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thescharnhorsts‌:

Of course, she would have to find the rose; there was always an ulterior motive. Taking the paper, Väinämöinen looked it over in a stunned silence. Nodding slowly, she tucked it in her pocket. What was the correct path to take? The correct thing to do? A puzzling dilemma. Of course, nothing meant more to her than Scharnhorst, and she would do nearly anything for her.

Nearly. But would that include betraying the nation taking her in and offering her asylum from the no-doubt furious Finnish Navy? To that effect, she would be furthering the cause of another Abyssal Fleet, possibly with disastrous consequences to the magical ecosystem of the Orkneys. Was Scharnhorst worth that much to her? Was it worth more than her very humanity?

Her humanity was in question as it stood. Standing by Scharnhorst after her fall would forever be a slight against her, on her actual record and socially. If this got out - and she knew those who would resort to blackmail to get their way - she would lose all possibility of redemption, especially in the eyes of the United Kingdom.

Could she throw away the possibility of her own redemption all in a gamble to get back the ship who saved her life?

Without hesitation.

“Very well; you shall have your rose. As long as you deliver on your end of the bargain, I shall on mine, on the honor of my own namesake.” Extending her hand once more, she was prepared to shake away even her own life for Scharnhorst.

The Earl extended his arm out taking Väinämöinen‘s with a firm grip and shaking it with a nod. Rather informal but seeing as he Finn had shown her willingness to hold herself to a pact he didn’t see it necessary to make it blood just yet. “Thank you Väinämöinen, pleasure in making a better acquittance of you.” However he had to give the Finn a small warning.

“With all this I just think you also need to know one or two things.” The tall bone faced man leant in making him look as serious as he could, his tone of voice matching. “Should the Admiral here ever find out you’re looking for the rose, do prepare yourself for the worst. The island’s heart will have nearly every good fae want your blood, most will not touch you from my protection upon you but some will not care. You’ve been warned o spirit of steel ship. Remember, you are not their neighbour.”

#thescharnhorsts

thescharnhorsts‌:

The moment of silence after that statement was a very, very pregnant one, as Väinämöinen thought for a long, long time.

“You never fail to surprise me; here I was, thinking this was a casual visit. I… I would take that chance. I would make Scharnhorst stronger without hesitation, knowing she is back on the right path. If there is a pitch you have to give, then let us not tarry; was it not you who said that the fog is a fickle thing?”

“Find me the Pink Rose, the heart or Orkney and you can have the means to make her new. As either Scharnhorst or Svalbard, whatever you wish.You’ll be staying at these islands a while I think, plenty of time to look. Just be careful you don’t find yourself on the wrong side of the fog. If you wish to talk to me, just ask Mary, she’ll be more than willing to accommodate an opportunity to talk without all the fog and mirrors.”

This wasn’t the main way to his goal, just an insurance in case things went array. So long as there was some unpredictability to islands then things would move toward his goals. Connections were everything. From his coat pocket he pulled out a piece of brown aged paper.

“Anything related to an original ship as a sort of resonance with them. It helps them reach their potential, the upper limits of power or even hold them down like shackles. Like for example the original chain to an anchor or the plans to a what if or would have been. All these things have a power of sorts. I have both the things to resonate with Scharnhorst and make her stronger. All for a fair trade.” The paper was plan not for Scharnhorst or anyone else the finn knew, but for Ilmarinen, their sister. “That there is a token of my generosity, you can have the original one delivered when you are settled in your internment. I hear things like this are very useful for summoning.”

thescharnhorsts‌:

The Finn nodded along, allowing her vision to be guided to the rose.

“A beautiful flower indeed. Why, though, do you show this to me? I am but a humble retainer, soon to be interred as a prisoner of war with my liege. Though I understand the message regarding our former seas, I must admit this is… quite a lot for you to trust me with. Do you not fear that I would turn to your great great granddaughter and tip what I know?” She wouldn’t, of course; she was very invested in the business of keeping people’s secrets, after all.

Whether she would tell Scharnhorst, however remained to be seen.

“Such a mystical nature permeates these isles that I must admit I’m almost reminded of my fair Suomi. I may yet compose a song for the Orkneys; you are welcome to hear it, if I do.”

“I’d love to hear anything you compose, music stirs the soul and even I cannot sit idle to a good rhythm.” The Earl accepted the possible concert with a nod towards the Finn.

