BIG THINGS. Kind of gives you more idea where I'm going. I don't know, I'm having fun. Enjoy if possible.
Tiberius is a planet in my own story universe I'm working. No he's not an alien. That would be cringe. More will be explained later. There is no warhammer anything in this.
Chapter V: Releasing tension
Opening the sliding paper and wood door to her room, Akagi motioned him in. To her surprise, he understood to take his shoes off outside the door and left his uniform top and cap at the door. The Commander's figure impressed the fox with his body art and hints of war in the form of scars. She could feel her lust trying to overwhelm her, but she tried her best to be a good girl.
"Commander," Akagi begins leading him to her pallet on the floor. "In the Sakura Empire, we prefer to sleep naked. Will this be an issue?"
Karl shakes his head, "Not at all."
He removes his clothes to nothing but his underwear. The fox removes everything leaving nothing to the imagination. Motioning him to the pallet, she lifts the covers inviting him in. Akagi wraps herself around him along with her tails before kissing him deeply. "I waited all night for this," Akagi tells him as she breaks the kiss.
Pulling the covers over them, she devours him with kisses and more…
Kaga, who noticed the door to Akagi's room was open, quietly shut the door to allow her sister to maul the Commander with her love. She then moved outside to join Amagi, who was enjoying the beauty of the Sakura grounds from her porch. "Akagi has her way with the Commander." She says bluntly to Amagi. "After she finishes, they will sleep for the whole day till the next morning."
With a sigh and a slight giggle, Amagi turns to Kaga, "Your sister is an odd one. But at least she and the Commander will get some rest."
"True." Kaga relents. "I do wish she would let him rest. I find it unbelievable he resorted to crashing a plane into a siren."
"I do as well." Amagi remarks motioning for Kaga to sit next to her. "Please sit."
"But I don't understand why the Ashes didn't attack him." Kaga continues. "I can only think it was because of that display of bravery or stupidity that kept him alive."
"I do not agree with suicide attacks," Amagi replies. "Pointless on both a tactical and moral level. Before unification, the Sirens, Ashes, and our factions did not resort to such things. Pre-War, yes, but not now."
"Then the surprise itself must have stopped the two ashes." Kaga attempts to conclude.
"Who were the two Ashes?" Amagi inquiries.
"Ember, Meta Takao, and another one. A carrier we have yet to ID." Kaga informs her. "Both were Sakura Empire shipgirls."
"Interesting," Amagi replies. "Ember only works for the Sirens. But the Siren was a drone, correct?"
"Yes," Kaga replies. "The other one is a mystery. Another swordswoman carrier. I couldn't get a read on her other than she answered to Ember."
"What did she look like?" Amagi asked, coughing lightly into her sleeve.
"Purple hair, black dress with a scarf over her face, and carried something on her back," Kaga replied, admiring the beauty of the lake in the morning sun. "I don't recall anyone in the Sakura Empire with purple hair or a carrier. Zuikaku and Shoukaku concur on this."
"Interjection of another META ship is troubling." Amagi remarks. "The fact there are more of them, in general, is troubling and makes me wonder who else has become META in the other timelines."
"Their power is admirable," Kaga says, smirking. "The Ironblood Battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau META forms were truly something to see in combat. I hope to face someone like that in battle."
"You dream too much of war, my dear sister," Amagi tells her. "One day, this will all end, and we will have to think of a world without war."
Kaga groans, "I do not wish to think about such things. The META ships give me hope for challenges and purpose."
"One day, we will. Their existence is, unlike the katana, a double-sided blade." Amagi says to her, putting her thumb and index finger on her chin as she ponders. "Pushing Kansen to the point of becoming that powerful, with some, like Bismarck before her return, to go mad with power is frightening. Akagi and her journey for power nearly lead to the end of the empire itself. I couldn't imagine her when she was like that to become Meta."
Kaga and Amagi's fur stood upright, and a shiver ran down their spins. "I don't wish to think of that, Sister Amagi."
"I don't either, and I'm glad your sister is well." Amagi continues. "Though she has her moments, she is better than before."
The sound of bare feet on wood flooring caught the attention of the two. Speak of the devil, and they shall come; Akagi wearing nothing more than panties and the Commander's camouflage jacket, appeared leaning against the door frame. "May I prepare you two tea before I rest with the Commander?" She asks gently.
Amagi and Kaga looked at her with utter surprise. The uniform top appeared as if it was a dress on Akagi, covering her almost to mid-thigh high. Kaga turned red, and Amagi giggled at the sight, "Please, Akagi, We would love some. Why are you up anyways?"
"The Commander is asleep," Akagi replied. "But I feel he will be thirsty, so I'm getting him some water."
"Ah, I see," Amagi says with a polite smile. "Thank you."
Akagi goes to the kitchen to prepare tea, leaving the two alone again. "I can't believe she actually had sex with the Commander." Kaga remarks.
"He is a man, after all." Amagi remarks. "I wonder who else has tried with him. She won't be happy when Taihou and Atago return tomorrow."
"Sister Amagi!" Kaga says, embarrassed at her words.
"We know her too well." Amagi laments. "I just hope the Commander is ready for that. From what Prinz Eugen said, Roon already tried pushing himself on him."
