A New Fight

A Negotiation

Chapter 6

I hear gentle classical music, I slowly open my eyes to see that I'm in a red dress walking around in a ballroom party.

'This isn't my captain's quarters, this is far from the place I fell asleep. It's probably one of those weird memory/dream places' I thought to myself as I walked. I feel someone grab my arms and say "you are the most beautiful person here, mind joining me for a dance" says a tall man with raven balck hair and brown piercing eyes. He is well dressed. It is clear that he comes from a background of wealth, but there is a tenderness about him, he has an aura that makes me feel safe with him.

"Why definitely, how could my answer be no" I said to the man. I know I should not say that to a total stranger but I just got swept away in the moment. And with one swift movement he whisked me away to the ballroom floor.

As we danced across the floor I forgot that I did not belong here, my world was just filled with him at that moment. Just me and him, that's all that mattered.

"You look lovely athena" he said,

"You look perfect as well Mr…" I said, I was so caught up in the moment that I forgot to ask for his name.

"It's Mr Schlechter, Falco Schlechter, ambassador of the Ironblood, but my I say that peace you did on the humanity of shipgirls, it was …" says Falco. But my vision starts to go white.

God damn it, it was such a perfect time as well.

--- memory ends---

I open my eyes to see the docks,home sweet home, I guess?

I have made it to the port and haven’t lost a single merchant ship. Which I find quite impressive considering that I was a defender down. And I still have your prize in the brig, no not sexual prize, God no i would never use people like that, more like I have not resorted to killing her. After all, we are all weapons of war, if our roles were reversed I would like her to treat me with the same respect, probably not, but it’s a nice thought.

I went to her cell daily not just to feed her but to also have idle chit-chat, so far I have learnt that she has 45 sister ships that each has their own Nickname, her Nickname is Nimi, she loves all her sister's dearly but the younger ones drive her slightly insane, we spent a couple minutes laughing at this.

I also found out that you hurt Z-36. One of her younger sisters. I apologised a lot for that. I did feel bad for that.

She also told me that not many are able to survive Graf Zeppelin air raids let alone beat them. Which gave me a confidence boost.

“Athena” Nimi says with a bit of fear in her voice. I know what she’s going to ask me, I  just hope that I am wrong.

“Yes Nimi, anything you need” I said as I tried to put on your best motherly smile.

“What's gonna happen to me?” She is already about to cry. The best thing now is to be honest with her.

“I can’t be sure, probably an interrogation, I don’t know if they will torture you. Or they might decide to just shoot you and get it over with”. She starts to cry, my heart can’t take this.

I open the door to the cell and walk in and sit down next to her. And give her a big hug she just continues to cry into my shoulder.

“I don’t want to die, I want to see my sisters again” she says this breaks my heart “I just want this war to be over” she continues.

“Hay, hay listen to me, I will not let them kill you, I might be new, but I know how to throw my weight around” I said as I stroked her head “follow me” I said as I stood up and headed to the bridge and brought the boat to a full stop.

“HMS Blood Blade, is everything ok. I’ll send a tug boat to bring you to port” the commander says. 

“No any boat that comes near me gets a couple of shells in their side" I say in a serious voice, there gonna hear my voice one way or another 

“Look if your pissed about me sending you strait out on a mission when you needed rest I’m sorry” he says “name you price and if I can make it work I will agree"

“I only have one price sir” I say 

“And what’s that Athena” he asks

“I get to keep Z-23” I reply he does not answer straight away.

“What are you doing you are gonna get yourself killed” Nimi asks. It feel nice knowing that she cares for me

“The right thing, that what” I say

“High command has agreed as long as we get are way with her” the commander 

“That a negative on that, I’m not letting you torture her, you can question her but under my supervision and I get to call quits whenever I want” I say as Z-23 just stars at me. dad always says ‘If your in an argument make them believe that your right’

“This is mutiny, this will not stand” he says, the trick with people like this is to not show weakness.

“Oh, but it will because I said so, that's why I’m not in port, it's a quick, easy way to get away, even a battle ship could escape before you had the chance, and don’t you say I will have nowhere to go. I’m sure the ironbloods will take me” I said with a smirk.

“Athena please, please come in to port, she’s not worth it” you hear enterprises say. 

"You're all human, enty, they just need to recognize it" I said. Then I see 2 subs start to head my way on the sonar. “Here I was trying to be diplomatic, and now you are trying to sink me, Commander. I'm sorry but this is not how I work”.

“Athena stops, all subs full stop, Athena, I hate you”. He says with a big sigh

“I would not have it any other way.'' I smirked. God I wish I could see his face.

“I agree to your terms and if I break them, you will be aloud two hours to get you and Z-23 out the base” he says with a even big sigh

“Very good commander, let hope it doesn't get that far, yes” I giggle as you put the radio down “see that wasn’t so hard was it” I said to Nimi, she just stared at me in total shock.