QUEENSTOWN IRELAND DECEMBER 10 1928 "OLYMPIC"
I was just leaving the Irish coast when it happened.
Celtic was about 5 miles astern of me, on the same course. The swells were rising as the seas began to get rougher. A storm was on its way. I heard a yowl and looked back in time to see Celtic careening out of control up onto the rocks of Cow and Calf, adjacent to Roches Point.
"Celtic!" I cried. Making an 1800 turn, I raced back towards her. Her starboard side was smashed from the contact with the rocks and she was bleeding heavily from multiple wounds.
"Don't come any closer, Olympic!" She called when she saw me approaching. "You might run aground too." I shrugged. "I'll take my chances." I replied, moving forward.
I felt my bow scrape the rock ledge 30 feet beneath me and stopped, knowing I could not get any closer without sharing Celtic's fate. "We'll get you off there." I said. She shook her head. "No, no one's getting me anywhere." She groaned. "What are you talking about?" I asked. She coughed.
I suddenly remembered Oceanic and how she looked when she was dying. "You have it, don't you?" I asked. She nodded. "Yes, I have it. I've had it for several years now." She said.
"So even if you do get me off this slab of rock, Olympic I'm useless anyway." She added. "You should've told me." I whispered. She smiled. "And add to your list of burdens?" She asked. I sighed. "You were always so secretive this way." I told her.
"I deemed it for the best." She replied. William Parker, my latest captain, interjected. "I'm sorry Olympic but we have to get going." He said. "We have passengers to deliver to New York." I shook my head. "No." I moaned.
"Listen to him, Olympic." Celtic said. "I'm not going anywhere just yet." I nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can." I whispered. She sighed, closing her eyes.
Reluctantly, I turned about to head for New York. When I docked, I was a bit surprised to see Pennsylvania coming over. "Arizona's in the tropics." She said. I nodded. "Which island?" I asked. "San Salvador." She replied.
"Her favorite island, she must be enjoying herself." I muttered. She smiled. "In terms of the local fruit, yes." She replied. I rolled my eyes. "Which one is it this time, Mango or Guava?" I asked. "Papaya." Pennsylvania replied. I laughed. "Typical, it is her favorite after all." I said. "She's given me a taste or two of it and I can understand where she's coming from." She said.
I heard a bunch of squealing as a squabble broke out among the sailboats. Pennsylvania sighed. "I better break that up. As Arizona's deputy it's my job to keep order around here." She said. "Not an easy task is it?" I asked. She shook her head. "I don't envy Arizona or you at all. How you do it is beyond me." She said. "It comes with experience." I replied.
She turned to go. "A word of advice if I may?" I asked. She paused and nodded, turning back to face me. "Try a playful approach, I find that works best when dealing with sailboats." I said. She nodded. "Thanks, I'll try that Olympic." She said. I dipped my head. "Glad I could help." I said. She smiled and left.
It's amazing how slow time passes just when you want it to go fast. I was impatient to get back out there and rejoin Celtic at the rocks. At last, after the typical three day turnaround, I headed out.
I raced across the surface of the ocean at a sustained 24 knots, almost top speed. Considering I was broadside to the current, it was impressive. But passenger opinion was the last thing on my mind. All I could think about was Celtic.
Was she off the rocks yet? Had they gotten all the passengers off safely? And the last question was probably the most important one of all. Was she even still alive?
Arriving at Cow and Calf 5 days later, I got my answer. Yes she was still alive and thanks to the coordinated efforts of the navy, passing merchant ships and local fishermen, all the passengers were safely disembarked back to Queenstown. But Celtic herself was still on the rocks. Her fate had been left in the hands of an insurance company and I'd just heard that they'd declared her a total loss. Scraping would commence tomorrow.
She appeared to be fast asleep when I approached her but she groaned and opened her eyes. "Olympic." She whispered. "Shh, save your strength." I replied. The tide was nearing its high and I could get a lot closer than I could last time. Close enough to nuzzle her.
