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The tender came to shore on a bright morning, on the crescent bay of the isle. Dozens of manjuu pulled the craft against the weak waves that tugged it back until its occupants could step on dry land. The Commander was the first to step out and offered his hand to his fleet: Shangri-La, Bristol, Alfredo Oriani, Guam and Brest. They looked up at a great fortress that rose up over the slope, its walls crumbled, and the towers gutted. The gun platforms pointed their rusted barrels out to the ocean. Shangri-La adjusted her glasses and said, “An impressive structure. Turn of the century judging by the barbettes on the wall there. It seems it fought in vain against the Sirens…”
Brest said, “And not a word of their valiance persists. Are we here to learn their tale?”
“Oh, we’re not here for the fortress,” replied the Commander, smiling at Brest’s solemn face. “We’re here on some billionaire’s vanity project. They offered to buy millions of dollars’ worth of war bonds for some relics. Apparently, there were some major archaeological finds here right under the noses of the Sardegnian military based here. But then the Sirens invaded and destroyed the fortress. The work was never completed, so HQ passed it down to us. Ridiculous if you ask me. We’re not qualified for this at all!” The Commander huffed. Anchored out at sea, the sun shone on the metal of his ship and the blue flag of Azur Lane hoisted atop it. The sea called him. The Sirens waited.
“How much time do we have?” asked Shangri-La, struggling with her bags, books and many tools she brought along with her. She hadn’t been sure what she would need, so she brought everything. She even dressed for the occasion, outfitted like an adventurer from an old pulp magazine.
“As long as the grant money lasts. They want relics, not a money pit.” The Commander eased her burden by relieving her of her tools, slinging the bag over his shoulder. She smiled and thanked him. They walked away from the mighty fort, deeper into the island. Bristol led the way, eagerly darting between the trees of an olive grove, unable to contain her excitement. Following the map of the previous excavation team, they stood before a field with a commanding view of the Aegean Sea. At its center, stone pillars stood erect, half buried, holding up a pediment. Weathered by the years, its marble etchings remained intact.
“A temple from the Classical Era. Look how well preserved it is!” Shangri-La’s face lit with joy. Her bags hit the ground. She mused about the sculptures, trying to make out its figures. Brest stood alongside her, recognizing them with a glance. “It is the judgment of Paris. Those are three goddesses. There is the prince of Troy awarding Aphrodite a golden apple, sealing the fate of his kingdom and his brother.”
“Looks like they didn’t finish digging it out,” said the Commander. “This is just one of several dig sites. Let’s get started. Shangri-La, you’re in charge of this dig. Bristol, why don’t you go looking for the other trenches? The journals mention other trenches, but they’re not marked on the map.”
“Ooh! Can I come along?,” Guam interjected. Her star pupils sparkled.
“Sorry Guam, but you need to stay here and record everything with Alfredo Oriani. Brest tag along with Bristol. Make sure she doesn’t get in trouble.”
“Hey, me and Data 857 know how to stay safe. C’mon Brest! We have a mystery to solve.” Bristol darted off behind the tree line, her robot struggling to keep pace.
Brest smiled at the Commander. “We’ll find them and return to tell you the tale, Champion.”
Guam watched with envy as Brest left them.
“I could take the photos while you go off adventuring, Guam,” said Shangri-La.
“Don’t overburden yourself, Shangri-La. You’re our foremost expert. We’re going to rely heavily on you.” The Commander put a hand on Guam’s shoulder. “Guam, you can handle it, right?”
“I got it! Just tell me what you need to do, Shangri-La.”
They made camp at once. The boon of abundant manjuu labor was strained to its limits. They moved like worker ants, donning yellowing construction hats to protect their heads. It took a team of manjuu to operate the digger. Layer after layer of dirt and volcanic ash removed. Mounds of dirt built up and created a perimeter around the site. Guam stood on top, using the vantage point to photograph the digging. Her cameramanjuu crew ran around the site, snapshotting every moment. Sitting next to her, Alfredo Oriani jotting down on her notebook her observations. It read, "Scaffolding enveloped the ancient temple, a testament to the team's determination to preserve the delicate structure. According to experts on the site, it may date back 2500 years."
In a separate trench parallel to the temple, Shangri-La and the Commander had rummaged through the soil with their trowels. Dark brown splotches evenly spaced out on the ground keyed Shangri-La to another site. The Commander watched Shangri-La with anticipation. She examined every detail of the stone he handed her and, after several seconds of silence, said, “No. it’s just a rock.”