"I didn't take you as the one to enjoy rumors, Sister Amagi," Kaga says slyly.
"Tea time is always fun with the Royal Navy, Kaga." Amagi smiles. "Dido, the little sword maid, tried as well."
"Akagi would not be happy to hear that…." Kaga laments.
The footsteps could be heard again, and they were greeted by Akagi again, but this time she had a tray of tea and snacks for them. "Please enjoy these as Akagi tends to her Commander." She says, leaving the tray behind for them and rushing away.
"Bootlicker," Kaga mutters, only to be punched by Amagi.
Akagi didn't hear her. She was too busy with the joy of having relations with the Commander. When she returned to her room, she reluctantly removed his uniform top and got back into bed with him. The sleeping Commander looked so sweet it drove her mad, more so knowing that she would be covered in his scent for the rest of the day.
"I won't wash this bedding for as long as I live!" She thinks to herself, relishing in the scent of her Commander.
She moved close to him and felt him wrap himself over her. The clingy fox couldn't stop smiling as she fell asleep. "I love you, Commander." She whispers to him.
"Roon wouldn't be happy if she saw this." Kaga remarks as she looks at the two sleeping. "Neither would the others."
With a sad sigh, she leaves the room to retrieve snacks for her and Amagi. Returning to her, Amagi smirks, "She actually went to sleep now?"
"Thankfully, yes," Kaga replies. "I'm surprised she didn't sleep with his uniform jacket on her. I don't understand why she wasn't like this with the former Commander."
"Commander Karl seems to be more fond of her than the former," Amagi says. "I couldn't imagine her trying on the white top of the former Commander. You saw how he treated her yesterday; he welcomed her."
"Yes, he does," Kaga begins, "It makes me happy to see Akagi happy. But I'm concerned that with these rumors circulating that Akagi might have her heart broken or the Commander gets hurt."
"If the Commander can crash a plane into a Siren and walk away, he can survive Akagi," Amagi replies with a giggle. "But in all seriousness, I do not think Akagi will allow any rumors to bother her when she's been claimed by him."
"What do you mean, Sister Amagi?" Kaga asks her with a worried expression.
"In the Eagle Union," Amagi begins. "The humans there allow their lovers to wear their jackets or shirts. I believe it's called 'marking your territory."
Kaga's face turns red in embarrassment. "Deflowering her and then marking her like a captured fortress… ugh, I'll never hear the end of that from her…."
"Taihou has returned," Amagi says, pointing to the walking path across the lake. "I wonder if Takao and Atago returned as well?"
Taihou walked happily down the path with the Crane sisters. Amagi smiled as she watched them laugh in a friendly matter. Then she remembered that the Commander had business to attend with the Takao class sisters.
"I can already see the fallout…." Kaga laments, her ears going flat with worry.
"I wouldn't worry about Roon or Dido," Amagi reassures her. "The Commander seems to prefer Sakura Empire girls. Who knows, maybe he'll come for you or me next."
"AMAGI-NEE-SAMA!" Kaga blurts out, turning cherry pie red.
"My apologies Kaga," Amagi replies with a giggle. "Akashi has given me new medicine to help with my illness. It makes me a little more… Open."
Kaga looks away with a troubled look, worried about being used as a plaything by the new Commander or her sister just being a plaything as well. Amagi, seeing the worry on her sister's face, hugs her and eases her anxiety.
"I'm teasing you, Kaga," She reassures Kaga. "The Commander is troubled; I can see it on his face. But he won't hurt her or use her. Akagi's love is well placed."
A few hours passed, and the Commander was awoken by a slight nudge. Through the sleet in his eyes, he could see Kaga with a gentle expression on her face. "Commander," Kaga says quietly. "You are needed at your office. One of the Royal Navy maids said you have a visitor."
"Who might it be?" He asked her with a yawn, cradling a sleeping Akagi.
"An Ironblood Officer," Kaga informs him. "The Officer said to tell you, "The Wicker Witch" and you would understand."
"Wonderful." Karl remarks in an annoyed tone. "And I was enjoying having this fox curled up to me." A heavy sigh escapes him as he lays his head back, and his thoughts race through his mind at a hundred miles an hour. "Fuck" He laments. Looking over at Akagi as she slept soundly made his decision even more problematic as her calm, sweet face seemed to calm him. Turning his head to Kaga, the carrier could see he didn't want to leave her.
"I understand," He began. "But it doesn't mean I want to see them. Ugh… My pants are over there. Will you grab them for me?"
"So you did have relations with Akagi…." Kaga says, spotting his pants and underwear with the pistol he had in his hand yesterday sticking out of its holster.
"She was insistent, and after that display, I felt a bit… Needy like she was…." Karl remarks as he looks back at Akagi. He became noticeably quiet as Kaga retrieved his pants, still staring at Akagi. Kaga handed him his clothing, and he unabashedly removed the blanket from him, revealing his nude body to her. Though he did cover Akagi with it as he gently removed himself from her. Kaga sat on her knees, red-faced, staring at him as he collected his clothing but noticeably leaving his uniform top with Akagi and placing it in her hands.
"Funny how primal we are." Karl remarks as he looks at the sleeping fox. "We all need to feel the touch of someone. The power of sex is one of the purest of energies. How interesting that is…."
