Our Bonds (A Kantai Collection Fanfic) (Remastered)

Chapter 5: A New Threat

Today, HQ has issued an order for us to search and destroy an Abyssal Princess who had made the Northern Area her home. Another oddity. If it was a Northern Princess, it would have made sense but the enemy this time was Southern War Princess. What the hell? The ships on this mission will be flagship Yahagi, Destroyers Murasame and Arashio, Carriers Hiryuu and Souryuu, and Aviation Battleship Fusou

"All ships are to remain in contact with command and with each other at all times. Retreat as soon as one of you is heavily damaged. If retreat is impossible, take cover and wait for the escort fleet. That's all. Any questions?" (Zuihou)

"No!" (All)

"Good. I will be providing instructions on the fly. Once you spot something, notify me and everyone else immediately in case I miss it. The target is a Princess class so keep our wits about you."

Another oddity. This is the third time this month.

Last week, a Battleship Re-class with entourage of Light Cruiser To-class and Destroyer Ha-class was spotted near one of our Expedition Resource nodes. A Subjugation fleet, consisting of Noshiro, Yamashiro, Hiyruu, Souryuu, Murasame and Kagerou, was sortied to get rid of them. According to them, the enemy fleet was already injured severely and didn't put up much of a fight. Lucky, but weird.

Two days ago, we encountered a lone, injured Wo-class occupying our Coastal Refinery Zones. It's wounds were not done by one of our own. It had holes in its non-vital parts and it was missing an arm. Abyssals bleed, but this one wasn't. It was as if its wounds had been cauterized. But by what? I got Shiratsyu and Tenryuu, who discovered and reported it, put the damn thing out of its misery.

I watched on the monitor as Yahagi's fleet entered the mission zone. Ooyodo is manning the comms, helping me fine-tune the connection between us and them. She also decrypts any communication sent via the encrypted channels.

"This is Yahagi, do you copy?" (Yahagi)

"We read you five by five. Visuals are clear as well. Take extreme precaution while advancing. Who knows what could pop up."

"It's cold here." (Murasame)

"We are in the north. It can't be helped." (Hiryuu)

The fleet moved at 3 battle speed and watched their surroundings. It was quiet.

"It's too quiet. The Abyssals should have popped out by now." (Souryuu)

"Maybe they moved elsewhere?" (Zuihou)

"Possibly but I don't think that's the case. Once a Princess occupies an area, they won't simply get up and leave. Especially when it's barely a day since they were spotted. Something big must happen in order to force them to move. Souryuu, Hiryuu, launch three squadrons of scouts and fan them out. Cover all immediate bases."

"Roger!" (Hiryuu and Souryuu)

The two dragons drew their bows and let fly their arrows. The arrows burst into flames, transmuting into 3 Saiuns. They repeated the same motion two more times. The Saiuns spread out, doing what they do best and searched the area for our enemy.

"Nothing within range for me. Hiryuu?" (Souryuu)

"Same. I got- Wait. Found them! 3 kilometers in the north-east. And what is that?" (Hiryuu)

"What else do you see?" (Ooyodo)

"Some black ship. It's huge! It's being torn apart by the Abyssals. What is it doing in Abyssal infested waters?" (Hiryuu)

"Is it civilian or military?"

"Looks like military. It's fighting back with... lasers? Is there such a thing now?" (Hiryuu)

The only countries I can think of that can create this type of technology are Russia and America. But the Russians have isolated themselves from the rest of the world and switched to more passive tactics. The Americans are more aggressive. Have the Americans developed a new type of weapon against the Abyssals? But that is something straight out of science fiction. Whatever the case,