Gathering Clouds

[callmedelta]

(OOC Note: This event would have happened when Kumosenkan initially deployed their navy to Elenria, but due to misinterpretation and miscommunication, I thought that the events needed for this thread to happen wouldn't occur. Now that I have been corrected, this thread is here.)

Admiral Rolf was to be there with the fleet on that terrible day. Captains went down with their ship: an admiral was nothing but the captain of a fleet, was he not? If the last stand of the Franch fleet was to occur, he would be there for it. He knew where his compatriots in the Conseil would be, for the Admiral knew those men well. General Zelgius would be at the army headquarters in Setange, coordinating Franerre's defense. Director Jacques would be in Pareau, pacing by the phone and telegram lines for information. Director Volke would be in his Pareau office, coordinating what his next move would be, seven moves ahead, with Renault coordinating his superior's orders more directly to the men on the ground. Innes would be scrambling for an answer to Franerre's already tanking economy, but his work may not even matter. The Prime Minister would be making frantic calls, trying to pass some emergency legislation or other. Haar would be sitting in the cockpit of his plane, waiting for the word to fly, shrugging off more administrative work, though this time he was justified. His Highness would either be on his knees praying, or on his feet in the gym, practicing his fencing.

But those men weren't the Admiral, standing on the bridge of the RMS King Enrico Garibaldi, one of Franerre's three battleships, and the oldest of the trio. But her guns were modernized, able to punch through anything Kumosenkan could throw at it, hopefully. 

"Admiral," Captain Tennille said, "Word from the radar stations on the shore. Kumosenkan's fleet have just passed the mouth of the bays and should be arriving within five minutes, Sir!" Admiral Rolf gave a nod of acknowledgement, before turning to gaze over the assembled fleet. Franerre was bringing most of her fleet to bear right here. Only the subs, who couldn't submerge in the Bays' waters, and a smaller portion of the fleet watching the Kumo battlegroup that was already in the Bromsole Bay weren't here before him. 150 Destroyers, 48 Cruisers, 4 Assault Carriers, and 2 Battleships. It was all Franerre could muster, and the Admiral had to hope she was enough. 

An aide tapped the man on the shoulder, pointing and holding a pair of binoculars. Taking hold of them and looking through, Rolf finally saw it: Kumosenkan's fleet. The air in the bridge immediately heavy, oppressive. The entire fleet had been given orders not to fire first, only if fired upon. Meaning they were sitting ducks, for the time being. But they would be sitting ducks with a message: Franerre would not take this sitting down. 

[Sophie]

The Kogo Heika battlegroup was en route to meeting the Yayuri group that was already stationed within the bay under the command of Admiral Rise Kujikawa. Kujikawa was aboard the flagship, the RBS Hokori. She was sitting quietly in the conning tower of the ship expecting only to be bothered once they arrived in port. An enlisted with markings identifying her as a radarwoman barged into the room in a hurry. "Kujikawa-Kama. Franch ships, directly ahead. They seem to be attempting to block entry into the bay. Though if the radar scans are completely accurate then they seem to be staying out of Elenrian waters. We should be able to pass, but this doesn't look good. In my expert opinion. They look ready to engage."

The Admiral quickly stood and began barking orders at the staff in the room. "Call the bridge immediately. General Quarters prepare for combat. Disseminate orders into the fleet. Offensive formation Alpha Three. Get the submarines ready to engage. Bring all guns to bear in the direction of the Franch fleet. Call the RBS Mzukarakana and get her planes in the air. Call the Admiral of the Yayuri group and get them to reinforce immediately. Should the Franchies engage the Yayuri will be able to flank them perfectly. This is what you were born for ladies. Prepare for combat."

An alarm rang on the RBS Hokori and soon after on every single one of the ships in the Kogo Heika battlegroup. "GENERAL QUARTERS. MAN YOUR STATIONS. PREPARE FOR COMBAT. THIS IS NOT A DRILL." Women were scrambling to their Battlestations. Within ten minutes every ship in the group was at full combat capability. The Admiral began calling out on all known Franch radio bands. "This is Admiral Rise Kujikawa of the Kumosenkan Royal Battle Fleet. You are currently standing in the way of a combat-ready Kumosenkan battlegroup. You WILL stay out of our way as we enter the bay. Impeding the traversal of this fleet WILL be considered an act of war. Moving your ships in the direction of this fleet will be considered an act of war. Tracking our ships with your guns will be considered an act of war. Commit any such actions and you will be fired upon with prejudice. For the lives of yourselves, your sailors, and your countrymen. Keep your distance."

