Azur Lane: Savior

"Nnhh....?" The Commander slowly opened his sleepy eyes, he felt that his pillow felt different today.

Regaining his half-assed consciousness from yesterday work, he was met with the auburn-haired girl in front of his face.

"Ah, good morning Commander~" Volga's gaze met his eye.

"Vol... ga?" He instinctively smiled at her. "Morning..."

The soft cushion that he was sleeping on was her thighs, and she was waiting for him to wake up. Volga softly smiled at him as she slowly helped him to get up. He wasn't on his room, it was on the office due to the yesterday work.

"I see... I may have very exhausted yesterday." He looked towards her and gave her a small peck. "Thanks for helping me out yesterday." 

The girl nodded and gestured him again to her lap. "You can sleep for a while if you want to... It's still a bit morning for you to wake up. I've done sorting the pile of works." 

He glanced on his table, the pile of sheets that towering over yesterday has already been tidied up and sorted as it is. Feeling still sleepy, he immediately went back to her lap. "I'll take up your offer," he said.

"Ehehe~ It's cute to see you like this, Commander." She tenderly caress his head, while he went to sleep back again on her lap.

After the battle, NY harbor was still on reconstruction. The moment he arrived to NY City, Saratoga and Enterprise has already discussed about going back to the already-finished Azur Lane port and left some of ships to protect the reconstruction. Not wanting to take a second chance, Greynar immediately agreed to their suggestion and asked some fleets to move out for a while on the next day. The green cat on her warehouse was relieved when she saw that her place hasn't got crushed by the bombardment from the Sirens. Akashi said to Greynar that she will be staying for a while in NY City since it's safer here.

The Commander just nodded to her, he was concerned about how Akashi will do without him, but he knew that the inhabitant NY City will welcome her with open arm despite her coming from Sakura Empire. Since everyone moved out, he reported the details of the battle to the NY Command while also leaving some smaller important detail from them. During the moment of moving out, Observer came to him inside his room and ask about how he was doing. He immediately wanted to strike the Siren's head with how much problem she has been causing for him but he held back.

Observer playfully winked at him and just gave him some details about the Ashes whereabouts. He noted it mentally while also gave her some information he finds during the whole incident. Observer frowned when she heard the news about Eagle Union command gave them an order to defeat the Ashes. Observer, the one that secretly controlling the higher-ups of Azur Lane command wasn't happy with Eagle Union, she couldn't pass through the Eagle Union command easily and manipulate them from the shadow. The elite Siren hasn't got any opportunity to invade Eagle Union's command that is so thoroughly guarded.

When they exchanged more information about Eagle Union, she told him that the White Tower will probably won't come again and the chance of it appearing has reached zero. It was all due to Observer Zero intereference to the test site-β and a new problem that arise. The next scenario was the descend of the Arbiters that they had anticipated. The Arbiter purpose was to track down the Ashes and kill them on sight. Observer also talks about how she wanted to disconnect herself from the mainframe, but Greynar shut her off before anyone could caught on about her plans.

The Commander just let the petite Siren to do whatever she want as long it doesn't involve anyone. Observer said that the current vessel she is using is the α (Alpha) vessel that was designed not for combat. That's why she couldn't participate in any combat against ships. Even though Observer herself was the one who engaged in combat against the strange black tornado, she did it to get more combat data and it was more practical than having a KANSEN to engage them in a combat.

Having spending too much time with him, the Siren bid farewell to the Commander and vanished from his sight. Greynar could only sigh again to Observer, he was very frustrated that the Sirens could come and leave anytime they wanted without needing anything. He thought that they need to make a Siren preverentive room for him to get a peace of his mind. 

Two days later, they arrived at the Azur Lane port, now impeccably maintained. While the buildings remained unchanged, their colors were slightly toned down to better suit a military base. Everyone in the Eagle Union silently agreed on their mind that wherever the Commander was, that was where Azur Lane existed. Even without a physical base, the Commander is their home to go.

With another days passed after they settled in, he immediately was burdened with a stack of papers of documents that was towering on his table. That was where the time he needed to finish everything overnight with the help some of the girls that knowledge about his works and all. 

Another hour passed on Volga's lap, the Northern Parliament carrier girl really loves her Commander with a pat on his head. Greynar slowly woke up by the sound of rustling. He found his head on a pillow.

"Morning, Commander, here's your breakfast." Volga said as she placed the food on the table in front of him.

Rubbing his eyes, he smiled at her. "So anything you did while i was asleep?" 

