Chapter 67 - Enterprise

(Sorry if Enterprise here isn't as portrayed in the game or anime.)

"Adam… don't you think she had been staring at us a little too much?" Winter felt uncomfortable as Enterprise kept sneak glances at them.

At first, it was just on Adam which they both chalk off as her being curious about her new boss. But Adam noted her personality is a little off. Normally, she should just step forward and simply ask what she had in mind. But in reality, she didn't. She even looks hesitant to talk

However, if observed closer. Adam could notice Enterprise were instead wary about the escorts. The people of this world are obviously very wary of the KANSEN and when she is transported, she must be accompanied by a group of special forces units and she also cannot equip her rigging without permission.

So far, Enterprise has been compliant. She obviously had something to say to him but she hesitated because of the escorts that constantly follow her.

So, Adam thought of an idea. KANSEN are connected to their ship spiritually right? So, why don't Adam just secretly talk to her by radioing the aircraft carrier which is her rigging and talk to her that way?

"That could work." Adam nods and puts his plan in motion which immediately gains himself an intense but wordless glare from Enterprise.

'Test 1 2 3… Hello? Enterprise?' Adam tried communicating through the radio.

'Commander?' Enterprise couldn't hide her shock and continued staring at him, wondering what surprise he had for her next.

'Well, yes. I will be your commander starting from now. Don't worry, after we arrived at the base. You will be free of those people.' Adam said

'No… Not that. You are Commander AoiSekai right? I overheard your talk with Purifier. You are my Commander.' Enterprise sounded desperate to know the answer.

For a brief moment, Adam is surprised and Shocked. He tried to process the information which took a few seconds. The conclusion he reaches is that this Enterprise could be his Enterprise.

Adam was hesitant and stared off to the sea for a moment as he tried his best to formulate a way to verify this. Then he remembers the ridiculous name he gave to Enterprise as part of a joke from a meme.

While Adam kept a long silence, Enterprise became more nervous and even thought of going directly to him and demanded an answer as she nervously waited for his reply. She constantly glanced at him to see what's making him take so long to reply but she saw him staring at the sea in deep thought. That is until he suddenly asked a question.

'Do you remember what name I gave you after our marriage?' Adam asked which Enterprise immediately answered, 'NTRprise. It was stated in our marriage certificate and I still wonder what it means to this day.' Enterprise replied swiftly.

Hearing the answer, there is no mistaking it. This Enterprise is indeed the Enterprise from his game account. The same Enterprise in the fleet that Purifier said he once led. He also gets a chuckle out after hearing that name as he briefly reminisces the old memories from his original world.

But in all honesty, Adam didn't know how he should react to this. Yes, he expected himself to lead the Azur Lane like he once did but this time in real life. But he didn't expect to meet a shipgirl from his game. Is Enterprise the only one from his game? Or the others as well? Adam has no idea. But what's clear for now is Enterprise knew more of him than he knew her.

Let me rephrase that, Enterprise knew more about Adam as the Commander than he did himself. The game was a game avatar. The man in the game that was the one that once led Enterprise is different from him. They aren't the same person for sure.

Anyway, after receiving a confirmation from Enterprise. He became curious about how she ends up here since this is a different timeline from his timeline as stated by Purifier. That means, the Enterprise here shouldn't know him and yet she did which is strange. So, he asked Enterprise a few questions to pass some time.

'How did you end up here in this timeline?' He asked.

'I learn the method to jump between timelines from the Meta girls. I upload myself and infiltrate another timeline by seizing control of myself in another timeline.' She answered.

Adam is no expert in timelines and parallel universes. But the method Enterprise uses can't be safe and quite damaging to seize control of herself from another timeline.

And then he asked the question he was very curious about as he remembered the game ended its service after 10+ years and Yostar released a sequel. He wonders how the EoS look like on their side.

'The Commander was leading the joint assault on Mirror Sea as we infiltrated the Siren's true stronghold. But as we reached victory, and defeated the Siren, the Commander went missing and the true enemy that the Siren was fighting against descended on the world.' Enterprise replied with a sorrowful tone as she stated almost everyone died in the battle and was helpless to fight against the new enemies as Azur Lane fell apart without him. The few survivors either went crazy or like herself, refusing to give up and embarked on a journey to find him no matter the cost.

Everything aligned with what he understands. The true enemy is what he fought against in the sequel of the game and the destruction of Azur Lane is part of the storyline of the sequel as new types of KANSEN replace the old as the Commander gains access to all the restricted Siren technology upon defeating them and created essentially Siren ships KANSEN hybrid that is as powerful as the likes of Purifier for the basic units and the power level just inflates further.

Just as they get absorbed with chatting, a sailor part of the crew of this ship he's on suddenly reaches him with a message from the captain stating that they sensed a Siren and requires him to take action.

Adam turns his head towards Enterprise who is looking at him filled with a sense of nostalgia before she said, 'I am ready for sortie, Commander. Please give me your order.'

"Of course." Adam mumbles with his gaze lowered before he lifts it back up to look at Enterprise who seems to place unwavering trust in him. "Prepare for sortie, Enterprise. Your order is to intercept and destroy the Siren fleet."

