A large man walked toward a huge chamber with half circle table in front of him and large row of seats behind him, seated there were generals and admirals of Azur Lane Alliance. The auditorium styled room were guarded by heavily armored and armed guards who were currently stared at the man, he walked inside the room with slouched posture with his head hung down.
The man was a stark contrast to the others inside the room, he shown only indifference, despite being in the presence of important figures. He wore orange prison jacket and orange pants, his gloved hands were cuffed and he was escorted by two guard who pointed their M4A1 Carbines at the man from behind. The man finally looked up, that caused his long messy black hair to swayed due to his sudden movement, his face was dirtied with dirt, speck of coal, dried blood, untrimmed full beard, bloodshot right eye with his left one covered by ragged clothing.
He stared at everyone in the room, the tables were filled by the main military leaders of the alliance while those who sat behind him were the commanders who were present for earlier meetings but stayed to witness the event that's about to unfold. More than few of them whispered to each other about the man who stood in the center of the room, they all knew who he was and they didn't like him.
"Ah, major, you've arrived at last" One of the higher ups said to The Major.
"Mind telling us why you're late, major?" The other higher ups asked The Major.
"…You can blame the fact that my arse were so tense after being in the locked up and mining for the sake of king and country in the last two years…or you can blame the guard behind me for having to beat me up first before they could take me here" The major said while he smirked confidently.
"…Hah…Major, please take this seriously" One of the general in the farthest right said after he sighed.
"Who's great idea to call this lump of rubbish here!?" The general on second seat to the right asked out loud.
"That would be my idea. Do you have a problem about this, general?" A female admiral who seated in the farthest left asked him.
"Bloody hell I do! You're calling one of the biggest fuck up in the history of Royal Navy! An undisciplined scum, alcoholic and disrespectful scoundrel, not to mention he fucked up his last assignment so bad that he was sent to The Deep End and he wasn't supposed to come out from that black hole for another twenty years! You mean this man would be our trump card!? Your jest is hilarious!" The general said to the female admiral while he scowled.
The other higher ups in the front seat only looked at him with impassive eyes before they stared back at the major who chuckled by himself, the guards behind him cocked their eyebrows and their fingers were set on the trigger with the rifle safety set to off. The commanders who sat behind him thrown him some confused and disdained looks, he dared to be this unprofessional in front of the higher ups? How did he managed to become a major was a mystery and some even questioned why the hell he isn't executed already...
"Something funny you want to share, major?" The general asked the major with venom laced his tone.
"Hehehehe…Holy shite! You're stalking me, general? I'm quite unpopular lad back in the navy, turns up even a general I didn't know who had a stick inside his arse knew about no one like me! You got some free time eh?" The major said to the general while sneering.
"I have enough of you running around tarnishing Royal Navy's honor you twat! You shall not shame our country further! If it were up to me-" The General said to The Major.
BRAK!
Someone slammed the table and everyone looked to the male admiral who sat in the middle, his right hand was balled into a fist and still connected to the table he just slammed. The whole room immediately fell into deep silence, the man looked around calmly and after he confirmed that everyone had calmed down then he decided to speak.
"Settle down! Both of you! General, this is my decision as Azur Lane Alliance High Commander, you don't get a say in this. Major? Please don't pick a fight, the process of getting you out of The Deep End is complicated so let's not get you thrown back in there so soon" The high commander said with firm tone.
"…By your command, Admiral" The general said while grumbled as he sat down.
"If you say so, mate" The major only shrugged.
"Now major, do you know why you're here?" The high commander asked him.
"Not a bloody clue, I just got picked up from a hole and thrown here without any briefing. Is this a trick question?" The major asked back with snarky tone.
"Then we'll let you know. I'm giving you an assignment, a sort of pardon for your previous failure. Interested?" The high commander said to the major, unfazed to his attitude.
Pardon? That sounds convenient for the major who still have twenty more years on his sentence. The major couldn't help himself but to stare at the high commander for any sign that this was all a joke…After five seconds of searching, he determined that the high commander was being serious about this. What he said few minutes from now could determine his future, the major chose to tread carefully for a bit.
"Depends, but I'm all ears for now…" The major simply said while frowned.
"Excellent. You know about the ship girls, right?" The high commander asked the major.
Who doesn't? Girls who were outfitted with riggings of ship grade weaponries on their bodies, gliding on the surface of the oceans, eliminating threats as if they were ships themselves and not to mention they were considered as a valuable military asset…The concept itself was widely known but the individuals were not, most of their identities were kept secret.
"Yeah, I've heard they're gorgeous ladies, what about em?" The major asked the high commander back.
