Hymn From the High Seas (Azur Lane x Commander Male Reader)

Maiden Voyage

"(Y/N), we've got a problem," Enty whispers through the phone.

"What is it?" I step away from Essex.

There's a pause on Enty's end before she reveals, "An official from High Command is sending for you. He's here at the port. Where are you?"

* * *

Arriving back at the docks, I step off the tram with anxiousness hanging its head over my shoulder. High Command's here personally. Nothing good can come of this when they're always holed up in their headquarters. The gray sky doesn't ease my worries either.

A line of kansen stands at the ready outside of the main office building. At the very end of the line, Enty paces back and forth as a man walks away from her and down the line of girls, staring each and every one of them in the eye. They're composed of Crimson Axis and Azur Lane alike.

"Sir!" I stop and salute him.

He turns and glares at me with sunken eyes in a rugged face. His mouth is curved into such a prominent frown, I wouldn't be surprised if he was born this way. The man has more medals than Enty and I combined. On his chest, the name tag reads, "Forster." On his collar, I notice five stars and my heart drops.

"Hold your salute until it's returned, son," Forster grunts, "How a runt like you became admiralty, I'll never know."

I hold my tongue and refrain from apologizing. He'll pick me apart for my lacking knowledge of Navy etiquette. I glance over at Enty who's stopped pacing and watches us with apprehension. How many strings does this guy pull? Forster's only a rank above me, but I feel so damn far below him.

Forster marches past me, "Quite the port you've built, Admiral (L/N). Since when did you care more about peace talks than crushing the Crimson Axis?"

Remembering to put on an act in situations like these, I reply with a neutral tone, "My priorities have shifted, sir. The Sirens are the biggest threat to humanity."

"Is that why you manifested a Siren Killer without clearance?" his boots stop tapping behind me.

Afraid to face him and reveal any change to my expression, I feign ignorance, "Sir, what exactly are you referring to?"

There's one tap from his shoe as he pivots to face my back, "Monarch."

A red-haired woman in the line of kansen looks up. It's Monarch, and the look in her eyes speaks volumes of the situation we've landed in. Enty's out of my field of vision. Ulrich Von Hutten tries to hide her smirk in my periphery.

I gulp slowly, afraid Forster might hear it in the silence, "We received clearance from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, along with a royal pard–"

"Does this look like a Royal Navy base?" Forster's voice rumbles, shaking the sky itself.

"No, sir," I reply.

He steps closer to me and leans over my shoulder, "In your oath, you swore faith and allegiance to your nation. Defying protocol isn't very faithful, is it?"

"Monarch's materialization was for the sake of humanity, sir. Her power is needed," I dismiss his words with reason.

Someone gasps when he grabs my shoulder, "Don't get smart with me, son," he points to Monarch, "I'd have had it scrapped by now if it was an Eagle Union blueprint."

"Scrapped?" I mutter, my mind darkening with its obvious definition.

"Fleet Admiral, this is too far!" Enty's voice shakes when she interrupts.

Forster's grip on my shoulder tightens to a painful degree. Letting go of me, he regards Enty with disgust. When he takes a step toward her, I can't help but open my mouth.