[Commander's Perspective]
The seagulls chirp, the wind blows, the water sloshes. All three of these effects combine to give my surroundings a calming feel...How ironic since a battle is about to begin.
I sigh. We're attacking humanoid Sirens. HQ is crazy. I'm not saying we can't pull off a victory. It just seems unlikely at this point. How do they expect us to win against a technologically advanced enemy without any support?
My thoughts are interrupted by approaching footsteps making a racket on the sheet metal flooring of HMS Rodney.
Speaking of, here comes the human incarnation.
"Commander?" She calls as she comes to a halt several steps away from me.
"Yes, Rodney?" I turn around and deliberately meet her eyes.
"How are you feeling?" The water ahead reflects of her irises.
"I'm just uneasy." I sigh again making her look concerned. "There's a feeling, in the back of my mind, that somethings going to go wrong here."
Rodney comes closer to me and takes my hands. "We talked about this...stop being so negative."
We are not even a couple and yet she acts like a wife.
"I know. But it's hard when you have my magnitude of responsibility." I explain, hoping to relax her a bit.
"Yes, well, can you help me with negative energy? I get enough from Nelson." Rodney lets go of me but keeps her concerned expression.
"I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything." I compromise to appease her.
"Good. Now get in the right frame of mind for battle." She begins to turn. "We need your optimism to keep our optimism."
"I'll do my best." I turn back to the waves ahead.
Rodney walks away.
She's right. Optimism is the best way to go for fighting a war.
But when I'm in command of a couple hundred girls with the power of warships at their fingertips, it gets quite hard to maintain that morale.
I live with the constant fear that one of them may die. I do not know what I would do then...
Wow, look at me. One second after Rodney left and I'm already back to my negative ways. Can't I be positive for one minute?
Something catches my eye in the distance...is that the Siren fleet we were told to destroy?
I take my binoculars out of the pouch and look through them.
Yes, that's definitely the fleet. We reached them quicker than I thought we would.
"All of you come in, this is the Commander." I radio the girls and await response.
"Roger, what is it Commander?" Hornet's voice responds.
"I've spotted the targets, prepare for battle." I order.
"Understood, we will start getting ready." The line goes dead.
I take one last look at the fleet to confirm the number of enemies...we might be able to take them.
Time to brief the girls for the last time before the skirmish begins.
Though, what can I tell them that they don't already know?
It's not like they would forget what the plan is.
At least, I may be able to keep spirits up.
Not mine, but I can try to encourage the girls'.
"Commander!" Hornet herself comes up to me. "Give us the order, I'm riveting."
"Alright, alright, settle down." I tell her. "This will only take a few minutes."
I address the group. "Do you remember the plan?!"
"Yeah!" They call back with enthusiasm.
"Good, I won't need to give a long winded speech then!" I turn to the water. "Proceed!"
The crowd all make their way into the water, deploying their riggings as they go giving the area a nice light show.
I call down to them. "Be careful, they overpower us, but don't be intimidated."
"Aye!" they reply and begin heading towards the enemy fleet.
[Purifier's Perspective]
"They fell for it." Observer narrows her eyes at the approaching humans. "Purifier, you engage them, I'll deal with their so-called Commander."
"Okay!" I summon my weaponry.
This will be fun...well at least for me, the humans might experience a liiiittle bit of anguish.
I drop into the ocean liquid and head towards my adversaries. I personally hope they give me a good fight.
They should feel honored that I'm even giving them the time of day to fight them...though, knowing humans, they likely aren't grateful at all...
I see them...in formation...trying to be sneaky...how cute.
Time to play a little prank on them!
I loop around their path and trail them, slowly increasing my speed to catch up.
Humans are so interesting...dumb enough to fight wars even though they despise it.
Slowing down, I come alongside a short red-haired girl.
Reading her rigging...she's San Diego.
"Excited for the battle?" I whisper to her.
"Of course!" She eagerly replies without looking at me. "I'm ready to scrape the ocean bed with the Sirens!"
"Good plan!" I raise my voice. "I approve!"
"Well...duh!" Ugh, I want to blast her right now. "It is San Diego coming up with it, Miss-SIREN!"
Looks like I've been found out...
They all scatter like bugs...and like bugs, they can be crushed.
"Hahahahaha!" I taunt them. "You should have seen your faces!"
They turn around to face me and all point their guns in my direction.
"What?" I shrug my shoulders at them. "It was just a harmless joke."