I was shocked at how frail she felt. She shuddered at my touch. Sand Sickness was taking its toll on my faithful deputy. She coughed, and I saw her spit a clot of blood onto the rocks. "Celtic." I whispered, unable to accept the fact that she was dying.
"It was only a matter of time, Olympic." She moaned. "Celtic, no please." I begged. "White Star needs you, I need you." She sighed. "Trust your instinct, Olympic. You know of another worthy candidate." She said. I shook my head. "Celtic, please don't do this." I begged.
She raised her head up to nuzzle me. "Goodbye, Olympic." She whispered. She didn't speak again. Her head fell back to the rocks with a jolt, I managed to stoop below and catch it, gently nudging her back onto the rocks, out of the crashing waves reach.
Her eyes were still open, staring sightlessly at me, already dulled by death. I closed them carefully. "Goodbye, my friend." I whispered. Touching her bow one last time, I turned for Queenstown.
I arrived in Southampton a day later. Adriatic was nearby, I called her over. "Can you get Cedric and Baltic for me?" I asked. "There's something I need to tell you three." She nodded. "I'm guessing it's not good news?" She said. I shook my head. She sighed. "Alright, I hate to ruin Baltic's fun but I'll get her." She said.
She returned a few minutes later with Cedric and Baltic alongside. The latter was complaining about an interrupted prank. They halted in front of me.
"As of right now, the Big Four has become the Big Three. Celtic ran aground off Ireland last week and died yesterday." I said. Baltic moaned in grief, Adriatic bowed her head, Cedric threw her head back and let out a wail.
I gave them a minute to themselves. Adriatic was the first to speak. "Thank you for telling us, Olympic." She said, her voice breaking. Cedric and Baltic echoed her.
"There's a problem now though." Baltic said. "What?" I asked. "We have no deputy and with your responsibility in the Royal Navy, there may as well be no one to lead us." She said. I glared at her. "If I have to resign as leader of the navy to serve White Star the best I can I will do that." I growled. Yes I could resign if I needed to. HMS Victory did the same thing in 1818 to become fleet healer. Baltic nodded, lowering her head. "Sorry, Olympic." She muttered.
I nodded. "As it just so happens, I have an idea who will be the next deputy." I said. Adriatic looked at me for a long moment, our old connection still active despite EJ's death.
"A wise choice, Olympic." She said. "She's just who I would've picked too." Baltic looked back and forth between us. "Who? Come on you two, don't leave me hanging here, I thought I was in the circle too!" She complained. Cedric nudged her away. "You're a crosser, Adriatic's the line's healer she's allowed to know things that you don't." She said. Baltic reluctantly agreed and let her sister take her back to her berth.
"Most of the fleet is here, do you want to do it now?" Adriatic asked. I nodded. Raising my voice to address the surrounding White Star ships, I said "Ships of White Star, hear me now!" The chatter stopped as all the ships at the White Star docks turned to face me. Mauretania and Aquitania also showed their interest.
"I regret to inform you that Celtic ran aground off the coast of Ireland a week ago and died yesterday." I said. All the ships bowed their heads. Celtic was very much loved by the fleet. Even Mauretania mourned. "She will be missed by all." She whispered. I nodded. "I must choose a new deputy." I paused, hoping I had made the right choice. "Majestic, come forward." I called.
Her blue eyes wide in surprise, she obeyed my order. "I would never have guessed." She whispered. I smiled. "You earned it." I replied. The surrounding ships gave an approving chorus of "Majestic! Majestic! Majestic!" During the past few years, Majestic had proven herself a loyal British crosser. And now, hearing the happy cries of my fleet, I knew that her German lineage had been all but forgotten. She was White Star through and through and had earned her fellow ship's respect.
I don't think that she expected such an outpouring of support. She turned to me and her blue eyes were wet with tears. "Well I never." She whispered. "What? You didn't know that you were so popular?" I asked. She shook her head. "I didn't think I was popular at all." She replied.
