Chapter 7: The Starting Fall of the Iron Ship

in May 26th - 01:00 AM

A reconnaissance plane took off from Ireland heading toward the south of atlantic. The plane accidentally spot the oil leaks marks coming from Bismarck in the sea. Upon seeing it, the pilots quickly report it to the radio towers before it reach the HQ. The Royal Navy had just struck of luck (RNG) by spotting the Bismarck that had been gone from contact for 7 hours.

King George V and Rodney quickly goes toward the location from the north Atlantic. Meanwhile, Ark Royal, Renown, and Sheffield are trying to cut off Bismarck from the south Atlantic (Since they are the nearest), The rest of the ship that still available are straight toward the Bismarck without thinking twice of the size and capabilities.

The black haired woman, Ark Royal. A trying to strategize her attack toward the Bismarck with Torpedo Bomber with the help of her captain. In 18:00 PM, Ark sending her pilots toward the Bismarck with a newly invented magnetic torpedo. She feel a strong wind as many planes take off from the landing carrier.

After a while, she focused her mind to see the action of what happening to the squadron she sent, but a view of a ship she just see make her sweat greatly. "Oh no.. no no no." She start shaking her head while keeping her eyes close. Her captain who see her begin worrying asked "What is it?"

a few seconds pass by as Ark didn't say anything. Her face are in shock "It's.. The squadron.. they drop the torpedoes toward Sheffield!" the captain hearing it suddenly scream "WHAT?!" the captain quickly asked her for more details, "WHAT HAPPEN TO HER?" Ark are trying to searching a good view and see the damage. But no splash or explosion can be seen or heard.

"It seems.. clear.. I think the torpedoes didn't hit her." she give a good news and her captain removing his sweat as he took off his officer hat. "that.. was fortunate.." he shook his head and laugh lowly as he can to take off the stress.

The planes going back to the carriers for loading their torpedoes again, with older design and not the new one with magnetic. Ark say to one of the pilots to be careful next time and not dropping at the wrong ship. 1 and half hour later the squadron of swordfish take off again for another round as Ark try to cover her eyes from the dust made by the planes turbulence.

Ark close her eyes again to see the live action of what's happening in the squadron. She see Bismarck in the distance and the plane are going toward her. "We found it!" she tell her captain about the news. As the planes goes lower and closer to drop the torpedoes, Ark just spot a person right before the plane rise up after dropping the torpedoes. she see a long haired woman with officer hat standing in the front deck, she immediately think it was Bismarck herself.

"So it's you.." She whisper to herself as she seen the figure in the deck, watching the planes attacking her ship with lot of torpedoes. Seconds later, she heard an explosion and see the splash coming from the water. It hit the target. "We hit it captain!" she shout to the captain who are fisting for the damage they create "Yes!" her captain are shouting with full determination.

XOXOXOXOXOX

In the other side of the view, Bismarck see many torpedo bombers are rushing toward her. She know she can't escape from it. She prepare herself by holding in the railing fence, awaiting the incoming damage she will receive. One of the planes are going so close that it almost hit the radar as they try to pull up quickly as they can.

*Bahm *Bahm an explosion just occurred in the lower deck of Bismarck. The torpedo has hit her body, causing her lower human body in pain like she had been shotted. Bismarck fell weak and her knee hit the floor as her other hand keep holding the railing. "Scheiße." she curse from the pain she receive as looking up and see the enemy plane retreating.

She tried to walk but every step she took, she felt her both ankles nerves hurt. This is not normal for her who have been athletic and healthy even when she was in mission. Something must be wrong with the propeller or the rudder, she thought herself about it.

She go back to the bridge, but met a very chaotic aura inside the room. Many crews are running around and try to fix the lower deck. Bismarck see her captain and the Admiral discussing the plan in very quick pace that she can't understand most of it. One of the crew shout to the captain about the steering won't turning. "ah." Bismarck now understand why her ankle are feeling so in pain, she nod very small while waiting for her captain next order.