“But yes, why do I tell you? Why indeed to I spill all these little secrets upon you?” He waved a hand making the window disappear humming to himself amused. “Is knowledge a gift or a burden? For some it’s something that gnaws at the back of your mind, eating away at your soul. For other it’s a blessing, a door to new worlds and opportunities.”

“Like for example, what if you had the knowledge to rebuild your Scharnhorst. Not to be like her sister but to be improved? To be stronger than ever before like Odin’s hammer on the North Sea. Would you let her know or keep it to yourself to have a more peaceful world?”

#thescharnhorsts

thescharnhorsts‌:

Väinämöinen looked over the stock-still battlecruiser, nose crinkling in some unspoken emotion.

“You act with the strangest scruples, Admiral. So polite and almost endearing a personality, yet the things you do to others to enact your will - or the will of those above you, be that as it may - are enough to send shivers up one’s spine.”

“However, I do think myself a good judge of character and a skilled interpreter of emotions and intentions. If I may? Gneisenau develops incredibly strong bonds when her walls are bypassed; when she learns of Mary’s betrayal, I have a prediction for how she will respond, if she’s out of the hospital by that point.”

“The girl may be easily riled to anger and action, but I bet 200 markka that her fury will not be directed towards Mary, but towards the one who coerced Mary into this betrayal. And if you recall the agreement between yourself and the now-former Svalbard Battleship Princess…” She laughed, an unfamiliar and almost haunting sound.

“I believe you had best be on your toes, because that makes two angry German battleships on your heels.”

“I know, I don’t imagine for a scant second the fact that the coercement of Mary was before she met Gneisenau or Svalbard will matter at all to them. It really does put me in quite the predicament.” He almost chuckled again folding his arms across his chest. “I’m not too afraid, I have my own loyal ships who will defend me even if they don’t agree with my actions at every turn. I hope so of what I do will be forgiven, I don’t always pull the strings to myself.”

“Plus I never want to actually use the damn hex, my plan is merely to use her then cast it off. Her own guilt will be the real curse she’s left with. The fire and fury are just fear tools, never to be used unless she actually tries to kill me. Why if she wasn’t so afraid of death I’d have never gotten this far.”

He looked on at the battlecruiser and shook his head, “If she’d only taken the job in the south. She’d have never gotten herself into this but then, what could have happened I wonder.” He gestured onwards to the fog bank beside her, pure white mist that shifted to make a window to what looked like a cave, where a tall pink rose grew in fine black sand lit only by the sun through the tiniest crack in the ceiling. ”The heart of Orkney, the rose of crows and what gives life to these islands. Isn’t it beautiful?”

#thescharnhorsts

thescharnhorsts‌:

The Finn exhaled, a long breath of relief taking the tension from her body.

“I… haven’t thought about Ilmarinen in a very, very long time. She has not come home yet, and… now, I wonder if she ever will. Should she rise from the depths or be merged with another, I will explain myself to her. If she truly is my sister, she will understand the gravity of a lifedebt. If not… then I will bear the burden of knowing my sister’s disapproval. I have come too far and fought too hard to be brought low by anyone’s opinion; even that of my own hypothetical sister.” Quirking an eyebrow, Väinämöinen met his gaze once more.

“And what about you? What will you do when your surviving family and the ships who once served you discover your true identity? I imagine it’ll be a lot to answer for.”

He chuckled to himself “Ha, I think most of them will be surprised I’m alive. I mean, after all I was buried in a Cathedral. I think at least the Admiral Miss Jellicoe, my dear great great granddaughter has figured out it’s me since I have gone after something only our family would know.”

“If you want your captivity to be quiet I’d keep that to yourself least you want to be interviewed by her more than a few times. Plus I really don’t want it being a public scandal Aha, if word really did get out I’d have a lot of very disappointed ships after me. Plus the tabloids ill have a field day. Well it’s not like I can help what I do these days, someone else guides the strings.”

His hand fanned at the fog which parted to his command revealing not the Admiral but Mary stood stiff as a board with her usual unhappy expression as if she knew who the fog came from.

“Family is troubling. It was too easy to threaten this one with hers. I threatened her to serve me or I went after her sister. From there she now has a spell around her neck made from blood. Should she ever betray me she will experience the same death she once had. An immolation of herself just as before. Once that was done I didn’t even need the sister, her own fear of death has kept her loyal. Ghastly isn’t it? But thanks to it she sings like a canary for me. But her usefulness is coming to an end now, I’ll at least let her go peacefully. It’s just can she live with the guilt after?”

