A large man walked toward a huge chamber with a half circle table in front of him and a large row of seats behind him, seated there were generals and admirals of Azur Lane Alliance. The auditorium styled room was guarded by heavily armored and armed guards who were currently staring at the man, he walked inside the room with a slouching posture with his head hung down.
The man was a stark contrast to the others inside the room, he showed only indifference, despite being in the presence of important figures. He wore an orange prison jacket and orange pants, his gloved hands were cuffed and he was escorted by two guards who pointed their M4A1 Carbines at the man from behind. The man finally looked up, causing his long messy black hair to sway due to his sudden movement, his face was dirtied with dirt, specks 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 a few of them whispered with each other about the man who stood in the center of the room, they all knew who he was.
"Ah, major, you've arrived at last." One of the higher ups said.
"Mind telling us why you're late, major?" The other higher ups asked.
"…You can blame the fact that my arse was so tense after being locked up and mining for the sake of king and country for the last two years…or you can blame the guard behind me for beating me up first before they could take me here." The major said while smirking.
"…Hah…Major, please take this seriously. '' One of the generals on the right said after sighing.
"Who's great idea to call this lump of rubbish here!?" The general on the second seat to the right asked out loud.
"That would be my idea. Got any problems about this, general?" A female admiral who was seated in the farthest left asked.
"Yeah! You're calling one of the biggest fuck ups in the history of the Royal Navy! An undisciplined scum, an 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.
The other higher ups in the front seats only looked at him with impassive eyes before they stared back at the major who was chuckling by himself, the guards behind him cocked their eyebrows, and their fingers were set on the trigger with their rifles' safety set to off. The commanders who sat behind him threw him 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.
"Something funny you want to share, major?" The general asked with venom in his tone.
"Hehehehe…Holy shite! You're stalking me, general? I'm quite an unpopular lad back in the navy, turns out even a general I didn't know who had a stick inside his arse knew about a nobody like me!" The major said while sneering.
"I have had enough of you running around tarnishing the 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.
"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.
"…By your command, Admiral." The general said while grumbling 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 a 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 unfazed.
A pardon? That sounds convenient for the major who still has 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 inspecting him, the major determined that the high commander was being serious about this. What he says a 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.
"Excellent. You know about the ship girls, right?" The high commander asked.
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 a valuable military asset…The concept itself was widely known, but the individuals were not, most of their identities were kept secret.
"Yeah, gorgeous ladies, what about 'em?" The major asked back.
"The war with the Crimson Axis Alliance might have ended, but unfortunately, we discovered another kind of threat…The Sirens, is what we call 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 say that the whole war, which lasted quite a bit, happened because of the influence of something that's not human? He swore he had heard this kind of plot a 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 started attacking everyone…he always wondered what the cause was.
"Huh…Do they look like mermaids, seduce you with their singing then eat you up?" The major asked while smirking.
"Not quite." The female admiral answered.
"Okay, do they look like beautiful girls?" The major asked 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 grinning.
"This isn't the right time for jokes, major! Listen up…We need someone capable to handle this threat, we tried every method to combat this monstrosity. Land victories could be achieved with effort, but no matter what we do we are being decimated in the seas." The female admiral continued.
…How powerful were these sirens? If they could achieve land victories but be completely decimated in the seas, that means their armies weren't that balanced…How powerful were their naval forces? Guess it's more than the humans ever had because it sounded like we get our arses kicked in every naval battle?
"And you're telling me this because?" The major asked while frowning.
"We need you to fight them." There's the answer that the major expected.
"…You want me to swim out in the open ocean, with guns to kill these creatures whom I never heard of before? Is this your definition of a 'death sentence'?" The major sarcastically asked.
Because that's what it basically was! What can a normal human like him do then? He doubted that even he could get up close and personal with a knife to slit one's throat open or use a sniper rifle to shoot one from afar…He's 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 can guarantee that…They're…Overwhelming, in a sense." The female admiral said.
"So I got a team to command?" The major asked.
"Not just a team…A whole base, full of ship girls." The high commander answered.
"Full of ship girls?" The major asked back with pursed lips.
"Yes. We need you to lead our frontier base that houses the ship girls to fight these creatures. The entire base, its occupants, resources, and privileges, will be under your direct command as soon as you step in the base…Ship girls are the only ones who can fight the Sirens and stand a chance in defeating them." The high commander said.
Huh, so only ship girls possessed enough capabilities to combat the Sirens directly? Well that means the entirety of humanity would have to depend on them lest they lose the control of the seas around the earth…The major didn't like the thought, but reality was a cruel bitch.
"That's the price for my pardon?" The major asked.
"Yes. Do this, and you will earn full pardon from the Azur Lane Military Council, I can guarantee you that." The high commander said.
"You're setting me free, giving me an entire base, that's full of beauties alongside what is possibly the biggest firepower in the arsenal of Azur Lane…What is the true price for my freedom, Admiral?"
"I knew you're a smart man…Major I'll be honest, you're still needed directly on the front." The high commander said.
The major narrowed his eyes at the 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 mean 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.
"It's a different matter this time. We've noticed some people don'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 sighing.
"Define 'misguided'? If those guys were a cult…" The major asked.
"No, they're an organization. They're nothing but opportunistic terrorists though, even when we released evidence of the Siren's involvement in Crimson Axis Alliance past actions…It was called a hoax, then they bombed us." The high commander answered.
Great, not only did they have a war going on with these new invaders, they also had to deal with terrorist attacks behind the frontlines? The world was more fucked up than the last time the major saw it, this meant 'peace' would be a faraway dream 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 frowning.
