Azur Lane: Savior

As the sun began to rise, Greynar was awakened by the sound of his door creaking open. A blue-haired woman entered the room quietly, her presence unexpected but somehow calming. It was Chapayev with a sultry expression going closer to his bed. 

"Commander~ It's already morning... If you don't wake up now, i have to result in some discipline~" She silently whispered to his ear.

Afraid if something will happen if he don't wake up now, he immediately stood. "Alright! I'm already awake, I was just closing my eye!" It was the truth he said.

Chapayev chuckles quietly at him, "I'm just joking~ You can sleep for some time, Rossiya sent me here to just remind you that everyone has already prepared the breakfast."

Greynar sighed. "Don't startle me like that, geez..." 

"You're sometimes fun to tease so I can't help it but to do it." She smiled softly at him. 

He placed his palm on his head and groaned. "Alright now that I'm awake, Chapayev, I'm going to have a shower and change of clothes. Can you wait outside for a moment?" 

"As you wish then~" The cruiser lady, walked to the door and closed it slowly, looking at him while licking her lips.

As Greynar changed into his furred-jacket uniform, he stepped outside to find Chapayev waiting for him. She greeted him with a warm smile and complimented his appearance, her words carrying a light teasing tone. Without hesitation, she wrapped herself around his right arm as they walked together chatting.

As they arrived at the breakfast table, Chapayev released Greynar's arm and took a seat with the others. Rossiya greeted him with a warm smile, while Gangut, noticing the time, asked with a raised eyebrow what had taken Chapayev so long to return. Chapayev simply placed a finger in front of her lips and shushed Gangut with a playful smile, keeping the reason to herself.

"Good morning, Comrade Commander," Grozny greeted warmly as Greynar joined the table. She held out a steaming mug toward him. "Hot chocolate?"

"Thank you," he replied, accepting the drink with a grateful smile. The warmth of the mug seeped into his hands, chasing away the morning chill as the rich, sweet aroma filled his senses. He took a sip, savoring the comforting taste that helped energize him for the day ahead before going on board using train.

"For today's plan," Rossiya began, addressing the group as they settled in for breakfast, "Our train will be arriving at nine o'clock. The harbor isn't far, so we can take a leisurely walk there."

She spoke with her usual calm, ensuring everyone was aware of the schedule. The idea of a morning walk before the journey seemed to put everyone in a good mood, making the cold morning feel a little warmer.

"What's the place looks like?" The Commander curiously asked.

Rossiya glanced at him and smirked. "You'll see once we get there." 

With Rossiya's final words, a sense of anticipation began to build within Greynar. The way she spoke about the upcoming journey made him look forward to what awaited him at the place they will be going to.

After finishing breakfast, the group prepared to head to the nearby station. Rossiya mentioned that the train they would be taking was reserved exclusively for the Northern Parliament's naval forces. Avrora added that back during the first Siren invasion, the railroad had yet to be constructed, but the researchers of the Northern Parliament had developed cube-based technology to create some form of vehicle for transportation. Avrora, Pamiat, and Mikasa were among the KANSEN that were developed during this period, closely tied to the advancements in this technology.

Upon entering the train's carriage, Greynar was taken aback by the interior. He had envisioned a more utilitarian and barebones setup typical of military transport, but instead, the carriage exuded a sense of comfort and elegance. The seats were plush and spacious, upholstered in a deep, rich fabric that contrasted with the cool, metallic exterior of the train. The walls were adorned with subtle decorations, reflecting a blend of modern technology and traditional Northern Parliament design. Soft lighting illuminated the space, giving it a warm and inviting atmosphere that made it feel more like a luxurious lounge than a military transport vehicle.

The Commander walked into the room labeled "командир," which he recognized as the Commander's quarters due to the familiar title. Having parted ways with the other ladies, Tashkent took the chance to accompany him, eager for some time alone with him. Meanwhile, Minsk and Grozny were engrossed in a card game with Volga and Gangut, but since Tashkent had little interest in that, she decided to tag along with the Commander instead.

As Greynar took his seat, Tashkent followed and plopped down beside him, her legs swinging back and forth in a playful rhythm. The purple-haired destroyer, unable to hide her boredom, leaned back in her seat, eyes drifting lazily around the carriage. After a moment, she glanced at the Commander and shuffled a bit closer.

"Dear comrade," she began, she said with a tone carried a proud smile. "Since we're alone here, want me to tell you the beauty of Sardegna?"

Greynar's eyes lit up with interest. "I'd love to hear about Sardegna from your perspective. Please, go on."

Tashkent began sharing her thoughts on Sardegna. "Sardegna... It's truly a beautiful place, especially its nature. The food there is amazing, particularly the cheese-laden pizza—it's something Tashkent can never get enough of. And the pasta! Tashkent favorite dish would have to be the classic cacio e pepe. It's simple, but the balance between the cheese and pepper is just perfect." She paused for a moment, her eyes gleaming with fond memories. "Oh, and there's this battleship named Roma that Tashkent saw when Tashkent was there, and the Colosseum in Rome—it was enormous, even more impressive in person than Tashkent imagined."

"Sounds like a fun place to visit," Greynar nodded in agreement.

They chatted for a while as they rode the train, the destroyer bursting with energy as she eagerly described Sardegna's culinary delights and beautiful sights. The Commander listened with a smile, offering subtle responses and occasional questions, encouraging her enthusiasm.