With a sigh, he puts on his boots and then looks back at Kaga with a half smile, "Please let her know I had to tend to business at my office. But let her sleep for a bit. She needs it." After he finished, he kissed Akagi on the forehead and moved to Kaga, whose face was as red as a tomato.
"Would you like a kiss too, Kaga?" Karl asks her with a cheeky smirk.
Kaga was lost for words and only looked at him with an embarrassed expression. "Uhh… Uhh… Umm…" Kaga replies, stumbling her words to his enjoyment.
"I'm picking on you unless you want one," Karl says, tucking his pant legs into his boots. "I should be back later after this meeting. Wait a minute, what day is it?"
"Oh yes…" Kaga says, remembering seeing Taihou. "Takao and Atago should have returned today. You should greet them and ask them about the META ships."
A smile that quickly faded into determination appeared. The white fox could see his excitement to finally gain answers on his recent events. But again, he looks back at Akagi with a longing expression and a sigh. "Good… But of course, all this happens on a day like this." Karl laments again before looking back at her.
"Thank you," Karl says to Kaga. "Thank all three of you for your hospitality."
The gratitude in his voice was genuine, and her foxlike instincts could detect it. But she still felt some reservations about him as he held something back. The white fox smiled at him warmly, something she didn't often do. "Thank you for coming to our aid," Kaga says to him.
"We rely on each other," Karl replies as he stands up. "Never forget that this is a WE thing. Like I told Akagi, we depend on each other in many ways. Love, Understanding, and even covering fire… Ugh… I got to get going..,"
He begins walking, but only for Kaga to grab his pant leg to pull him back to her. "I'll try to remember that, SKK. But you forget something."
Karl smirks leans over, and kisses her on the forehead. Kaga then stood up and escorted him to the door to say goodbye to Amagi. The two foxes noticed tattoos on his arms, an oddity in the Sakura Empire. After saying his goodbyes, he begins walking under the afternoon sun.
"He has a lot going on." Kaga says in passing to Amagi.
"Indeed he does," Amagi replies as she eats a pastry. "He kissed you, didn't he?"
Kaga then turns red again out of sheer embarrassment and to the enjoyment of her older sister.
Leaving his top with Akagi, he could get sun on his arms and neck. He isn't too happy about having his pistol in full view for everyone to see, but he honestly needed to get used to the idea that this was his port and there weren't precise regulations that needed to be followed here. The walk to the main port was uneventful until he reached his residence to see that Belfast had returned. The beautiful head maid was busy cleaning the foyer by herself.
"Master," Belfast says, her voice scolding with disappointment. "Where have you been!? Ms. Vestal reported that you went on a sortie and nearly died! You've had me worried sick! Thank the heavens. Ms. Fredrich told me where you were."
"I'm sorry, Belfast. It was-"
"And what happened to your top? We were all worried that you were still in the hospital. Dido has been-"Belfast stopped and gathered herself as he looked at her with a concerned expression. This gave him enough time to speak to Belfast before she resumed chewing him.
"Ms. Belfast," He begins. "I'm deeply sorry. I didn't know you would be returning so soon! The sortie just happened out of the blue. I wasn't going to stand back; I was going one way or another."
"Just!... Just please be considerate of your safety and well-being, Master." Belfast says to him sternly. "I don't want to lose you due to brash decisions."
"I'll try too," Karl replies as he looks towards the stairs to see a shadow cross back into his office. "I've taken your advice and opened up to the Sakura Empire girls and some maids."
The head maid sighs and smiles, "I'm at least glad you are doing that. Though I wish it didn't involve you putting yourself in parrel."
"It's where I belong, sadly," Karl replies bluntly as he can hear the tapping hobnail boots against wooden flooring from the office. He sighs, "I'm coming up! Be patient!"
"Master!" Belfast scolds him.
"She's doing it to get a rise out of me," Karl tells her. "She knows I don't like things like that. Keep everyone out of the office, please. I'll be a while."
"You know her personally?" Belfast inquires.
"She's my ex-wife," Karl says frankly. "Personally is an understatement."
"My word," Belfast says, shocked. "You're a divorcée?"
"I'm many things," Karl tells her as he moves to the stares.
Moving up the stairs to his office, he opens the door to see a mid-height woman with pale skin and black hair with silver streaks. The woman appeared young, around her mid 30's to early 40s, wearing a maroon military uniform coat with gray stone pants tucked into hobnail jackboots. "The Wicker Witch." He says, recognizing the woman by her codename. "Claudia Marlin."
"Thank you for keeping me waiting, Cher," Claudia says, smiling, greeting him with a hug. "How is your vacation going?"
"Well, until Z chewed me out for going on, sortie," Karl replies, returning the hug.
"You can't ever leave a fight, can you?" She chuckles.
"Nope." He says bluntly. "What brings you here?"
The Cajun woman gives a bitter expression and retrieves her bag from behind his desk. From the leather bag, she handed him a couple of files marked with confidential and secret. "Niflheim updates and a secret file for here."
Opening the confidential file, he begins reading the confidential report. Rolling his eyes after a paragraph, he looks at Claudia disappointedly. Rubbing his forehead with his free hand, he could feel the gears turning in his head as his anger built against the idiotic nature of this report.
