Azur Lane: Silent Service
Chapter 26 - The Gift for Retirement

“Altair, what are you doing?”

After the siren invasion ended, my childhood friend visited my private room.

Well.. Everyone will question that after seeing the strange equipment inside my private room. The strange equipment that my childhood friend asked me about was the Siren Converter with a large, elongated capsule shape like a sleeping mattress.

“Admiral? You didn't knock on the door and wait for my answer to enter my personal zone?” I said to insinuate the sassness of my childhood friend.

The body I used might be his childhood friend but the soul inside was not the childhood friend he knew. We are strangers trying to get to know each other.

“Uh, you still hold that grudge?” reply to my childhood friend.

“Do you think?” answering questions is an effective defense.

“You know, I regretted my decision back then. I don't know if that decision took you to the wrong place.”

“Yap, it's already happened. I'm not stupid enough to accept a former friend who sold me from behind for the benefit of mankind.”

“...” my childhood friend went silent.

“Tell me, Admiral. Was our struggle in vain? After an order from the Admirality Code that discontinued the Seawolf program. Do we have a home to go home to after dedicating our lives in the ocean and fighting against sirens?”

“...”

“Maybe, some of us found that answer. However, I had enough trouble finding that answer until I met this child” I said as I stared at the Orbiter Temperance who was asleep inside the Siren Converter.

“...”

“I will complete my duties as Seawolf Flagship and take another path to reach my destination. Uh! Just chill! Not that I'm going to antagonize Azur Lane's side. It's just, I'll do it gently without attracting your attention.”

“Altair, I'm sorry. At least I have tried to contact the Admirality Eagle Union regarding the Seawolf program which was too rushed.”

“Programs that are too rushed but have a high success rate on the battlefield?” I said to brush off my childhood friend's bullshit.

“Urgh! Th-that's... I can't deny it. You guys are too effective to destroy the siren convoy.”

“...”

“...”

We were silent to each other.

“At least, I need some special equipment for my funeral. If you can help me to make it, maybe I will accept your apology” I said to break the silence.

“Either why, I have a hunch ‘itu’ will be equipment that exceeds the military budget of Eagle Union” replied my childhood friend quickly.

“Huum? It was just your gut feeling. All I need is a building to make light torpedoes and a ship girl who can kill my submarine without hesitation.”

“H-Huh?! You think there's someone who can kill the spearhead of Eagle Union without a doubt?”

“That's the problem! The Admirality Code command requires me to die!”

In fact, the order given by the Admirality Code was the cleaning of the Seawolf program. All technology, knowledge, design, physical records, physical evidence, and anything that touches the Seawolf program must be destroyed. Including the condition of my physical body that is required to enter MIA or KIA mode.

“Is there no other way?” ask my childhood friend in a serious tone.

“There is one way to do it. But are you sure you can do it?” reply me with a serious tone as well.

“This bad feeling, you want to do something crazy again?”

“You know the contents of my head turned out.”

“Altair!” my childhood friend called my name in a high tone.

“Missing In Action or Killing In Action? Which one did you choose?” I said while giving two choices to my childhood friend.

“Wait! Waitaminute! What does this mean?” ask my childhood friend with a puzzled expression.

“I just want to untie the bond between Eagle Union and Seawolf program. Sinking the Seawolf submarine is just the beginning of the next submarine program. They already have enough data for a cheap and mass-produced submarine, the Nautilus-N.” program

“They made a new program again?!” my childhood friend was shocked after hearing that.

“Ah, you don't know? One Eagle Union scientist discovered a new energy source in addition to liquid fuel.”

“Argh! They make me sick! Why they always play behind the strict policy of Azur Lane!” exclaimed my childhood friend by ruffling her hair.

If you talk about the history and reality of the world Azur Lane. The Seawolf and Nautilus were recently developed by the Eagle Union. Seawolf was supposed to use a steam turbine for his propulsion whereas my submarine was too young for the technology of the present era. The difference between a nuclear Seawolf and a steam turbine Seawolf is like the Grandfather-Grandfather relationship that interacts with each other. While the Nautilus in the present era has entered the stage of nuclear technology as a source of power.

Uhm, I can sense that something bad is going to happen to that ship before it's built and launched.

Nuclear technology in this era is very unstable. Nautilus will be a stepping stone after the Seawolf program is terminated and I can feel someone taking my name into the Nautilus program.

This bad feeling is getting worse.

All right, my decision is unanimous!

My little joke of the day before will be hard-coded for the other factions.

Join another faction or create a separate fraction? At least I want to have a home to go back and rest in peace with no regard for global conflict.

“Admiral..” I called my childhood friend and handed him a paper inscribed with raw materials to make a special torpedo.

“Hmm... What is this?” ask my childhood friend.

“Hey, isn't this?” continue my childhood friend's words after reading the contents of the paper.

“Can you set it?” ask me to make sure.

“This is a little hard to do. But with the event that will happen. Smuggling these materials would be very easy to do. Anyways... I have additional ideas to guarantee the success of your plan.”

“Hmm... Not usually you have other ideas.”

“What if we invite other factions to hunt you?”

“Making them an eyewitness to the tragedy that befell the Seawolf Flagship? Pretty good idea, but..”

“Eh? Is it still lacking?”

“No, not that. I thought of a better plan than that. Like being a arms dealer and living a quiet life after retirement in a human colony.”

“Colony, huh? You still use that word? Oho! The guns! Also true! That's the main reason I came here!”

“Admiral, how long have you not slept? Your memory's been getting worse lately.”

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“...” I did not reply to the question and turned to look at Helena who was sitting speechless beside my childhood friend. Helena sat quietly and smiled sweetly shrouded in pent-up anger. The small paper in her hand contained her husband's schedule filled with scribbles of black ink.

“Helena, can I see that?” I subtly asked Helena.

“Helena? Ehh? EEEHH?! Since when is Helena next to me?” my childhood friend was very surprised by Helena's appearance right next to him.

“...” without answering my question, Helena submitted the daily schedule of my childhood friend as Admiral who is responsible for the interests of the Eagle Union faction.

The small paper was written the words “Date” and was struck by a streak of black ink due to a missed schedule.

“With all due respect, Admiral-“

“Master, I will also be angry if Master forgets his important promise for my business” said Sofia.

Before I finish my sentence, Sofia cuts my sentence with the same smile as Helena.

“Aahh...” I try to understand the situation based on this woman's feelings.

“Uhm... Uh..”

“Admiral, hope you're okay.”

I could only utter that simple sentence for the safety of my childhood friend.

“Eh?” my childhood friend looked at me with a questioning look.

In retrospect, my childhood friend came to visit alone before Helena found her position and sat down next to her without her noticing.

“They won't divorce anytime soon, right?” my little whisper to Sofia.

“Maybe” reply short Sofia.