The adventures of Prinz Eugen and the young engineer Volume 1.

No. 3 Chapter 3

"Did you tease the old Dreadnaught again?" He asked her when she arrived at the floor he was waiting for her. "You know how I am, always polite and courteous. Especially when other foreign dignitaries are watching." She said while a smile of enjoyment flashed over her face. "It is good to see you again. It took quite a while to figure out what had happened to you. " She changed the topic. "It certainly was hell on earth." He agreed. "How are you doing and what progress has been made?" He asked in return. "Well, we are in charge of the Baltic sea up to the gulf of Finland and the Bothnian Gulf. There the Northern Palairment is in charge. We also managed to secure all of the North Sea for us, except for the Royal Navy territorial waters. The North Atlantic from Greenland to Norway is our jurisdiction as well. In support of Vichya we are also in the Gulf of Biscay and the english Channel where we share that duty with the Vichya ships and the Royal Navy. The rest of the North Atlantic is split up between the Royal Navy and Eagle Union. But we are allowed to defend our waters in the Antarctic sea where our weather, fishing and polar research stations are." She informed him. "That sounds reasonable." Agreed the young engineer. "Yes, the issue now is that Iris Libre and Vichya are arguing about who is going to secure the waters of the middle Atlantic around the equator. Neither fleet is strong enough to do it themselves alone and they seem to be unwilling to cooperate. So far we have refrained from offering assistance and the Eagle Union and Royal Navy seem inclined to support their ally with additional forces, spreading them even thinner." Elaborated the heavy cruiser further. The young engineer nodded in understanding. "Anyways. I would rather do something else. I have seen a couple of chess games in the hall. Having beat Bismarck in her favorite game every now and then should make me quite the experienced player. Would you be inclined to play a game and try to match me?" She asked the young engineer. "How could I refuse my superior?" He asked in a teasing manner. Prinz Eugen smiled upon his ironieous reply. "Maybe you should have become a singer in a boys Choir with that singing voice of yours." She teased him back. "Me? I can't hit a tone." Chuckled the young engineer. "But thank you for your compliment. If you like my singing so much I could offer to sing you to sleep." He joked. Seeing that Prinz Eugen was not having a quick answer to that, gave him the confirmation that he probably either got her at a point where she was embarrassed or she could not think of a witty comeback. Either way it was satisfying to have brought the ever smooth cruiser out of her element twice in a row. Something he started to get as good as she was.

The two returned to the community hall of their wing. Sitting down at the launch area the young engineer had occupied before, they grabbed one of the beautifully crafted chess sets and placed one of the side tables between them."You are still drinking tea without milk and sugar?" Asked the cruiser her subordinate, who nodded in reply while pouring himself a new cup full. "Don't let any of the Royal Navy girls catch you. They see it as an insult if you drink your tea, not english." She warned him. "They can try to teach me another way but I do not want to waste the taste of a good tea with the taste of sugar." He answered with a slight chuckle. The two set up their game.

After about 20 Minutes the heavy cruiser gave up. "How did you learn to play like that?" She asked. "My King at D7 is completely surrounded. Your Rook at A7, your Queen on D2, your knight on E5 and your white Bishop at H3. Any other way is blocked by my own Figures." She explained her situation disappointed. "Well, being able to use the strategy of your opponent to your advantage is part of every good strategist. Getting your plan right ensured I was able to adjust to your movements." The young engineer explained. "I just had to find and use the gabs you made by going for some calculated risks. All I had to do then was to use them to my advantage." He added. "But it was certainly a pleasant game and you were a good opponent. I never thought that you played chess." Said the young engineer, trying to make the cruiser feel better. "Well played. That was certainly an interesting game to watch. Although through the first 6 turns Prin Eugen dictated the game, she lost when her opponent took apart her strategy by opening up his defensive posture with prepared moves when Prinz Eugen exposed two points. It flipped the entire dynamic of the match." Gave Z-23 her commentary. The destroyer had come up to the two players and had watched their game attentively for it's duration. "It would be a pleasure and challenge to be able to play a match against you, when we have time for it." Proposed the destroyer. The young engineer smiled. "Thank you for your kind words. I would be happy to take you up on that offer, when the time is there to do so." He answered. "I think he might even be able to challenge Bismarck, wouldn't you agree?" Asked the destroyer Prinz Eugen, which tilted her head in thought. "Maybe. It would certainly be an interesting match to watch." She agreed after a couple of moments of consideration. "Anyways, should we prepare to go down to the dining hall to attend Dinner?" Asked the destroyer again. Upon her suggestion the two nodded in agreement and packed up the chess game, brought it back to the place they got it from and then followed Z-23 down the stairs.