The Olympian Sisters #3 The Gilded Age

Chapter 10

"Dreadnought made her leader?" I asked. She nodded. "Wow." I whispered.

As leader of both White Star and the navy, Olympic had unprecedented control over a majority of Britain's sea power. She could override even Mauretania's orders as the navy was the main branch of the marine and could control the rest if necessary.

"How's that going for her?" I asked. "She's doing well at it actually. Her deputy, a battleship named Hood, handles most of the stuff. Olympic knows little of naval affairs. I don't know why Dreadnought chose her to take over but if the Ancients have something to do with it, and I'm sure they do, we'll know soon enough." She said. I nodded.

Beside me, Florida coughed. Massaging her side with my own, she sighed as her cough was replaced by a gentle wheeze as she fell asleep. "You too, Arizona." Adriatic ordered. "You have it and you need your sleep." She explained at my glare.

Moving forward, she touched her bow to my side. "You're warm." She murmured. "So far, it's only mild and I want to keep it that way so do as you are told and go to sleep." She said. My argument died on my lips. "You're more strong-willed than I gave you credit for." I said. She shrugged. "It comes with the experience of treating hard-headed warships." She replied. I smiled. "Yes, we can be just that now can't we?" I said.

"Alright, I can see that arguing is pointless." I said. "I'll keep an eye on Florida and let you know if there's any change." She promised. "Thank you." I said. She nodded. "Anytime Arizona, anytime." She replied. My eyes closed and I fell asleep.

I had far from a quiet night. I dreamt I was in paradise. The sun was just beginning to rise over the hills.

Despite the beauty, I sensed something wasn't right. Looking to the northwest, I saw a black cloud approaching, it was beginning to cover the sun.

As it cleared the mountain pass between the island's two peaks, I saw that it wasn't a cloud at all. It was a swarm of airplanes. Each plane had a bomb strapped to it. I could see bright red circles, the symbol of Japan, painted on the wings.

Then the bombs started dropping. As soon as the first one hit, I knew we were in trouble. "Japanese bombers!" I cried. My crew, most of them unfamiliar to me, scrambled to take up fighting positions in the chaos.

I had a small island to my starboard side and fleet healer Solace's apprentice, Vestal to my port so I was protected from torpedoes. However, Vestal's superstructure was blocking most of my guns, including my 12, 14 inchers. I let loose with the ones I had.

"You get the aircraft, I'll get the torpedoes!" West Virginia cried. I nodded. "Let's get these pilots!" I growled. "With pleasure." She replied and opened fire on a pair of incoming torpedoes. They went up in a spectacular jet of water. At the same time, I knocked down two aircraft with my antiaircraft guns. "Nice one!" California called.

She was several rows in front of me and had taken several hits. With only a few feet of water separating her keel from the harbor bottom, she rested easily on the sand and continued firing with as much zeal as before.

Then it happened. I felt the bomb go through my decks and explode. Pain shot through me as I was lifted up out of the water and my keel was broken.

All around me were explosions as ships went up in flames from torpedoes or bombs. Water closed over my eyes as I sank beneath the surface.

Through its murky haze, I could see the shimmering form of an Ancient. Her crimson eyes were dark with sadness. "Even the coldest ice can be melted by fire." She whispered. I opened my mouth to say something to Titanic but she vanished. Darkness washed over my eyes as an unearthly scream echoed through my ears, shattering my dream.

I woke with a start, struggling to find my bearings in the night that had fallen while I was asleep. As I did, I realized I could still hear the wailing. It was Florida. The battleship was in a bad way. She was convulsing uncontrollably just like Caronia. She shrieked in pain as each spasm gripped her.

Adriatic emerged from the yard, a bundle of herbs in her mouth. "Hold her still." She growled. I did as I was told. Forcing Florida's bow down and pinning her stern to the dock. Adriatic worked fast. Chewing some leaves, she shoved the pulp into Florida's open mouth as she gave another shriek of pain.

The affect was almost instantaneous. Florida's convulsions ceased and she relaxed, laying heavily on me, panting. "What was that stuff?" I asked Adriatic. "A mixture of poppy seeds and thyme. Poppy seeds, to help dull the signals her hull was getting from her head and thyme to keep her from going into shock from the dosage of the depressant." She replied. I nodded.

"Out of curiosity, what were you dreaming about?" She asked. "How'd you know I was dreaming?" I asked. "Sorry to tell you this but you talk in your sleep, Arizona." She said, ducking her head to hide her silent laughter. I smiled, a bit embarrassed by this new information.

"What did I say?" I asked. Adriatic grimaced. "That bad, eh?" I said. "No, it's just that you were saying things like 'the enemy's attacking!' and 'splash those Zeke's! You had me worried that New York was under attack." She explained.

"Sorry." I said. "It's fine." She replied. "But what did you dream about?" She asked again. "I dreamed I was in paradise and that paradise was being bombed from the air." I answered. "Airplanes?" She asked. I nodded. "Kate's, Zero's and Val's." I said. "I've heard of those things but they're barely on the drawing board." Adriatic said thoughtfully. "Any reason in particular?" She asked.

I shrugged. "I never told Olympic this but two years ago, Titanic gave me a prophecy." I said. Adriatic looked thoughtful. "Titanic had a rare gift called the Gift of Foresight. She could see the future long before it happened and predicted her own death twice." She said. I frowned. "Well, what she told me is 'You will be stronger than ice and like it you will carve your way through the mountains of history. But beware, even the coldest ice can be melted by fire'." I said to her.

Adriatic sighed. "I have no clue what that means but it sounds as though you'll meet your end at the beginning of a war and if I were you, I'd avoid the tropics." She said. "Unfortunate, I do love Cuba." I said.

Adriatic smiled then turned serious as she said "There is one thing I can say for certain. When it came to fortune telling Titanic was never wrong." I nodded, turning my head away as a fit of coughing seized me.

"Rest, Arizona." Adriatic whispered. "You need it." I was too tired to argue. But I found sleep impossible and remained awake, coughing and spluttering all night.