After some minutes deep into conversation, noticing a hint of sleepiness in Tashkent, Greynar softly suggested, "You can rest for a bit if you like. The train won't arrive for another hour."

Tashkent nodded, her eyelids growing heavy. Slowly, she leaned against him and murmured, "Then... goodnight, dear comrade." Moments later, she drifted off to sleep, finding comfort as she slept beside him peacefully.

The Commander chuckled softly, making sure Tashkent was comfortable as she rested against him. He adjusted his position slightly to provide her better support. A while later, the door quietly opened, and Minsk peeked in, surprised to see Tashkent beside him. The Commander quickly placed a finger to his lips, signaling Minsk to keep quiet so as not to disturb Tashkent's sleep.

"Do you need something, Minsk?" he whispered, making sure his voice was just loud enough for her to hear without disturbing Tashkent.

Minsk hesitated for a moment before stepping closer. "Commander," she began, her voice soft and slightly trembling. "There's something I want to ask..." She fidgeted with her fingers nervously, clearly unsure how to continue.

"Alright go on..." The Commander replied, curiously raising his brow.

Minsk gulped before continuing, "Can you tell me about the whole incident in NY? I'm really curious about what happened there and how you managed to thwart the Sirens overnight!" Her enthusiasm suddenly burst through, catching him off guard.

Greynar blinked, taken aback by her sudden excitement. He was expecting a more serious question, but her eager curiosity was hard to resist."Umm..." Greynar hesitated, thinking about how to tweak the story without revealing too much. "Alright, I'll give you the details, but what’s the reason behind your curiosity?" he asked with a hint of amusement.

Minsk's eyes sparkled as she leaned in closer, her enthusiasm barely contained. "This is for my inspiration! I want to know more about you and your battle tactics! I've heard of your heroic deeds in NY, and I’m dying to learn how you pulled it off!"

"I suppose I will tell you," Greynar said with a smirk, leaning in slightly as he began recounting the tale. "So, in the first place, I was—"

During the entire train ride, Greynar captivated the eager destroyer with his detailed account of the events in NY City and Bermuda Sea. Minsk listened intently, her enthusiasm growing with every word. She even took notes on some of his tactical plans, eager to absorb as much information as possible. Each time she asked a question, Greynar was more than happy to elaborate, further fueling her excitement as she learned more about the intense battles and strategies that he used against the Siren.

※ ※ ※

After the train came to a halt, Rossiya's voice crackled over the comms, instructing everyone to disembark. As they stepped off, Greynar couldn't help but stare at a towering building in the distance. The structure, which was part of the Northern Parliament's headquarters, loomed like a colossal skyscraper, leaving him both dumbfounded and awestruck by its sheer magnitude.

"Comrade Commander, welcome to our headquarters. It's located near St. Petersburg and serves as our final line of defense against the Sirens," Rossiya said, her tone formal yet welcoming. She then paused before continuing, "There's been a change in plans regarding your meeting. You'll be seeing her today."

"...Right now?" he replied, his tone tinged with confusion. "Is there a problem with tomorrow?"

"No problem at all," Rossiya reassured him, "but she doesn’t want to waste any time and prefers to meet you as soon as possible."

"Alright then, I don't mind having the meeting now. Where should I go?" he asked, accepting the sudden change in plans.

Rossiya turned to him and nodded. "I'll show you, follow me."

"Then I'll take the rest of the fleet with me to report on the Siren's Stronghold," Kirov commented, gesturing for the others to follow.

Volga made a move to follow the Commander, but he subtly gestured for her to stay with the group instead.

As they parted, Rossiya led Greynar into the building and towards an elevator. They ascended to the fifteenth floor, but upon arrival, Rossiya opened the door to elevator behind them, it reveal a dark and empty room. Without a word, she gestured for him to enter and then pressed a small button on the wall. The room began to shift, revealing itself as a secret elevator that descended slowly.

Greynar noted the time, counting the seconds as the elevator continued to descend. Nearly full two minute passed before the elevator finally came to a stop, leaving Greynar to wonder just how far underground they had traveled.

As the elevator doors slid open, Rossiya glanced back at Greynar and nodded, her expression confident. "We're here, one of our top facilities for experimenting with wisdom cube technology."

As they walked down the dimly lit hallway, Greynar couldn't help but ask about the advancements in this technology. Rossiya responded with a smug smile, explaining that much of today's cutting-edge technology was made possible due to the contributions of the Northern Parliament. She elaborated that this progress was initially supported by collaborations with Eagle Union and Iron Blood before the factions split.

As they continued down the hallway, Rossiya explained that their recent advancements in rigging were due to research on Siren technology. She went into detail about how their studies had reverse-engineered aspects of Siren tech to enhance their own equipment. As they approached another intersection, Rossiya led the way to a room that appeared to be a lounge.

"Comrade, this is the room," Rossiya said, knocking on the door.

A woman's voice from inside responded, inviting them to enter. 

Light poured into the room from the window. As the Commander's eyes adjusted, he saw a woman clad in white standing within the room, her attire reminiscent of the other members of the Northern Parliament fleet. The deliberate and dignified words she spoke seemed to resonate directly within his mind, as if she was speaking to him on a deeper, more profound level.

"Commander, would you join the Northern Parliament?" the silver-eyed woman asked, her voice steady and commanding.

Standing before him was none other than Sovetsky Soyuz, the esteemed leader of the Northern Parliament fleet.