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

Chapter 18

The young engineer awoke to his alarm clock. The night had not been the kindest to him. That was mostly due to the fact that he now knew why he was here and the idea of espionage did not sit right with him at all. He continued his morning routine nonetheless. After exercising and washing himself, he got dressed and made his way over to the canteen. Eating some bread with toppings he made a couple more for later and made his way over to the dormitories. When he arrived there he realized Prinz did not tell him her room number. Therefore he was not sure which door he should go to. After making sure that he had found the floor on which the rooms of all other shipgirls of the Northern Parliament were, he stood there and hoped that Prinz Eugen was assigned to a room here as well. Waiting in the hallway he watched his surroundings. The hallway was a long stretch about a 2 by 3 meter rectangular room that stretched about a 100 meters. It looked a lot like a prison hall rather than that of a dormitory. He knew that the dormitories in his homebase were rather spatanic in their design. All build for purpose and with no more comfort for the sailors then was absolutely needed. But if this hallway with its narrow, barred windows at the top of the walls was anything to go by, it looked more like a prison than a dormitory.

He was waiting in the hallway for about 15 minutes by now. This pocketwatch told him it was 5 minutes past 8 o'clock. Looking around he was not sure if he was right and if Prinz was not assigned a different room in a different hall or floor. There was nothing more for him than to continue his wait in the hopes that either Prinz Eugen herself or someone who knew where her room was would show up.

Waiting another 10 minutes in the hallway, finally one of the doors opened. Out walked the imposing stature of the shipgirl Gangut. Turning around and locking the door to her room, she saw the young engineer standing at the end of the hallway and her wide smile crept up on her face. Seeing the shipgirl with her wide smile walking over to the young engineer, he went into attention, saluted and greeted her when she was only 2 meters away from him. " Good morning Comrade Gangut." He said in her language. "HA! Look at that! That Ironblood boy actually speaks our glorious language. Hello comrade, how are you this morning?" The shipgirl answered his greeting rather loudly. "I am doing fine, Comrade Gangut." He answered her question and, stopping his salute, he continued: "I have a rather embarrassing question. I am supposed to meet with Prinz Eugen at her room in the dormitory, but I was not given the information in which dorm she is and what her room number is. Therefore I....""You want to know where your little shipgirl is staying at and if I know where she is. I do in fact know that and I will surely assist you. Come, Comrade, follow me." She interrupted the young engineer, grabbing his left wrist and dragging him with ease along. Once more the young engineer realized what unbelievable power the shipgirls actually had. Finding his pace after this sudden, involuntary movement he managed to not stumble and keep up with the battleship as she tugged him along down the hallway. " For not knowing where your little cruiser is staying at, you were remarkably close. Her room is the 17 on this floor and hallway. You seem to be rather intelligent for an Ironblood soldier. I see why they send you here with that cruiser." Gangut explained while walking towards the indicated door. Arriving there she continued: "Here we are, tell your cruiser that I would like to see her after duty at the shared saloon. She and I have things to talk about. I will go and do my duties now. I will see you whenever we meet again, comrade. " With that she gave the young engineer a strong pat on the back, certain to leave a sore spot for some time. While the battleship walked away, the young engineer took his time, collected his thoughts and then knocked on the door.

....

Nothing. He knocked again.

After a minute of silence there was again no sound and the door did not open. Looking on his watch the young engineer saw that it was 20 minutes past 8. He knew that she did not leave since he stood at the entrance of the hallway before they were due to meet. Counting two and two together, the most likely reason for this situation was that Prinz Eugen either slept in or was already out and about before he arrived. Knowing that she was rather slack concerning these things he guessed the former situation was the case. Knocking again, this time louder and longer. He finally heard a groan and her voice. "Yes, yes. I am coming."

Waiting another 5 minutes and the door finally opened. Before him stood a rather annoyed looking Prinz Eugen. She wore warm clothes instead of her uniform. A black woolen pullover and a matching skirt with leggings. She still looked a bit drowsy but her voice was already firm. " Why are you here this early? Did we not agree to 8 am?" She asked him reproachfully. "Yes, you told me to be here at eight and I was. When I first knocked it was twenty minutes past eight." He answered truthfully and added cheerfully: " Also good morning to you as well, I hope you had as much of a good night as I had." For the first time the young engineer saw the fire of death and destruction, that was often described by others, burn in her eyes. Her face did not change but her eyes burned with fury for a second. But the glare of her eyes changed and her voice changed from the annoyance of her first question to her typical tone. "Is it already past eight in the morning? Huh. Well, you have some nerve to wake your superior and talk to her in such an unmannered way. Think of what anybody else would have done to you at this moment. But I know it can't be helped, you are one stubborn subordinate who won't adhere to rules. Are you not?" She was right back to her irony and teasing. "But yes, my night was good. Since I have no official duties today we will be spending the day getting to know the place and people. You will escort me and be my translator for the time being." He nodded in agreement. " Okay, I am ready so I would say lets get something to eat." She continued, while closing the door to her room and locking it. She passed the young engineer and he took over his position half a meter behind her to her right side. Protocol and drill did stick to him after all, even when he does not see the point in it sometimes.