“Really?” The Commander had been so sure he found something worthwhile. “Well, what about this one?”
“Hmm… judging by the size and shape and this blue-green discoloration, it might’ve been a copper coin. This will help us date the site. Good find, Commander.” The Commander flashed a bright grin at her praise. Shangri-La found it infectious.
“I thought you were annoyed we were going to spend all day digging.”
“Well… maybe I’m having fun,” he said, his smile turning sheepish. “It helps that I’m spending time with you. It's nice seeing you without your head buried in books.”
“I still have to write down everything we’ve found here. It’s all so interesting,” she said, laughing a little. “I mean, just imagine. This here looking out to a port down in the bay there. Those lumps and bumps near the shore must be it. It must have been some sight in its heyday”
The Commander tried to imagine it all. Long before he was born, before sodium lights lit the streets, the acropolis bustled with life. Now, its history and memories exist only within its stone, like the lines on a hand. Centuries later, Sardegnians built their fortress, utilizing the land in much the same manner. The island's volcanic rock made it challenging to mine underneath, with its steep cliffs and crescent bay. These natural formations provided a formidable defensive position. Its central location in the Aegean Sea made it a prime spot for trade. Shangri-La poked him, interrupting his thoughts. There was still more to uncover.
The Commander was quite happy to continue digging, stumbling across many more finds. The excitement Shangri-La showed him with each relic or even just a wall was enough motivation for him to jump back into the trench. “Three stones is a wall,” Shangri-La told the Commander more than once. He spent his day at her side. As the day went on, it became quite apparent to the team that the scale of the ruins was much bigger than they had expected. Building material was scattered throughout the rubble. Roof tiles and carved bricks. The manjuus had dug up countless walls, working down to the foundations. What initially seemed like a lone temple became an entire complex. Dusk reigned in when work was called off for the day.
“C’mon, Commander! It’s time to eat.” Guam waved his rations high in the air.
“I’m right behind you.” Down slope from the excavation, the camp was dotted with the orange light of lanterns and campfires. As the fleet gathered around and ate their rations in the open space in between their tents, the Commander took notice of one absence. Shangri-La. Even in the late hours, she hadn’t stopped working. The Commander knew exactly where she’d be. He walked to the large tent down the slope. It was their command center for the dig site, where much of the material was taken to be studied and logged. When the Commander opened the flap and entered, he heard the clicks of her laptop. Shangri-La sat on the opposite end, typing away. He walked behind and caught her attention by rubbing her shoulders. She let out a soft coo, enjoying the Commander’s firm massage. She turned to him, wrinkling her nose with a slight smile on her face. His heart fluttered. The Commander asked, “What are you up to?”
“Chatting with Leonardo Da Vinci. I sent over data we’ve collected so far so she can recreate it in VR. It could help us really understand this place further. Put on the headset and check it out.” Shangri-La handed him the headset. He put them on and a virtual mock-up of the temple flashed into existence. It was no longer buried in the dirt. Great stone buildings huddled around the narrow streets where they had found the coins. Painted in bright colors and the marble pure white, the complex stood proud on top of the slope. He turned and saw the same impressive view of the sea he had seen earlier. The Commander took off the headset and looked at Shangri-La, who was immensely proud of her work. He smiled. “You’re really giving this your all.”
“It’s not every day we get to explore ancient ruins,“ she said. “This will be an exciting chapter of your biography. The Commander: Uncovering the Lost Temple.”
“I wouldn’t have known what I’m looking at if it weren’t for you. Make sure to mention that.” The Commander placed the headset back on the table.
“You helped too, you know. Those coins you found date back to the Hellenistic Period, one of the five kingdoms of the Diadochi. We’ll need more evidence before we can pinpoint which one.” She pointed him to a bin full of zip-lock bags, each containing some artifact. Coins, bits of pottery, brooches. “If we do a geological survey of the volcano, maybe we can figure out the exact year it erupted and buried this town in ash.”
“I’m afraid we don’t have the time for that,” said the Commander. Her eyes drifted downwards. She knew it was true. The Commander stroked her exposed thigh to reassure her. “Hey, we’ll be back someday. I promise. For now, let’s enjoy our time here and get some rest. We have to get up bright and early tomorrow.”
The walk back to her tent was a short one. The view of the temple was quite clear. Unearthed and washed in moonlight. Shangri-La gazed thoughtfully at it. “I wonder if the people who built it thought it would still be standing thousands of years later.”
The Commander followed her gaze. “We can’t live forever, but maybe we can build something that can. I’m sure the thought entered their minds at some point.”
