Chapter 15: Morale and Iron

The mood in Azur Lane had taken quite the upswing over the past few days.

From rock bottom to cautiously optimistic and hopeful once the Bakunawa had pulled into port, promising the possibility of technologies and knowledge that might turn to the tide...to the highest the male Siren could ever remember it being after almost ten years of living in the shadow of an unwinnable war.

Soldiers, technicians and support staff from all walks of life eagerly chatted in the mess hall, comparing thoughts and opinions over their most recent upset victory. Researchers and engineers pored over notes and scraps of Siren tech, feverishly working towards that next breakthrough that had proven quite capable of beating down their mortal enemy.

And most importantly the shipgirls themselves seemed to walk with a spring in their step, a few less bagged eyes and slumped postures, all of them responding to the regular humans with rediscovered familiarity and comradery, answering questions and well wishes with cheerful or regal replies, the occasional joke if they were familiar enough with the staff in question.

Humanity had finally discovered hope.

"A hope you enabled and were not even present for. Are you beginning to understand why I hold such high expectations for you? A few paltry ships given a sliver of what we are capable of and your species now believes they can win. Imagine what could be possible if you were to lead them properly, to instruct and command without reservation."

Alexander leaned back in his chair, even Observer Zero's presence unable to beat down the happy little thrill he got at finally being able to see what he'd went through making a real difference.

"I imagine mass anarchy and a colossal split in opinion would be the result. It's one thing to think they just got away with a really nice heist and are reaping the rewards of their efforts, another entirely to know that one of their mortal enemies is the one giving them the means to do so. Not everyone is going to be able to look past the last ten years, especially if they haven't been working right alongside me like Azur Lane has."

Zero huffed out a sigh, throwing herself into the male's lap where she began lightly tracing inconsequential shapes against his broad chest, muttering, "Why must humans be such complicated and difficult beings? They should be more like you and I, creatures of instinctive and efficient hierarchy without sacrificing individuality. It's much more productive."

Alexander felt his eye twitch, both at the woman's proximity and her casual reminder that he was more like them than he was his own people.

But he forced himself to remain calm, knowing that any attempt to dislodge or strike Zero would result in her becoming intangible and that, for all of the bad blood between them, she and the Sirens were ultimately working for humanities benefit...even if it was in the most horrific and harsh way possible.

"And I would stick my fucking head in front of the HELGA before admitting this out loud...but she does have a nice body."

"And yet you gave your power to me, one of those aforementioned humans. Like it or not, you're stuck with us. And what's your ultimate game plan here? That was obviously just a probing attack, where and when is the meat of the assault going to come?"

Zero merely giggled, planting a playful kiss on his cheek that had Alexander resisting the urge to flinch violently and scratch at the skin as she purred, "And give you an unfair advantage? No, Alexander Curtis...you're going to have to conquer this challenge through your own merits. Although I doubt I'm imparting any great secret by informing you that the assault was indeed to ascertain just how much of our technology has been adopted by the Wisdom Cube models."

"Right. How helpful. Thanks for nothing."

An entirely false smile appeared on the Siren's lovely features.

"You're quite welcome. Now if you shall excuse me I do believe you have a visitor."

"What-"

"Oh herr Alexanderrrr~!"

Resisting the urge to sigh as the familiar tones of Prinz Eugen sounded out across the Bakunawa's bridge - the Azur Lane staff having moved on to other portions of the ship for the day, Tirpitz's retrofit being chief among them - the towering male flicked a glance towards the entrance, the Ironblood strutting towards him with a bewitching smile and dangerous sway to her hips that he had quickly realized meant no end of teasing or pointed questions inbound.

"Still cooped up in this gloomy and depressing little hole of yours? I do believe the Sakura have a term for this, now what was it...oh, that was it!"

She snapped her fingers, delicate index pointing directly towards him as she cheerily announced, "Hikikomori, that is the one~!"

