Love at war
Chapter 1: Welcome Aboard
As this is my first Avatar story in quite awhile, I thought I'd do something more uh real world like. I was looking at stuff on the R.M.S Olympic and got an idea to write this Avatar story which featured Titanic & Britannic's sister. It's my way of giving "Old Reliable" some recognition she never got because of her sisters sinking, making them more famous than Olympic. So, anyway enjoy!
Katara stood, gazing out at the vast ocean before her. This was the second time she'd been on the R.M.S Olympic since its maiden voyage in 1911. She'd only been ten at the time. She'd gone with her father and brother from Southampton all the way to New York and back. Her mother wasn't there however. She died of lung cancer when Katara was just eight. Katara felt tears stinging her eyes as she thought of how sick her mother had been and how much she cried when the doctors in London had come out of the operating room and giving the bad news to them.
Flashback…
Katara sat in her father's lap, crying silently. She didn't know if her mother would be alright. Her operation had started only 3 hours ago, and they hadn't heard anything. She looked up at her father with tearstained eyes. "Mommy's going to be okay, right, Daddy?" Her father stayed silent for a few minutes before replying.
"I'm not sure dear. We'll see what the doctor says when he comes out." Suddenly, a doctor walked through the doors to the OR (Operating Room)
"Mr. Hakoda," he said. Katara looked from her father to the doctor. "I'm sorry, sir." Katara's eyes began to tear up again.
"Not Mommy! No!" She buried her face in the fabric of her father's shirt and cried once more.
End flashback…
Now, she was a nurse on the Olympic recently refitted as a troopship for World War I. It was 1915 and Katara had just been able to celebrate her sixteenth birthday before signing up as a nurse for the war. Her father and seventeen year old brother were fighting in the war themselves, not knowing if they would return. Katara felt scared for them. If they didn't return, she would be alone. She didn't want to become an orphan and live on the streets. Her family was middle-class, but her position as a nurse was only out of volunteer work. She made no money from it and if her brother and father were both killed in the war, she would have no one.
She prayed they would return safe, and again watched the ocean. An officer was walking towards the bridge and spied her standing there. He came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder, making her jump. She spun around to see the officer staring right at her. He looked to Katara to be in his late twenties or early thirties. "Terribly sorry, Miss," he said. "But all medical staff must to report to the bridge. The captain's orders."
Katara blushed slightly. "All right. Thank you, Officer." He tipped his cap and made for the bridge, Katara following behind…….
Aang waited for the captain to arrive on the bridge, keeping his gaze on the crew as they went about their work. He was second in command of the Olympic, in charge of everything when the captain was off deck. He was only sixteen and it wasn't very likely for someone of his age being second in command of a White Star ship. His parents were both dead, but he'd lived with his uncle for years. He'd signed up for work in the war, and had been assigned to the Olympic. At least he wouldn't be going to the battlefront, but there was the danger of the ship being sunk by German U-boats or hitting a mine. But he would be in greater danger of being killed if he was in the Royal Air Force, instead of being on the Olympic.
Suddenly, the captain marched onto the bridge, his form tall and true. Aang stood to attention, saluting to his superior. "First Officer Aang, call the other officers and medical staff to the bridge please."
"Aye, Captain." Aang reached for the phone. "Attention all officers and medical staff, attention. Report to the bridge at once. The captain requests your presence. That is all," he said, hanging up the phone.
"What do you want them for, Sir?"
"I've just received a wireless message from London. The Britannic is en route to Queenstown, Ireland with a small regiment of troops. We are to collect them and transport them to the French front"
"But why does this concern the medical staff?"
"Some of the troops are injured and the Britannic is too full to provide medical care for them. They want us to provide medical care for any injured troops and make sure they are ready to return to the front. If not, we shall return them to Southampton." The lower officers and medical staff walked into the bridge standing to attention. Aang, being a sixteen year old found the nurses attractive. But one of the nurses caught Aang's attention out of all the rest. A girl with chocolate skin and dark brown hair, who seemed to Aang to be about the same age as him.
The captain's speech soon brought Aang out of his trance. "Good morning officers and ladies. Thank you all for turning up at my request. We have received a wireless message from the Britannic, they're heading for Queenstown. They have a small regiment of troops on board with some reported injuries. They cannot however provide necessary medical care for these soldiers as they are too full with other patients. And so, we shall meet Britannic at Queenstown and the troops will be transferred to us. We'll tend to their wounds and send the ones who can fight to France. The ones who cannot fight, we will return them to Southampton. Right now, we are near the Bristol Channel. Hopefully we shall arrive there tomorrow morning. That is all."
The nurses and officers turned and left the bridge. "Aang," the captain said. "You may go on break. I will take over until this afternoon."
"Thank you, Captain." Aang turned on his heel and made for his cabin. But instead of going straight there, Aang decided to follow the attractive nurse. He picked up his pace while trying not to let the nurse notice she was being followed. The nurse walked toward the stern and headed through doors that lead to what had once been the grand staircase.
Katara walked rather quickly down the stairs, going to the B-deck cabins. Aang, still following her found it a bit hard to keep up without being noticed. She turned down more halls in the b section until finally reaching a room which Aang assumed was her own. She pulled out a key and inserted it into the lock. Turning the key, she opened the door and went inside. Aang quickly stopped the door from closing and looked inside. The nurse pulled her hair out if it's braid and let it fall around her shoulders. She sat down at a dresser where there was a picture of a little girl along with her brother.
Both were on the shoulders of their mother and father, smiling. Katara sighed contentedly, longing for the days of the past. She reached for a brush and began brushing her long brown hair.
Aang smiled and watched the nurse for a while, lost in her beauty. As Katara looked herself over in the mirror, she noticed someone peaking in the room. Aang jumped back, realizing he'd been noticed. Katara walked to the door, opening it and staring at Aang right in the face. Both blushed at the awkward moment. "Uh, sorry, miss. I-I was just passing by and I noticed your door was open."
Katara smiled somewhat at the officer's attempts to apologize. "That's all right, Officer. You just startled me that's all."
"But, why were you looking in here?" Aang felt the heat in his face rise.
"Well, it's just that I found you…. Attractive." Katara blushed, flattered at the compliment.
"Well thank you, uh Officer."
"Uh call me Aang, Miss."
"Aang?"
"First Officer Aang, at your service."
"Oh, well. I had no idea that the head officer seemed so interested in me."
"Well, who wouldn't be? You seem like a nice girl." Katara smiled.
"I was uh wondering," Aang started. "Would you like to join me in the dining hall for dinner this evening?"
Katara thought for a moment. 'Having dinner with the first officer? Hmm, that does sound nice.'
After a few minutes, she looked at Aang again. "Well, what do you say?" Aang asked.
"I'd love to, Aang."
"Great! I guess I'll se you in the dining hall tonight then?"
"I'll be there. Bye"
"Bye." Aang walked down the hall towards his own cabin, leaving Katara still blushing in the doorway.
End of chapter 1! So, what do you all think? Aang and Katara as crew members on the Olympic in World War I. Personally, I think it's one of my better story ideas in quite some time. But I want to know what you all think about it. So, leave a review and stay tuned for chapter 2!