"They disbanded my unit?" Karl says, attempting to control his voice. The anger boiling under his flat tone could almost be felt through his lips and eyes.
"Higher's view on this is that we have been able to contain the vast majority of Cadian insurgences and the conventional forces from Okhrana," Claudia explains. "NDF (Niflheim Defence Forces) units have reached an acceptable amount of combat effectiveness. Officers and NCOs are acting like leaders and not like scum. Reports have been confirmed by my forces to assure this isn't a plot by other console members."
"What makes you so sure that those aren't faked?" Karl counters.
"I had my witches enter their dreams to assure this," Claudia interjects. "Troop movements of internal troops have stayed the same. There are no signs or ideas of a coup either. Kammler, Madam Orsic, and Sir Schumann confirm this. It appears Mr. Z wants to begin moving towards peacetime operations on Arcadia, Niflheim, and the rest of Planet Tiberius."
"Then what happens to my unit?" Karl demands. "I'll be damned if my men are put into pushover units or support brigades. They've spent 10 years together fighting the worse of the worst, both Eldritch and Human. They either get their leave, or we go private like we did decades ago."
"The Private Sector idea is being discussed." Claudia laments. "But we are not sure where it is going. Your unit has been pulled back to Juno and is mainly either on leave or security detail for the Gauleiters and Commanders."
A sour expression took his face as disappointment at the reality being presented to him: His men were no better than the police force he despised. He sank in his seat as he began understanding why he was sent here.
"Z didn't want me causing a mess in the…." The poisonous word lay on his tongue, but like a child with a mouth full of medicine in front of his strict mother, he refused to say it until forced.
"Peace," Claudia says to him. "It's coming to an end. But I'm sure you will find work somewhere."
Karl looked through the desk for some bitter drink to wash the loathsome word out of his mouth, but nothing. Claudia reaches into her boot for a silver flask, "Vodka with black pepper."
He takes the vodka and pours it down his throat. "Fucking peace…" He takes another drink.
"I need to go to the bar at Iron Blood tonight or one of those Sakura Saka bars." Karl continued. "Fuck…"
"Z called you, yeah?" Claudia asks as he takes another drink.
"Yeah," Karl says quietly. "Scolded me about getting in that fight. It was my fucking plane anyway."
"He scolded you because if you die, the men will burn the city to the ground," Claudia says bluntly. "So unless you want your whole unit in a gulag in the mountains or dead, keep yourself alive."
"They won't… Never mind, they would." Karl says, remembering the loyalty the men have towards him. "I don't like it; I don't like it at all. But those boys and girls will burn it to the ground."
"They're loyal." Claudia reminds him. "But they're just like you; they don't trust the consul besides me."
"Fucking hell…" Karl remarks as he takes another drink. "Just… Fucking hell… This isn't good, Claudia dear…."
Claudia opens the marked file secret, "No, THIS isn't good."
The secret file showed a report from the Former Commander inquiring about his history and credentials. "Spookhouse intercepted this from Azur Lane higher headquarters in NY City. Looks like your counterpart isn't too happy about a special forces commander taking a command position away from an ivy league naval academy graduate. A command inquiry on your record has been requested."
"Does Azur Lane even has a spec ops force?" He asked her.
"No," Claudia replies bluntly. "But you're pretty effective at selling the idea there is. Spook house is busy making that a reality. Our own special ops crews are running operations here to gather technology from the Sirens. The siren technology makes up for our own technological gaps on Tiberius. The narrative is that the wet work crews are, in fact, the special operations force that you 'Came from.' Thankfully it's an easy narrative to hold weight as we've either paid off or threatened first-siren war commanders to uphold it."
"Any Kansen wanting to refute it?" Karl inquiries.
"Mainly Eagle Union and their commanders," Claudia tells him. "They aren't thrilled with the use of Siren tech by Iron Blood and Northern Parliament. Nor are they thrilled with Special Forces teams taking the tech, with only little things to show. I'm suspicious of those Americans and the West in general here."
"They should be concerned about us as well." Karl counters. "It's not like we're the good guys either. If what you tell me is true, we're no better than scavengers here."
"Enough of that." Claudia spits. "We're the lesser of two evils. At least we're making progress to peace."
"A peace built on lies and rivers of blood," Karl growls. "Built by ghosts and using the technology from a parasitical enemy. How noble we are."
Karl kills the rest of the vodka in the flask. "We'll see. What are my orders, then? Should I take a trip mainland to lie my ass off, or should I just kill the woman?"
Claudia rolls her eyes, "Continue your leave. As for the sortie you did, try to stay off the front. The more attention you get, the more Spookhouse will report back to Z. It's how he found out in the first place."
"Spookhouse send that burning bitch to take my life too?" Karl shouts, standing up and throwing his hands on his desk in a power position.
Claudia pauses, "What on earth are you going on about?"
"I was ATTACKED!" Karl shouts. "In the dead of night in a storm, I was attacked! Explain to me what the FUCKING deal with that is."
"There was no attempt on your life by any of us!" Claudia shouts. "Whatever you are going on, you best shape up when speaking to a superior!"
