บท 656: Fight Your Battles and I Fight Mine
Leung followed behind the girl Inquisitor while being surrounded by a bunch of ultra fanatics dressed like some 21st century B grade Japanese action hero flick. Next to him was the Duchess whose expression was unreadable as she followed along, her hands empty after being disarmed by the Protectorate soldiers that found them.
"Relax," Leung said in a low voice to the Duchess. "I... I will get us out of this... alive..."
Duchess Manarva only shook her head at his words and ignored him. Finally, they came out from the castle compound and found themselves in a garden that looked over the edge of the floating island. Leung nervously looked at the dozens of airships still locked in battle in the skies around them when suddenly a large crimson red airship rose up and hovered next to the island's edge.
Grappling hooks launched out to tether the airship next to the island while long ramps dropped down. More red coated soldiers marched out before the girl led the way on board the waiting airship, taking along Leung and the Duchess.
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"Captain on the bridge!" The crew snapped to attention as Blake entered the bridge. He waved the crew back to their duties before settling down on his usual chair and checking their current status. The Old Ugly and its escorts were travelling in formation towards the ocean where the Vengeance awaited.
Ignoring all attempts at stealth, Blake wanted his ships to get out of the airspace of the Protectorate as fast as possible before heading back to Fort Anchorage where he and his family will hop on a waiting Vector wing ship and return back home to the New World. He did not want Sherene and his child to stay a minute longer in this godforsaken place and in the deepest corner of his heart, he wanted to raze the entire Protectorate down. But his priority now is not revenge, but to get his family to safety.
"Sir! Beholder reports multiple contacts bearing two two seven, four hundred and fifty klicks from our position," The sensor operator called out. "We are headed in their direction and will be within visual contact in three hours!"
"Protectorate?" Trism asked as he stepped over to the sensor operator's station. He checked the report before he turned to Blake and said, "Captain, we got a Protectorate Fleet ahead of us. Twelve ships."
"It is likely our presence has been reported up to their chain of command," Trism added.
Blake nodded, knowing it was a matter of time before the Protectorate dispatched a force to investigate. They had encountered several airships that were either couriers or merchants on their journey within the airspace of the Protectorate. It was only because the majority of the Protectorate forces were tied up in their invasion plans that they had not encountered a large force and the occasional patrolling airships were all easily dispatched before they could even come within hailing distance.
"Continue at our course and speed," Blake said. "I'm not in the mood to take detours!"
Trism grinned as he turned back to the excited crew. "Alright, you heard the Captain! No detours! Set condition yellow!"
"Aye aye, Sir!" The bridge crew jumped to their duties and quickly, the two Icarus class airships escorting the Old Ugly received their orders as well and they too went into an alerted status.
"XO, you have command," Blake said after he was satisfied with everything. He left the bridge, nodding to the salutes of the Marine guards and headed straight to his stateroom. Another pair of Marines saluted him at the hatch of his cabin and went he entered his cabin, he found Sherene and his son both curled up at one corner of the cabin with blankets wrapped around them.
Seeing her like this nearly broke his heart, he made his way softly next to his family and sat down next to them. Sherene jerked when she sense another presence next to her and she nearly clawed his eyes out in reflex but Blake managed to hold on to her. "Sherene! It's me!"
"Ahh...!" Sherene stared at him with shock, her eyes filled with terror before she realised who it was. The hatch slid opened and the Marine guards rushed in, their weapons at the ready as they heard her scream. Blake gestured them to leave and the guards quickly departed in embarrassment.
"Are you alright?" Blake asked gently as he released her shaking hands. His son had woken up from his mother's cry and was staring wide eyed at the man next to his mother.
"I'm sorry..." Sherene sobbed as she buried her head into her son. "I... I thought... y- you were some Priest... or Overseer..."
"Come and lay down on the bed," Blake said as gently as he could as he held back his anger at the Protectorate. "Don't worry, with me here, there will be no Priests, nor Overseers... Or even the Protectorate..."
-----
The aerial battle was short and one sided with the Protectorate not even being able to return fire. All twelve ships, two dozens of their ornithopters and several small craft were all gunned down. Blake did not even appear at the bridge hence overall command was led by Trism.
He coldly ordered all enemies to be destroyed, even the small escape crafts launched by the Protectorate to be chased down and destroyed. He did not want news of their capabilities to leak out even though the enemy knew of their presence. He even ordered the attack helos on board the two Icarus airships to hunt down any other airships in the vicinity be it civilian or military.
It took them another thirty hours of fast travelling to reach the coast where the endless dark blue waters of the ocean covered their horizon. Meeting them was two flights of F/A - 2 Vipers, swooping in overhead and spreading out into a protective cordon as they escorted the three airships.
Another hour brought the Vengeance into view and Sherene gasped at the sight. She stood at the observation deck carrying her son and watched the supercarrier grow larger and larger in her view. "Did... you build this?"