“It’s a shame. This poor girl perhaps in a big to redeem herself showed a kindness to Gneisenau. The betrayal when it gets out will be quite strong, at least to her friends.”

thescharnhorsts‌:

The defense ship sighed, nodding.

“Your intelligence-gathering capability is astounding; it almost puts mine to shame. Almost.” Exhaling quietly, she moved to cross her arms.

“Bjørnøya is gone. The island was removed from existence by a beam of light that came from the heavens themselves. I do not know what form of might or magic has performed this act, only that it acts at the behest of the Cold War Princess. She was quite dissatisfied with Scharnhorst’s failure to kill Gneisenau herself, it would seem; she made talk of ‘resolve’ when I arrived home. I have nothing to offer you, no contract to bind, but… if you could keep the knowledge of Scharnhorst’s continued… existence from making its way across the grapevine, I would be obliged.” For a second, the Finn looked… desperate? Sad? She was hard to read, but she refused to meet the Earl’s eye, instead looking off into the fog and taking a moment to enjoy the quiet within.

“Perhaps much was an exaggeration. So much thinking, so little rest; it makes one easily overwhelmed.”

“If the world hears about it won’t be from my mouth” the Eark assured her with a hand to his chest as a symbolic gesture “My lips will be sealed, you have my world as the Viscount of these lands.” The silence wasn’t something he really wanted when it was hard enough to make time flow so slowly. He spoke up talking on a tangent.

“Family is tough to deal with isn’t it? Not always on the same page, often on two sides of a conflict. I’m familiar with how tough it can be, things run much smoother if your family isn’t making you question each and every action. I'm a little surprised dear Miss Cold War Princess is that upset about it all, the again hive families are much different aren’t they?” He didn’t want to speak of the island, all he knew was that there were a lot of very unhappy spirits he was helping accommodate.

“Aren’t you worried about what Ilmarinen will think when she comes about?”

#thescharnhorsts

thescharnhorsts‌:

The Finn herself rose to her feet, and was reaching out to do the same when the fog swept in. The amount of alarm the British delegation showed at the fog suddenly rolling in set Väinämöinen on edge; no one would be stupid enough to launch an attack on the United Kingdom just to finish the job on Scharnhorst, would they? The ships at sea and the Praetorian Guard, yet to be interned, immediately entered a state of alert to match the British vessels alongside them.

Väinämöinen unclasped the snap on her L-35 just in time to hear a throat clear behind her, whereupon she panicked and drew it, snapping a one hundred and eighty degree turn - only to see a striking and familiar visage.

“Ah, teidän ylhäisyytenne, you startled me - I would be better if my Scharnhorst were not in so ill a condition. I would assume both that the fog is your doing and that none can hear our conversation because of it, then? If so, good. If you know what happened, then we have much to discuss.” She gingerly set the pistol back in its holster, but pointedly did not clasp the seal. Her hands rested together in front of her.

“Time waits for no man but since I asked it very nicely we can have a nice uninterrupted conversation as the fog passes slower and a trawler.” He looked around at the fog letting out a slow breath that came out the same as the fog. “I heard what happened, why they did move through my territory after all, I let them pass unimpeded as I promised.” The Earl tapped the end of his bony snout informing the Finn “Plus the moment you spoke with the Admiral a little bird was relaying everything to me of what you’re doing here today. Yet I didn’t stop you...”

“Now I’m not here to convince you or your fleet otherwise about surrendering but I will inform you I shall be taking up the Princess’s territory for my own. Not to terrorize, much. Rather it’s good for my business venture to have some more mileage up the Norwegian coast.” He gestured toward her asking “I am curious as what you have to discuss with me. I was but a mere participant in that treaty, it’s not like I’m going to try anything on her sister now she’s interned. So prey tell, what words do you have for me?”

#thescharnhorsts

thescharnhorsts‌:

The defense ship shrugged, leaning back a little more in her chair.

“The validity of the records and information I provide can be vouched for by none but myself and the submarines in my entourage who were among those gathering it. Time shall tell, Admiral. Time shall tell.” Väinämöinen looked over the papers as well, nodding an affirmative when she was finished. An odd dilemma struck her; how she should sign.

After a momentary existential crisis, the ship signed FNS Väinämöinen, deciding that in this capacity she had not earned the use of a true name.

