The Olympian Sisters #2 The Great War

Chapter 2

BELFAST IRELAND OCTOBER 15 1914 "OLYMPIC"

"Olympic, can you hold still?" A workman called. I realized I was fidgeting again. "Sorry." I muttered.

"The sooner we get this done, the sooner you can leave. And we can't do that if you're messing up our work all the time." He snapped. "Sorry." I said again, this time actually sounding like it. "Now drop your anchors and let us do our jobs."

Not too far away, some guns went off. "Now what is that?" I wondered. One of the workmen put his binoculars to his eyes and looked. "Warships," He replied. "Fighting a submarine, it's trying to torpedo them." He said.

"Are they alright?" I asked. "I think so, neither has been hit. But that sub is locked and loaded with torpedoes." The workmen replied.

"The sub's firing again." He narrated. "It's gonna hit one of them." There was a loud bang. "Oh, the escort ship intercepted it. Unfortunate, we could've used her in the war effort."

"Who are they? Can you get an ID?" I asked. "The lone ship's coming closer so I think I can, hold on." He paused for a second. "Yes, the escaped ship is HMS Theseus."

I whirled around so fast that the workman fell off his latter into the water, splattering paint everywhere. "OLYMPIC!" He roared. I ignored him.

"And the interceptor, who was it?" I asked. "Theseus's sister, Hawke." He replied. My head whirled around in her direction. "What? NO!"

For the first time in my life, I sought complete control. I concentrated harder than I ever had before.

It took all my willpower, but eventually, I was able to back up into the wall separating the half drained dry-dock from the harbor. It broke easily and a deluge of water poured into the dry space, filling it within minutes.

Concentrating hard, I started my engines and reversed out of the dock and into the harbor. I raced away towards Hawke.

As I rounded a bend, nearly grounding myself, I now understood why EJ had forbidden me to try control. It was incredibly difficult and I had to be on high alert.

I quickly discovered that I could move much faster when I was in control. So, racing through the water at 26 knots, I reached Hawke in minutes. She was sinking quickly. When she saw me, she struggled to remain afloat. "No, Olympic, there's a German submarine around, U-9. Get out of here before she sees you." She gasped.

"No!" I growled, moving closer. "No, I will not leave you here to die, Hawke." And quicker than a dolphin, I swooped down off a swell and nudged Hawke upwards with my bow, causing her to rest evenly on the surface.

I maneuvered alongside, forcing her damaged area above the waterline. But now, I couldn't move myself.

"Go!" Hawke snarled again. "Or we're both goner's."

"NO! I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU!" I yowled. U-9 appeared then, her guns trained on me and Hawke. "Olympic," Hawke said. "You cannot sink now. You are much too valuable. I'm a goner anyway. I wouldn't make it into port even if I tried." U-9 had locked us in her deck gun's crosshairs.

"Let me go, Olympic." Hawke begged. "But, Hawke no..." I protested. "GO!" She snarled. "I'm not asking you, I'm ordering you to do as I say."

A navy ship was a merchant ship's superior. If I was a deckhand, then Hawke was my captain and if she gave me an order like she just did, I had no choice but to comply. I was bound to my country.

Sighing, I dipped my head. "Yes, HMS Hawke." I nuzzled her softly with my bow. She returned it and we shared a brief embrace. Our eyes met as we broke apart and we came to a silent understanding.