The girl chuckled. "I just asked someone to get us a food. Your sleeping face is cute and i just want to pamper you everyday~" 

Hearing that, he blushed at the thought of her pampering him. "Nonono, cut that off. What would everyone think when they heard that their Commander liked to be pampered." He tried to fight back with his own words but the idea of it was very enticing for him.

Volga smiled softly at her as she sat beside him and nuzzled on his chest. "The only thing i wanted was for your happiness and your healthiness."

He caressed the auburn-hair and let a soft silent sigh. The two remained in the position for a minute before it was broke by a growling stomach. The two laughed together and started eating their breakfast.

After eating the food, Volga went away to take the food to be cleaned. The Commander then used his free time to get change of clothes and also cleaned himself on his room. He noticed a change on his body, it almost like it was unrecognizeable from the time he appeared on the world. The muscle he had, the biceps of his now grown stronger and thicker in size. His stomach now got a six beautiful pack that could make any female screams in love.

'Have i grown so much over time?' He returned to look at his figure. 'I never went so much training but due to the extensive work and my command activies, i was forced to just train my body to maximize my stamina.'

For him, it was just an unbelivable sight, but also one of his proudest achievement. He was proud that he could produce more result at his training. Nothing than a dream of a man that wanted to get a healthy body. He wasn't too bulky, but he certainly gain some mass of muscle. It was also due to the foods he consume every days. He silently thanked Volga that provide him food and the girls that also helped him adjusting his schedule.

Finishing his shower, he changed his clothes and went outside. With the day at the port remained the same, he took a peek at how others was doing. After going about everything from one location to another location, he could see that the fleets are busy on preparation of another Sirens attack. Walking on the long corridor, someone tapped his shoulder. 

"Hey, Commander!" Essex greeted him. 

"Afternoon, Essex." He smiled at the girl. "How are you doing." 

Walking beside him, Essex replied with a thumbs up. "I'm fine! Honestly, i didn't know whether to be surprised that the port was reconstructed from the scratch or the layer of the defense has been upgraded." She glanced outside of the window. "I wonder if it was your idea about placing that suicide boat launcher right in front of our dockyard."

He raised his brow in confusion. "Suicide boat launcher?" Looking at the clueless twintail girl, he replied with a shrug. "I don't know, maybe it was the idea of the higher-ups." 

"I see... So it wasn't you." Essex silently nodded. 

His curiosity on her question reached the peak and he decided to ask. "Why did you ask that suddenly though?" 

Essex flinched and her face twitched in anger. "Someone just pranked me after we arrived on the port..." She was clenching her fist. "If i find that person, i will strangle them alive and let them hang for the day."

He shuddered imagining it, he decided to change the topic before she could talk more about it. "Anyway, so how was your rigging equipment? The battle was a tough one."

Essex switched her expression again to a cheerful one. "My rigging is fine, just got some scratch and hole in it but it didn't really make a difference on my plane coordination."

"Is that so? Then i'm glad nothing happened to the equipment." 

They walked off in silence as they went to Enterprise's place. Essex knocked on the door to announce their arrival. Shortly after, the door clicked as Vestal opened the door. 

"Hello Commander, Essex." Vestal greeted her.

"Hey Vestal, i take it that Enterprise is all good?" The Commander curiosuly asked since she is inside the room.

"Yes, Enterprise is all good now," she continued, looking at the data she brought. "This is all of her data, there's no abnormality when she encountered the enemy, and she is good to go. You can take a look here." Vestal handled it to Greynar.

He received the data with a nod. "Thanks, by the way is there anyone inside the room currently other than you?" 

"Memphis and Saratoga is here too, would you like to go inside?" Vestal invited them with a gesture.

Glancing together, the Commander and Essex accepted the invitation and went inside the room. Stepping inside, the room was normal and just was about an average room, Saratoga and Memphis was discussing about something regarding about the NY Harbor incident with Enterprise.

"Excuse me, you three." Greynar called them out. 

"Oh, Commander, hello." Memphis waved at him. "Hello Essex, that's rare for you to come with Commander."

"Hi Memphis, we just stumbled to each other during our way to Enterprise's room." Essex said.

"But you're the one who's following me though..." Greynar murmured in silence.

"By the way, i see you guys was discussing about something, mind if we hear it?" Essex decided to change the topic before she can get exposed that she just wanted to visit Enterprise.

"We were just talking about our new enemy." Saratoga replied, she looked Essex in suspicion but decided not to pry further.

"That girl with katana?" The twintailed tilted her head.

"Part of it, but this is about the bow girl that looks similar to Enterprise." Memphis added.