“And thus the Barents Fleet is a threat no more. Thank you, Admiral, for helping me on the path to healing. I daresay I look forward to my imprisonment.”

As Lucy was about to stand up and reach over to at least shake Väinämöinen by the hand she paused and looked to her left. A whistle called out as a lookout shouted “Fog Bank incoming!” To Lucy began to shout orders! “To stations people! Radars up, make a signal count. No ships move unless told to, we’re near a cliff for gods sake I don’t want falling or or running into rocks. It’ll pass soon, hold till it passes.”

The fog quickly crept in over the small event from the sea, a misty white slithering through the grass towards the, Lucy stood, arms crossed waiting for it to pass over them, for Väinämöinen she’d see a twig subtle held between the Admiral’s fingers as she vanished from sight so thick was the fog. Then it got quiet, eerily quiet as the world seemed to vanish. The sea did not roar, the wind did not howl. It was just a silence with Väinämöinen stood on her own where even the table had gone. Any call out’s for Lucy or anyone went unheeded.

The silence was broken with a sudden cough for attention from behind the Finn as steps in the grass became louder in the silence.

“It’s been a while hasn’t it?” The Earl greeted as the fog thinned a bit to reveal him. “I hope you don’t mind me interrupting, but it was the only chance I’d have to talk to you before you were taken away. “You look well Väinämöinen.”

#thescharnhorsts

thescharnhorsts‌:

Väinämöinen grinned, waggling a finger.

“Admiral Jellicoe, if I may, I do have proof. The Fleet’s management was done diligently, and every vessel produced and lost, as well as every fleet and individual vessel action, is logged among our information stores. Two years of records, Admiral, will provide ample proof of innocence to any aggressive activity.” Tapping her fingers against the kantele, the Finn bobbed her head side to side.

“Regardless, these terms are beyond fair. If you have no other demands, I have no other concessions. Allow me to deliver both the relevant information and the fleet record to you or a designated person later on and all will be well.”

Jellicoe wasn’t very impressed with Väinämöinen at all. The smugness of her to someone she was supposed to be surrendering to was getting on her nerves. “Diligently? So am I supposed to take your word for it? We’ve not over run you, we did not barge our way into the records room and took it as we please. This is being given to us on a near silver platter. Time could have been taken to careful manufacture and fabricate whatever narrative you wished for. Not to mention not every record is gospel, people make mistakes, opponents over blown to look good for guts and glory. It is not your decision to say if we believe it or not. This surrender isn’t over in just a day, no matter how big or small one is it will take possibly years to make closure.” Lucy leant back in her chair, her word said. Not a professional statement but one she felt needed to be said.With an adjustment of her tie as a bit of recomposing.

“And I’ll thank you not to wag a finger at me. I am not a child.” She went over the paper and made sure everything was worded exactly how it should be along with an attachment for the treatment of surrender persons. All proper and offical as it could be for such an odd war. The paper was checked by Mary and handed back to both Väinämöinen and Lucy to sign each.

thescharnhorsts‌:

The Finn’s brow furrowed imperceptibly, and she looked aside.

“Forgive me, Admiral, but I had little confidence going in on the mercies one would show to something they considered an unthinking enemy. The internment of the fleet is a better result than expected, as is the unquestioning support to take Scharnhorst in.”

“The only thing I would ask of you then is to keep in mind the neutral nature of our fleet. I did much to prevent the Princess from acting against the surface when she felt the urge to, and the only surface vessels the fleet has actively engaged in combat with were the German battleships Bismarck and Gneisenau. On that occasion, it was a conflict provoked by the aggressive intrusion of those two battleships into the Barents with the intention of fighting us. We have performed no acts of war, merely the gathering of intelligence.” Something seemed to distract Väinämöinen’s attention for a moment, and her sight drifted to the press section over yonder. Hm. Curious. Turning back to the Admiral, the coastal defense ship smiled, truly and genuinely.

“If you would offer asylum until such a fair trial agreement with Suomen tasavalta can be reached, I would be honored beyond belief. My only wish right now is to remain with Scharnhorst during this time. She has gone through much, and I would like to be there for her when she awakens. All of these terms are amenable to me, and I would sign on these grounds.”