An hour pass by after the attack. It felt like long time for the whole people inside the Bismarck. She cannot move her steering as the rudder stuck 12 degrees. Not much can do about it and many crew starting to feel tired. She see her Captain shake hus head as he look down at the blueprint of the ship. "It cannot be fixed." said him to his Admiral who are watching the area with binoculars.

The Captain start to lose hope about returning Bismarck safely and her Admiral, well. He just silent for a while. He may know this is are impossible to return and thinking what's the best for surviving the longest as they possibly could. He gave a sigh and raising his officer head to shake his hair from sweating.

"This may be it.." The Admiral open his words and trying to calm his mind. Bismarck in the other hand, are feeling pretty low right now, it might be because the crews morale start to decrease heavily. She lean her body against the wall and begin to think about Prinz. Is she safe? Is she alright? Is she reaching the port already? Her thoughts starting to rushing in about other ships status.

Tirpitz, Prinz Eugen, Admiral Hipper, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau... I probably cannot go back to the port.. her arm are begin to closing as she touch the wall Es tut mir leid.. Forgive me for not able to going back a white hair girl smiling image show up in her mind as she said sorry. Her cold face are warming up and she try not to allow it to be warmer than currently she have right now. She try to look away from others and hold her cold hand with soft move as the emotion crawling and crawling to her mind. She may have to tear up if it keep going.

Her captain who seen the woman face hiding from everyone view reach out to her. His contact in her shoulder make the woman jolt from surprise, "ah," she look to the person who touch her, it was Captain Ernst Lindemann. "Ah, kapitan. You.. surprise me." she try to shrug off her sadness since it was unprofessional for a ship to cried when in mission.

"We're not done yet Bismarck." as he try to make her face look toward him, she do a few shake "Ah yes." she take a breath before look to her captain. Her captain look to her eyes for a moment as their height almost match up. Her blue soft eyes show a sorrowful feeling. He blinked and touch her officer hat "Well, you may need some fresh air so your not holding back anything. Because I heard people can't die peacefully if they hold something inside their mind" he tip the hat deep and making her head duck before leave her alone again.

Bismarck see her captain going outside to take a fresh air. He's right. Bismarck follow his captain advice and go outside. He took the opposite of the door and see one of the crew sitting in outside. They look tired and became hopeless about the condition. But they know they must survive even after the ship sunk for the sake of their family. Bismarck gaze make the young crewmate gain attention toward her, "Hey, fraulein, may I ask who are you?"

Bismarck can't answer that publicly about her identity, but it's weird for one of the crew not knowing or figure out who she is after serving her for quite a while now. She gave no answer and look away from the person sitting near her, "You have been following us for quite awhile now." the young guy feel the windy night with his whole body "I reckon we don't have any female seaman in here." he became more curious about her "So I wonder, who are you really, Fraulein?" he gave quite a look of questioned face to her when she look toward the young guy again.

"..."

There was a pause before Bismarck answer the question "Ich heiße Bismarck." the crewmate reaction was quite calm from the answer. He just nod as a confirmation he receive, "Are you new here?" Bismarck question back and look to the person with a cold face like usual "Kinda, 3 months now." he took a water cup near him before standing up. "I just can't believe that Bismarck have a human form" he shake his head before leaving her, but he give a quick words on the way "Du bist wunderschön, frau Bismarck." he gave a small wave. Bismarck have a weird feeling in her neck from the compliment she heard and decide to shake it off like it was nothing.

She was left alone again.. she felt the wave hitting her.. she heard bird squawking above her. she see the time in her watch, it was midnight. And the enemies are not far off from her, she may need to write her last will for the other Kriegsmarine. She walk toward her office and grab a few paper to begin writing her last message. In the process of writing, her eyes are wet and she wipe it off before it fell from her eyes. It may be a good thing to release her emotions while writing.