"The war with Crimson Axis Alliance might had ended, but unfortunately we discovered another kind of threat…The Sirens, is what we called them. They're the ones responsible for 'brainwashing' The Iron Blood and Sakura Empire to attack us, their reintegration into the alliance is underway" The female admiral said to the major.
The major's eyebrows were cocked when he heard this new information…So, did she just said that whole war which lasted quite a bit happened because the influence of something that's not a human? He swore he had heard this kind of plot few times across the sci-fi novels he used to read back when he still served on the frontline…But that's plausible, it made absolutely no sense when Iron Blood and Sakura Empire just suddenly went rogue and start attacking everyone…he always wondered what's the cause.
"Huh…Does this one looked like fish, seduce you with their singing then ate you up?" The major asked while he smirked.
"Not quite" The female admiral answered.
"Okay, does they look like beautiful girls?" The major asked the female admiral again.
"…That's…the answer is quite subjective, I believe" The female admiral answered uncomfortably.
"Ma'am, now you have my full attention!" The major said while he grinned.
"This isn't the right time for jokes, major! Listen up…We need someone capable to handle this threat, we tried every methods to combat these monstrosity. Land victory could be achieved with efforts, but no matter what we do we are decimated in the seas" The female admiral continued.
…How powerful were these sirens? If they could achieved land victories but completely decimated in the seas, that means their armies weren't that balanced…How powerful was their naval forces? Guess it's more than the human ever has because it sounded like they get their ass kicked in every naval battle? Hmm, the major didn't like where the direction of this talk goes.
"And you're telling me this because?" The major asked while he frowned.
"We need you to fight them" The answer that the major expected, he was on the mark.
"…You want me to swim out in the open ocean, with guns to kill these creatures whom I never heard before? Is this your definition of 'death sentence'?" The major sarcastically asked the female admiral.
Because that's what basically was! What can a normal human like him do then? He doubted that even he could get close and personal with a knife to slit one's throat open or using sniper rifle to shoot one from afar…He still required to engage in waterborne combat which was quite hard without proper equipment to begin with.
"That's not what we want you to do. Besides, if you do that, you wouldn't survive for even a minute, I guarantee that…They're…Overwhelming, in a sense" The female admiral said.
"So I got a team to command?" The major asked the female admiral.
"Not just a team…A whole base, full of ship girls" The high commander was the one who answered.
"Full of ship girls?" The major asked back with pursed lips.
"Yes. We need you to lead our frontier base that house the ship girls to fight these creatures. The entire base, its occupants, resources, privileges, will be under your direct command as soon you step in the base…Ship girls were the only one who could fight The Sirens and stood a chance in defeating them" The high commander said while he smiled.
Huh, so only ship girls who possessed enough capabilities to combat The Sirens directly? Well that means the entire humanity would have to depend on them less they lose the control of the seas around the earth…The major didn't like the thought, but reality was a cruel bitch. That would mean their fighting forces was quite limited, he couldn't afford any casualties to be taken lightly...
"That's the price for my pardon?" The major asked in unsure tone.
"Yes. Do this and you will earn full pardon from Azur Lane Military Council, I can guarantee you that" The high commander said while he smiled.
"You're setting me free, giving me an entire base, that's full of beauties alongside what possibly the biggest firepower in the arsenal of Azur Lane…What is the true price for my freedom, Admiral?" The major asked while he frowned.
"I knew you're a smart man…Major I'll be honest, you're still needed directly in the front" The high commander said in matter-of-fact tone.
The major narrowed his eyes at high commander's words, he knew this would be the case…The High Command didn't have intentions to let him go just yet huh? Basically, commanding the base would let him off the hook from frontline missions…But their orders would meant he would also have to be directly involved in a fight, sometime in the future. He messed up once and badly, why would The High Command want him to be involved on another mission?
"Really? After everything I've done?" The major asked with sarcastic tone.
"It's different matter this time. We've noticed some people doesn't like the fact that we've made peace with Crimson Axis so soon, foolish but understandable because most of these people were…misguided, in managing their hatred and contempt" The high commander said before he sighed.
"Define 'misguided'? If those guys were a cult…" The major asked in low tone.
"No, they're an organization. They're nothing but opportunist terrorist though, even when we released evidences of Siren's involvement in Crimson Axis Alliance past actions…It was called hoax, then they bombed us" The high commander answered the major.
Great, not only they got a war going on with these new invaders they also had to deal with terrorist attack behind the frontlines? The world was more fucked than the last time the major saw it, this mean 'peace' would be faraway dreams that only could be reached after intense fights…Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum, the major personally believed those words…and it seems it would be the case in near future.
