Azur lane: A history through their eyes...

Missouri flashback

January 29...

Strait of Hormuz

"It's just a little farther." The frigate Curtis said carefully, checking for mines as I sail quietly behind her.

My name is U.S.S. Missouri, the third ship of the Iowa-class battleships as my sisters and I are a rare breed now.

Most of the other battleships, West Virginia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania are all long gone.

I've been around the world, I've seen places people have only seen in books. Tasted food, heard music most will never taste or hear.

The bad side is that I've seen the ugly the world has to offer as well and that is why I find myself here, fighting for my country again.

"We're here." Curtis's voice jolts me back to reality as I shake my head slightly, looking out to the desert. I don't know what's out there, but they are about to get a serious wake-up call.

"Battle stations!" My klaxon rings out, my rig adjusts menacing as I feel shells raising up from my magazines.

The calculations whizzes through my mind as my fire control systems begin to level off my 16 in barrels.

"Weapons hot!" I feel a weird sensation rinse up through me as it's been since Korea since I've fired my weapons in anger. I see Curtis looking at me nervously as I simply smile back at her.

"You might want to cover your ears." She does what she's told as I turn around and look towards where my barrels are pointed.

"Fire!" I scream as multiple salvos roar out at once, the sound is deafening as Curtis is even blown back a bit by the shockwave. I feel more shells rising up and loading, the slightest adjustments are made to my fire controls and again I let loose with a bombardment from hell.

This continues for a few hours as I go into auto mode.

Adjust, fire, adjust, fire, adjust, fire is the only thing I can think of when my memory triggers.

I did an incredible amount of shore bombardment during World War II and the Korean War as I thought about the kind of devastation that the Iraqi's were now feeling with my 16-inch shells landing on their heads.

The salvos would be deadly enough, but with the aid of drones and sophisticated technology, these Iraqi soldiers didn't have a prayer.

Surrender is their only option now as I sit in the water carefree, realizing I'm practically untouchable.

Another Salvo let's go as I'm grinning now, thinking about the death and destruction I'm raining down on these poor bastards and with no way to retaliate whatsoever.

Again I fire, the grin doesn't fade as more shells and powder is loaded. I'll make the most of this as I know as soon as this war is over I'll be decommissioned again and who knows if I'll ever make it back to sea or if I'll ever fire my guns again.

More salvos launch as I'm laughing maniacally now.

How long will it be till the next time they need me? 5, 10 years, NEVER? I'm not even thinking about the mission now as more rounds go out.

I don't even notice Curtis looking at me with a scared look. Turning to her still grinning, I suddenly launch two tomahawk missiles into the sky.

I am a weapon, I must do what I was designed for, may my enemies deaths be swift.

"Strength for Freedom!"

Everything is quiet now as all I can hear is my panting breath and the calming sea.

The adrenalin of battle soon fades as I just look out to the desert and see smoke rising on the horizon.

"Target destroyed...."