“Commander… have you ever considered what kind of legacy you’ll leave behind? Other than being a great hero.”
“Me? A hero? What’s so heroic about pointing in a direction and saying ‘The enemy is that way’?” The Commander could feel her pout. He smirked, but then considered her question. The Commander looked away from the temple and into the star-filled sky. The moon was large that night. The same color as her hair. He stroked his chin and said, “Hmm… how about lots of silver-haired babies?”
He faced Shangri-La and stroked her hair down to its ends, close enough that his knuckles grazed her cheeks. Shangri-La blush grew as the words registered, noticeable even at night. She said, “I was being serious.”
“So was I.”
The Commander pressed his forehead to hers. Her glasses didn’t allow him to kiss her. In Shangri-La’s head, thousands of tiny electrical impulses fired from neuron to neuron, but she remained quiet. Instead, she reached for his hands, squeezing them with her own hands. The Commander asked, “May I enter your tent?”
“Oh… do you need a health check? It’s been a while since your last appointment. I’d say one is due.” Shangri-La pulled the Commander by the collar into her tent. A spacious canvas tent, tall enough they could both stand. A single lantern hanging on the floor lit the room in a soft glow. They broke apart from each other to undo the flaps and cover the window and doors. Once done, Shangri-La sauntered over to him. The front slit of her skirt caught his attention, revealing her long, smooth leg. Shangri-La had to break his spellbound gaze by lifting his chin with her finger. They were so close to each other, they shared breaths. Shangri-La tilted her head and pulled herself toward him.
Their lips pressed together. Her mouth was warm, and the Commander tasted a tinge of saffron tea. A shiver ran through him. Shangri-La unbuttoned his uniform, starting at the top and working her way down. His uniform plopped on the ground and his undershirt followed. She sucked in a breath, feeling up his body. “You certainly stay fit. But this physical examination needs to be more thorough before I can give my full assessment.”
Leaving a trail of kisses down his chin, neck and body, she found herself on her knees, unbuckling his belt. With pants dropping to the ground, the Commander felt a bit embarrassed. Here he was, nearly nude, while Shangri-La remained fully dressed. She was in control. His cock strained against his underwear at the thought. Shangri-La rubbed his erection and giggled. “You’re so hard.”
“Of course. Look how pretty you are. Prettier than Aphrodite,” he replied. Her smile grew wide at that.
“You shouldn’t provoke a goddess so close to her house of worship. She may turn you into an animal. You wouldn’t want to feel her wrath.” She kissed his cock through the fabric and then drew down his underwear. His cock sprung free. Her hand grazed his underside and rubbed his head with her thumb. The Commander felt her moving up and down, slowly pumping. Her keen eye examined his cock in the same manner she had with the relics.
“Strong. Healthy. But pent-up. You know it's not good to bottle up all this stress, Commander? You’re lucky I caught this,” she said. Her words made his hips flex forward. His cock brushed her mouth for a brief moment. As his astute biographer, she knew much about the Commander. His combat record, his tactics, the exorbitant amount of money he spent on swimsuits for his shipgirls. And she knew his most sensitive spot. The spot where a bundle of nerves sent pleasure rippling through his body. She licked beneath his tip. Lavishing his cock brought beads of pearly white precum oozing from his slit. The Commander writhed in pleasure, closing his eyes for a second.
When warmth and wetness enveloped his dick, he opened his eyes to see Shangri-La taking him in her mouth. Her soft lips slid up and down his cock. She moaned around his length, trying to tell the Commander she loved every inch of him. A spasm ran through his body. Shangri-La hollowed her cheeks and sucked him hard. Meeting her eyes, the Commander said, “Shangri-La -Ahh- right there.”
Her head bobbed steadily, watching the Commander as she sucked. Watching him tense up and moan. She savored his taste and pleasure, taking him deep in her mouth. Shangri-La’s tongue swirled around his head. Using her hands and lips together. She let his cock pop free, keeping her mouth wide open and running hot breath across his dick. Her hands jerked him faster. Seeing the slutty side of the cute carrier was too much for the Commander. His balls tightened. His cock throbbed. The Commander bucked his hips and blew his load.
Globs of cum splashed across her face. It took Shangri-La by surprise but she continued pumping his cock with her hands while his orgasm ran its course. “Commander, you got it all over my glasses… and my hair!”
“Sorry. It just felt so good,” he said.
“You certainly passed the examination with flying colors. There’s no questioning your virility. Not surprising given the results of our last appointment,” said Shangri-La while cleaning herself, wiping cum off her face and giving it a taste. She took off her glasses and tried to clean her lens with her tongue. But spit shine wasn’t enough. “Guess I’ll have to wear my spares.”