"Ah, so that's what's been going on in the last two years…You want me to play cop and robber too?" The major asked while he frowned.
"Yes, you're always an easy man to cooperate with, major" The high commander smiled.
"I haven't said I will accept this task, didn't I?" The major said while his right eye narrowed.
"Oh right…" The high commander replied while he smiled a bit.
"…One more thing. Do I get paid?" The major asked with deadpan stare.
"Of course, and you'll find the salary…worth your time. You'll be fighting Siren's army alongside keeping the order by combating these terrorist, which would require handsome compensation" The high commander replied while he smiled.
This was a great chance, a really great chance for a new start for his life and career…but he couldn't help to worry about the fact that high command surely planned something and they're not being straight about it for now…What other purpose for a military organization to release a convict from a prison in order to fight for that organization for the second time? Surely not something as great as they told him to do in the near future…
"…Honestly speaking, this is all very tempting. All I had to do is return to the battlefield and shouting 'for the glory of Azur Lane' at the enemies while pointing guns at them…just like old times…Do you not worried that I might fuck it up for the second time?" The major asked the high commander while he sneered.
"Believe me when I say this…You won't. The world itself is in danger" The high commander replied grimly.
"Hmph, is that so" The major snorted as he looked to the side.
"What says you, major? We are waiting" The high commander asked him for his confirmation.
…But a chance like this might won't come again if he refused out of suspicion…guess he just had to accept this for now then deal with whatever bat shit insane plan that the high command might have in the future? Yeah, sounds like a plan, risky but it'll have to do for now…Besides, deep inside he really don't want to go back to that hell hole.
"…Fine, but anything related to my job, all of you better be straight about it and tell me clearly…You expect me to save the world from the ravages of these creatures? Then don't get in my way" The major declared with serious eye.
"You know we could manage that easily, major…No, from now on, you'll be the new commander" The high commander said while he grinned.
"Wait, I got promotion? Just like that?" The newly promoted commander pursed his lips.
"My word is law in this council, and all of us…Um, most of us are agreed with the matter" The high commander said after he looked at the outraged look of the audience.
"Fine by me…When do I leave? I had enough mining to last me a lifetime if what I mine were gold" The commander asked while he shrugged.
"Tomorrow, you'll be working right away" The high commander said as he concluded the meeting.
"That is all. You're dismissed, commander…We will contact you when there's an update. See you tomorrow, Commander William Blaze" The female admiral said while she smiled softly.
William thought that doing this would yield better result compared to growing old in a coal mine filled with criminals and died either from malnutrition, exhaustion, accidents or might got killed on his sleep…Yeah, dying on the battlefield started to sound ten times better compared to that, at least he'll die fighting…one more time. Not that he planned to die anytime soon, he still got something he want to do.
"Yeah, yeah" William said as he turned around and left the room.
.
...The next day, a dark green 4x4 army jeep speed on the asphalt road built on grassy plains, William drove the car while a video call was on going on the car's dashboard interface. There's a woman on the screen, she had shoulder length brown hair with deep purple eyes while wearing blue military jacket alongside an officer cap on top of her head. She's the admiral who was present yesterday, she stared as William looked deep in thought before he grinned at his own conclusion.
"…So, they have forces just like us…They have mass produced ships, air force and their own version of ship girls? Admiral, drugs are bad for you, you know? This will make an interesting game plot though" William said while he grinned.
"Damnit commander! You never took this kind of talk seriously…But that's the truth, we have obtained photograph and video evidences about them…Especially their ship girls who are tough bitches who could sunk an entire fleet easily, the rest of their mass produced ships and aircraft is comparable to our standards" The female admiral explained the situation.
"Really..." William asked rhetorically.
"That alone gave us headache for months already. Now, we got even better equipment and combat vehicles…But relying on only that would be a foolish move, that's why you're needed" The admiral said while she smiled.
"Hmph" William snorted as he continued driving.
"Remember, we still don't know anything other than the fact these things are exist and it strive to kill us for some reason. We still don't know their motivation, battle doctrines, strategy, tactics, home base and most importantly, leaders…Your job would also require you to find any clues and facts about The Sirens, each finding even an insignificant one would greatly help our forces…There's a lot of loophole, we need to act fast" The admiral gave him instruction on what to do.
That sounded so simple, but William had been around long enough to know that these simple objectives would be quite a pain in the ass to achieve…For example, what to do for starters? Wait, William guessed that he should get to know his base, the girls and geographies around here first before he'll be able to plan something. Knowing is half of the battle and right now William got zero fucking clue on this new area around him…The scenery looked nice though, so that's a plus for a start.