“There is a slight problem. While you may say you are neutral there is little way to prove it and one can’t simply take your word for it. Abyssal has little in the way of a centralised command making neutral or enemy fleets or distinguishing yours and local forces near to impossible. However that said there is no way right now that proves for or against any crimes that might be brought into the future. If what you say is true then at the end of this war or at least this theatre of operations then any trials or crimes accused would find you innocent. Right now all that happens is that you are declared a prisoner of war with no other labels until the end of this whole war. The gather of intelligence during wartime has it’s stipulations neutral or not but right now and for the foreseeable future...”

“As it stands, you and Scharnhorst will be interned here. Your fleet will be split into groups and sent to POW camps. You will be held as a POW under NATO and kept where I say, you will not be transferred, either of you, to any nation unless it deemed necessary. Deportation for you will not occur again until trails are held on our end at war end. In short you’ll be held here, the fleet split up, your rigging taken away. Only at war’s end will any criminal charges be brought after an investigation. These are the terms I offer. How long you spend with Scharnhorst after she wakes up is entirely up to me.”

#thescharnhorsts

thescharnhorsts‌:

Väinämöinen nodded, her hands removed from the kantele. As she listened to the official statement laid out before her, she nodded again.

“The reason this surrender should not be unconditional is for a short number of reasons. Firstly, we were not defeated nor even struck by the hand of the Royal Navy, nor has any transaction to the opposite occurred, barring you consider the German battleship Gneisenau to be a Royal Navy ship via being under its care. To surrender to a party we are neutral to and have had no conflict with unconditionally is unthinkable.Secondly, I am willing to make any concession and risk any bargaining chip to secure the continued life and health of Scharnhorst, to whom I owed my life before her fall to the Abyss. I have stood by her side that the moment to redeem and save her may come, no matter how unlikely. Finally, I have information that the Royal navy may find… valuable.” Her lip quirked upwards.

“Information about many, many things, Abyssal and surface alike, all of which we maintain access to and can divulge to the Crown at will. In exchange all I ask is that the Svalbard Battleship Princess be healed; body and soul.”

“If there is room to ask concessions for myself, all I ask is to not be criminalized for standing by the warship who saved my life. I have done everything to this day solely to save hers.”

“Ah I see, it makes sense you try and reassure the well being of Scharnhorst since the Abyssal are not followers of the Geneva convention. Thusly I am happy to inform you that the Royal Navy follows the 1949 Convention and under articles 12 and 18 will be more than happy to give services to her medical care and well being.” The Admiral left out soul, it wasn’t something that was covered by the treaty and rather she added. “This includes her mental well being as best as we can provide.”

“Unfortunately I do not have the power to exonerate you. That would be under your own government discretion or the UN’s depending on where a trail would be placed and or the evidence held against you. I’m afraid as much as I can do to keep you safe is to ensure a fair trial is done on UK grounds or give you asylum but I cannot and I repeat cannot exonerate you from treason or whatever it is the Finnish Republic would hold against you.”

“So under every treaty of war and the positions of the government and crowns own laws. Everything you ask for aside your own position is covered by law. This is still an unconditional surrender in our eyes. I don’t know what you expected of us, that we would murder someone who surrendered? I’m a little chocked you would feel that way.”

thescharnhorsts‌:

The ethereal melancholic sound of the kantele grew louder the closer the fleet drew until the music swept across the island once they pulled in. Fairies could be seen standing upon the decks of the rigging, looking very proper and at attention. Upon reaching the ramp up, Väinämöinen pulled up alongside it and dropped anchor, simultaneously finishing her song. She folded her concert kantele aside and stepped out of the rigging, pulling a smaller (and very familiar) 12-string one from near her smokestack. The Finn then turned to walk up the ramp, flanked on either side by the Ri-class praetorian guard, one of whom bore the unconscious form of the Svalbard Battleship Princess in her arms. Upon reaching the table, Väinämöinen bowed with deference to the Admiral.

“Thank you, Admiral Jellicoe, for being so kind as to humor a request of this magnitude on such short notice.” She rose from the bow, then proceeded to the chair. She clicked her tongue twice, the Praetorian guard moving to stand either side of her. There was no emotion or expression upon their faces, the only sign of ill-gotten life showing in their eyes, glowing an ominous blue that would give any veteran of the conflict shudders down their spine.

The Finn sat, kantele in her lap, and resumed her playing.