"Not me, but the people of the UN," Blake smiled, glad that Sherene was feeling better to come out of the cabin to take in the sights. "They built it to come to save you."
"But... but... how much did it cost?" Despite being touched by the actions of the people, there was a hint of rebuke in Sherene's tone as she turned to look at Blake. "How can you waste so much... gold on this?"
"It's... not worth spending so many national resources... just to save one person..." Sherene's voice grew softer. "It's not worth the resources and lives..."
"Nonsense!" Blake frowned as he leaned over and pulled Sherene into his embrace. "You are worth it... And the people all think so too! Everyone here is a volunteer and are willing to lay down their lives... Just. For. You."
"But..." Sherene felt guilty despite being deeply moved. "I can't sacrifice the lives of the people!"
"No, but they are willing to sacrifice themselves for you," Magister Thorn said gently from the side. "And they will it again and again... Because... you are their Princess!"
Blake nodded in agreement with Magister Thorn's statement. "He is right... But even if you are not their Princess... I will still come to find you!"
Sherene buried herself into his arms and whispered softly, "Thank you..."
-----
The waiting reception snapped to attention as the bosun whistle piped the arrival of the Captain and the Princess. Officers saluted as they stepped off the ramp of the Old Ugly hovering next to Flight Deck A and Blake returned their salutes.
Once the welcoming ceremony ended, the crew burst out into wild cheers as they welcome their Princess home. The loud cacophony made Coa cry as the noises frightened him and he only cried harder when the massive serpentine head of Blue Thunder came looming over him.
"Princesssss!" Blue Thunder joyfully greeted Sherene while tears dripped down his cheeks. He swept his wings over Sherene and gave her a hug. "I missed you soo much!!!"
"Stop crying you..." Rastraz gave up as she rolled her eyes at Blue Thunder. "Stop embarrassing yourself! You are a father now!"
"But... S- Sob! She suffered so much! Sob!" Blue Thunder sniffed hard. "I am so glad we found her! Sob!"
Sherene giggled as she felt a sense of warmth from seeing the silly dragon again. She held her crying son out to the crying dragon and said, "Blue Thunder, Rastraz, meet my son, Coa."
"Ooo!" Blue Thunder sniffed and seeing the baby crying louder, also joined in crying even harder. Rastraz rolled her eyes once more and shoved the emotional dragon to one side and said, "Hmm, he got your looks."
"I heard you had two eggs?" Sherene smiled at the red dragon who nodded proudly. "Have they hatched yet?"
Rastraz shook her head, "They should hatch soon... I can feel them moving inside the shell... and I am a bit sick of watching them for so long..."
"Don't listen to her!" Blue Thunder moaned from the side. "She watches her dramas all the time! I am the one doing the watchi- OOOF!!!"
Rastraz glared at Blue Thunder who was rolled on the flight deck in pain after getting slapped by her tail. "D- Don't listen to that... imbecile!"
Sherene giggled harder at the antics of the two dragons. She had not laughed so much for so long and the sound of her laughter felt both foreign and familiar at the same time. Blake watched her laugh and a smile formed on his lips as he sensed her emotions were started to recover for the better.
"Alright, let's get out of this wind," Dr. Sharon shooed them towards the ship's structure. "Both mother and son are still in the best condition and the cold sea wind wouldn't help!"
"Sir!" An aide came running over and handed a message slip to Captain Nimo at the side. He took a quick look at the message before handing it to Blake whose happy expression turned grim after he read the message.
"What is it?" Sherene sensing the change in his mood asked curiously.
"Nothing much..." Blake's eyes turned cold as he look over to the coast. "Just... some pests..."
"Deal with it," Blake said to Captain Nimo as he led his wife and child out of the wind.
"Yes, Sir!" Captain Nimo's eyes glowed as he saluted. He turned to his officers and ordered. "Order the fleet to go into Condition Red!"
The officers grinned when they heard the order, knowing that the Protectorate who stole their Princess was here and they were eager to pay them back. The excited crew milling around the flight decks quickly scattered when the ear piercing wail of the sirens went off. In record time, the decks were cleared and aircraft were already being elevated up from the under decks.
Sherene looked at the orderly chaos along the passageways where crew members paused to salute Blake and her as they made their way to Blake's stateroom. "I- Is the..."
"Yes, they are here," Blake replied grimly. "But don't worry... We will take care of it."
Sherene nodded and for once, no longer felt the Protectorate as scary anymore. In fact, she felt pity for them especially after seeing the cold eyes of her husband every time the Protectorate were mentioned. They came before a tastefully furbished passageway where Marine guards in full armour stood guard saluting their arrival.
"Go," Sherene said as they stopped outside Blake's stateroom. "I will be fine."
"But..." Blake frowned as he wanted to stay and comfort his wife and son.
"Don't worry about me," Sherene said with a smile. "I can handle it..."
"Go do your duty, Captain!" Sherene's smile widened as she imitated a salute to him. "You fight your battles and I fight mine!"
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