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

No. 9 Chapter 6

Wandering through the giant hall that was the old drydock building the engineer and Eugen passed a plethora of different components of riggings. There were multiple giant lower jaws of different rigging maws, damaged or defect gun turrets of different calibers in all states of repair and disassembly next to all sorts of other weapons and rigging components. Caudal fins for rigging tails, next to armor plates and smokestack covers. The two passed through all the work the engineer was dealing with until they passed through the quay of the flooded dock in the middle of the hall, the former destroyer sized dock looked like a giant swimming pool with a hazy emerald green to its water. On the quay arrayed in a row were over two dozen rigging holders of different shape and size. All were empty. "Are they all out on a mission?" Prinz Eugen asked while the two passed by the holders on their way to the small staircase at the other end of the hall. "Yes, they all are out training I suppose. Although some were here just minutes ago, perhaps they are out to get the others back." The engineer answered her. "It sure looks like you have your work cut out for you. Do you have to work on all of this on your own?" She asked further. "More or less, yes. There are no other engineers here but some of the ships help me to take care of things while all of them at least tend to do their basic maintenance on their riggings themselves." He explained. "Speaking of riggings, how is yours doing? Is your engineer taking good care of it?" He asked her. "He does alright, he can't compare to Wiedling or you for that matter. Although I got a new one again. The previous one was a creep. The new one is okay. He did learn well from Wiedling but he lacks enthusiasm and dedication you and the older engineers have." She explained. "That sounds bad. Was it the one you wrote me about?" He asked her concerned. "Yes, the one that felt me up." She confirmed. "The new guy is better though, but he seems to be far less prude then you as well." She added with a smirk. "But don't worry about it. I will be sure to show anyone their boundaries." She chuckled while the two made their way up the industrial stairs to the engineers office. Opening the door he let Prinz Eugen enter first before following her in. The engineer gathered his things quickly and placed them all in his shoulder bag. "I have all my things. We can go now." The engineer informed the cruiser. Prinz Eugen motioned towards the open door and went through it down the stairs to make her way out of the large dock. "You have a nice looking office." Eugen added while walking down the stairs. "Are those all just blueprints and paperwork related to projects and repairs?" She asked. "Yes they are, although the proper blueprints are retained by the administration, as always." He elaborated. "But with my copies and all the paperwork on them are here. I seldomly need all the originals." He smirked while following her.

Before the two could continue their conversation a group of ships entered the dock though the partially opened doors to the harbor basin. Eugen only knew her two half sisters Mainz and Weser. All the others were foreign to her. Although she could quickly figure out what they were by their riggings. There were two further carriers in the group next to Weser as well as two battleships with similar riggings and two other riggings that looked similar in armament but different in form. Judging by their guns the cruiser estimated that they were either battlecruisers or a form of cuirasse ship each.

While the two walked down the stairs they split their ways. Eugen walked along the cabinets filled with spare parts and equipment while observing and estimating the new ships. The engineer instead walked over and prepared the ships rigging holders.The battleships and carriers as well as Eugens sisters simply walked off the water, but the detached rigging of the one ship had to be brought in by a crane to rest on its holder. The shark shaped metal monster wiggled the salt water off its metal skin before the engineer came along and hosed the beast off with water to prevent any salt from drying on the steel. While the other ships detached themselves from their riggings and took off the other parts of their rigging equipment, the engineer started to immediately hose down all the other riggings as well, the routine and speed with which he did so reminded her of how he used to do this to her rigging when he was her engineer. Eugen was interrupted in her observations by Weser and Mainz. The two younger sisters of Eugen greeted her with a sisterly hug and started to ask her how she was.