Chapter 10~ A Second Chance
A few weeks passed and as Warrior improved a change was in order. She was moved into a drydock, the same drydock she had occupied over 100 years ago. Her bottom was cleaned of any barnacles and her white Coast Guard hull was replaced with something a bit more traditional for an ocean liner. She sported her old colors. A lovely shade of ebony black with a gold racing stripe. Her funnels were repainted to match her old style livery, both stacks now a gorgeous gold with a black cap. She still carried her coast guard stripe and her awards and decals were painted on her superstructure, including a rather unusual one. A new rank, the 1st Sea Commandant of the Coast Guard, she wore proudly. Titanic had helped found the USCG and so Warrior would wear her designation.
Tamaroa approached her, snapping a salute. Warrior was still getting used to the idea of ordering the other ship around but she knew that Tamaroa was a good help. She was patient and willing to work with her new commander. "New news from the states?" Warrior asked. "Indeed ma'am. I have good news and I have bad news. If my commander is willing, I shall speak the bad news first?" Tamaroa said. Warrior nodded. "Proceed." "The Pentagon has disapproved your request for the name change. Apparently your salvage wasn't entirely legal and they want to keep it under wraps for as long as possible." "At least until they can find something appropriate to trade Britain in return to dampen the backlash." Warrior sighed. "And the good news?" She asked. Tamaroa managed to smirk without moving a muscle. "You're in luck because the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs this term is from the Roosevelt family, so he's a Navy man. His assistant has an uncle on the board of Carnival and between them they've managed to convince Cunard to lease you for a year." "Say what?" Warrior was surprised and a bit confused but she could not stop the hope seeping into her voice. Tamaroa chuckled. "You'll be sailing for Cunard, ma'am. While maintaining your duties as the Coast Guard commandant. A few transAtlantic runs, some Mediterranean and Caribbean sailings, showing the flag, education things like that. All while Cunard makes a pretty penny on the passenger side. All the essential crew will be Coast Guardsman and Cunard will be sure to give them additional training to get them up to speed on the customer service side of things, particularly the bridge staff." "And me?" "Well I'm sure you're old English charm will do just fine." Tamaroa replied. Warrior huffed indignantly. "I. Am. Irish!" She exclaimed, getting only more infuriated as Tamaroa just laughed again.
Warrior set sail from Belfast on her 105th birthday, becoming (unofficially) the oldest passenger ship in service. She sailed down to Southampton in a record time of just over 3 hours. With her introduction, the competition for the Blue Riband was revived and Warrior had no doubt she could snatch the award away from that upstart Yank sharleton! Exiting the Solent, she let the tugs nudge her gently into her berth. She didn't really need tugboats, her bow thrusters were sufficient enough but the little boats had been so helpful to her in Belfast and kind (if a bit crude) on the journey down that she allowed their efforts here. She was moored beside a big Vista-class hybrid, Cunard by the looks of that trademark red funnel. "Queen Victoria." The ship introduced herself. "Call me Victoria though, cause I ain't no queen." The tugboats laughed as though it was some sort of inside joke but Warrior shrugged. "Iceberg Warrior, call me Big T." She had accepted the nickname if only because she did find it somewhat amusing. But she'd be scrapped before she admitted that. "Nice to meet ya Big T." Victoria had a strong accent that was mostly Floridian with just a touch of Italian. Warrior figured the former was due to her routings. The latter was likely from Fincanteri. "So you're the new girl in town." Victoria looked her over with an expert but intense eye. Warrior was drawn by the vibrant amber shade. So much like her sister... She blinked herself out of her revere in time to hear Victoria ask. "So what's a Coastie doing rubbing hulls with the party goers?" "Well patrols get a little boring so I used my newfound rank to get a taste of the old ways." Warrior replied. Victoria chuckled. "Wish I could do that. I'd love to go around the Mediterranean, try some French wine, Italian cheese maybe as a good little girl of Fincanteri should but nooooo, I get stuck in the Caribbean. Between Oasis and Fantasy, agh I'd almost take Antarctica." She said. Warrior laughed. She knew of Oasis. The big Royal Caribbean cruise ship was a bit of a stuck up but she didn't find her too bad. But what she had seen of Victoria so far, the Vista-class seemed like exactly the kind of ship that would not get along with Oasis. "How long did you persuade the brass to send ya here for?" Victoria asked. "As long as my fellow Coasties can stand my absence." Warrior replied and Victoria laughed. "You're alright Big T. I think we'll get along just fine." She said.