"Oh please," Karl replies disrespectfully. "Pulling that card? Cry me a river."
"If I wanted you killed, I would have done it myself," Claudia remarked coldly. "I brought you to the organization, and I will forcefully remove you from it."
He growled and softened his position, "I believe you." He says reluctantly.
"Stubborn ass." Claudia snorts. "I'll speak with Spook House about the event. Remember, you are being watched. The last thing we want is for your death to cause your rabid dogs to rape the capital."
"Disgruntled soldiers are a dangerous thing, Witch." Karl remarks as Claudia reaches into her bag for a teleporter modular. "Especially one holding a ruse position in charge of a bunch of giggling girls."
"Keep your nose clean," Claudia says. "Play your part."
With the snap of her fingers, the Wicker Witch leaves in a blink of an eye. Claudia Marlin was mysterious and questionable sometimes, but she wouldn't kill Karl unless she had a reason.
Karl sat in silence for a moment before turning to the balcony doors. The sun was setting high in the sky on a clear day. He moves to the doors and steps out to enjoy the view. Leaning over the balcony, he looked at the campus and the sea. The old soldier nearly lost himself in his thoughts as he to the ocean. 'There's a war out there.' He kept saying to himself. Taking a cigarette from his case, he unconsciously began smoking on the balcony.
'There's a war out there… An enemy is just as dangerous as the ones on Tiberius. But we are just sitting here as they plan and scheme for our demise…."
His voice was full of anger dripping like poison from his mouth. The pistol resting in his appendix holster felt heavier than usual as he began to think about it. When was the last time he shot it before meeting the Ashes? A month ago? Maybe two months ago? He then thought about his bag of tricks lying under his bed…
"It's been too long since I've pulled out my tools…." He sighs, thinking about his instruments of death as he takes a hit off his cigarette. "I need to train… I wonder how much ammunition I have?"
Blowing the smoke out of his nose, he kept looking at the sea. His soul wished for an answer, a response, from the callous ocean. Having grown up inland, the sea was never a factor in his way of life before this. Only a lake or river would affect him in one way or another with its flooding or an obstacle for an operation. Before coming to Azur Lane, he was mainly a land officer but did try more than once to earn his wings in flight academies to leave the grueling life of the ground.
But here, he oversees a naval unit far from home.
Though why did he feel familiar with the sea in some ways? Why did he think oddly around some of the girls and calm around the others?
Through these questions, he asked the sea he received nothing in return. Shouts of joy and the clicking of heels against concrete only replied as girls lived their daily lives below him.
"You'll never answer me, Will you?" Karl asks the ocean beyond as he takes a drag off his cigarette. Storm clouds began to form on the horizon, and the memory of the lady in black flashed in his mind. "But you might."
Belfast knocked on the door to the Commander's office, "Master, Will you please open the door? I brought you and your guest tea."
The Commander opened the door revealing the guest had disappeared, to much surprise to Belfast. "Where did she go, Master?"
"She left." He replied bluntly with a monopoly tone. The smell of burning ash heavy on his breath made her wince with discomfort.
"Have you been smoking?" She asks, offended.
"I have," Karl replies honestly. "But it was outside."
"You shouldn't be smoking, Master," Belfast tells him as she walks in. "A stiff drink isn't an issue. But smoking is rather unattractive."
"It calms my nerves." He tells her as he waves her to come outside with him. "Outside, please. I'd like to watch the storm brewing."
The head maid notices two open folders on the table with pictures and many papers. Her Master's demeanor seemed rather unhappy and just as melancholy as his tone. There were a few other pieces of paper in his inbox and a couple in his outbox. It seemed to her that he did find some time to do some work. As much as she wanted to continue to scold him, she soon got a better look at his face as she sat the tray down on a small patio table.
"Things are…" He begins only for him to trail off into thought at the storm.
"Things are what, Master?" Belfast asks him worriedly as his face grows cold.
His eyes raced around the storm, and he turned to face the storm. With his arms stretched out on the balcony railing, he takes a deep breath and eases it out slowly. From the thin striped undershirt, Belfast could see the muscles in his back begin to tense up. A surge of nervous energy filled his body all at once, and she could almost feel his whole-body clench. His fist balls up, and with rage, he slams his fist against the railing with much force.
"Damn it to hell…." He growls under his breath. "Damn them all…."
"Master?" Belfast asks him, her worry growing more prevalent in her words. "What happen?.."
"My unit…. Is being disbanded, and my men are… Being sent to the fore wind.."
His heart was heavy, and she could see the white-hot anger in his actions melt into melancholy sadness. "While they are out fighting or working together through this difficult time, I am here… I need to go back to them… But I've been ordered to stay here… Even while the lady in black watches from afar… I feel so awful.."
"I spent many years on the Thames river, you know?" Belfast says, moving to his left side.
"I know a bit about you, yes." Karl remarks as she moves closer to him.
"Then you know I'm not just a maid." Belfast begins. "I spent many years fighting. For many years I fought again some of the most challenging opponents we see walking amongst us today. I did it with these girls here, at the maid corps. I don't know how you commandos are, but if they are as close as we are in the maid corps, I understand your sorrow. But do not despair, my Master."
