Enterprise's New Life

Chapter 31 - Oath of Secrecy

USS Enterprise CVN-80 (The Grey Ghost) is now making its way to the docks. As it enters the harbor, with it's rear facing the dock. Enterprise feels a sense of nostalgia as she stands on the flight deck and in between the electromagnetic catapults. Two F-35 Lightning D multirole fighters are getting ready for takeoff. One of the shooters sees her and immediately runs to Enterprise.

Shooter: Excuse me Lt. Price!

Enterprise: Yes. What is it?

Shooter: Ma'am you shouldn't be standing in between the catapults.

Enterprise: Why?

Shooter: Ma'am you might get burned by the afterburners as the jets takeoff. Or worst you might get blown away by the jet blast.

Enterprise: Oh.... I see..... I'm sorry for that. I was just remembering the day my father took me to an aircraft carrier. (Walks away from the flight deck.)

Shooter: Was he naval aviator ma'am?

Enterprise: No. He was just an ordinary citizen. He took me to a ship museum in New York City once. It's an aircraft carrier turned into a ship museum.

Shooter: Oh I see. Anyways ma'am I better get back to my position. You can watch everything from the island's viewing deck. That way you can see how the afterburners work.

Enterprise: Ok thanks. Uh.....

Shooter: It's aircraft handling officer Benjamin Howard ma'am.

Enterprise: Nice to meet you Mr. Howard. I hope that you get to fly an airplane someday.

Shooter: Nice to meet you too ma'am. And thanks for that. I have to do my duty now.

Enterprise: Right. (Walks to the stairs leading to the viewing deck.)

The shooter goes back to his position and gives the signal to the pilots to increase the power before taking off. Enterprise is now on the viewing deck and watches the fighter jets get ready to launch. As soon as they reach max power. The two F-35 Lightning D multirole fighters launch consecutively. Leaving a trail of smoke from their engines.

Enterprise watches the jets fly into the sky and do some aerial acrobatics. She is again reminded on the day that she and her task force are heading out to Azur Lane headquarters. She was standing on the flight deck when two SBDs launched simultaneously and passed her. After that she went to Capt. Fernandez's quarters. As she lies down on the bed. She thinks about Capt. Fernandez again.

Enterprise's thoughts:

*Once again I can't stop thinking about him. In his last solo mission he barely escaped unscathed. Now it's different. I'm beginning to think that he is being held captive in a secret military base somewhere across the globe. My heart is really hurting right now. I have to find him sooner. I can't let Iron Blood rescue him. He is the reason why their plans to take over the world failed. I'm sure that they might have gotten word of his disappearance. And knowing Prinz Eugen. She is seductively evil. I can't let her have her way with my boyfriend. I will be the one who will rescue him. And not the ship girls of Iron Blood. They will have to go over my dead body before they can take him away from me. Hang in there Willy. I will bring you home safely.*

End of Enterprise's thoughts.

Enterprise falls asleep as the ship is now docking on the south side of the harbor. Then the anchor is dropped while the crew gets the catwalk ready. Moments later one of the sailors fetch Enterprise and take her to the garage. They board a humvee and head straight to the headquarters in the main island. Once again the former ship girl is hit with nostalgia as she sees faint images of her walking around the island. As soon as they reach the main island headquarters. Lt. Cdr. Andrea W. Sanders has just finished having a phone conversation with Pres. Mullins.