa turned toward the corridor.
"Take your time."
Droids rushed into the room.
Cocoa opened fire.
ZZZRAK!
The first machine collapsed.
Another entered.
ZZZRAK!
Another.
Cocoa continued firing while Arisa worked.
"Access."
"Shutdown sequence."
"Production."
"Cooling."
"Material pumps."
"Everything."
One system after another went offline.
The refinery began to slow.
Conveyor belts stopped.
Machines powered down.
Pumps gradually fell silent.
Then Arisa reached the final command.
REFINERY SELF-DESTRUCT
She activated it.
WARNING
SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE INITIATED
COUNTDOWN: 150 SECONDS
Cocoa looked at the timer.
"Plenty of time."
Arisa shook her head.
"Not yet."
She opened the refinery's internal pressure controls.
"We're going to make sure it doesn't simply shut down."
Cocoa understood.
"We overload it."
"Exactly."
Arisa moved toward the first refinery core.
She began increasing the pump pressure.
The machinery groaned.
Pressure began climbing.
Cocoa moved to the stabilization controls.
"I'll keep the pressure from venting."
Arisa smiled.
"Perfect."
The first core began glowing red on their tactical display.
REFINERY CORE 1 — CRITICAL
Arisa pushed the pumps further.
PRESSURE: 89%
92%
97%
Cocoa maintained the system just below the automatic emergency cutoff.
"Hold it."
"I have it."
"Core is almost there."
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
The first refinery core exploded.
A massive fireball tore through the industrial chamber.
The shockwave shook the entire structure.
Cocoa grinned.
"One."
Arisa immediately moved to the second.
"Next."
They repeated the process.
Pump pressure increased.
Emergency systems attempted to compensate.
Cocoa deliberately kept the stabilization system just barely functional.
The second core reached critical pressure.
BOOOOOOM!
Another explosion.
The refinery shook violently.
Warning lights flashed throughout the complex.
CRITICAL FAILURE
CORE DAMAGE
EVACUATION REQUIRED
Arisa moved to the third.
"Keep going."
Cocoa followed.
The third core began climbing.
90%
95%
100%
BOOOOOOM!
The third refinery core exploded.
The blast tore through multiple processing lines.
Flames raced along the pipelines.
The entire facility began coming apart.
Cocoa looked toward the remaining cores.
"The rest?"
Arisa nodded.
"All of them."
She activated the remaining overload commands.
One after another, the auxiliary refinery cores entered critical status.
CORE 4 — CRITICAL
CORE 5 — CRITICAL
CORE 6 — CRITICAL
The refinery began screaming with alarms.
Arisa and Cocoa looked at one another.
"Time to go."
They turned and sprinted.
The corridor behind them erupted in flames.
They reached the service elevator.
Cocoa slammed the controls.
"Come on!"
The doors opened.
They jumped inside.
The elevator began rising.
Behind them—
BOOOOOOM!
Another refinery core exploded.
The elevator shook.
Cocoa grabbed the railing.
"That was close."
Arisa checked the countdown.
"Twenty seconds."
"That's too close."
"Then run faster."
The elevator reached the surface.
The doors opened.
Both Nikkes burst out.
They immediately ran away from the refinery.
Behind them, the industrial facility began collapsing.
A chain reaction raced through the processing lines.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOOOOOM!
The refinery erupted.
Huge fireballs tore through the complex.
Storage tanks ruptured.
Pipelines exploded.
Processing towers collapsed.
The sky above the base turned orange.
Cocoa looked back.
"That should stop their production."
Arisa nodded.
"Completely."
Then they heard footsteps approaching.
Ade and Soda emerged from the opposite side.
Soda raised her rifle.
"Arisa! Cocoa!"
Cocoa waved.
"Power plant?"
Ade nodded.
"Self-destruct armed."
Soda pointed toward the burning refinery.
"And you?"
Arisa looked behind her.
"Refinery is finished."
Cocoa smiled.
"Every core."
Ade grinned.
"Then we did our jobs."
The four Nikkes regrouped.
Behind them, the refinery continued to burn.
Somewhere beneath the island, the geothermal power plant was counting down toward its own destruction.
And Belfast was still inside the Communications Center.
The island's three major facilities were now compromised.
The Rapture base had no idea just how quickly everything was about to collapse.
===================
Belfast wasn't going to leave the Communications Center intact either.
Friday had already extracted everything they needed.
Transport manifests.
Prisoner locations.
Rapture communications.
Security layouts.
And, most importantly...
The location of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle.
There was nothing left worth preserving.
Belfast reached the main terminal and connected her interface.
"Friday."
"Yes, Belfast?"
"Initiate facility self-destruct."
"Confirmed."
The terminal immediately changed.
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER SELF-DESTRUCT
AUTHORIZATION ACCEPTED
COUNTDOWN: 120 SECONDS
Belfast looked toward the corridor.
