PROJECT: CAYRO

Captain Clark:

September 09, 2025

10:00 DST

Fleet Base East

Sydney Australia

It had taken two grueling days for the Australian Navy to drag the Autumn into the safety of Sydney's harbor, following a lengthy and tense discussion with the Australian Prime Minister. He was understandably curious about what we had done to provoke the wrath of the U.S., especially given that they seemed hell-bent on our destruction. After I provided him with video documentation proving that the U.S. had attacked us first, he agreed to help. It didn’t take much convincing. The man had a penchant for involving himself in international drama, and besides, he had been a long-time ally and customer of ours. He was more than willing to assist.

Not long after our initial conversation, he called back to inform me that the U.S. President was adamant that Australia stay out of the situation. But the Prime Minister, having little patience for the current U.S. administration, firmly rebuffed the demand. He made it clear that the U.S. had no jurisdiction in international waters and certainly no right to dictate Australian actions. The Prime Minister wasn’t swayed by their threats, and by the end of that conversation, it was clear the U.S. President was far from pleased.

The Australian Navy granted us access to an unused dry dock at their naval shipyard. With their help, we managed to maneuver the Autumn into position, revealing the true extent of the damage. The underbelly, once a striking mix of crimson red and emerald green, was now charred black. Chunks of the hull were missing, ripped away during our crash landing. The robotics lab was nearly obliterated, with a massive section completely gone, as if torn out and then crushed. The lower substructure would need to be entirely rebuilt. The neck armor, which protected the corridor and crew quarters, now lay at the ocean's bottom. The lounge had been flooded and crushed, and this didn’t even account for the gaping holes in the hangar bay and flight deck, courtesy of our battle with the U.S.S. Death Reckoning. The Autumn was a disaster.

I now found myself seated across from Admiral Montely, watching as he prepared a cup of tea with the meticulous precision of a man who’d mastered the art of waiting. The Admiral was tall and lanky, with sandy brown hair streaked with gray, tied back into a neat ponytail. His uniform was crisp and immaculate, much like the rest of his office, which was so spotless it seemed he hardly ever used it.

"Tea?" he offered, lifting his mug in my direction.

"No, thank you," I declined, not in the mood for pleasantries.

The Admiral leaned back in his chair, regarding me with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "You’ve been granted permission to stay in the dry dock for as long as needed. The dock hasn’t seen use in years, so it’s all yours. Your long-standing service to our government as an official transport has paid off. We’ll provide whatever assistance you need to get the Autumn airborne again."

"Thank you, Sir," I responded, genuinely grateful.

He smiled, but his eyes twinkled with a teasing glint. "So, Captain, how exactly did you manage to turn your ship into a floating pile of scrap metal?"

I sighed, bracing myself for what would surely be a long day. "We were attacked by a U.S. combat airship—the U.S.S. Death Reckoning. They sent a Special Forces team to abduct one of our crew members. I believe you’ve met her before—Star Zaraki?"

The Admiral’s eyes widened slightly. "The same little girl I met when I was just a Captain?"

"The very same," I confirmed. "Our newest crew member went after her and managed to get her off the Death Reckoning. But the situation escalated. The Death Reckoning set a course for Langley, and in our pursuit, we ended up in a confrontation with an Orbital Combat Station. That’s how we ended up in this condition."

The Admiral leaned back, digesting the information. "It sounds like you’ve got yourself quite a predicament."

"You have no idea," I replied bluntly.

"Where are Star and this new crew member now?" he inquired, his tone now more serious.

"They’re somewhere in the U.S.," I answered carefully. "I’m not at liberty to disclose their exact location."

The Admiral nodded, accepting my answer. He then handed me a thick stack of paperwork. "We’ve put together a parts list for the Autumn."

I was a bit taken aback by the sheer volume of paperwork the Admiral had handed me. I had barely begun to grasp the full extent of the damage to the bridge, let alone the rest of the ship. Yet here was a hefty stack of documents detailing every part and piece of equipment we’d need to get the Autumn back in the air.

"How did you manage to pull all of this together so quickly?" I asked, my voice tinged with surprise.

The Admiral gave a slight smile, his businesslike demeanor never wavering. "Just because you’re parked in an old dry dock doesn’t mean we’re without resources. I’ve got my top engineers working on the Autumn’s repairs. Thanks to Dr. Zaraki, we were able to obtain the full schematics of your ship. From those, my engineers compiled a comprehensive list of what needs to be replaced."

I began to leaf through the stack of papers in my hands, scanning the extensive list. Major components like new neck armor, one of the hydrogen jets, two hydrogen processing plants, hull replacements, and the entire robotics lab were just the start. Leaning back in my chair, I let out a heavy sigh. The financial burden of these repairs was going to be immense. The robotics lab alone would set us back about two million U.S. dollars—not to mention the costs for a new flight deck and the substantial structural repairs required. We were looking at some significant sacrifices to the Autumn’s original setup to stay within budget.

As I considered our options, I looked back up at the Admiral, who was patiently waiting for my response.

"The Prime Minister is willing to strike a deal to fund the Autumn's repairs," the Admiral stated, his tone serious.

I could almost see the wheels turning in his mind as he spoke.

"We’ll cover the costs of the repairs," he continued, "on the condition that, for the next five years, you and your crew agree to transport the Prime Minister and other government officials around the world whenever needed—at no charge."

I thought about the offer briefly. While it was generous, it also came with strings that could complicate our situation, especially given our current issues with the U.S. military.

"I appreciate the offer, Admiral, but I’m not inclined to make a deal like that until the situation with the U.S. military is resolved. For now, I’ll need to make some sacrifices to the Autumn’s original configuration to fit within our budget. We’ve set aside enough funds to cover a full rebuild if necessary, but that doesn’t mean we’re eager to drain those reserves," I replied, trying to be as diplomatic as possible.

The Admiral nodded, a hint of approval in his expression. "That’s a wise approach. I’ll have parts starting to arrive by next week," he said, his tone lighter now.

"Have your engineers coordinate with John," I added. "He’s in charge of the Autumn’s financial records."

"You’re looking at about two to three months in dry dock to complete all the repairs," the Admiral informed me, sipping his tea as if we weren’t discussing the monumental task ahead.

"Thank you again for your help," I said, genuinely appreciative.

"You’re very welcome. Captain Bracton and I have always been good friends, and after what happened to him, I won’t let his family be left out in the cold—especially if it was the U.S. Government that caused it," he replied, his voice now carrying a serious undertone.