The maid cautiously puts her hand on his clenched fist. Her pure energy seemed to calm him, and he let his fist flatten, allowing her soft hands to grace his tanned skin.
"You'll reunite with them again," Belfast assures him with a confident smile.
"I hope," Karl says with a hard heart. "I feel my heart yearn to go back to the front, to the men, to the fight that matters…."
"There is a fight that matters here," Belfast tells him as they look to the storm. "Out there. But we need you alive to win this fight, Master."
The office door opens gently, and a Sakura Empire girl in a white uniform peaks through, "Is everything alright, Belfast-San?" She asks innocently.
The two turn to see the girl. Too much of Karl's surprise, it was the girl he was looking for: Atago.
Elsewhere:
Raiden watches the interaction between Belfast and the Commander. With a sardonic smirk, she strokes her chin.
"What does the maid know of you?" She asks the screen as it zooms in on his face. "What does she know of the man, the soldier, and the monster within you? That witch made you this way; can the maid understand that?"
The clicking of wooden sandals against the tile floor caught her attention as Falcon appeared behind her.
Raiden looks back at her momentarily before turning back to the video feed of the Commander and Belfast as they turn to Atago. She smiles and gives a longing sigh, "How goes the training for the operation?"
"2nd Carrier is eager to begin," Falcon informs her. "As is Typhoon. She can not wait to see him again and test his metal, as am I. More ships are being added by the day. Intelligence reports that there is one carrier on station at the site. But she is not of any concern."
"I've received reports of something known as 'Spook House' operating in the region." Raiden begins. "An old friend made her presents known to us, The Wicker Witch."
Falcon's eyes grew wide with fear, "She ripped the ocean apart that day… Swallowed them whole…."
"She doesn't seem to be on good terms with the Commander," Raiden replied. "Just like Hadrian, she is not in play. But this 'Spook House' might be. Continue recon operations and training."
"Yes, my Lord," Falcon replies as Raiden turns away to observe the Commander. She looks at the screen to see the three chatting over tea. The Commander and Atago got close to each other as they spoke about the sirens and the Meta ships.
"He's speaking of Jean Bart." Falcon notes, "That rouge wench."
"She went her own way," Raiden replied coldly. "Met her end after one of the Arbiter's reached, Meta. Too bad that Arbiter met such a swift end under my blade. I'd rather it would have gone longer."
"Even gods may die then…." Falcon says fearfully of Raiden's coldness.
"A storm is brewing just beyond their port," Raiden says to her, showing a screen of weather patterns. "I'd like you to shake him up a little bit. Prepare him for what's to come. Only him. Do not harm other girls, Understand?"
"Of course," Falcon replies, bowing to her. "I'll warm him up."
"Make it entertaining," Raiden replies with a sick smile. "I want him limbered up for Ember and me."
Atago drew uncomfortably close, for Belfast at least, to the Commander. "The Sirens are interesting but aren't much for conversation."
"I figured after I pulled the trigger on one," Karl replied bluntly. "They usually work closely with the Ashes?"
"Only briefly," Atago says, putting her left hand on her chin to think. "I don't know if they really work together with the Sirens. The freebooter, Jean Bart META, worked for whoever paid her the most at the time with the fleet. Though I never personally worked with her."
"And the humanoid sirens?" Karl continues, taking a sip of English tea.
"They are different." Atago begins, "The sirens act more like machines than humans, but that isn't always the case with some of them."
"Purifier," Belfast interjects. "She's more animated than the others."
"Do any of them have black hair and burning clothes?" Karl asks Atago, checking out her beautiful features.
Atago returns the gaze and moves boldly to wrap her hands around his exposed arm. With a lewd expression, she almost purrs, "Onee-san has black hair. But her clothes come off easier than burning them."
Before Belfast can react to the lewd suggestion, Sheffield interrupts them with a message for her. Begrudgingly the head maid leaves on special order from the Queen herself, at least from what the Commander could tell from the type of highly decorated paper used. Behind Ms. Sheffield stepped Little Bel and Edinburgh with several stacks of memorandums.
"Master," Edinburgh begins to say as she puts the papers on his desk. "I have documents from the Iron Blood and HQ for your review and signature."
"Thank you, Edinburgh," Karl replies as Atago lets go of him and go to the desk.
"SKK," Atago begins, "Are these two your secretaries?"
Her tone was kind and soft; the question had no instant of malice. "Ms. Atago! Welcome back!" Edinburgh says happily while Little Bel moves to hug her leg. "Welcome back!" The little maid says to her.
"Thank you!" Atago replies as she looks over the papers.
"Master does not have a secretary; He prefers to do his work by himself," Edinburgh says honestly with a hint of concern for the Commander.
"I don't wish to bother the girls," Karl says flatly. "Looks like my day or so off is over. Back to the grind, eh?"
"SKK," Atago says in a caring, somewhat disappointed, yet playful tone while shaking her finger at him. "Onee-san won't allow you to do this all on your own. Let big sister take care of you!"
He raised his brow as her slightly confused at her, "Atago, I assure you I can-"
Atago's finger touched his lips, hushing him, "Amagi-san told me of your ordeal on a sortie and how you took care of my friends and Akagi. Big sister wants to return the favor in parts. This is part one."