[callmedelta]

Rolf tensed as he heard the radio operator bark out the Kumo message. "Relay that message to every ship in the fleet," the Admiral said once the message was over, "But my orders hold. We are to stay prepared at combat stations but I want to make myself fully clear: Franch ships are not to fire the first shot, and anyone who disobeys that order not only dishonors himself, but the entire institution of the Royal Navy. In addition, for the time being, comply with the message from the Kumosenkan fleet. They said it themselves, it is tantamount to firing the first shot. In addition, now that the Kumo fleet is close, I want planes in the air. Not all of them, though, just those from the RMS Lis and RMS Lucia. We show that fleet we mean business, but we aren't here for a fight."

"Sir," the radio operator said, "We've got a message from Admiral Shinon, he says the Kumo battlegroup already in the bay is moving out, most likely towards our location!"

Admiral Rolf slammed his fist on the console in front of him. "Tell Shinon to keep pace with the Kumos, but my orders stand: don't fire. Once you're done relaying that message, I have one for the Kumo fleet." A few tense moments later, the radio operator nodded. "Message received Admiral Kujikawa, this is Admiral Rolf Corazzata of the Franch Royal Navy. The Franch Navy has no plans of impeding the traversal of your fleet, nor to track your ships with our guns. But moving Franch ships in Franch waters is not an act of war, regardless if they are moving towards you or not. In the interest of preserving peace between our two nations, however, I will inform you if any such action is to take place ahead of time, unless the circumstances are such that immediate action is required. Likewise, if Kumosenkan ships begin to track our ships with your guns, that can be considered an act of war, but again, in the interest of preserving peace, we will notify Kumosenkan ships before firing."

[Sophie]

The Admiral sat patiently in her conning tower awaiting the Franch response. The battleground maintained course at 16 knots. The carrier's aircraft circled the battlegroup tightly, fully ready to respond in the case of an engagement. The message came in and the radio officer quickly relayed it to the Admiral. She nodded, "Good, they don't intend to engage us. At least they aren't suicidal. Maintain course and general quarters. The second one of their ships even sneezes in our direction let loose hell upon them. I want my super heavy armor-piercing shells loaded in my guns and ready to fire."

She once again returned to the radio to send another message. "Keep your ships within 22 kilometers of Franch shores, and any movement by them will not be considered hostile. Any movement outside of that zone towards our ships will be considered hostile and will be answered with extreme force. If your aircraft wander outside of that 22-kilometer radius they will be destroyed. Our guns are and will continue to be trained on your ships. This is not done with hostile intent. Our mission here is peaceful, and whether or not that remains true is fully up to you. Any loss of life today will be fully on your hands. Show no threat to us, do not impede our progress and the completion of our mission. This is your only warning. You are responsible for the lives of your sailors. Do your job, and protect their lives because we will not hesitate to take them if forced."

[callmedelta]

"Is that spider insane?" Captain Tennille asked, "We can't allow them to target us like that! All guns on the RFS Enrico Garabaldi, target their flagship." The crew on the bridge was hardly able to move before the Admiral responded.

"No!" the Admiral shouted, "I agree with you, Captain, but you may as well be firing the first shot of you target those ships. Don't move those guns." The crew of the bridge froze, waiting for the resolution of the standoff.

"If you agree with me, what would have me do then, Admiral?" Tennille asked, "We have to respond somehow. Those Kumos said themselves, training our guns on them is an act of war, but they can have their guns on us?!"

"Radio operator, I have a message for their fleet." The radio operator nodded. "Admiral Kujikawa, you said yourself that training our guns on Kumosenkan's ships was an act of war. If that is the case, how else am I to take the training of your guns on our ships? If your mission is truly peaceful, then move your guns away from my fleet." 