Rolling his eyes Alexander dryly responded, "Good to see you too, Prinz. Thought you would be down in the hangar keeping an eye on Tirpitz."

The Ironblood shrugged, resuming her approach as she replied, "She is currently attended to by the submarines, all while the three of them observe Essex and I-13 attempt to build their own aircraft."

Amusement glittered in her reddish-orange eyes, the shipgirl leaning casually on the edge of his command throne as she stated, "I do believe they are attempting to break any previous threshold when it comes to top speed."

"Well best of luck to them, If they do manage to jury rig some insane afterburner we might be able to make use of it."

"Or it might blow up."

Giving the silver-haired woman a sidelong glance at her happy little words the young man wryly commented, "Why do you make it sound like a good thing?"

"Because, herr Alexander, you forget that I know my two sisters a fair bit more than you do. Should their first project fail they will merely become all the more obsessed with ensuring that the next time it works."

An expression that seemed torn between humor and horror flitted across her features.

"None of us have forgotten the jet-equipped humvee."

"Shit, that sounds like quite the sight to see."

"It was. It also gave the Commander a rather serious case of magenschmerzen after it nearly crushed Eagle Union president Truman when he was visiting at a bit more than 900 km/h."

Alexander blinked at the admission...and promptly burst out laughing as Eugen joined him, the young man regaining control of himself as he choked out, "D-don't tell me, let me guess...he pissed all of you off, didn't he?"

"Quite so. But it was Essex and I-13 who took action and they 'conveniently' happened to 'lose control' of their pet project at an 'inconvenient' time."

The Ironblood's shoulders shook with suppressed mirth at the memory, Alexander leaning back in his throne with a smile.

While Roosevelt had been a wary supporter of the Azur Lane project when it had still been in its infancy his successor hadn't, maintaining a much more isolationist and aggressive policy towards other nations even as the true scope of the Siren threat became readily apparent. More to the point, he'd been pretty hard on the shipgirls, often referring and attempting to sway public opinion to think of them as tools and weapons, nothing more.

"Turns out trying to dehumanize pretty girls who sing concerts, save people, pose for magazines and die by the hundreds to save us all against an implacable enemy doesn't make for a good public image. Small wonder he didn't get a second term."

Turning a glance towards Prinz he couldn't help but gain a more honest smile at her levity, the bags and distant stares long gone from her eyes as he remarked, "You seem a lot healthier and happier than you were previously, Eugen. It's a good look."

The Ironblood blinked, locking eyes with the towering man for a moment before asking, "Does that imply I was ugly beforehand?"

He rolled his eyes, drly responding, "C'mon, you know what I mean. And it's not just you, all of the shipgirls seemed to have picked up some steam since your four sisters took on that Siren fleet."

"Oh, now I feel entirely less special, if such flattery extends to many women."

"Really? You're gonna make me work for this compliment?"

Instead of firing back with another spicy comment Prinz instead levered herself over the edge of his chair, alighting upon his lap with impressive dexterity as he became intimately aware of the pleasant warmth of her thighs and rear.

"What is it with my lap suddenly being a chick magnet?"

"...You mean it, then? We all look...more ourselves?"

Treating the quiet and earnest inquiry with the gravity it deserved Alexander nodded, explaining, "The Commander basically confirmed what I'd always figured, that you were all suffering from shellshock and battle fatigue to varying extents. Whether you were aware of it or not, it was starting to show."

The Ironblood made to respond, some wary kind of vulnerability swimming with her glittering eyes-

-and he quickly raised a hand, stating, "I'm not judging in any capacity, Prinz. I lived in an environment where the signs of things like that were all too prevalent, I knew how to spot the tells and you've all been locked in what's basically a constant war for more than a decade now. You've got nothing to be ashamed of."

He offered a lopsided smile.

"That's why it's so gratifying to see all of you acting more energetic and driven. It's like I'm finally able to make a difference in this war, one that's tangible and rewarding."