The confidence in her words and the goodwill in her eyes challenged his brewing stubbornness. He was taken aback at her boldness in her comments and insistence on being the secretary for the moment. He slowly reached for her hand and held it gently in his rough hands before looking at her questionably. "It's nothing, I assure you. But you don't need to feel you owe me anything, Atago."
Atago smiles and pulls him into her putting his hand between her breasts. "I don't feel as if I owe you, SKK. You need help, and I just want to help my cute Commander."
Winking and a lewd smile, she held his hand between her breasts for over a minute before turning to organize the papers. Atago noticed as he watched her a confused look on his face. She caught him looking at her rather blatantly with a mix of wonder and lust from what she could tell. Atago, being Atago, wiggles her rear at him and looks back to wink at him flirtatiously.
"Enjoying the view?" She asks him. "Naughty boy. What's on your mind? You look troubled."
"That seems to be my MO." Karl laments, checking her out further. "I'm just confused about why you're helping me. I'm not used to this."
Atago giggles, "Amagi told me you would say that. She says you were embarrassed when you woke up on her lap. Are you not used to pretty girls helping you outside the bedroom?"
He turns red from embarrassment and laughs lightly, "I'm just not used to people helping me. I'm used to just doing things on my own. The maids are mixed about it, but I think they understand."
Atago's demeanor changed from playful minx to something else entirely as she began to read him a little bit better. Her animal instincts could smell Akagi on him, which made her rather lustful to mark him with her aroma. But her more loving instincts overridden that, and she took him by the hands to the couch against the wall. "I'm willing to listen if you are willing to tell me. Onee-san only wishes to care for and pamper you." She says sweetly.
Conflict within his mind made him wonder why he felt so calm around the Sakura heavy cruiser.
He looked over to Atago with an unsure expression. Karl's green eyes checked her out slowly, from her beautiful golden eyes and gentle smile to her impressive bust and long legs. The heavy cruiser felt his gaze and shot it back to him with hungry eyes. The Commander was seasoned for sure with his salt and pepper black hair down to his impressive physique. Instinct took over as she placed her hands on his body, rubbing him gently.
The long legs of Atago moved closer to him, letting her short skirt rise up, revealing her beautiful ass to Karl. Nature was taking control as his hand moved swiftly to grab her rear.
"I can smell Akagi on you," Atago whispers in his ear. "But I want you to smell like me, you naughty boy."
The loving Onee-san began to fade as the animal started to rear its head. Her lust began to take control and move down his chest slowly. Atago hooks her hands together behind his neck, and Karl pulls her till she's straddled over him. A gentle giggle escapes the heavy cruiser as she looks at the Commander with a lust-filled gaze.
Onee-san regained control as her hands began to run through his hair. She smiles as the salt and pepper hair races through her fingers, "Don't tell me the port did this to you? You look so cute with shades of grey!"
Karl snickers, "No yall didn't do that to me. A lot of other things did that."
The smirk on his face disappeared, leaving only a bitter expression as Karl's hands retreated from her rump to her thighs. "It's a lot… But I'm also just overwhelmed… The world is changing around me, and I wish I could see it…."
Sunlight retreated as a grey film began to take over the sky outside. A crack could be heard from the clouds that made Atago shutter and throw herself at the Commander. The raindrops tapping against the glass windows signaled the storm had moved in sooner than he expected. Grey clouds became black as heavy sheets of rain hammered the port. Atago latched onto him, shivering, until he instantly wrapped his arms around her to comfort her.
"It's alright, babydoll…." Karl says to her as she lays on him.
"Babydoll?" Atago whispers as she cuddles him.
Karl's face turns red out of embarrassment, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…."
"Shhhh…" Atago replies, interlacing her hand with his. "Don't be…."
The rain rhythmically tapped on the glass, and the winds began to pick up. Atago tightened her grip on the Commander as soon as thunder rocked the building.
"You're OK…" He whispers to Atago.
"Thank you…" Atago says, embarrassed. "Are you OK? Onee-San is scared of thunder and horror movies."
"Just worried about you, is all," Karl says as she turns, overlaying her chest on him and wrapping a leg around him. "I hope I didn't make this awkward between us."
"I didn't know exactly what to say when Amagi told me to come to see you," Atago replies as she puts her free hand on his chest. "I was worried you would scold me like the old Commander would. But Amagi assured Takao and Me that you wouldn't. I guess she was right."
"You acted boldly for someone who thought they would get chewed out." Karl chuckled a little. Subconsciously he took her hand in his holding it gently.
"Belfast and I spoke about you while you were talking to that other officer," Atago explains, referring to his ex-wife. "She explained why you wanted to speak to me, which helped calm me down. She likes you, I can tell."
The playful expression in her eyes returned, and it was too much for him. She made him smile, and that wide-toothed smile made Atago ecstatic. "You like me too, I can tell," Karl replies as Atago's face turns red.
"Do you like me?" Atago asks him sweetly.
If I'm your baby girl or baby doll, what does that make you?
I don't know. What do you have in mind?
There is a lot on my mind. *Giggles* But that makes you mine.
A powerful lightning bolt races across the sky, followed by a massive thunder crack shaking the walls violently. Atago jumps and grabs him tighter, burying her head into his chest as the storm rages outside. "The storms are getting pretty bad here. Is this normal?" Karl asks, hoping to avoid the question posed by Atago.