"That's it?!" Tennille raged, "You would have us sit here and hope that Kumosenkan feels nice and won't sink our fleet today? Where is your honor, Admiral?"

The Admiral's fists were clenched white. "These orders come from the King himself: we are not to open fire on any Kumosenkan or Elenrian vessel. We are simply here as a show of force. If you disobey those orders, you disobey the King himself, and that is treason. Are you a traitor, Captain?" the Admiral asked. Captain Tennille said nothing in response, glaring at his superior. 

[Sophie]

The message was quickly relayed from the radio operator to the Admiral. Kujikawa was a bit confused by the Franch response. She felt she had made herself quite clear. She stood again to make another statement but the Radio operator stood and spoke up. "Kujikawa-kama perhaps we should just move forward with radio silence. You've said your piece and I think it's quite clear they aren't going to open fire or do anything to draw our ire."

The Admiral paused for a moment considering the proposal. "I'd rather not risk some firecontrolman getting antsy and pulling the trigger." She said simply walking back to the radio platform. "Admiral Corazzata our guns are trained on your ships for our safety and yours. Consider it insurance. My mission here is to dock in my port in Elenria. Your ships' presence could hinder that objective and to ensure that they won't, my guns are trained on you. My fleet's presence here does not in any way hinder your mission, whatever that may be, and as such your guns have no reason to be trained on my fleet other than provoking a naval battle. Though, if you truly wish for your pitiful fleet to act as test targets for the most recent upgrades to my arsenal, please, by all means, point your guns at us."

[callmedelta]

"My mission here is to ensure safety of Franerre," the Admiral responded, "A fleet aiming their guns at mine is not only a risk to the safety of Franerre, but a threat to the Commonwealth of Granuras. I will ask you again: Take your guns off my fleet."

The bridge went silent. "Sir," Captain Tennille said, "Are you sure about that? We don't have a guarantee from the COG if this goes hot."

"Kumosenkan doesn't know that," Admiral Rolf answered, "Regardless, the Commonwealth will still come to our aid, I'm sure of it. For now, my orders stand. Don't target that fleet."

[Sophie]

"The Commonwealth of Granuras?" The Admiral questioned before turning to one of the intelligence officers on deck. "Lieutenant, has Franerre been accepted as a full member of the Commonwealth?" The nervous officer quickly answered back, "N-no Kujikawa-kama. At least not to my knowledge." The Admiral frowned, "Well how confident are you?" The officer responded after some hesitation. "Unless they were accepted today then I can say I am ninety-five percent confident." Kujikawa nodded, "Alright, I'm betting on you then."

Admiral Kujikawa picked up the radio and relayed another message. "You have my word that Franerre will be safe today as long as you follow my previous instructions. If you deviate from those instructions that promise is gone. My only mission is to dock in Elenria. Training your guns on us will be the last mistake you ever make."

[callmedelta]

Admiral Rolf sighed, his hand rubbing his forehead. "Admiral, Sir?" the Captain asked, "What are your orders?" The entire bridge crew waited with him on bated breath. The Admiral took a few deep breaths, steeling himself.

"Kumosenkan has given us no choice," Admiral Rolf sighed, "If we train our guns on them, we defy His Majesty himself. I will ask the Kumosenkan fleet one more time, but if that doesn't work, my orders stand." The Admiral took the radio in his hand. "Admiral Kujikawa, your word is not worth anything to my sailors who see a foreign force with their guns trained on them. I will ask you one last time: please, move your guns." Under his breath, Rolf uttered a quick prayer. "L'eesseau help us, for no one else can. Please, take care of your children, Mother of the Waves."

[Sophie]

Kujikawa snarled at reached for the radio before the radio officer stopped her. Kujikawa gave the officer a death glare that would have instantly killed a lesser woman but the officer stood strong. Though her voice shook with genuine fear as she spoke up. "A-admiral, I understand how you're feeling. We all feel it too. The burning rage of a lesser fleet daring think they can stand up to the Empress's flag fleet is raging in all of us. Still I implore you, think of this from their view. An unstoppable naval task force is sailing mere miles from their shores. They are terrified of you, rightly so. They know you hold their fate in your hands. Calmly, but firmly restate our position. You and I both know the Franch fleet wouldn't dare do anything that could prompt us to open fire. These aren't hostile ships, not yet. They're terrified ships."

