=================

'Ugh... What in the hell time is it?' Caster thought as he gets up from his bed. '0400? That's damn early... Should I sleep again?' He contemplated... 

One part of him wanted to go back to sleep, but his Commander's instincts just get the better of him. So he went to the bathroom so he can wash his face. And he went out of the bathroom in a casual attire that Belfast gave him as before he slept yesterday. 

He dressed up in that specific attire and he went out of the office... Looking left in right, he saw no one awake. He noticed there were a few doors and he hasn't got informed on what those rooms are for. So, in curiosity, he went to one of the doors to check out what's inside.

'Hope I'm not intruding. But then again, they're probably still sleeping.' Caster thought as he creaked open one of the doors.

He looked inside and his guess was right. It was a dormitory for the ship girls. He saw Javelin, Laffey, Ayanami, and Nimi. (Z23's nickname.) 

A-kun: Hold on, I like to call Z23 "Nimi" more than Zed. So expect me to use that more than the other nickname. Anyways, back to the story.

He saw double bunk beds on the left and the right side of the room. He smiled by the blissful faces of getting some sleep from the girls. He thought that they didn't really get too much sleep yesterday. In respect, he closed the door and left them alone. 

Now, there was a slight problem. Since he woke up so goddamn early, what is he going to do now? There isn't a battle or an event to attend to. Or go to the Command Center to get some orders from his higher-up. 

'I gotta really start adjusting to my life here.' Caster groaned. But he had an idea. 

He went into the cafeteria and uses the coffee machine they had in place. He made himself a normal black coffee. He really didn't like the flavor, but what other choice did he have?

He started to hesitantly slurp on his newly made black coffee which was piping hot. But his tongue wasn't really harmed by the extreme hotness of that coffee. Frankly, he was used to it. He got trolled by his fellow soldiers by making him drink boiling water used to heat up MRE meals. Since he didn't receive one. It was a bad memory sure, but it didn't really hurt him. He actually learned from it. Every good and bad memory, you'll always get a lesson from it. No matter what.

Caster goes outside of the building he was in. He took a look at the still-dark skies that were still glistening with still clear skies. He remembered something at this sight. This same view. 

Back when he was a Drill Sergeant, he would wake up to see the cadets already outside getting their training in. Doing harsh physical examinations, and some firearms training. There were literally sounds of gunfire this early in the morning. 

'I could use some exercise... I gotta make it a normal thing to wake up early and get some training.' As he finishes the coffee and places the mug into the sink and he washed it before going out of the building. 

Caster breathes in and out. His idea for his exercise today is jogging around the whole base for 4 loops. No breaks. He wanted to get his endurance better. Just because he got here doesn't mean he will slack off of his mission of self-care.

"Three... Two... One. Go." As Caster started his endurance test. 

=================

Caster is in the middle of his 3rd loop. He isn't tired just yet. But he realized very early that the island was big. Like very big. In hindsight, he got toured very little of the island yesterday. But he already started it and he's in the middle of the jogging. And he's keeping his word of "no breaks".

He's started jogging a little faster as he's about to enter the 4th loop. The last one. He gathered more of his strength and he finally ran for the first time... And he was quick. Caster isn't particularly athletically gifted. But he was fortunate enough to be given above-average speed. So he can reach distances in less energy than others.  

But as he was looking over the shores as he was running, he saw something that startled him and worried him...

"What the..." Caster said as he stopped running and looked at the nearby waters as he observed the unknown object...

'It's a... Ship?!' He thought. 'It's a small one. Scouting ship perhaps... But that color scheme...' It looked like the one that he, Javelin, Laffey, Nimi, and Ayanami fought yesterday. He gritted his teeth. An attack on this base is probably imminent.

He looked at the ship as it's going away from the base. Going off in the dark night. It seems that the ship miraculously not seen Caster just standing in the open. 

"Damn it! I took a break!" Caster cursed. As he broke his rule right then and there. But he ran as fast as he could as punishment to himself. 

=================

The time was already 6:54 AM... Some of the girls are awake and more girls are gonna be awake. They have also a strict sleep schedule. It also shows how big the island was. Since he finished near 7 AM. He was running like it was a marathon.