“I am the Finnish Väinämöinen-class coastal defense ship Väinämöinen. In the arms of the Ri-class praetorian guard on my left hand is the Svalbard Battleship Princess; the former battleship Scharnhorst. I am as aware as you are of the presence of the German battleship Gneisenau in the medical ward of Scapa Flow naval base. It is because of the presence of her sister that we have traveled so far to negotiate this surrender.” A struck chord finalized the sentence, and she opened her eyes, clearly waiting for Admiral Jellicoe to truly begin the proceedings.

With only Jellicoe and Mary at the table the fact that Väinämöinen was there with a Praetorian guard at her flanks would look intimidating to the outside. However the Admiral was more than prepared for any hostile intent and was not to be intimidated into lenient surrender terms. “Usually I would not confirm nor deny that Gneisenau was under my care but since I’m told that is Scharnhorst“ her hand motioned to the corpse looking body in the guards arm. “Since that is her I will confirm that the sister is with us.”

“Now, I want these terms to be done with respect for each other, I do not wish to think you are taking these with triviality and would like to do this as professionally as possible. So I will say this. Please put away your instrument while discussions are held. After which you may play as you wish. That is all.” Her hand gestured to Mary who started to type away as the Admiral spoke the initial terms.

“As the Admiral in charge of Scapa Flow Naval base and responsible for the Western Approaches, North Sea and Norwegian Sea I am authorized to accept your surrender under the Crown, Ministry of Defence and Her majesties government. I Admiral Lucy Rushworth Jellicoe hereby accept the surrender of the Abyssal Fleet of Svalbard Battleship Princess; the former battleship Scharnhorst through Finnish Väinämöinen-class coastal defense ship Väinämöinen.”

“Now you will have to explain to me why this should be anything less than unconditional surrender, lowering of arms and internment for every Abyssal ship with you.”

thescharnhorsts‌:

Väinämöinen chuckled, accepting the rations she was offered. A couple of the Abyssal vessels did accept food as well, most notably the Wo.

“There is no urgency. Her corrupted biology stemmed the bleeding within the first twenty-four hours, and she’s been showing some minor regrowth from the points of severance of her limbs. I believe she remains comatose because of the energy expenditure required for this regeneration. I… I see no other reason for her to remain unconscious.” She stopped playing her kantele momentarily, beginning to eat.

“You have my thanks for the food and care, Mogador. I hope your Admiral is as merciful as she seems.”

“I cannot say, she hasn’t been my admiral for that long. However the time I have been with her tells me she is at least respectful to other people I suppose it’s more along the case that have you wronged her at all and hope she doesn’t have a grudge.”

From there on Mogador darted back and forth between her units and checking on every ship in the convoy. Back on Scapa everything had been arranged with a helicopter to take the ‘Medical Emergency’ to the base hospital but more importantly a table and chairs out in the open, in the cold. Mary was a Typist to type out any of the agreement, the whole thing was in the Admiral’s hands with a few offical photographers to take pictures from a distance. A small ramp up to land was the only place for Väinämöinen to come up with her retinue.

Stood watching the fleet arriving Jellicoe wondered just what was going to come of this. She hoped it not a trap and she hoped above all things that the Earl wasn’t going to interfere,

However from a distance away one of the offical photographers was watching, curious to what was about to go down.

thescharnhorsts‌:

Väinämöinen nodded, her eye closing once more.

“That is much appreciated. While you have been told our number, you may not have been told - or may not recall - our composition. Among us I listed the former battleship Scharnhorst, also known as the Svalbard Battleship Princess. Given that I am the de facto Princess leading the fleet, I will urge you to look again in the arms of the Ri-class cruiser behind me and discern for yourself who the unconscious and partially dismembered body in her arms may be.”

The Destroyer cut back, took a look at the arms of the cruiser and got on the radio once more. “Mogador à la base. Nous allons avoir besoin d'une assistance médicale urgente à notre arrivée. La princesse de la flotte est presque morte. Nous venons tout juste d'apprendre son état physique. Nous n'avons rien sur place qui pourrait la réparer. Avoir une ambulance prête à Scapa. Elle pourrait aussi bien être un cadavre, ils auraient dû dire quelque chose plus tôt. Merci.”

She went ahead coming up beside Väinämöinen. “We could have had a medical ship waiting, too late now.” With a sigh she sailed alongside as another Destroyer zipped from ship to ship offering rations as best she could trying to feed the enduring fleet.

thescharnhorsts‌:

The sound of the kantele filled the air around Väinämöinen as the escort fleet moved in around them. Somehow, she had the feeling that if negotiations failed, there would be no chance of them escaping without a fight.

