(Remaster) The Abyss Calls Out

Take a Ride

Black Dragon
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"Officer."

Kiana looked up from the desk, the motions of the ship already long gotten use too again after spending so long on shore. In front of her was the Admiral she served under, and he wasn't looking to pleased at the moment.

"Is something wrong Sir?"

"There's plenty wrong all the time, but right now it's more dangerous than usual." He reached into his coat, pulling a folder out and putting it on her desk. "This holds everything you need to know. I need to go and have a few calls back home, and...congratulations on the promotion."

Once he left, she stared at the folder for a moment, questioning what he meant by a "promotion". She picked up the folder and opened the sealed front, pulling out the files given to her.

...

'So...that's what he meant.' Her hands clenched the paper ever so slightly, the feeling of...rage? Began swimming through her.

She took a deep breath, shaking away the emotions as she stared at the page. 'So...of my group, I'm the last one. That was expected and supposed to happen...and yet...'

She put down the paper, pulling out the smartphone she bought a while back thanks to her pay. She went to the picture she was sent by one of her colleagues, one where every graduate was together and posed for a picture, smiled on everyone's face, even her own.

She stared at the photo for a while, before blinking and realizing her vision became blurry. She wiped the tear away from her eye, staring at her thumb that now glistened in the light, holding the tear she shed for her old friends.

...

She sighed and wiped the tear away. 'No, I can't think like that. I'm an Abyssal, I'm not Human...we could never have been friends...'

She did her best to beat down the emotions, focusing on directing the Kansens through her different setups and plans for the invasion force. Not to mention, she has to expand these plans now, seeing as she was no longer a mere Officer.

No, now she was promoted due to, sadly, no other person being able to directly compete for it. Kiana was now the Commander of Azur Lane, her goal all along.

Yet, it doesn't fix the new hole she felt in her chest. She had made friends out of those people, and while the war was taking it's toll on them, she was always there to see them, and their smiles made her feel better too.

Moments like those were rare besides with the Kansen themselves, and even then, she felt camaraderie unlike anything she saw back home. She felt wonderful in this place, like she found a home to truly belong.

But she doesn't, no matter how much she wants too, she can't belong. The enemy of Humanity can't become friends with them, and one day, she has to return home.

'That day...that day will be painful...'

...

Looking through the different channels for the units spread out to take back the Philippines, she noticed that one was freshly connected...and playing music? It was confusing for sure, she connected to it and got ready to figure out who it was.

"Hello? Who is this, and why in God's name are you playing music during this operation?"
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A head of teal hair looked over to the radio, smiling as she picked it up and cleared her throat. "That you new Commander?"

"Yes, this is Kiana Kaslana. Now who the hell is this?"

"The newest addition to Azur Lane is who. Doctor Akiji should have hopefully sent the details."