He was in his last legs as he finished the exercise. In response to him getting so tired, as he got back where he started, he sat down on the edge looking on the empty sea in front of him. 

"Finally... Finally..." Caster said between his breaths. Huffing and puffing.

"Master... You are already awake?" Belfast comes out of nowhere and appears behind Caster. As Caster turns around, he got startled to the point he almost fell down into the water.

"Y-yeah. Woke up at 4 AM... And I took a jog around the base." Caster explained what he did not too long ago.

"Your sweating tells me it wasn't just a jog... Are you sure, Master?" Belfast asked worriedly. 

"Okay... I did jog, but I went around the whole island 4 times. And I just finished now." 

"That's unhealthy for you to be running so early in the morning without eating something first," Belfast said matter-of-factly. 

"I apologize. I didn't know what to do so early in the morning." Caster apologized to Belfast in which she nodded with a smile.

"You could have slept. I remember you saying that you need to rest for this whole day." Belfast repeated that Caster said yesterday. 

"A leader doesn't do that. As a Commander, I always have to take initiative. No matter what. Even if screwing up my sleep schedule." Caster explained his thoughts about his "rest".

Caster has been used to waking up so early and it's just another time explaining to someone why he wakes up so early than others that it feels like it's pointless when he can get more rest. 

'A tired leader is a great leader.' Caster thought as he repeated the words of his former teacher. Sure, it sounds counter-productive, and maybe other Commanders out there don't like getting tired or stressed. But he takes that quote quite seriously. And believes a leader has to "lead by example". 

"You're only starting your Commander duties and yet, you're already starting to worry me," Belfast said to Caster in which he felt bad for worrying her already. 

"Okay. I'll try to pace myself next time, Belfast. Anyway. Shall we eat breakfast? I'm exhausted." Caster suggested. 

"Okay. But you need to get changed first. Your clothes are soaked." Belfast answered. As Caster gets up and goes back to the building, and Belfast follows.

As those 2 are going back to the office, as they move through the cafeteria, where Caster was formerly before exercising, the girls already awake and the staff including Hornet looked at the Commander with awe. And started gossiping on what happened on why their new Commander is drenched with sweat all over. 

As they were closing in the office, Caster encountered two girls going in another direction in front of him. One of them, he recognized from the ceremony yesterday, but the other he didn't recognize. 

"Dear, he looks very tired. I wonder what happened." A beautiful white-haired lady with fashionable clothing commented on the Commander's state.

The other girl, which was also a white-haired girl, with the purple eyes, who was also at the ship incident yesterday,  just stayed silent.

A-kun: The number of white-haired girls is getting ridiculous. How the hell am I gonna tell you, beautiful readers, the difference with them? Back to the story, please. *groans*

'Why is that guy looked like the same person on my ship...' She thought. 

When the 2 finally got inside the office, Belfast got the Commander's uniform and gave it to Caster. As Caster went to the bathroom to change, Belfast spotted a new thing that she didn't saw in the office yesterday. The old guitar that looked brand-new laid beside his bed. 

Belfast was confused. She doesn't know of a guitar ever existing in the Azur Lane base before. She thought of some possibilities, but she got interested most of the thought that the new Commander can play this instrument.

"Okay. I'm finished. Shall we?" Caster said implying that they should probably eat now. Caster is hungry as frick.

They went out of the office and went into the cafeteria. Belfast said that Caster should sit down and rest and Belfast will get the food for him. You know, typical maid stuff.

Caster looked around and the same girls who stared at him earlier were now looking again at the Commander. Because of his inability to respond to girls staring at him, he waved at the girls. 

And to his surprise, they all looked away from him by embarrassment. But Caster seems that he didn't take it that way. He was slightly concerned. And before he can even dive deeper with that concern, Belfast arrived with his breakfast.

The meal consisted of one protein, (ie. Meat.) vegetables. a medium serving of soup. And lots of water.

"Here you go, Master. If you wanna keep yourself healthy, a diet should be in place also."  Belfast said as she sits across from Caster. 

"I guess so. Thanks for the food." As Caster eats the food in front of him. 

Belfast smiled as she watched the Commander eat the food in front of him. And she staring so hard that she didn't look anywhere else but him.

"Something wrong?" Caster noticed Belfast staring at him. 