The shipgirl's eyes locked onto the young man's for several seconds...and she quickly averted them, a hand hastily tucking a silver strand behind her ear while distractedly responding, "Oh. Oh well that is, erm...good to hear, yes."

Agreeing with her statement Alexander made to move the conversation along...and paused, staring at the Ironblood with narrowed eyes.

"Prinz? Was that a nervous tick just now?"

She froze like a deer in the proverbial headlights.

"What? What tick? I'm sure you're just imagining things."

Feeling an entirely malicious sense of playfulness overcome him Alexander smirked, stating, "Ohh no, you're not fooling me on this one, Prinz. I've dated a number of times in the past and I know basic body language. Are you actually weak to genuine and heartfelt compliments~?"

An eyeblink look of absolute mortification crossed the heavy cruiser's face before it was wiped clean, tone and facial features arched as she mused, "Oh? So you style yourself as some world-wise Zuhälter, do you?"

"Close enough. I've been with girls from the Iris Libre, Eagle Union, Sakura and Vichya. I know how to read the signs."

Prinz narrowed her eyes, leaning casually against his throne as she neutrally inquired, "No Ironbloods?"

"No Ironbloods."

Unable to help himself he teased, "They're too scary."

A haughty sniff left the shipgirl as she chastised him with, "Then it's truly a shame that you are missing out on the superior breed of woman."

Feeling rather bold he allowed one of his hands to gently brush against the shipgirl's sinfully soft cheeks, tracing past her silken and silvery locks before lightly caressing the Wisdom Cube shard now embedded in her neck as he said, "Having one like you so close to me I find that statement rather easy to believe."

Not missing a beat as the brief contact allowed a rush of emotion to cross between their minds Eugen lightly traced the contours of his chin, musing, "And perhaps I was too quick to dismiss you Eagle Union boys as muscle headed showoffs obsessed with hamburgers and guns, when you're so surprisingly loquacious."

They stared into each others eyes for several seconds, some unknown tension mourning...and Alexander chuckled, causing the ironblood to blink.

"That is just too adorable. Flirting is no problem but a little bit of honest flattery has you shy and vulnerable?"

The Ironblood's eye violently twitched, gentle fingers abruptly grasping onto his chin with the strength of a steel vice.

"Just as vulnerable as I'm certain your der hodens are to my heel, Alexander."

Laughing at her ire the shipgirl huffed in annoyance, spinning around and roughly throwing her back against his chest in a dismissive gesture as she crossed her legs...forgetting that his greater height allowed him to see the smile tugging at her lips.

"Your rudeness and my insinuations of being a shut in aside what were you working on prior, Alexander?"

"Who knows? Maybe I really was sulking and brooding."

A snort escaped the heavy cruiser.

"In the short time I have known you, you have been anything but idle. The truth?"

Relenting Alexander mentally activated one of the screens located around the room, displaying a towering video taken by one of the aerial drones, showcasing the battle that had recently taken place.

"I've been working on a media package to give to the rest of the world, one that shows that we can fight the Sirens and win. Just sent it off to the Commander about an hour ago for his review and if it goes well then I'll launch a bunch of drones that'll give copies to people around the world. Radio reports are good and all but film just has more oomph to it, wouldn't you agree?"

"Without question. And during the interim before I arrived to save you from your melancholy?"

"Arguing with the bitch that did this to me."

"Looking over the recordings of the battles, seeing if there's any tactics or things like that we can alter or create."

"Hmm…"

Unsure of what to make of that noise Alexander decided to remain silent, Eugen matching aforementioned silence as she leant against his chest with a more relaxed air, the young man made mildly awkward by the sudden end to the conversation but certainly not against it.

After all, how often was he going to get the chance to have someone as stunning as her occupying his lap?

"Do you wish to leave this ship?"

"Sorry, what?"

"Come now, you heard me. You've been cooped up on your vessel for what I believe is weeks now, don't you wish to see the base in the flesh? It's not quite the same through all of those screens, of that I can assure you."

