Cassin and Commander were still walking arm in arm when the port came into view. Night had fallen, the only illumination coming from sparsely placed streetlamps. As they approached the gates Cassin broke off from Commander quite quickly.

"I don't...I don't want to be seen heading back into port like this. You can go on ahead, you can have your coat back too." Said Cassin reluctantly, while making no moves to remove his coat.

"What about you? What are you going to do?"

"I don't want to be seen like this, I'll follow a few minutes behind you." Muttered Cassin. "The other girls, well...they'll see me coming back with you, looking like this...and well, they'll talk..."

"No, I can't just leave you behind like that." He objected. "And there could be dangerous people about."

"Stop being noble! Do you really have to be such a gentleman all the time!?" Cassin spat angrily. "It's not like this is easy for me, either! It's your reputation at stake which is what I'm trying to maintain here!"

"And how exactly is my reputation supposed to be enhanced if the whole port knows I went out for a walk with my wife, but I left her behind and made my own way back!?" Commander responded hotly.

"Well, I'm sorry about THAT but do you really think it's a good idea for us to march in hand in hand with our clothes in disarray and what I can only describe as a particularly disheveled look?!"

Commander paused, reluctantly. Cassin did have a point after all, but an idea did occur to him.

"It's a bit cliche, but I've got an idea that might work." He said, getting down on one knee with his back toward her. "Climb on."

"You can't be serious..." Cassin shook her head in disbelief.

"I've thought it out, we'll just say I had to carry you back when you slipped and twisted your ankle." He insisted. "I mean, do you really want to stand out here all night?"

"God, no." She replied, reluctantly conceding defeat and climbing onto his back. "I'd have been fine if I had my rigging on though."

"Your rigging is still at the docks." Said Commander, hoisting her up as he got to his feet and began making way. "So a fat lot of good that would do you if any strange people came nosing around, and a round of cannonfire to the face often offends."

"You're only saying that because you haven't tried firing one, Commander." Cassin's breath tickled his ear. "If you wanted to be closer with us all the time I'm sure we could get you some rigging..."

"I'm not a Shipgirl, like you are." Commander sighed. "I can't equip it, there's no way I could endure the recoil from it like you can. It honestly... it breaks my heart sometimes to see you girls out there fighting and knowing there's nothing I can do apart from keep giving out orders and hoping they're the right ones."

"Commander..." Cassin murmured under her breath.

"Yes, Cassin?"

"Thankyou..." she said, sleepily.

Commander was approached by a few different Shipgirls with offers of help or enquiry as he made his way across port to the dorms with Cassin on his back. Each time he carefully yet firmly declined, saying the Cassin had slipped and twisted her ankle, Commander insisted that as it was his fault for not catching her he would take her back to her room himself.

This worked fine until they reached the entrance to the dorms, which was too low for him to carry Cassin through like that. Fortunately there was nobody around.

"I think we're in the clear." He said, gently shaking her to wake her up. "Can you get down now please?"

Cassin opened her eyes and gave him a mildly irritated look from extreme close quarters, but obligingly climbed down only to gingerly stand on one leg while holding onto his shoulder for support.

"So...what do you propose we do now?" Said Cassin before he could speak. "It's your fault I hurt my ankle, isn't it? So you can't be expecting me to walk..."

"Um..." Commander hesitated, he hadn't thought this far ahead. But he noticed she seemed to have a glint in her eye. "Does it so happen that you have an idea?"

Her cheeks were slightly pink, and Cassin carefully looked around before quietly whispering to him. "Well...I wouldn't normally, so Don't you dare repeat that I said this to anyone! But just once...maybe you could...carry me like a princess...?"

"Certainly, my lady." Said Commander as he picked her up carefully.

"I'm already regretting this..." Said Cassin as she put her arms around his neck. "You better not repeat this to anyone!"

"You've hurt your ankle." Commander reminded her. "I've got no choice but to carry you."

Whatever Cassin may have thought about that, she kept quiet.

Cassin was very tired, as Commander carried her in his arms she drifted into a kind of doze, roused only with great reluctance on his part so that she could unlock the door to her room. She remained conscious long enough to open the door and kick off her shoes, but almost immediately fell back into Commander's arms.

Commander carried Cassin into her room and laid her down on the bed. In vain he tried to extract his coat, but Cassin only shifted in her sleep and drew it tighter around herself.

Commander merely sighed, but it didn't really matter if she kept hold of it for now. Carefully so as not to wake her again he pulled the covers over her so she wouldn't catch a chill.

Everything seemed to be in alright, Commander thought as he exited Cassin's room and closed the door behind him. That foolish thought was before he turned around to see his other four wives giving him looks of deep suspicion.

"Hello there..." Said Commander carefully.

The four girls looked at him for a moment before retreating a few steps and going into a huddle between themselves.

"This is most definitely suspicious." Said Cygnet darkly.

"He disappears for several hours, nowhere to be seen, and then returns carrying an unconscious girl? I couldn't agree more with you." Muttered Yoizuki mutinously.

"Sister, sister." Whispered Terror. "Commander is looking extremely suspicious, is he not?"

"Terror, Terror." Erebus Whispered back. "I fear he may be having extremely laviscious thoughts about us."

The four girls turned to look at him again, owlishly.

"What?" Commander was bewildered by this turn of events. "That wasn't just any girl I brought back, she is my wife!"

"Did Commander just say that he married an unconscious girl and brought her back with him?" Whispered Yoizuki. "Or did he say that he found an unconscious girl and brought her to bed with him?"

"That is indeed deeply suspicous." Agreed Terror.

"He really should pay attention to us more." Added Cygnet.

They looked at him again, this was now making Commander feel exceedingly disconcerted.

'Fuck it.' He thought, and went back to his own room only to almost instantly fall asleep no sooner than he lay down.

-/-/-/-

The next morning Commander was court martialed, charged with not devoting enough of himself or his time to his wives.

Following a lengthy discourse an agreement was broached whereby the Commander would be a little more considerate, and consult each of his existing wives before taking another.

The charges against him were all dropped before lunchtime, which was still before Cassin woke up that day.