Shangri-La bent over and rummaged over her things sprawled out across the tent floor. The Commander couldn’t help but stare at the way the fabric of her skirt hugged her lovely ass. It was just enough to make him hard again. He reached for her and caught her by surprise. Donning her new glasses, she looked behind her. “Not done, Commander? I’m a little surprised, considering all your hard work today.”
“All that healthy food you’ve been feeding me must be doing its job,” he said while lifting up her skirt, giving him a full view of her bottom. The Commander was not as gentle as Shangri-La. He was far too horny. He kneaded her ass and traced her outline of pussy through the fabric of her panties. “Stop teasing me, Commander.”
“I’m just doing my own little health exam.” He hooked his thumbs on the waistband of her panties and pulled it down, revealing the pink folds of her cunt. He probed her pussy with a finger, slick with wetness. A small squeal escaped Shangri-La’s mouth. Of all the digging the Commander had done that day, this was by far his favorite. “Come here.”
Undressing Shangri-La was its own battle that took the two of them. They fumbled with the buttons in between kisses. Unbuttoning her vest, undoing her tie, then shirt. The operation could have gone smoother had the Commander not groped her all the while. Her bra slid free, baring it all to the Commander. He sunk his fingers into her creamy tits. They were perfect in size and shape. She hissed as he plucked her sensitive nipples. “Is this all part of the checkup?”
“No. I just like boobs,” he said. He leaned down and kissed them. Running his tongue over her pink nipples, he took one into his mouth while groping her other breast. Breathing in her scent. She cradled his head and ran her fingers through his hair. The Commander pushed Shangri-La down into her big fluffy blanket.
“Are you comfortable here?” asked the Commander, his hands on her inner thighs sending shivers through her body. Shangri-La nodded. He parted her legs apart. Aligned his cock with her pretty pink pussy. Rubbing his tip against her, he could feel how hot and wet she was. Shangri-La rolled her hips back against him, eagerly waiting for him. The sight excited something primal within the Commander. He sank his cock into her. It stretched her lower lips and filled her. Shangri-La wrapped her legs around his hips, urging him on until his full length was hilted deep inside her. The Commander relished the feeling of her silky cunt. Squeezing him. He asked, “Are you going to write this down in my biography?”
“Definitely not.” She gasped for air as the Commander teased her clit with his thumb.
“I’ve never known you not to write everything down.”
“Maybe write it in my diary. -Ahh- The Commander expertly made love to me.” She squirmed and whimpered under him. Shangri-La fancied herself a wordsmith, but it was difficult for her to articulate how good he made her feel. She tried to suppress her moans, knowing how thin the tent walls were. The Commander didn’t care. The outside world didn’t matter at that moment. And there was no hiding what they were up to from the rest of the camp. He thrusted into her. His hips bucking against her thighs. Fucking her into the blanket. Shangri-La grew bolder. She was not to be outdone. She pressed her heels against his ass. Took possession of his desires.
They rocked together in sync. The rhythmic sounds of flesh slapping chorused with her moans. The force of which he pounded her sent her breasts bouncing. Her glasses slid further down her nose with each thrust. The Commander had to push them up more than once. He didn’t want her to take them off. He loved her bespectacled beauty. Shangri-La arched her back and threw her head back as ecstasy shot through her body. The Commander didn’t miss a beat. He assumed control, unable to get enough of her sweetness. Her tightness tugged him with each stroke.
He felt his own orgasm coming. Losing himself to lust, he buried his face into Shangri-La’s big tits. Cum burst from his cock. Pumping more into her with each twitch. Straight into her womb. Shangri-La squeezed around him, drawing him in and milking his cock dry. Their lips joined. Tongues danced with each other. He rubbed her belly and said, “Start of a new chapter, I hope.”
“We’ll know soon enough. Get some rest, Commander. Sleep is good for your health.” Shangri-La placed her on top of his hand, rubbing her belly with him and kissed the Commander once more. The Commander’s thoughts slowed to a crawl. He rolled to the side, too spent to move anymore. Shangri-La spent a few minutes cleaning the two of them. Once finished, she reached for her case, placed her glasses, and blew the lantern out. She embraced the Commander and pulled the blanket over them. The Commander found her weight comfortable and quickly fell asleep, looking forward to tomorrow. And every day after he spent with Shangri-La.
Outside, the rest of the fleet could finally enjoy a moment of silence.