"I've been in here for a reason, you know. People have been only slowly getting used to the drones themselves wandering around the base, I think a towering, humanoid male Siren taking a stroll would be pushing it."

The ironblood rolled her eyes, making a dismissive motion with her hand as she stated, "Most personnel are awaiting for my four sister's return, with all the adulations and medals that will accompany it. The rest of the island will be sparsely patrolled and you obviously have the means to avoid detection, do so and witness it for yourself."

Alexander opened his mouth to shoot down that idea...and slowly warmed to it, narrowing his eyes in thought.

Prinz had a point, inbetween the surveillance drones he had blanketed over the base as well as the concentration of humanity elsewhere he could move about pretty much unhindered. Although…

"Weren't either you, Belfast, Warspite or Kawakaze supposed to keep an eye on me at all times? You won't get pegged for this, will you?"

A mischievous smile appeared on the heavy cruiser's features.

"Oh? Worried about whether I shall receive a bit of disciplining~?"

"On second thought, never mind. Go get court martialed for all I care."

Snickering at that the woman more seriously stated, "After the events and battle of San Francisco bay I think you will find yourself with a great many more freedoms, at least at Azur Lane. Go and enjoy yourself, Alexander."

Before the young man had time to properly understand what she was doing to him the Ironblood had pulled his head down slightly, twisting her body so that she could lay a soft, teasing kiss on his jawline.

"In the meantime I shall be at this grand and pompous welcoming ceremony to celebrate the Gray Ghost yet again hogging all the glory. Honestly, how does such a busy and dour woman land a partner like fräulein Belfast while I remain unmarried and without a bevy of refined gentlemen begging for my hand?"

Unable to resist one last dig Alexander teased, "Remember what I said about ironblood girls being scary?"

The pout from Prinz was glorious in its ferocity.

"And I suppose rumors about the white-haired beauties being secretly in love were true as well."

Blinking a few times in rapid succession Eugen winced, realizing her slip up before hesitantly asking, "They...prefer to keep their affections a secret, herr Alexander. Not many approve of two women or two men being intimate and I was supposed to-"

He raised a hand, cutting off her words before dryly remarking, "I'm a human turned Siren who's got a weird cyborg body and is responsible for saving the world. Trust me when I say the LAST thing I'm worried about is who they decide to fuck. Besides…"

He smirked.

"Those two, hot and steamy together in bed, big guns firing relentlessly, tactical airstrikes on key locations as they pound the enemy into submission-"

Prinz swatted him on the chest, grumbling, "Pig," without any real heat behind it.

"Don't you mean, 'thank you for not revealing my slipup', Eugen?"

"Don't push it, liebste."

She athletically hopped off his lap, hips swaying seductively as she strolled towards the exit, idly stating, "Enjoy your tour of the island, Alexander. I shall busy myself with the crowds wooing dear Enterprise once again."

Making sure his eyes stayed above the shipgirl's waistline the male Siren replied, "I'll do just that, thanks for the suggestion."

The silver-haired woman stopped just short of the exit, head tilting slightly so that one of her red-orange orbs stared directly at him as her lips quirked in a small but genuine smile.

"No. Thank you, Alexander. For giving us hope."

And with that she walked out at a slightly faster pace than before, as if embarrassed by those words as Alexander lounged on his command throne, lost in thought.

"I knew Ironbloods were dangerous, feisty and scary...but damn if that wasn't dangerous, feisty and scary in an entirely different kind of way. That was flirting, right? Yeah, that was definitely flirting."

His glowing yellow eyes widened in shock.

"Holy shit...I was flirting with the Prinz Eugen and I'm still alive. The guys would have never believed this."

Mellowing slightly at the memory of his dead coworkers the young man sighed, deciding to take up the shipgirl on her suggestion, turning to the rigging that followed him everywhere as he asked, "Can you get me to the island undetected?"

[Affirmative. Travel without detection will be a trivial matter.]

"Well, alright then...what are we waiting for?"