The Northern Star

Chapter 1: Home

Virginia, Norfolk Naval Base, 1st of January 2030, 1200 hours:

The sky was gray and covered by clouds, which blocked the sunlight from falling to the earth. Snow was still falling on the naval base, with snow stacking on the road. A sound of an engine was heard as a yellow sweeper truck was sweeping the road from the snow.

Meanwhile, near a dry dock can be seen a massive nuclear aircraft carrier with hull number 068. Its deck was filled with activity, as there were a small number of workers present on the large carrier carrying tablets on their hands and small bug-sized robots seen eating out the rust on the ships while at the same time painting the once-rusted area with new paint.

On the other parts of the naval base were two Ticonderoga class cruisers with hull numbers 052 and 054, docked, and with the ropes and anchors keeping both ships at dock. A large, one-story building can be seen a few hundred meters from the ships.

Inside a large mess hall, it was filled with decorations and a large banner that read, 'Happy 118th birthday, Medellein'. With a cake in the middle of the room and other foods and drinks on the table, people were talking with each other; some were eating the food and enjoying the time.

There was a blonde woman with blue eyes, with a look like she's around her early 30's while giving a tired look on her face, sitting on her corner while wearing a dark navy blue suit with there being one golden stripe and one star on the edge of her suit's sleeve, along with a white shirt on the inner layer with a neck tab, along with wearing a dark navy blue knee-length skirt, with black flat shoe as her footwear. Her long overcoat was folded and hanging on her left arm, along with her service cap and gloves. She looked around the mess hall, where her fellow comrades from the control station were having fun.

She then released a heavy sigh, laid back on the short seat, and closed her eyes. It has been quite some time since she came to this planet. A hundred and eighteen years of service with a nation she cared for and was willing to protect its ideas to the death. Over the course of her entire life, she saw the rise and fall of empires and the colleagues she worked with, changing ship to ship for more than a century. Now she's just sitting here, relaxing with her mortal colleagues.

She looked at her two other fellow shipgirls, Marie and Rosey, their dark hair fluttering down and covering their faces, where they sat down side by side, consumed by the drink they just had. "Oh, well. Those girls... can't really control themselves," she thought, still with that tired look on her face, closing her eyes again as she was very tired from her last deployment in the South China Sea in a short transfer with the 7th Fleet.

"Ma'am." One young woman approached as she mentioned her, wearing almost the same clothing as her but instead with 3 golden thinner stripes with a thinner stripe in the middle along a golden star, with dark brown hair, while holding her cap on her elbow, where she placed her cup on the table as she approached closer. "I have always wanted to see you face-to-face! The living legend of the navy. I'm Commander Kayla Summers. Nice to meet you." She gave a salute to Medellein, standing firm in front of her.

Medellein looked up towards the young woman; her eyes were wide open, and she straightened herself on her seat, looking at her. She then sighed before giving a salute back from her position before dropping it. "Off with the formalities, Commander. Just enjoy the party."

"O-Oh.." Kayla lowered her arm, and her body posture went from straight to a more relaxed posture. "I never thought such a person I thought to be cold could be this relaxed."

"I'm not cold." Medellein released a sigh as she laid herself back on the short cushion. "Just tired."

"Oh, I see." Kayla nodded in understanding.