"No…" Atago whimpers.
"Shhhh…. It's OK, Babydoll…. It's just a storm." He says to calm her, But Atago feels his muscles tighten as a shiver race across his body.
"Are you afraid of storms too?" Atago asks him. "I didn't think a tough guy like you would be scared of things like that."
"I'm afraid to get married again and spiders," Karl says bluntly, to her amusement.
"You were married?" Atago says, shocked but noting it. "To who? Did you take your oath ring back? Who was the shipgirl?!"
"We didn't have a ring, and it wasn't a shipgirl," Karl tells her as he looks to the window. Atago's instincts told her he was spooked by something, but she wasn't sure.
"Does it have to do with the attack?" She asked him boldly, but secretly regretting it as she buried her head in his chest.
"Yeah…. Yeah…." Karl replies weakly. "I just don't understand what happened. Judging by what you told me, it wasn't a siren nor a shipgirl like we know around here. But my visitor didn't say it was anyone from…. Well, from Branch…. So that only leaves one other crew that could have done it… Ashes."
"But what would the ashes want with you?" Atago asks him. "You haven't been in port that long to anger them, unlike the last Commander. Maybe they mistook you for her?"
"I'm a pretty buff woman if that's the case." Karl chuckles, referring to the petite figure of the former Commander. "I don't know if the META girl really got a good look at me, but if she was going after the last Commander, they sure fucked that up."
"I wonder if it was a mistake then?" Atago suggests. "If one of the META girls wanted to harm you, they would have done more than just push you."
"Maybe…." Karl thinks. "But if that's the case, and the META girls wanted me dead, then why didn't they kill me when I killed their Siren?"
"I wasn't there, so I'm not much help, Commander," Atago admits regretfully. "But the Ashes are weird; I've only encountered Jean Bart META. She wasn't really that friendly!"
"Ugh," Karl groans. "None of this makes any sense to me. But I'm not exactly happy with how things are now with the recent news…."
At this moment, Karl wished he could have kicked the shit out of himself till he pissed blood for a year. Or I had to eat Doctor Ingrid's tomato pie for a month. Both were horrible and worthy of this monumental slip of the tongue.
Atago's dog ear perked up, and her undivided attention was centered on the Commander. Her golden eyes screamed at him to let her know everything that caused the despair in his voice. An ordinary man, they could lie to this sweet girl. To another military man with an extensive combat record and reputation for wreaking less abandonment of his person, he could ignore her. But this was the famous Atago, and Commander Karl couldn't bring himself to lie to this beautiful woman for any reason. But he could omit facts…
"My unit was disbanded, and my men are being put into different units," Karl tells her; leaving out details is still lying, but he could stomach telling her bits of information.
"Why?" Atago asks him, intrigued. "Why would Azur Lane do that? The sirens are still a massive threat to humanity!"
"I don't know…." He replies, resentful of the valid reason. "High Command has a different opinion of the war, it seems. But that's why they sent me here, to relax from the operations against the sirens."
"Well, that didn't work out, did it?" Atago says in jest.
"No, not really." Karl laughs. "But it doesn't change how I feel about it. I spent years with my men through the heaviest fighting you could imagine. Do you understand the bonds that were built? The comrades lost? Just everything…."
Atago sat up and brought the Commander up with her. She took his hands and laced them with hers. The Onee-San was in full view as she looked at him with sincerity and told him, "I'm here for you, Commander."
Karl swallowed his emotion like a bitter drink, but he could feel them sticking in his throat. He could feel it burn his throat and chest as a wave of thoughts overwhelmed him.
"During the war, Before the Crimson Axis joined Azur Lane, I fought many battles in the Pacific." Atago began with a heavy heart. "I witnessed many friends sink beneath the waves; I remember them all. But those who lived through it all are still with me here, at this port. Even the ones we fought against are here, and we all fight together. In the darkest of times, I had my friends and comrades. I understand your pain in losing your unit, but they are still alive, and I hope you see them again."
IJN Atago, he recalls to himself, fought a stubborn fight against the allied fleets from 1941 till her demise in 1944. Once again, he forgot he was speaking to warships with combat records and not just pretty girls. Even without the ship's history, Atago was a veteran and, from what he gathered from Dido, a respected warrior.
"Then you understand why I don't want to have them cast away," Karl says with a horst voice. "To be exiled like I have."
Atago raises her eyebrow momentarily, but her loving side overrides her senses as she sees a tear race down his face.
"Fucking hell…. Just fucking hell…." Karl curses. "I need a grip…."
"You need your Onee-San," Atago says, hugging and pushing him into her chest. "You just need your Onee-San."
From the crack in the door, a figure watched him intensely. The anger in the woman's eyes was beyond anyone's comprehension. She left the scene imminently and began planning revenge on the Commander and that 'harlot' Atago. But she didn't know this Iron Blood heavy cruiser wasn't the only one hunting the Commander today. The META carrier floated above the port in the heavy downpour, but her vision was impeccable as she spied on the Commander and Atago.
"Ah yes," Falcon smiles viciously. "I always wanted to face you again, Roon."