They fire at me in synchrony.
I dodge all the shells that they sent my way...lazers are far superior.
"Well now that's not very amicable!~" I ready my cannon. "Guess you don't want to be friends?"
Some indistinguishable chatter erupts as they start to scatter again.
"Let's play, let's play!" I'm not really here to kill them.
I just need to delay them enough for Observer to capture the one who gives them orders.
Their 'Commander'.
[Commander's Perspective]
Damn, we weren't expecting an elite Siren like Purifier to show up.
Still, it's only her versus our entire operation squadron, so we have a chance.
"Stay calm to have the best chance at victory." I advise the squad.
"Wise words...no wonder the humans chose you as their leader." I don't recognize that voice.
I turn around-
It's a Siren...judging from looks she is Observer.
I immediately draw my pistol and try to shoot her.
Her tentacle ensnares my arm and another removes my weapon.
She inspects it. "Primitive...this is seriously your best?"
"Yeah well, unlike you, we haven't got the resources here to construct lazer cannons or whatever..." I continue to look at her.
"My, my, that stare you're giving me is so intense...almost makes me think you're more than just a human." Observer changes one of her tentacles to a syringe.
"N-no, please..." I start to struggle.
Why does it have to be a needle?
She giggles. "Does someone have a fear of injections?"
"Y-you could say that..." She drags me closer to her.
"Don't worry, you won't feel it for long..."
Her syringe moves over my shoulder and out of sight.
I try, in futility, to reason with her one more time.
"Silence, human!" She barks, making me jump. "Just accept it."
I feel the injector enter my neck.
"Agh!" I grunt quietly.
"Shhhh, no more struggling is needed." She caresses my face. "You're with us now."
My vision starts fading.
I...can't...allow this...
No...
[Rodney's Perspective]
That Commander...he said he would have some tea with me while the operation was ongoing.
But now he's 10 minutes late.
Might as well look for him...
I exit the captain's cabin and descend the stairs to the deck.
This feels weird...
I'm myself...on myself.
The place where the Commander should be is desolate.
"Commander!" I call, to no avail.
His gun is on the ground.
What happened?
I pick up the handgun and inspect the magazine.
...No rounds have been expended.
Not really surprising as I would have heard the gunfire if he did shoot at something.
But where is he now?
He better not be trying to scare me...
No, he knows better than that.
In that case...something really did happen!
No...I won't accept that...
He...has to still be onboard...right?!
I feel my eyes start to dampen.
He's still alright...he's still alive and with us.
I hear the squad come back.
They are all calling for the Commander.
He's not with them?
Where is he?
Commander...please be safe...
[Purifier's Perspective]
We got our prize...the humans' Commander!
I know he's supposed to be our main target...but he's kind of cute now that he's knocked out.
Observer's carrying him back to our Earth base and I'm not far behind.
Empress requested him alive unless he gave us too much trouble.
We just have to hope the dosage was correct as to not kill him.
I see our base in the distance.
Observer turns to me.
"Purifier, take the human inside." She lowers him to me. "I will notify Empress of our success."
"Understood!" I exclaim and sling the human over my shoulder.
"Meet with me later." She says and proceeds go to wherever Empress is held up.
Now, where should I take this human?
The most logical place would be the cells...but I'm not one to follow logic.
I'll take him to our living space, just to confuse my friends.
Walking through our base with a human on my shoulder feels good.
We finally have someone I can freely torture in whatever way I want as long as he doesn't die.
Let's hope he's resilient.
[Commander's Perspective]
I become aware that my head is resting on something warm and soft.
My eyes refuse to open.
Same with my mouth.
Something starts brushing my hair soothingly.
A female voice says something, but it's muffled.
Even so, I realize I don't recognize it.
My eyes lighten and I open them.
Purifer's face smiles down at me.
"Oh. you're awake?~" She speaks playfully.
I simply grunt and stretch as I still can't speak back.
"Howdy, human!" She strokes my hair.
I'm...resting on her lap.
"W...what are you...doing?" I quietly ask.
"What do you think?" her smile grows wider. "Comforting you before I, let's say, 'enjoy' you."
"Sounds hot..." I smirk.
She looks at me, confused for a second.
Suddenly, I'm forcefully jolted to my feet.
"Welcome to our base of operations for this planet!" She gestures to the room.
It's certainly not of human design, but it's not too off-worldly either.
"Feel free to look around, I'll accompany you." Purifier stands next to me.
Why am I not dead?