The Admiral continued her death glare for a few moments before dropping it and smiling. "Very well officer." She continued past the radio officer and once again called out to the Franch admiral. "If my word is not worth anything to you then you would have already opened fire on my ships. You've trusted me far enough to let us all get this far, I ask that you extend that trust. My guns are trained on you. They will continue to be. On my honor as a sailor, I swear they will not fire unless provoked. We are not here to act in a hostile manner towards anyone. Our directive, straight from the Empress of Kumosenkan, is to preserve peace in Elenria."

[callmedelta]

Rolf set down the radio and fell back into a seat next to the radio operator, his face in his hands. If Admiral Kujikawa was lying to him, he was nothing but the admiral of a fleet of dead men and floating wrecks. 273 ships and crew, all gone under his command. What was the Admiral meant to do in the face of that? What could he do in the face of that? Admiral Rolf took a deep breath. If there was anything he could do, it was face this with pride. Pride for Franerre, pride for her Navy, and pride for doing all he could. Slowly, the Admiral rose from his seat. He gave a quick nod to the radio operator, gripping the radio in his hand.

"In that case, Admiral Kujikawa, I will extend that trust, and I ask you do not break it. My fleet's guns will stay where they are, not aimed at your fleet." Admiral Rolf let go of the button on the radio microphone that picked up audio, allowing him to sigh without Kumosenkan hearing it. "And from one Admiral to another, welcome to Touli." The Admiral put the microphone down, leaning on the console in front of him. The crew of the bridge looked at each other, nervous. Was this it? They weren't to wonder for long. Admiral Rolf stood up and turned around, addressing the crew. 

"Men and women of the RMS Enrico Garabaldi--No, of the entire Franch fleet. Today, we may be sunk. I may have had the opportunity to do something to change that outcome, in whatever small way I could, but I did not." The bridge crew, including Captain Tennille, were stunned into silence. "I can only hope that that I made the right opportunity today. If I proved to be in error, I can only ask for your forgiveness before we die. Being the Admiral of this fleet has been my pride and joy for the past fifteen years of my life, and for that, I thank you. That will be all." The crew of the bridge could hardly believe what they had just heard. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Admiral Rolf simply picked up his binoculars and looked toward the Kumosenkan fleet, watching what could be death approach. 

[Sophie]

Kumosenkan's behemoth ships continued to sail at 16 knots towards their dock. Eighty-three ships and twenty submarines in total passed by the Franch fleet, including seven capital ships and one aircraft carrier. Every single ship that had guns had them pointed directly at the Franch fleet. Some were tracking specific ships, their targeting updated by the carrier's aircraft, others were simply pointed in the general direction of the Franch fleet as any ships were far out of their range. The fleet had standing orders to immediately open fire if the spotting aircraft reported a violation of the Admiral's demands. Every single Kumo sailor stood at the ready, simply awaiting the order to engage.

Many of the sailors were anxious. A lot of them were still green and had yet to see combat, some were veterans of the Staol war and maintained a steely composure, and the rest were hungry for combat. This included the Admiral. She'd dare not say it, but deep in her heart, she was praying for the Franch admiral to disobey her orders. She wanted to prove herself. She was the youngest officer to ever make the rank of Admiral, she felt needed to prove her mettle and there is no better way to do exactly that than sinking an entire enemy fleet. Though it was not her call to start a war with Franerre and she simply stood, awaiting what would happen next as the fleet sailed on.

[callmedelta]