"No. It just makes me happy to see people eat what I make." Belfast answered. And much to Caster's surprise.

"You made this? This is really good." As Caster drinks some water. 

"Is that so?" Belfast asked and Caster nodded.

"Why would I lie?" As he smiled and continued eating.

'I should probably tell her about the enemy sighting.' Caster thought before finally getting some courage to tell her. 

"I saw a problem when I was jogging earlier..." Caster turned his tone into a serious one. 

"May I know what it is?" Belfast asked, in confusion.

"There was a small little ship on the shores that looked like the one that I, Javelin, and the others fought. Looks like a scout ship." Caster explained what he saw to Belfast where she got slightly worried but she didn't show it.

"So..." Belfast said before Caster interrupted her.

"There is an attack coming this morning. By the way, pardon me if I lack Navy knowledge. I'm again, an Army Commander in my world." Caster apologizing to Belfast for no reason. But she accepted the apology anyway.

"I'll tell the others... You continue to eat." Belfast stood up from her seat. "Pardon me." As she left the cafeteria to tell the other ship girls.

As Caster was eating, he was greeted by Javelin and Laffey. 

"Commander... Eating... Is that good?" Laffey told Caster. Who chuckles trying to get an answer out of his mouth.

"Yes, it is good. Want to try it?" Caster asked Laffey.

"Sure, Commander..." Laffey opens her mouth as Caster feeds her some food.

Javelin looked on with slight envy. As the other girls looked on too. 

"Is something you want from me, you two?" Caster asked the two girls.                              

"I was just asking if I can eat with you..." Javelin sheepishly asked the Commander. He nodded in agreement.

"Yay..." As Laffey sat on the seat across from Caster. "Javelin, get my food..." She said usual lazy tone. 

'I really don't know why that makes me chuckle every time." Caster thought.

"No! Come with me! I can't pick your food." Javelin pulls Laffey to her and drags her to the food section and Caster looked on with amusement. He smiled slightly.

=================

"Hello, miss." Belfast greeted a fellow, white-haired girl.

"I have a name, you know." She giggled.

"Sorry. Illustrious." Belfast apologized.

"What is it that you came here for? I thought you're taking care of the new Commander?" 

"I was. But I got some news that is troubling," said Belfast taking Illustrious by surprise.

"Oh my, did he see something bad?" She questioned the news.

"Yes. He saw a Siren ship scouting us really early in the morning." Belfast broke the news to Illustrious.

"That's definitely troubling. I'll tell the others about it. And also, Commander saw the ship 'early' in the morning?" She got confused by the early part. Wanting Belfast to validate that assumption of hers.

"Yes, he did. He woke up at 4 AM. Even I was impressed." Belfast smiled as she said that.

"That's sure impressive..." Illustrious said before she turned around. "I'll tell the others. See you later." As she left Belfast. 

And so, Belfast is left to her own devices and she went back to the cafeteria. And surprise! He wasn't there anymore.

'Where could he be? The office perhaps?' Belfast thought as she walked back to the Commander's Office.

She went inside the office and he was there. And he had a serious look on his face. He looks more worried than Belfast is. 

"What are you doing, Master?" She questioned what he was doing. 

"I'm currently looking at the map of the base. Which was conveniently placed under a drawer of my desk." Caster said before drawing some lines on the map. "Oh yeah, can I draw on this? I look like I'm ruining this beautiful map of the base." He added. 

Caster wanted to prepare for the assault that's gonna happen. But he just didn't plan only one. He had a Plan B. Plan C. Plan D. 

"A plan in the military is always bound to go wrong. I gotta be prepared." Caster mumbled as Belfast sits on the sofa. As she was watching him.

'I can't say one bad thing about him. He's sure not lying when he told he was the Army Commander thing. I thought he was lying...' Belfast thought as she took her attention to the guitar. And she looks back at the Commander who looked like he was not in a talking mood right now. 

"There." As he memorized the plan in his head. "Hold on. I'll go outside."

"Where are you going, Master?" Belfast asked Caster where he was in the process of getting out of the office. And Belfast ready to follow him. 

"Um, going outside." Caster said as he walked out of the room and Belfast following him.

The 2 were outside. And he sat on the bench and Belfast kept standing beside him. Caster was guessing what direction the attack is gonna come from.