"That's our cue."
She turned and ran.
The first explosion came before she had even reached the outer hallway.
BOOOOM!
The floor shook.
Server racks toppled behind her.
Sparks showered from the ceiling.
Then another explosion.
BOOM!
Blast doors slammed shut one after another, sealing sections of the underground complex.
Belfast sprinted through the collapsing corridors.
"Droids!"
Friday warned her.
A group of droids emerged from the opposite passage.
Belfast raised her Volt Auto Rifle.
PFFT!
One fell.
Another opened fire.
Rounds struck her Echo Suit.
The armor absorbed the impacts.
Belfast continued forward.
She switched weapons.
ZZZRAK!
A laser beam tore through the droid's chest.
Two more rushed her.
She stepped forward and fired again.
ZZZRAK!
Both collapsed.
Behind her, another section of the Communications Center exploded.
The blast wave pushed smoke through the corridor.
Belfast reached the main access door.
It was partially sealed.
"Friday!"
"Opening."
The heavy door began lifting.
Belfast slipped underneath.
She emerged onto the surface just as the underground structure behind her began collapsing.
KRAK—BOOOOM!
The Communications Center's underground chambers caved in.
The distinctive communications mast shook violently before falling across the facility.
Belfast looked toward the burning base.
Then she opened the secure channel.
"Hana."
Yorktown answered immediately.
"Bel?"
"Send them."
Belfast checked the tactical display.
"The objectives are complete."
"The power plant is compromised."
"The refinery is destroyed."
"And the Communications Center is going down."
She paused.
"And we found them."
Yorktown's expression softened aboard the Daedalus.
"Understood."
Belfast continued.
"Avoid the back port."
"The prisoners are being held elsewhere."
Yorktown immediately understood.
"We'll use the aerial assault."
Belfast nodded.
"Give us the distraction."
"Consider it done."
Yorktown turned toward both prepared carriers.
Illustrious and Houshou were already waiting.
Their Mark III Firehawks stood ready.
"Launch."
The flight decks opened.
One after another, the aircraft accelerated into the sky.
Then more followed.
And more.
Soon, four dozen Mark III Firehawks were airborne.
The formation climbed rapidly before splitting into attack groups.
Each aircraft carried a heavy payload.
Yorktown watched the tactical display.
"Target the Rapture defensive positions."
"Don't waste the strike on the prisoners."
"Understood."
"Hai~"
Illustrious and Houshou guided the formation toward the island.
Below them, the Rapture base was already descending into chaos.
The ruined coastline was burning.
The refinery was collapsing.
The geothermal power plant was approaching critical failure.
The Communications Center had been crippled.
Droids were scrambling in every direction.
Then the sky darkened.
Belfast looked upward.
Her visor detected dozens of incoming aircraft.
"Here they come."
Ade looked toward the sky.
"That's quite a lot."
Soda smiled.
"Four dozen."
Cocoa raised her visor.
"That's not a distraction."
Arisa looked at the approaching formation.
"That's an air raid."
Belfast smiled.
"Exactly."
The Firehawks descended.
Their engines screamed across the island.
Then—
WHOOOOSH!
The first wave released its payload.
Explosions erupted across the Rapture defensive perimeter.
BOOOOOOM!
A turret disappeared beneath a fireball.
Another Firehawk passed overhead.
BOOM!
A cluster of droid formations was engulfed.
Then another.
And another.
The island became a battlefield from the sky.
The Firehawks continued their attack runs, releasing their payloads before climbing away.
The Rapture defenses desperately attempted to respond.
But their SAM batteries were already destroyed.
Their communications center was collapsing.
Their power infrastructure was failing.
Their refinery was burning.
They had lost their ability to coordinate an effective response.
The Firehawks made another pass.
BOOOOOOM!
A defensive emplacement disappeared.
Belfast watched the devastation from below.
"That's our opening."
Yorktown's voice came through her comm.
"Bel."
"Yes?"
"The skies are clear."
Belfast checked her map.
"Then we proceed."
She looked toward the harbor.
Her sisters were there.
Edinburgh.
Glasgow.
Newcastle.
Waiting to be transferred.
Belfast tightened her grip around her weapon.
"Royal Maids."
Ade, Soda, Cocoa and Arisa turned toward her.
"We're going to the harbor."
Belfast took one step toward the harbor.
Then stopped.
BOOOOOM.
The ground beneath them violently shook.
Everyone staggered.
"What the—?!" Soda shouted.
Belfast immediately raised her weapon.
Her visor flashed with multiple warnings.
MASSIVE ENERGY SIGNATURE
UNKNOWN STRUCTURE
UNDERGROUND
The tactical map suddenly became useless.
The entire center of the Rapture base began splitting apart.
Concrete cracked.
Roads broke open.
Buildings trembled.
A massive circular section of the ground began descending.
Then—
KRRRRRRAAAAAAAK!
