[b][i]Intermission Four - Darkest Hour (Flashbacks)[/i][/b] [b]La Trinidad de Manila Academy - 12/1/2022, 8:30, UTC+8[/b] [center] [url=https://www.imgchest.com/p/md7oqkxr4p6][img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/45xcvve9ja7.jpg[/img][/url] [i]Far Eastern University In Real Life; the location and structures are used for La Trinidad de Manila in this timeline for convenience [/i][/center] "That's all I can ask, then," Myron said to Henri. "Thank you." [hr] [b][i]Refugee Camp North of Manila - 12/3/2022, 11:06, UTC+8 (Three Days Later)[/i][/b] Crown Prince Shinyahito nodded, a little disheartened, then spoke, "Points acknowledged. Here's hoping the Philippine Government of National Salvation isn't so short-handed that they'll need me anyway, then." [hr] [b][i]Mission Five - La Naval de Manila, Segunda Vez/Segundo Beses/Second Time[/i][/b] [b]BRP Jose Rizal - 12/14/2022, 5:10, UTC+8[/b] [center] [url=https://www.imgchest.com/p/md7oqkxr4p6][img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/yd5ceo5qw64.jpg[/img][/url] [i]BRP Jose Rizal[/i][/center] Admiral Yi Yeol answered Callie's query first, his eyes glinting a little as though eager to seize a chance for victory, but his gaze cooled as he realized that, "It would be best to save Task Force Obsidian's attack on the Guangdong for when the fleet has made contact; even with Huo Ren dead and the Danggal Clan back under the fold of the Philippine Government of National Salvation, the enemy still have reams of information on us and our capabilities. Add that to the fact that while we have an American Fleet backing us up, I am not officially commanding them, and their commander can seize on any erratic decisions as an excuse to leave." He then continued, "That, and Lotus Squadron still needs to clear the skies of the enemy. Speaking of Lotus Squadron, you just missed them; they're docking near the La Trinidad de Manila Academy, where they will receive their orders: To clear the skies of Chinese Aircraft in the days before, during, and after the naval battle. As for how the two of us will be coordinating, especially in an operation that requires face-to-face interactions... [i]The Director[/i] will see to that in a moment." [b]La Trinidad de Manila Academy - 12/25/2022, 5:15, UTC+8[/b] [hr] [center] [url=https://www.imgchest.com/p/md7oqkxr4p6][img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/45xcvve9ja7.jpg[/img][/url] [i]Far Eastern University In Real Life; the location and structures are used for La Trinidad de Manila in this timeline for convenience [/i][/center] [@Hyperion338] Upon entering the Academy and having his identity verified, Captain Võ Quôc Tuân was quickly ushered into a military-style command room, which had an oval table with several maps and charts of the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea at its center, as well as a diorama of the various fleets about to engage. There, he would meet three people, having just missed Task Force Obsidian's departure. The first was Director Bathala of the La Trinidad de Manila Academy, a dark-skinned, middle-aged, somewhat heavily-built man who wore platinum-rimmed glasses and a business suit that ill-fit his stocky build. He was rumored to have a Noble Arm with many mysterious powers, powers that matched several other Noble Arms that had been recorded as missing and never 'Inherited'. Beside Director Bathala, and also facing Captain Tuân was another official, the Director-[i]General[/i] of the Philippine Government of National Salvation's "National Intelligence Coordinating Agency", or NICA. This man was Cornelio Malong, an old, thin, wrinkled man with somewhat wispy hair whose Noble Arm, a razor-edged mirror eerily similar to that of the now-chastened Danggal Clan, hovered by his left side. They had a third guest, a young woman with glossy silvery hair and blue eyes dressed in a ceremonial black, white, and red military uniform, the red being most notable in the stockings and a flowing cape, the black forming the skirt, top, and long sleeves, and the white forming the neck ruffs and sleeve cuffs (?), and all had brass buttons placed strategically. This was Princess Fukuyo of Japan, who, by request of her brother, was kept from further ground operations against the warlords opposing the Philippine Government of National Salvation, and was in an unpleasant mood right now. "Director Bathala, if you please?" asked (Director-General) Cornelio Malong. The answer from the stocky, bespectacled man was, "We shouldn't be tipping our hand this easily, but I suppose our good Captain can be trusted..." And he conjured up a Kalis, a Philippine-style half-wavy, half-straight sword, and opened a portal to the BRP Jose Rizal's Command Room. [hr] [b]BRP Jose Rizal - 12/25/2022, 5:10, UTC+8[/b] [center] [url=https://www.imgchest.com/p/md7oqkxr4p6][img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/yd5ceo5qw64.jpg[/img][/url] [i]BRP Jose Rizal[/i][/center] Admiral Yi Yeol explained to the members of Task Force Obsidian as a portal opened back to the Academy they had just vacated, "The Director's Noble Arm has 'acquired' a... duplicate of the deceased Angelito Jaime's Noble Arm, which allows for unrestricted portals from Point A to Point B, which can grow large enough to swallow Nuclear Missiles and spit them back at their home countries, and is now using it to link TFO and Lotus Squadron's new commander, Captain Võ Quôc Tuân, together in this room. Of course, this power must stay hidden from the Chinese; they must believe that with Angelito's death, we have lost it. But that's not the point; the point is that our fleet will begin moving now, this Christmas, and make contact with the enemy in three days; December 28." He then turned to Captain Tuân and spoke, "By then, we must clear the enemy skies; they will throw everything they have - Supersonic Jet Fighters, Chinese-made Drones, Mercenaries, and Iranian-made Shaheed Drones with special explosive payloads. Will you deal with them for us?" Now, to Callie and Cristina, the Admiral gave his reply with, "Good plan, assuming that Cao Bao, our target, is indeed on the Guandong Type-004 Aircraft Carrier the Chinese have. Which brings us to another point: It's not just us that can use deception in battle. If Cao Bao appears on the deck while Lotus Squadron is clearing the skies, it would be an out-of-character move for someone so vital to the PLA Navy's logistics; assume a trap then. But let me correct you two and Henri here: An Aircraft Carrier is [i]big[/i]. Even with superpowers or magic, you cannot take all of it, even if it only has Marines and Crew and not Arms Masters, which will be there; it's just that big. So take out Cao Bao or the enemy Arms Masters baiting you to attack a decoy, then return to this ship, or my own, or even La Trinidad de Manila Academy." Then, to Griff, Admiral Yi Yeol nodded approvingly and said, "You can infer what plans we have if Cao Bao isn't there - Spring their trap and escape with your lives." [@Chiro][@Nimbus][@Gerlando][@Digmata][@ctrlsaltdel][@Ducksworth][@Gerlando]