Greynar sighed, he was just as frustrated as them. "This might be the best for our bedridden girl to speak first." 

Enterprise who was listening quietly glanced at Greynar and nodded. "As you see, i don't know which one to talk about. Everything seems to be a jumble of mess."

"Yes, everything is..." Memphis muttered.

"So i decided to talk about our first topic... the Ashes, that's what they are called, NY Command has ordered us secretly to destroy the Ashes before the mission was briefed to everyone." Enterprise said.

"Yeah, the Ashes. Those ships got similar energy wave like how Bismarck did." Saratoga commented.

Memphis turned to the petite pink girl. "Similar energy? Did Victorious told you something else?" 

Saratoga nodded. "Before she departed to go back to Royal Navy, she told me about how that girl got this strange black energy that envelope their body and the result was a powerful attack from them, similar how Bismarck suddenly went on a rampage."

"A phenomenon we've never seen... Was it something that the Siren did?" Essex questioned.

Saratoga shook her head. "We don't know for sure, because this is still some mystery to us."

"Black energy..." Enterprise muttered, she shifted her eye to the man in front of her. "Commander, do you think the White Tower got to do with that energy? I think i've felt it once when we're dealing with it in the Mediterranean Sea."

"Hmm... I wanted to say no, but we can't rule out the possibility of it being related to each other." Greynar quietly pondered.

"This is for sure mind frustrating." Memphis sighed. "I hate when there's more question upon getting an answer." 

"Then let's change the topic from here." Greynar decided to talk first. "I assume all of you knew... We got a second Enterprise in this world."

"Second... Enterprise." Saratoga silently muttered. "That bow girl..."

The girl in question also agreed with him. "Yes, no doubt, i also think that it's also related or even a copy of myself." 

"Another Enterprise...? Then that means the swordswoman was!" 

"Takao." Greynar grinned to Essex who wanted to answer her own question, not letting the poor girl talk.

"Yes, it's Takao... but what is she doing here? Or perhaps it wasn't Takao at all, but another Takao just like how Commander said." Saratoga mumbled, she shot a glance to each every person, looking for an answer. 

"They themselves who are called the Ashes, remnant of the Flare." Enterprise commented. "The Singularity that they brought, it was like the device similar like a portal that we have in this island." 

"...This is getting more mysterious." Essex was excited with the topic, she grinned ear to ear. "Most likely a good case for a detective work."

"Only time could tell the mystery of that Singularity..." Saratoga commented.

"There must be some connection to it." The Commander replied with a frowning face.

"Yes, i agree." Enterprise nodded.

After some times, they decided that they were done for today talk, Greynar ended their meeting inside the room as they let the carrier girl to rest in her room for tomorrow sortie. Walking with Memphis and Essex, Greynar had a small talk with them. 

"Nonetheless, this situation is concerning enough for Azur Lane and Crimson Axis in this matter." Greynar said while looking through Enterprise's data.

"Crimson Axis probably didn't aware of it either. The world is changing, our enemy is increasing, the Siren's objective is also unknown." Memphis muttered, she glanced at the night sky through the windows. "We'll need to strengthen our defense, starting from Canal Stronghold to secure our ocean travel to PH Harbor and NY City. Since Canal Stronghold is important for our access to the ocean, we will need to tighten the security around the border."

Patting Memphis back, the Commander told her not to overthinking it. "We can be cautious but don't overdo yourself, okay?" 

"...Sorry, Commander." Memphis lowered her head. "Just thinking of what NY turned into overnight, i don't want it to happen again."

Essex chuckles at the cherry-colored girl, "You've worked hard to ensure our protection Memphis. Maybe it's time you try to get some fresh of air."

Memphis' green eye shone under the bright starry moon. "I guess... Sorry for worrying you two," she apologized.

"It's fine, honestly we also can't just take it easy." The Commander glanced at the familiar sight of the corridor. "Seems like it's time for us to go back to our location. I'll see you two tomorrow later." 

"Yeah, goodnight Commander. Please tell me whoever put that suicide boat will suffer the consequences!" Essex took off from the location in a hurry before she get scolded by her sisters, leaving Memphis and the Commander alone.

Realizing the awkward situation they were in, Memphis just hurried to her own location. "Goodnight to you also, Commander." 

"Y-yeah, goodnight." The Commander turned around and went the opposite way from the dormitory location.

Before he took a step, someone's hand pulled his back and hugged him. "Thanks... for everything, Commander." 

"Sleep well, Memphis." The Commander gave her a polite nod and walked off, ending the night.