"One thing at a time Lena, I would need to organize the base first" William said while he smiled.
"Do what you have to do, Will. But remember, the council would like any initial result reported soon in the future. As your liaison, I would like to make this comfortable for both sides" Lena, The Female Admiral said.
"Does that mean I have to write report?" William asked Lena.
"Why yes" Lena said in 'obviously' tone.
"Online documents I hope?" William asked while he grinned.
"Well you have the advantages of technology so yes, you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. Just make sure it's encrypted" Lena said while she smiled.
"Nothing new there…Alright, I've spotted the base. Talk to you later Lena, thank you" William said while he smiled earnestly.
"It's nothing Will, good luck out there" Lena replied while she also smiled.
On the naval base, few ship girls were standing near the administration building as a jeep crossed the bridge to the base. Those girls were Enterprise, Hood, Belfast, Kongou and Prinz Eugen. They watched as the car approached then stopped in front of the administration building's reception lobby, the girls then walked to looked on the visitor they presumed their new commander. The news regarding their new commander that headed for the base arrived by mail this morning so the girls lacked any preparation to properly welcomed their new commanding officer, sometimes even High Command could be jerks when they want to.
"I wonder what kind of person he is" Hood said out loud as she walked.
"His files didn't say much, time will tell I guess" Enterprise said to Hood while she frowned a bit.
"Then we're in luck ladies, the maids have prepared lunch for us. We could sit while enjoying lunch and get to know each other" Belfast said to the girls while she smiled a bit.
"Ho? What impeccable timing there, Bel" Prinz said while she smiled at Belfast.
"I agreed…Look, he's here" Kongou said as she spotted someone in front of them.
The girls stopped walking few meters away from the stopping car, the driver exited the car and walked around a bit before he stopped in front of the girls…That's the first time they saw their new commander and they smiled to greet him. William looked around a bit as he inspected the front look for the administration building that will be his new office, not too shabby in his opinion. He then looked forward when he saw five ladies approached him, William steeled his nerve as he walked to approached them too.
"Welcome to our base, Commander" Enterprise said while smiled professionally.
William wore white officer jacket, with white shirt underneath and complimented with black tie plus equally black shoes, he wore black full fingered gloves on his hands, had sheathed ceremonial sword on his left hip and his rear hip had a pistol holster with a single revolver strapped on it. His full beard was shaved clean, he cut his hair in side cut style while trimming his front, top and rear part to medium length level, his skin was devoid of any kind of dirt or blood like yesterday and he had black eye patch covering his left eye.
"Hello ladies, my name is William Blaze. I'm assigned as the new commander for this base, let's get along" William said to the ship girls.
This were the first time William met with ship girls and by the god, they were gorgeous! He stared at each one of them, giving polite small smile while he kept his eye on their own respective eyes…first meeting, don't ever underestimate its charm. Getting it right from the start would be the key here, he's dealing with women here instead of hard ass male soldiers so the way he acted would have to be adjusted too.
"My name is Enterprise, Commander. From today onwards, I'm under your command" Enterprise introduced herself then saluted.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lord Blaze. My name is Hood, I look forward to work with you" Hood introduced herself while she smiled.
"Greetings, Master Blaze. My name is Belfast, I serve as the head maid" Belfast introduced herself, while she lifted the hems of her skirt.
"Good day, my name is Kongou, let's get along from now on, Commander William Blaze" Kongou said while smiled professionally.
"Prinz Eugen is my name, Commander. Let's work together" Prinz introduced herself in simple manners.
William only smiled and nod in appreciation, Belfast immediately suggested to continue the talk in the dining room and William had to agree because he hadn't ate anything since his departure this morning. As they walked to the dining room area, he carefully inspected the area around the way…The naval base was well maintained, seemed to be separated from the regular naval base around a kilometer away as the base seemed purpose was to specially house ship girls, the area were littered by them too doing their daily activites…The base seemed lively and quite happy.
He don't know whether he will succeed his missions or not, whether the girls could work with him effectively or not, whether there's a chance those terrorist strike this base as some sort of message, whether The Sirens would attack them and decimated the base first…Right now, William had not the faintest idea of what will happen in the future. But one thing for sure, he would do whatever it takes to try his best…even if he had to laid down his life for this new task.
Updated: 03/02/2020
And cut! This story undergoes several modification and ideas, but eventually I selected this one. That's all for now, let me know your thoughts on this, I can't promise any regular updates but I'll try my best to keep the story going...I don't own Azur Lane, just the OC Commander.
Until next time!
- Dasmara