Enterprise corrected her cap and looked perfect in her classic appearance although her bald eagle named Grim if he's not mistaken, was missing. The escorts were unnerved when Enterprise equipped her rigging because she basically became immune to their peashooters and had the strength to easily turn them into a meat paste. So, they 'respectfully' gave her the space she needed.

Enterprise launches a group of Hellcat fighter planes which she jumps on one before she flies into battle.

Adam wonders if it's possible to equip the shipgirls with more modern equipment. Like, what if instead of WW2 fighter planes, he equips Enterprise with modern jets like the F-35C if it's already in production or perhaps the Super Hornet. Even better, Battleships equipped with railgun main guns that have range up to hundreds to a thousand miles.

Numerous ideas bloomed in his mind on how to slot futuristic weapons on shipgirls because he could and he would give them better fighting chances against Siren's. But for now, he focuses on the battle ahead.

Adam and Winter were escorted to the bridge of the ship to observe the battle which was taken with satellite imaging. His Orbital Fortress can take much clearer images and connect directly to his mind which is the one he preferred. He watches a formation of Destroyers, Light Cruisers and a Battleship drone ships advancing toward the fleet Adam is boarded on. But Enterprise is quickly approaching to intercept the drone fleet.

The fleet of planes converged upon arriving on the enemy position and flew high to drop their payloads, aiming to take down the head before the rest of the body. Enterprise also launched several more dive bombers and torpedo bombers. However, the Siren fleet was made as if with her in mind with the Light Cruisers and Battleship that swiftly shot down her planes the moment they approached the enemy ships.

Enterprise herself also frowned because her default planes were unlike the planes she used to be at her best in her previous life. They were too weak, literally the lowest grade equipment, the Common grade.

Adam thought of assisting her with his Orbital Fortress but he refrained from doing so because many other people were paying attention to the battle. However, it seems his intervention isn't needed at all.

She dived down from her plane and pulled her bow before released an airstrike mid air at the Battleship, most of her planes dropped their payload immediately and even used themselves as suicide planes to take down the Battleship which did get defeated when its citadel got hit by a 1000kg bomb which exploded into flame before the Battleship sunk into the water.

Using the sinking Battleship as her cover, Enterprise loads another arrow and shoots out a few arrows that turn into fighter planes to repeat the same tactic on the Light Cruisers now the majority of the Siren fleet AA had gone down with the Battleship. The fighter planes made a suicide dive to drop their bombs before crashing into the ships itself and sunk a few more drone ships.

10 minutes later, she returned from battle victorious. Although, she didn't think much of wiping out the Siren fleet since it's literally nothing compared to what she has to deal with on the regular when attacking a Sirem stronghold with enemies in the thousands. But the Captain of the ship and other researchers can't say the same. They need at least two ships for every single Siren ship to guarantee a victory because they have superior weaponry and technology. However, KANSEN outclassed those Siren drone ships as a single one of them could wipe out a fleet of 9 drone ships.

"Mission success, Commander." Enterprise saluted to Adam as she dropped down from the plane on the deck of the ship, in front of Adam who was waiting for her return.

"Good job, Enterprise." Adam praised her great work out there.

Upon hearing the praise, Enterprise subconsciously took off her cap and lowered her head, awaiting for a pat for her good job only for her to realize this is not like before and her Commander although is the same person. He now acts a little differently.

Enterprise use the cap to cover her blushing face but unfortunately, Adam still could see her red ears as he chuckled sheepishly as he is used to being around the Cursed Children and he sort of know what she wanted as he give her a headpat as she wanted which left her in surprise as she accidentally lowered the cap to show a surprise look on her face.

But before the two could get far, Adam heard a cough and felt a light jab to his rib as he turned his head to the right and saw an unamused Winter looking at him for an explanation.

Seeing the dynamics between Adam and Winter, Enterprise becomes interested because they have similar traits like their eyes and hair. But she had a feeling that they aren't just siblings despite looking like one.

"Winter, I can explain… but not now." Adam said with a forced smile as he looked at her face turn expressionless.

However, Adam had no idea how to explain to Winter that Enterprise is actually a shipgirl from another timeline that somehow is his wife too that's why they are that intimate.

"You better or else I'm telling Jalter you pick up another lover behind our back." Winter huffed.

"How is this behind your back? I'm literally doing it in front of you." Adam defended with an argument.

"And that makes it any better?" Winter asked but somehow she didn't strike him as angry. More like annoyed and dissatisfied than angry.

"No… Haah, fine. I will explain everything properly later. I'm planning to anyway." Adam sighed before shutting his mouth before he made the situation any worse.

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(It's a mechanic that planes can crash into enemies to deal damage. That's why planes have crash damage. I'm using that basis to make the Enterprise fighting style more viable and logical. Like as if strafing runs from the planes actually can deal much damage on the Siren ship. They don't even have human crew and those steel bodies block basically most of the machine gun fire. So, what's more logical than to crash the plane to deal damage, assuming there's no limit of planes they can spawn which is what I assume the case were.)

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