"Miss Belfast!" A kid cried out calling her. "Hornet wants your help!"

"Pardon me, Master." As Belfast bolted to the cafeteria to the kitchen to help Hornet with... Something. 

Caster lost his focus for just a second as he pondered what the hell happened in the kitchen. He smelled the air but he didn't smell burning stuff. But regained his focus and started to get some fresh air.

He also noticed that he was alone again. He finally got some time to think about the thought he got earlier.

He isn't a popular Commander.

He felt that he didn't do a good job of making himself a trust-worthy Commander. He contemplated if his honesty and not hiding anything from the girls backfired on him.

He remembered a time in the military that one Sergeant was disgraced and discharged from the military because he defied direct orders and jeopardize the entire mission. It was a cautionary tale that was told to Caster and many others by many teachers and Drill Sergeants over the years. And he even used that tale when he was a Drill Sergeant also.

He didn't want the girls to defy orders on him but he realized, they are also people. So he made up his mind to ask Belfast about the problem of why the girls are avoiding him.

But he had an idea. Since the battle is coming up sooner or later, he'll do his best to try to get their respects. He pondered on how he's gonna do it though. The simple answer would be, "win the battle!" or something. But there are also other factors. 

He got so stressed by the thought that he left the bench he was sitting in. Effectively leaving Belfast also. Since she would probably come back to the bench. Poor Belfast. 

"I'll just do my very best. I just have to live with the results." He mumbled and went to his left. Walking to the speaker tower. In which he encountered when he was running in 4 loops. 

He finally got to the tower and sat on the chair there and turned on the electric fan relaxed there before the battle.

=================

The alarm sounds. As Caster finally saw the Sirens coming into their base.

"Ladies, there is a fleet of enemies outside the base. I won't waste your time, please get to the sea and intercept that fleet." Caster said before hanging up the inter-com.

Caster left and ran to the docks. Where she saw one particular girl...

=================

"Enterprise! Engage!" A silver-haired girl with an Eagle on his back screamed.

The ship turned into some blue cubes and they all got absorbed into the girl's body. And suddenly making a bow. 

She went into the battlefield along with Illustrious, Javelin, Laffey, Ayanami, and Z23. And her sister, Hornet.

Caster saw the transformation and he was surprised. Confused. One of those emotions. But he also recognized the ship. That's the ship he was sitting at the edge and sat there and sung his song.

'I also heard "Enterprise". That's the name of the ship?' He thought as he got interrupted by Belfast.

"Master. Are you here to help us?" Belfast asked Caster.

"I want to get in the action." He nodded.

His love of getting into the action never changed. He doesn't want to be left out of a great battle. He knows the danger but goes for it anyway. Old habits die hard...

"I hope your strategy will work for this one, Master." As Belfast said what Caster was doing earlier. Drawing up strategies for the attack. "Also, if you want to join, there is a submarine specifically made for the Commander. It can be controlled by one person, and it has good armor against attacks." Belfast added.

"Alright. Thanks." As he watched Belfast go in the waters and forms her weapons.

'What are those blue cubes? Sci-fi Lego blocks?" Caster thought. As he runs to the submarine. He as he was running, he looked at the enemy fleet. And his prediction of how many ships they're using for the attack of the base.

Caster was finally in the submarine and revved its engine and goes in the battle. But he knows that he's inside a submarine. And he was not good at driving it. Be he knew the basics. And he also noticed he's probably near the action so the submarine went back a little bit. 

He stopped driving the submarine and felt this was the right position to sit out and he went in the back. And it was like a telecommunications center there. He saw a headset. He wore it and spoke through the microphone.

"Anyone hear me?" He said. In which one ship girl responded. 

"Yes, Master. Will you go on with the plan?" It was Belfast responding.

"How many enemies are there?" Caster asked.

"There are 6 Destroyers, 5 Cruisers, 4 Frigates. That seems to be all, Master." 

"Is anybody else answering this? Is it just Belfast?" 

"Commander! Javelin here! What's the plan?"

"You're lively today. Be careful out there." Caster warned Javelin.

"I can't see the battlefield that well, but I'll continue with the plan." Caster smirked slightly. 

"What is it?" Belfast asked.

