Titanic regarded her surroundings with silent curiosity and a hint of excitement. She'd been in Southampton for the past week and had done much of her exploring earlier. White Star had even managed to get her to sit still long enough to pose for a few photographs. But now things were strictly business. As young as she was, as eager and excited as she was, she had to act professional. She watched the little humans, who looked really like nothing more than two legged ants to her, scurry around. Some lingered on the dock, staring up at her tremendous bulk. She helped their awe by puffing herself up and heard a few clicks of cameras in response. But most people were there to board her which is why she had to hold perfectly still. Until the call to leave was sounded that is.
She pulled impatiently at her hawsers, too eager to wait for the gangplanks to be retracted. Two late but brave third class men jumped across the gap that formed, just making it inside. She snorted at their audacity but she could at least partially understand their desperation. She was quite keen to leave Europe behind herself for different reasons however. She tossed her head, shaking the last hawser free. Her three propellers started turning, kicking up a cloud of mud. Before she could revel in her new freedom however a fleet of tugs came alongside and buttoned on. She growled in frustration and the sound could be felt throughout the ship. Some passengers looked up nervously but her captain simply reached out the open wheelhouse window and ran a soothing hand down her side. "Patience my girl." He soothed. "We'll be out of here soon enough." She snorted and reluctantly allowed the tugs to guide her out of the Test.
Turning the corner she heard a warning shout. It was Oceanic. The ship next to her, New York, had broken free of her moorings. She was drifting, having no fuel to start her engines, but she was coming straight for Titanic. And from the look on her face, the younger ship deduced she was not going to be friendly. Titanic tried to turn towards her, hiding her vulnerable flank but that just drew her in faster. New York had a crazed look in her eyes as she met Titanic's gaze and Titanic got the distinct feeling she knew something the younger ship did not. "You bitch!" She shrieked, setting her bow straight for Titanic's port flank in a maneuver reminiscent of Hawke and Olympic a year earlier. Titanic knew from what her sister had told her that if New York hit, she would spend quite a good time in drydock. Her captain, being of sounder mind than New York and of quicker thinking than his ship, overrid Titanic's control and thrust her port engine forward. The wash pushed New York back towards the dock where she was restrained. But she was still shouting curses at Titanic. "You are a murderer! You'll kill them all! She'll kill them all, just you wait and see! Oh yes, I know what you are Titanic. Betrayer! Killer! Murderer!" New York shrieked as she was pushed back into her dock. Titanic felt a sliver of cold run down her keel at her words. She looked to Oceanic for some kind of explanation but her older fleetmate just shook her head. She didn't understand it either.
Titanic had to wait an hour while New York was sedated and then secured to her dock once more before she could continue her journey. During this time she mulled over New York's words. The American ship was clearly insane or at least not right in the head. Titanic had never seen such a look in a ship's eye before. It was a look that spoke of a knowledge that no other ship had but did that mean that New York was crazy? The way she had reacted to Titanic, the outright hostility and then the accusations. Titanic's first thought was New York had mistaken her for her twin sister Olympic. But while Olympic was many things she wasn't a murderer like New York said. Once again Titanic felt that cold feeling along her keel and she shivered. Her captain mistook her reaction for what she'd just been through. "She's a crazed ship, Big T. Pay no attention t' her." Crazed or not New York clearly knew who she was attacking and why even if Titanic did not.
An hour passed and the tugs resumed their tow out into the channel where they dropped their lines. Farewells were exchanged and Titanic opened up her engines for only the second time in her life. As she drove herself towards France, Titanic reveled in the clear sky and the salt spray. And the cold feeling was forgotten.