Admiral Rolf didn't need the binoculars to see he was outmatched. Using those binoculars, though, the Admiral could see just how bad it was. He didn't know the exact measurements, but he was almost certain the guns on their flagship were larger than that on those on the Garibaldi. Rolf was afraid of the from up here, and he had a guarantee that Admiral Kujikawa that his fleet wouldn't be sunk, whatever that was worth. He didn't dare to think what it was like for his sailors. Not to mention the fact that there were seven capitals in the Kumo fleet, compared to his measly two. Looking at the capitol's armor, the Admiral didn't like what he saw. The guns of the Garibaldi may be able to punch through that armor, but the older guns of the RFS Phillipe Garibaldi and RFS Jacob Garibaldi definitely wouldn't without sustained fire, and refits for the guns would take too long. He did have more aircraft carriers, four to Kumo's one, and they could scramble more fighters from the Franch coast, but the Admiral didn't know how much that was worth. Naval aircraft were new to him, but he hoped they were worth enough to account for the capital difference. Turning his gaze to the smaller ships of Kumosenkan's fleet, the Admiral let out a small sigh of relief. Franerre's mostly-modern fleet of cruisers proved to be a match for Kumo's own at a glance, though he couldn't make a definitive statement just from the binoculars. The Admiral didn't bother looking at the submarines in the Kumosenkan fleet. The Bays were shallow enough that submarines could hardly make use of their ability to submerge, and Admiral Rolf wouldn't be able to see much with his binoculars, anyway. 

"Admiral Rolf," Captain Tennille spoke up, breaking the tension, "Just-"

"No, Tennille," the Admiral interjected, "For the last time. My. Orders. Stand. Make sure every ship in the fleet is aware of it."

---

"What do you expect me to do, Abel?" Cain said, standing by the guns of the cruiser RFS Desterque, "Those spiders are just waiting to get all their ships in the Bays, then their gonna open fire! The Captain just won't give us the orders to fire. I have half a mind to march up there and tell him to give the order myself."

"What you just said is questioning a superior officer, Cain," Able retorted. "If Captain Jagen says we don't fire, we don't fire. I trust the old man with my life. I'm serving under him, after all, I have to. Besides, who knows how far up the orders go? Some rumors are floating around that Admiral Rolf himself is here in the fleet."

"Then that just makes all of the higher ups either idiots or cowards!" Cain exclaimed. That garnered the sailor a few dirty looks. "I can't believe you're taking this so cavalierly, Abel. What about Est?"

Abel's cheeks flared in anger. "You leave her out of this."

"Both of you, quiet," Darte said from his seat on the Anti-Air emplacement. Both of the sailors went quiet. "We're Franchmen, and what's more, we're Navymen too. The Mother will protect us, no matter what those stupid Admiral does. And if we die here, then she just wanted us early. If she does, then we just take what she dealt us with pride. For Franerre!" The experienced sailor went back to looking at his AA gun, content to leave the two sailors. He just didn't hope they saw his hands shaking as Darte saw the Kumo navy across the waters. 

[Sophie]

The Kumosenkan fleet continued to sail, the guns targetting updated every fifteen minutes. The aircraft carrier's planes were keeping an extremely close eye on every single Franch ship. Looking for a single twitch in their guns, or for a single torpedo to be released. Despite the Admiral's secret wishes, the Franch fleet obeyed all of her orders, and because she had staked her word on remaining peaceful she did. No order to fire went out, and once the Franch fleet was out of their range the General Quarters order was lifted. The Kogo Heika fleet eventually met up with the Yayuri fleet and both of them made it into their assigned dock and refueling began.

[callmedelta]

Admiral Rolf watched through his binoculars as the Kumo fleet sailed out of sight, not quite sure what to think. He should be relieved, and the man was, but Rolf didn't quite feel it. Something wasn't right here. The Admiral had resigned himself to his fate, his fleet sunk by a barrage of Kumo fire, but the King's orders still in tact. But that desperate, valiant last stand he had envisioned...simply didn't happen. Against all odds, Admiral Kujikawa kept her word. The tension on the bridge had almost complete dissipated by now, but there was a lingering sense of...the Admiral couldn't put his finger on what to call it. Dread? Worry? Concern? Perhaps all three, mixed with a shallow sigh of relief. 

Captain Tennille cleared his throat behind the Admiral, breaking the man from his contemplation. "Your orders, Admiral?" he asked.

"We return back to our original docks," the Admiral answered. He looked to the radio operator. "Relay this message to every ship in the fleet. Return to your original docks. For ships currently with us that dock in Pareau, we wait here for the time being to let some distance between the Kumo fleet and ours. As for Admiral Shinon, tell him to go ahead and return to Pareau now." The radio operator nodded, relaying the message. That left Admiral Rolf with time to return to his thoughts, staring in the direction the fleet left in.