The adventures of the young engineer and Prinz Eugen Volume 2.

No. 6 Chapter 3

The young engineer had packed his things for all eventualities and had settled in his study with a glass of Cognac. He looked into the glass cabinets at his pictures, books and other bits and pieces that he had collected over the years. He thought through what had happened today and what was probably going to happen in the near future.
It surprised him just through how much he had gone through since he finished his basic training and officers school. Since he had been assigned to work with Prinz Eugen, he had few days he would have called ordinary and he had made it through more adventures than he thought he would ever experience. It was not just her that kept him on his toes but the general involvement he had with the navy. In the end he had not managed to make it through unscaved but he had always managed to return in one piece. His eyes rested on the picture of him with his family. A mixture of sorrow and happiness of the old memories came up in him. Since his parents were gone he and his siblings had not seen each other that often. He tried to come and visit them every Christmas but that was about it. They all had become quite busy. He still remembered fondly the times they had together nonetheless. It was weird to him. Despite them separating just before the young engineer finished his training it felt like it was half a lifetime ago that his parents were gone and his family had dispersed.

The young engineer was interrupted in his thoughts when he heard the house door fall into its lock. Knowing that only three others had the key to his house he was quite sure whom to expect in the stairwell, leading down from the first floor to the ground level and entrance to the house. His Godfather was not in the city, so it could only be his neighbor Mr. Waldenstedt or Prinz Eugen. He stood up, placed the Cognac glass on his desk and walked out of his room and down the stairs. Looking down he was surprised at whom he saw. It was not just Prinz Eugen that stood in the entrance but Hipper, Mainz and Weser as well. They were about to take off their coats and jackets when they noticed the young engineer as well. "Wait, it is his home?" Mainz asked, surprised. "As I said. The place of a good friend." Prinz Eugen smirked her teasing smile. "Why didn't you tell us?" Weser asked her two older sisters. "I told you we should have told them to whose place we were going." Hipper snapped at her sister now as well. Prinz Eugen smiled even more before answering. "I was not sure if our workaholic of a friend would be here tonight. I assumed he would be at the base. Anyways, I am sure it is fine that we came over to have a quick look at Hipper's talented green thumbs." The cruiser teased them further. The young engineer meanwhile had walked down the stairs and greeted them with a slight wave of his hand. "Good evening." He said. "Well, this is certainly an unexpected visit." He commented to them showing up. "But please feel welcome." He invited them before giving a questioning glance towards Prinz Eugen.

While Prinz Eugens three sisters were all busy in the wintergarden, marveling at the talent of Hipper, the young engineer and Prinz Eugen remained in the staircase. "Alright. Why did you show up? I may be blue eyed but I am not so naive to not know that you have a different angle here." He asked Prinz Eugen. The cruiser signed and nodded. "You are right." She agreed. "I just wanted to see how things are going. Are you really planning to go to see Iris Libre?" She asked. The young engineer in return shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea. At the moment it all depends on Fritz and the decision made by the high command." He explained. "So I will prepare to travel but it might not happen at all." He explained. "I see. Well, I would say it is for the better if you don't go. The Atlantic is not a safe place for humans at any rate." Prinz Eugen commented. The young engineer in return shrugged again. "There is some way to make it for sure." He countered with optimism. The two ended their private conversation on that note and joined the rest for the remainder of the evening, marveling at the plants Admiral Hipper had nurtured.

The next morning the young engineer received a call on his phone half an hour after he had woken up. "Good morning. How was your sleep? I hope it was good because you will be busy today." Fritz Mahler's voice greeted the young engineer. Before he could answer, his friend continued. "The Eagle Union and Iris Libre contacted the Admiralty shortly before I called them up. They offered to send an escort to bring you safely through their part of the Atlantic. They also asked for a second representative of Iron Blood to be there as an observer and ally to the Vichiya delegation. The Admiralty wanted to send Z2 first but I made them change their mind and assigned Prinz Eugen to the position. That way you will have someone you trust with you there." Mahler explained. "It seems a lot happened last night." The young engineer added. "A lot happened indeed." His friend agreed. "You two will get going at 8 am today. An upgraded high sea Pilot has been readied and equipped already. The rest of our flotilla will escort you two all the way to the south of Island where you will sail over into Iris Libre controlled waters. There you will await your escort and travel with them to their port." Fritz Mahler ended his briefing. "Alright. I will be at the base in 30 minutes." The young engineer agreed. "Splendid. I can't wait to see and read what mess you two will create again." The new base commander joked before hanging up.
The young engineer smiled before he hurried to get his things. Thankfully he had them prepared the evening before and only needed to grab his luggage case. He had decided to go with an old-fashioned travel suitcase. Big enough to have clothing for a week in it. He locked his house and left a note in the letterbox of his neighbor that he had to leave town for work once more. On his way to the base he texted Hipper through Juustagram and offered her to borrow Prinz Eugens key to his house to take care of her plants if she would in return take care of the house a bit as well.