Das letzte Schlachtkreuzer.

Chapter 1.

We were... home. All of us,my crew,the Oberleutnant zur See,Bootsmann,Maat,and so on did what we did best after another successful training... Drank,of course!
Like all the times, I paid for my men,as a reward for their skillfulness. Day by day,their capabilities keep impressing me. Their quick thinking in urgent situations,their obedience towards me... I knew,I had the best crew.

"Kapitän, was halten Sie von Jules' Schießerei?" (Captain,what do you think of Jules' shooting?)
"What could I think? You men surpassed my expectations!"
As we did,everytime, all of us raised our pints,and I could hear throughout the entire bar: "Lang lebe der Kapitän!" (Long live the captain).

It was common by now, I couldn't have been a happier captain. I knew this crew well, I saw some of them grow their families, even attended their weddings and took care of their children... They were my family. But not only them,did I consider as a family... The whole navy. I served in the navy ever since I was 20. Those that came and went,those that stood along,all of them knew me.

But not all was well,unfortunately...

Few days after me and my crew drank, I learned that our comrades on the SMS Condor collided with those on the S90. The damage was more severe on the S90,but what brought me sadness,was that 5 men of the S90 had lost their lives,which was... surprising nonetheless.

I was present on that day,at their memorial. The Yorck,was too. I saw the Condor there, its crew sat on its deck,saluting,like me and my men did. To close the ceremony,the Condor fired a blank shot from one of its guns,and then,my crew responded in kind too. As the crowd dispersed,the Condor set sail for the drydocks, and my ship returned to its port... I stood. I still saluted.
I looked down upon the graves... and there I saw it,my fears came true... "Felix Scholz" ... He was a young man,one that I trained myself,even after I was promoted as the captain of the Gefion. I knew him well... I wished he had survived,to see this young man again,one day... But I can't have everything...

I passed by his home. I left flowers for his parents and his wife... I chatted with them, I shared their pain,for I took care of their only child... And now,he was on the land above...
I bid my farewells, I shook hands with his father,hugged his wife and mother... and left. I do not claim I know the pain of losing my only child... But I know,the pain I felt that day,was close to it.

I wished for this to not happen any longer. I filed a report. I told the head of the Navy that better crew safety measures should be taken, spotlights for the ships and anti-flooding measures... But those suggestions seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
Following that incident, I trained my crew to be quick in these situations, they learned to mobilize quickly,to abandon the ship in record time,had we been attacked and started to flood. I did not wish for this event to repeat. For me,or any other commanders,admirals,commodores and what else there was. Safety was my concern...

I needed to know my men were safe.