A colossal armored door emerged from beneath the earth.
It was enormous.
Far larger than anything Belfast had encountered on the island.
The doors began separating.
Something was rising.
Ade stared.
"...That's not a building."
Cocoa's voice became tense.
"What the hell is that?"
Arisa's visor struggled to calculate its dimensions.
"Unknown."
Soda slowly raised her weapon.
"That's huge."
Belfast's eyes widened.
The structure continued ascending.
Hydraulic mechanisms groaned.
Massive armored sections unfolded.
Rotors began emerging from the sides.
Then the entire machine began lifting from the underground hangar.
It was practically a small flying fortress.
Its was the size to the Communications Center itself.
Multiple enormous rotor assemblies rotated into position.
VTOL engines ignited.
WHOOOOOOOM!
The blast from the engines sent dust and debris across the battlefield.
Belfast shielded her helmet.
The machine continued climbing.
Its enormous silhouette blocked the burning sky.
Heavy machine guns unfolded from armored compartments.
Missile launchers emerged from beneath the hull.
Additional weapon systems rotated into firing positions.
The machine wasn't simply a transport.
It was a gunship.
A heavily armed aerial fortress.
And it had been hidden beneath the base the entire time.
Ade stared upward.
"Please tell me that's ours."
Soda shook her head.
"No."
Arisa scanned it again.
"Definitely not ours."
Cocoa swallowed.
"We have to fight that?"
Belfast's expression hardened.
A voice suddenly echoed from the machine's speakers.
"Do you think you can leave this place alive?!"
Leviathan.
The four Nikkes immediately looked at Belfast.
Belfast stared upward.
Leviathan appeared across a holographic projection mounted beneath the gunship.
Her glowing green eyes burned with fury.
"You destroyed my defenses!"
"You destroyed my refinery!"
"You crippled my power plant!"
"You invaded my communications network!"
Her expression twisted into a snarl.
"And now you think you can simply walk away with my prisoners?"
Belfast raised her weapon.
"They aren't yours."
Leviathan laughed.
"Everything on this island belongs to us!"
The gunship's weapons began locking onto the team.
Belfast's visor immediately filled with warnings.
MULTIPLE TARGET LOCKS
MISSILE SYSTEM ACTIVE
HEAVY MACHINE GUNS ACTIVE
VTOL WEAPON PLATFORM
Ade looked at the readings.
"Head Maid..."
"I know."
Soda tightened her grip.
"That's a lot of firepower."
Cocoa stared upward.
"That's not a boss."
Arisa calmly corrected her.
"That is absolutely a boss."
For a moment, none of them moved.
They had expected resistance.
They had expected droids.
They had expected a few heavy Rapture units.
They hadn't expected an airborne fortress to emerge from underneath the entire base.
Belfast's visor began calculating its approximate size.
It was nearly as large as the Communications Center.
And unlike the Communications Center...
It could fly.
Leviathan's voice echoed across the island.
"You destroyed the island's defenses."
"You thought that meant victory."
She spread her arms.
"You've only awakened the thing that will kill you."
The gunship's rotors accelerated.
WHOOOOOOOM!
The machine rose higher.
Missile bays opened.
Dozens of targeting lights appeared.
Belfast immediately contacted Yorktown.
"Hana."
Yorktown answered.
"Bel?"
"We have a problem."
"What kind?"
Belfast looked up.
"A very large one."
Yorktown's tactical display suddenly registered the enormous machine.
Her expression changed.
"...What is that?"
Belfast didn't answer immediately.
"Unknown Rapture aerial fortress."
"VTOL capability."
"Heavily armed."
"Multiple missile batteries."
"Heavy machine guns."
Yorktown stared at the tactical feed.
"Bel..."
"Yes?"
"Get clear."
Belfast looked toward the harbor.
Her sisters were still there.
She shook her head.
"Not until Edinburgh is safe."
Yorktown understood.
"Then we'll support you."
Belfast looked up again.
Leviathan's gunship was already turning toward them.
The first missile pod opened.
Belfast raised her weapon.
"Royal Maids!"
Ade, Soda, Cocoa and Arisa immediately moved into defensive positions.
"Take cover!"
FWOOSH!
Missiles launched.
Belfast's eyes widened.
"Incoming!"
The team scattered.
BOOOOOOM!
The first missile struck the ground.
Another followed.
BOOM!
Then another.
The battlefield erupted.
Dust and debris filled the air.
Belfast rolled behind a ruined wall.
Ade landed beside her.
"That thing can carpet-bomb us!"
Soda fired upward.
Her laser struck the gunship's armor.
ZZZRAK!
The beam left only a glowing mark.
Soda stared.
"...That's armor."
Arisa scanned it.
"Heavy armor."
Cocoa raised her weapon.
"How do we bring that thing down?"
Belfast looked toward the sky.
Her expression became determined.