---
The ocean had been quiet for two days.
Too quiet.
Reeve knew better than to trust calm seas. In war, stillness usually meant something was about to strike.
He stood inside Fort Sentinel's Command Core, eyes on the shifting data flowing across the central tactical display. Resources were coming in steadily. Convoys were running like clockwork. The upgraded Logistics AI had already reduced their fuel consumption by 14%. Even the weather pathing was running optimized predictions down to the hour.
But the enemy wasn't idle.
Keira stepped in. "Scout drones picked up movement beyond Sector Theta. Could be another player. Could be wildlife. Could be both."
Reeve gave a quiet nod. "Then it's time to shift gears. Begin construction on new offensive assets. I want proper warships in the water within 48 hours."
---
> SHIPYARD – NEW ORDERS QUEUED
[NEW UNLOCKED CLASSES]
Hammerhead-Class Corvette Type: Fast Attack / Patrol Displacement: 900 tons Speed: 32 knots Armament:
1x 76mm Naval Gun
4x Anti-Ship Missiles
2x CIWS
1x Torpedo Launcher (Optional) Crew: 24 (AI or Officer)
Cost: 700 Steel / 500 Electronics / 250 Gold Build Time: 6 Hours
[Queued: Hammerhead 01, Hammerhead 02]
Aegis-Class Destroyer (Blueprint Fragment 67%) [UNAVAILABLE UNTIL HQ LEVEL 6]
---
"Two Hammerheads for now," Reeve ordered. "They'll run fast escort and raid missions. Pair one with Swift-01, other with Timber Delta rotation."
Keira raised an eyebrow. "That's going to stretch fuel logistics if we run them hot."
"We won't. We'll stagger their movement. Hammerhead 01 gets full overwatch priority. 02 trains with the Brandenburg for naval integration."
He tapped open a secondary panel.
> MODULAR UPGRADE OPTIONS – EXISTING WARSHIPS
Brandenburg-Class Frigate:
New Sensor Package: Passive Radar + Thermal Overlay (Completed)
Modular Deck Mount: Naval Mortar Pod (Queued)
Missile Upgrade: NSM Payload Increase (16x → 24x) [In Progress]
Mistral-Class Patrol Ship:
AA Gun Replacement (Old 20mm → Twin 35mm Auto-Cannon) [Completed]
Hull Reinforcement (Underway)
ECM Countermeasures Suite (Queued)
---
The warships were evolving.
As he reviewed the schematics, Reeve noticed a new update under the R&D lab's advanced tech feed.
> RESEARCH COMPLETE: GUIDED WEAPONS PHASE I UNLOCKED:
Laser-Guided Shells (76mm + 127mm compatible)
Semi-Active Radar Missiles (Advanced Fire Control Needed)
Torpedo Acoustic Guidance Kits (Experimental)
> NEXT PHASE (Tier II R&D Lab Required): Naval Drone Torpedoes, Deck-Launched SAMs, Hybrid Power Propulsion
He nodded. "Prep the Brandenburg to receive laser-guided munitions. And push the Mistral's mortar upgrade forward. I want layered strike capability."
---
By late afternoon, the shipyard was alive with the clang of metal and the pulse of arc welders. Hammerhead 01 was already taking shape—a narrow, aggressive frame, built for speed and precision strikes.
He reviewed the AI core assignment queue:
> Ship AI: TYPHOON-1 (Assigned to Hammerhead 01) Personality Mode: Aggressive / Defensive Override Capable Combat Behavior: Intercept Priority, Skirmish Protocols Enabled
Meanwhile, Brandenburg's new sensor package was already online. The tactical display pulsed with more detail than ever before—current vector tracking, thermal overlays, passive sonar net.
"You'll see them coming long before they see us," Keira said.
"And they still won't be ready."
---
By 2300 hours, Reeve received the completion alert:
> HAMMERHEAD 01 – COMPLETE Status: Combat Ready Crew: 24 (AI) Loadout:
76mm Naval Gun
4x NSMs
Twin CIWS
Torpedo Launcher (Short-Range)
Assigned to: Swift Convoy Protection
Hammerhead 02 followed six hours later.
The war fleet had doubled overnight.
From a single frigate and patrol ship to a trio of fully capable surface combatants, Fort Sentinel's naval strike capability had entered a new phase.
---
> STRATEGIC READINESS OVERVIEW:
Warships:
Brandenburg (Frigate) – Upgraded
Mistral (Patrol) – Reinforced
Hammerhead 01 (Corvette) – Active
Hammerhead 02 (Corvette) – Active
Support Vessels:
Atlas 01, 02, 03 (Cargo)
Swift 01 (Fast Resupply)
Upcoming Build Targets:
Tier II R&D Lab
Airfield Phase I (Runway Prep)
Missile Silo (Defensive)
Reeve looked over the growing fleet, the building projects, the supply chains that hummed through the waves.
The sea was still vast. Dangerous. Unforgiving.
But now?
He had teeth.
And soon, he'd bring them to bear.
---