When Mogador arrived, she would find no evidence that Väinämöinen had even heard a word she said, the Finn’s face the very visage of serenity incarnate. After a moment, however, she spoke.

“Ordinarily, I would call meeting you a pleasure, Mogador. However, circumstances being what they are, I have no doubt the judgement that my sins receive in the eyes of the world is a harsh one. What I have done I have done to repay my lifedebt. I bear no shame.” She opened an eye, looking over the hyperactive French vessel.

“We have sailed without rest or respite for over seventy hours, and I myself one of nearly ninety. While the fleet under my care requires no maintenance that you could provide, I face starvation. I did not pack any rations for myself, as I did not anticipate a journey of such magnitude. If there is any food you could provide now or arrange for later, I would be much obliged. If not, I understand. There is nothing else that can be done without first coming to an agreement with your Admiral.” If Mogador looked over the fleet, she would note one of their number missing; there were only twelve of the reported thirteen.

Curious indeed.

“Honneur, patrie, valeur, discipline.”

“I will have some food brought to you shortly from a cruiser. However I am need of an explanation.” She snapped off taking a small tour of the fleet, auditing the numbers before coming back. to ask a very important question. “Now on the initial report we were told 13 units, I see only 12. Could you care to explain for the discrepancy?” While waiting for an answer she got on the radio in French.

thescharnhorsts‌:

Väinämöinen exhaled, thankful. They would have a chance.

“Your understanding is appreciated, and we will await escort. I will save the majority of the discussion for the negotiation table, but I will disclose this; it is unlikely the Norwegian government is aware of anything beyond the aftermath of what happened.” As she forced herself to recollect the events of three nights ago, a shudder went down her back; she still hadn’t truly dealt with the magnitude of it.

“Bear Island of Svalbard, Norway, was the erstwhile location of the hive of Abyssal Fleet Barents. Due to intervention of an unknown and impossibly powerful nature from another Abyssal fleet, the island itself exists no longer. What you see is all that remains of the fleet. Väinämöinen out.” Onward they went, all vessels surfacing and depressing guns as low as possible. Wo recalled her observation craft, and the fleet’s course adjusted to pass around the western side of the islands. Certain that the danger was gone, Väinämöinen dropped from ahead full for the first time in three days; she could practically feel her boilers cooling in relief as she slowed to a more manageable ten knots.

Another hour at full and she would have been out of fuel.

Either side from each of the islands ships came surrounding the fleet, destroyers and cruisers at every angle with the battleships on the far flanks, far away from the chance of any sudden betrayal of trust.

One girl came to be more direct, the liaison between the escorts and the Abyssal fleet. One large destroyer, Mogador.

“Ah, Hello. You must be Väinämöinen? Or however you say it, all things considering how different you are to the rest it must be you.” She had a very judging eye considering this was a ship girl among Abyssal. A traitor perhaps. “Now then as the liaison I am here to learn any requests you might have to pass on. The Admiral will be busy so things will go through moi for the time being. Is there anything I can provide on an emergency level if not just essential level?”

The girl was French and built for speed, constantly dashing about at high speed running circles even as the others were at full ahead. She never sat still for a scant second.

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thescharnhorsts

Heartache Entr’acte: Lessons from the North Sea

mechanicaldaughter

thescharnhorsts‌:

The tears were coming stronger now, a hand clutching Gneisenau’s pained midsection as she couldn’t stop herself from breaking into sobs, muttering countless quiet sorry’s under her breath. All that work and pain and worry she caused for… nothing. It amounted to nothing.

Worse than nothing. It only served to hurt herself and the people she cared about. Shakily, her other arm reached out to Warspite, still unable to form any words beyond the same single-word apology, again and again and again.

Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth, physical pain from her internal wounds opening again adding more waves to the ocean of emotional grief.

Warspite’s arm reached over the bed to take Gneisenau’s hand and held it. Quietly urging her to relax the Brit said as softly as she could “Sh Sh Shhhhh, it’s okay. You’re back, that’s what matters. Sleep, I’ll be right here beside you till you wake up. Rest and heal my dear, talking can be done later. Sorry to wake up like I did....let’s go back to sleep.”

The old lady slumped in her chair closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep looking peaceful as ever, gently snoozing as hours of fatigue caught up with her. Gneisenau was safe, that’s what mattered to her.

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