"I want the enemy Frigates to be destroyed since they have great speed and could outmaneuver us. I want the 4 girls who helped me last time." 

He smiled in the thought that he was only slightly wrong with the prediction on how many ships they're using to attack the base. His prediction for Destroyers was only 4 but Belfast said 6 and the rest were on point. So he only needed to adjust his strategy a little bit to go on with his Plan A.

"You got it, Commander! I'll tell the Z and Ayanami too!" Javelin said to Caster.

"You go get them!" Caster encouraged Javelin.

"What to do for the rest? The Cruisers and Destroyers? Should we go defensive or offensive?" Belfast asked.

"We're gonna take the fight to them."

"Isn't that very risky, Master?" Belfast said worriedly. But he knew that would be a risk. But he's ready to gamble. 

"The more unorthodox the strategy is, the more the enemy will not expect it." 

Belfast was kinda stunned for a bit before she snapped back to reality.

This quote by Caster would be a normal thing in his Army Commander stint. He would always do some crazy things just to throw off the enemy a little bit. And he's gonna do it again. But he is ready for gambling.

"Okay, then Commander. The backline will help from the base." 

"Wait. Backline? Who are they?" 

"Master, they're the aircraft carriers."

"Okay, then. Time to get in there. Good luck."

The ship girls went in there guns blazing. The Azur Lane fleet had a huge headstart over the Sirens. Although Caster doesn't know the name of the enemy is the "Sirens". Managing to destroy the Frigates with almost no resistance. 

Caster again felt uneasy. He feels something bad is gonna happen. He has an uncanny feel for it. In response to his uneasiness, he went into the driver seat and tries to move the submarine to go to a better position. But he rudely interrupted by...

CRASH! 

Then a tower of water goes up in the air...

=================

BOOM! 

Then another tower of water splashes up in the air.

"What's happening?" Illustrious told Enterprise. 

"I don't know," Enterprise answered. "But it looks like submarines. I'll take them out." 

She did what she said... She used some torpedo bombers to attack the submarines submerged in the deep water. But fortunately, it does hit the submarines. 

Then a submarine surfaces up to the surface and it was heavily damaged. And the hatch opened.

'Who's there?' Enterprise thought. 

Then Caster started getting out of the submarine as he's crawling for the nearest cover. He's heavily injured in the hip area but can still crawl. Horrified, and wanting to help, Enterprise asked:

"We need you brought to the hospital," Enterprise told the Commander. "I'll help you," Enterprise added not before Caster interrupted.

"No! Help your friends first. I will not leave." Caster insisted to stay even with the injury in place. He was determined not to make the injury worse. 

Enterprise was speechless. Instead of saving his life, he wanted to save the others first. It was very similar to her ideals. And so, she abided to his command and helped the others to destroy the Destroyers.

Caster is recovering (kinda) from the sudden injury and got the strength to walk up to a higher place as he walks up the stairs to see the battle. And Illustrious saw the new Commander injured.

"Don't even think about it." He said to Illustrious. "I'm not leaving the battle until we won." 

Enterprise took off and left the defensive line leaving Hornet and Illustrious to defend the base.

Illustrious was super worried but she couldn't disobey the order. So she kept fighting. 

The injury of the Commander made Hornet, Illustrious, and Enterprise a bit more aggressive and stronger because of that. Maybe it was an inspiration reason, or maybe it was desperation reasons. 

=================

"Cleveland! Get in there!" Enterprise tells Cleveland.

"You got it!" As she went in there to help Belfast, and the 4. And they're making a big dent in the fleet. 

Enterprise winds up her bow and released it. And her arrow pierced the armor of the Siren Destroyer. And by complete chance, she hit the engine. Making it sink and explode.

The battle started to turn around for Caster and co. And finally, the Sirens are retreating. And they went after them. Destroying every single last of them. They won. Their first win in a long while. Since the ships are mostly scouting the Siren fleets and the Sirens just didn't have the aggression to attack the girls frequently. 

As the girls go back to the dock, specifically Enterprise who was speeding back to the dock faster than the others. 

And they saw a very injured Commander Caster but he was smiling at the victory. Belfast was horrified by the injury on the hip and he was immediately put to the Azur Lane hospital. Again.

Word Count 4420 Words...

9:26 PM
4/3/20