"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 narrowing his right eye.
"Oh right…" The high commander replied while smiling a bit.
"…One more thing. Do I get paid?" The major asked.
"Of course, and you'll find the salary…worth your time. You'll be fighting the Sirens alongside keeping order by combating these terrorists, which would require handsome compensation." The high commander replied while smiling.
This was a great chance, a really great chance for a new start for his life and career…but he couldn't help and 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 have to do is return to the battlefield and shouting 'for the glory of Azur Lane' at the enemy while pointing guns at them…just like old times…Do you not worry that I might fuck it up for the second time?" The major asked the high commander while sneering.
"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.
…But a chance like this might not come again, if he refused out of suspicion…guess he just had to accept this for now then deal with whatever batshit insane plan that 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 doesn'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 said with serious eyes.
"You know we could manage that easily, major…No, from now on, you'll be the new commander." The high commander said while grinning.
"Wait, I got a 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 in agreement with the matter." The high commander said after he looked at the audience.
"Fine by me…When do I leave? I had enough mining to last me a lifetime." The commander asked.
"Tomorrow, you'll be working right away." The high commander said.
"That is all. You're dismissed, commander…We will contact you when there's an update. See you tomorrow, Commander William Blaze." The admiral said while smiling.
William really doesn't know what the future might hold, but he's certain that it'll be better compared to growing old in a coal mine filled with criminals and die either from malnutrition, exhaustion, accidents, or getting killed in 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.
"Yeah, yeah." William said as he turned around while waving his left hand.
.
A dark green 4x4 army jeep sped 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 a 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 ships which are occupied by humanoid creatures, air forces, 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 grinning.
"Goddammit commander! You never took this kind of talk seriously…But that's the truth, we have obtained photograph and video evidence about them…Needless to say, while their infantries are not that well equipped, they are tough sons of bitches. The rest of their ships and aircraft are comparable to our standards." The admiral explained the situation.
"Really?" William asked rhetorically.
"That alone gave us a headache for months already. Now, we have 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 smiling.
"Hmph." William snorted as he continued driving.
"Remember, we still don't know anything other than the fact these things exist and strive to kill us for some reason. We still don't know their motivations, 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 unknowns, we need to act fast." The admiral gave him instruction on what to do.
That sounds 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's 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 smiling.
"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 said.
"Does that mean I have to write a report?" William asked Lena.
"Why yes." Lena said in an 'obviously' tone.
"Online documents I hope?" William asked while grinning.
"Well you have the advantages of technology so yes, just make sure it's encrypted." Lena said while smiling.
"Nothing new there…Alright, I've spotted the base. Talk to you later Lena, thank you." William said while smiling.
"It's nothing Will, good luck out there." Lena replied while also smiling.
On the naval base, a 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 look at the visitor they presumed to be their new commander.
"I wonder what kind of person he is?" Hood said as she walked.
"His files didn't say much, time will tell I guess." Enterprise said to Hood.
"Then we're in luck, the maids have prepared lunch for us. We could sit while enjoying lunch and get to know each other." Belfast said to the girls.
"Ho? What impeccable timing there." Prinz said while smiling.
"I agree…Look, he's here." Kongou said.
The girls stopped walking a 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.
"Welcome to our base, Commander." Enterprise said while smiling.
William wore white officer jacket, with white shirt underneath complemented with a black tie plus equally black shoes. He wore black, full fingered gloves on his hands, had a sheathed sword on his left hip, and his right hip had a pistol holster with a single revolver strapped in it. His full beard was shaved clean, he cut his hair in a side cut style while trimming his front, top, and rear part to medium length, his skin was devoid of any kind of dirt or blood unlike 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 as he smiled gently.
This was the first time William met with ship girls and by god, they were gorgeous! He stared at each one of them, giving a polite smile while keeping his eyes on theirs…first impressions, 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 smiling
"Greetings, Master Blaze. My name is Belfast, I serve as the head maid." Belfast introduced herself, while lifting the hems of her skirt.
"Good day, my name is Kongou, let's get along from now on, Commander William Blaze." Kongou said while smiling.
"Prinz Eugen is my name, Commander. Let's work together." Prinz introduced herself simply.
William only smiled and nodded in appreciation, Belfast immediately suggested continuing the talk in the dining room, and William had to agree because he hadn't eaten anything since his departure this morning. As they walked to the dining room area, he carefully inspected the area along the way…The naval base was well maintained and seemed to be separated from the regular naval base around a kilometer away as this base seemed specially to house ship girls. The area was littered by them too, doing their daily activities…The base seemed lively.
He doesn't know whether he will succeed in his mission or not, whether the girls could work with him effectively or not, whether there's a chance those terrorists strike this base as some sort of message, whether the Sirens would attack them and decimate the base…Right now, William had not the faintest idea of what will happen in the future. But one thing's for sure, he would do whatever it takes to try his best…even if he had to lay down his life for this new task.
Updated: 25/07/2021 (Beta Readed by Culture-Hunt3r)
And cut! This story undergoes several modification and changing ideas, but eventually I selected this one. I can't promise any regular updates but I'll do my best to keep the story going, that's all for now so let me know what you think. I do not own Azur Lane in any sense, just the original characters. Oh let me mention that I am not a native english speaker, I still have a lot to learn so please excuse the mishaps in the future if a chapter is not beta read yet. Beware that this story doesn't necessarily follow the in-game plot directly and might take different turns despite the similarity of the situation...And so, welcome to Commander Blaze dear readers, strap in and please enjoy the ride!
See you next time!
- Dasmara