"You haven't been listening to what the passengers are saying?" I asked. She shook her head. "Majestic honestly, the passengers have given you your own nickname." I said. "What is it?" She asked. "Magic Stick." I replied.
"It's far from magic what I do." She said. I shrugged. The chattering had broken out again as the ships dispersed. Aquitania came up. "Congrats Majestic." She said. Majestic dipped her head to the Cunard deputy, now her equal. "Thank you." She replied.
I left them to it. At the entrance of the harbor, a battleship emerged, followed by several escorts. She shared a brief word with the lighthouse before heading over in my direction. I didn't need wait to know who it was. "Arizona!" I exclaimed. My sister cracked a smile but her eyes remained sad.
"Can I talk to you Olympic?" She asked. I nodded, knowing that whatever she had to say wasn't good. "Sure, come on." I said and led the way out of the harbor so we could speak in private, Arizona's escorts following at a respectful distance.
As we headed south along the British coastline, Arizona explained to me what happened with President Coolidge. "He gave me until he left office to tell you." She said. I nodded. I knew it was only a matter of time before someone stepped in to stop our rule breaking.
"He gave me a choice, more of an ultimatum really. You or my country." She paused. "I want to stay with you, Olympic." She said. "Arizona, no. I won't make you do that." I exclaimed. "It's my choice so you don't have to." She retorted. "But to be a traitor to your country, no I won't allow it!" I growled. She sighed. "I figured you'd say that." She said sadly.
"Don't get me wrong, I love you Arizona and I want you to be with me but I think it best that you remain American." She nodded. I went on. "It's hard, I know. I've had to make this choice before and it's not easy. But at the end of the day, you must be loyal to your country, that's what matters above all else." I said.
"I'm not allowed to interact with you at all, ever." She moaned. I nuzzled her. "That's the price we must pay for breaking the rules. But I don't regret a single second of it." I murmured. She sighed and pressed herself closer to me. "I'll miss you." She whispered. I hugged her tight. "So will I, but this is for the best, I wouldn't agree to it otherwise." I replied.
After a few minutes, she let me go. I could see my own pain reflected in her eyes. "Remain strong, Arizona, for me and for your country. And remember, be happy or I'll want to know the reason why." I said. She nodded. "I will, Olympic, I promise." She replied.
We returned to Southampton side by side. Majestic met us at the entrance. "So this is it then?" She asked. I nodded. "We'll miss you Arizona." She said. "Thank you Majestic." She replied. She turned to me. "No matter what Coolidge says you're still my sister and I will always love you." She whispered. "As will I." I replied. We shared one last brief embrace and she turned away.
I watched as Arizona rejoined her escorts. She was no longer the little battleship that I had met at the Brooklyn Navy Yard all those years ago in 1915 that was longing for a friend. She had grown into a fine young American. Battleships were forbidden to have relations of any kind but Arizona decided to break the rules and be my little sister anyway.
Now, all these years later, her rule breaking had caught up with her and she was forced to choose between me and her country. Although it hurt her dearly, she made the right decision. Loyalty to my country is what I would've chosen as well. It was for the best and we both knew it. And although she rejected me, I would never stop loving her. She was my soul sister.
I pressed myself against Majestic. My deputy pressed back comfortingly. Arizona gave me one last look, I nodded encouragingly. She dipped her head, I did the same and she whirled around and headed for home, her escorts following.
One paused to look back at me. "You'd better take good care of her or you'll have me to answer to!" I called to her. She smiled. "We will, don't you worry about that." She replied and raced off after her compatriots. Raising my head to look at the sky where the Ancients lived, I sent a silent message to Arizona, hoping that she'd hear it in her dreams.
I will always be there for you, Arizona. No matter what happens, know that I will be by your side. Until we pass unto the stars of the Ancients, where there are no rules to bind us, and we can be together, forever.