How did it turn out this way?
Where did it all begin?
What did I do wrong?
Why did it have to happen?
Everything started as normal, so even someone like Bismarck became complacent. She believed that days would go on without worry even in the middle of a war, but an incident pushed her to face reality. Bismarck couldn't turn her attention away from it no matter how much she tried to force herself. It's something she has to muster her might just to stare at it.
"..."
That "it" is her own sister, lying unconscious and couldn't normally breath. Oxygen had to be administered as her damaged lungs that also inhaled the toxic black smoke couldn't normally support the air circulating in her respiratory system. The area where the damage is severe is on both hands.
"Tirpitz..."
Even when she softly calls her sister's name, there isn't the slightest response. If it isn't for her expanding chest from every breath, anyone would have mistaken her for a lifeless body. The younger sister quietly lied on the bed with injuries having little hope of recovery. Both of her hands have darkened and a layer from exposing her flesh, but fortunately wrapped in bandages to conceal the horrible aftermath.
"Even after her wounds are treated, her body temperature is similar to a fever. It started as barely a degree higher than normal, but her fever gradually worsens. At this point, her body would overheat to death"
The auxiliary ship Neumark stands just a meter behind Bismarck, forcing her own voice to inform Bismarck. Even if Bismarck herself doesn't turn to face her ally, she's aware of how Neumark is frowning at the sight of Tirpitz's horrible condition. Not only sections of her skin have been charred, but there are bright vein-like patterns glowing like a flame's ember.
"If she remains this way, Tirpitz wouldn't survive for another day. No normal treatment can save her, Bismarck" Neumark takes a deep breath
"No normal treatment? Are you implying...there's another way...?" Bismarck's voice lacks any emotion as she's numb just staring at her sister
"There is one, but...I don't think it's recommended. It might be a cruel fate for Tirpitz even if we both want her to live"
"What are you saying?" Bismarck finally turns to face her
"After the raid in an Arbiter's laboratory, the Wolfpack collected samples from the remnants of its unmelting ice. Touching it with your bare fingers would instantly freeze humans right to their molecular level"
"I'm not aware of this. Neumark, don't tell me..." Bismarck frowns at her
"Surgically implanting that is the only way to stop her body from overheating to death. However, it risks dropping her body temperature below normal just to counter the rising body heat. Worst case scenario is she'll die from hypothermia"
"What's the chance of survival...?" Bismarck turns away and lowers her head
"Ten percent if we're being generous. Her fate would remain the same..."
Between the choice of letting Tirpitz die of an abnormal fever or through untested surgery, she both has chances of dying. The only difference is that the surgery could save her life if by some miracle she conquers all those odds. Bismarck tightly clutches the handles on the side of the bed, silently lamenting her own helplessness.
"There's no one to blame. We didn't expect the operation would fail and Tirpitz would almost burn to death..."
"The Fool nearly did us in. If my fleet had arrived earlier, then the other fleet wouldn't have suffered a terrible loss" Bismarck takes a deep breath
"What's your choice, Bismarck? You're her older sister and the leader of Iron Blood" Neumark calmly asks
"Do whatever it takes to save her. If this is the only chance we have, then I'll just have to gamble on it" Bismarck decides in a matter of a minute
"If she survives but suffers irreversible side effects..."
"I'll be the one to deal with it. What matters is having Tirpitz be able to fight again. It's not her time to go yet because kansens must keep on fighting"
"You're the boss..." Neumark sighs
The ember on the vein-like scars faintly blink and the bright orange flowing through it is similar to a crackling fire. Neumark couldn't help but frown at her own powerlessness to remove her ally's condition and could only frown thinking it would have been more painful if she was conscious.
Three days later...
Thin sheets of ice crawl all corners of the three inch thick steel wall. Cold air surrounds Tirpitz's unconscious body, but the kansen herself. Bismarck, Graf Zeppelin, and Prinz Eugen stand just right outside the room, viewing the situation inside through a single large fiber glass window.
"Nngh..." Tirpitz weakly groans
Tirpitz could feel a weight pressing on her body and keeping her lying on the bed when she wants to lift her upper body. The unknown weight is at its heaviest on her hands which she could barely lift or even twitch a finger.
"Cold...?"
While she couldn't tremble from the sheer coldness surrounding her, she questioned the presence of ice latching to the steel walls and ceiling.
"Tirpitz"
Bismarck slowly walks towards the rectangular window barely visible now with the cold air forming moisture on the glass. The worried older sister cautiously presses her right palm on the window, careful not to shatter it and nervous the coldness would reach her.
"Sister...? Where am I? Why does it look like I'm in the freezer?" Tirpitz weakly turns her head to the right
"Listen carefully. You mustn't panic about what I'm about to tell you"
"Schwester, I don't like...that expression..."
Even if Tirpitz feels greatly numb and weakened all over her body and all of her senses, she could clearly recognize the anxiety and cautiousness from how Bismarck is staring at her.
"You suffered unusual wounds from fighting an Arbiter. It started to burn you inside out, so we have no choice but to counter it by lowering your body temperature" Bismarck tells her with a straight expression
"Huh?"
"It stopped the burns from destroying your vital organs, but the side effect is your body temperature is permanently lowered to sub-zero level"
"I...don't...understand"
Tirpitz understands the words right from Bismarck's mouth, but the shock renders her briefly ignorant at the fact.
"Your body is immune to freezing temperatures at the cost of your own practically cold as ice" Bismarck looks away for a few seconds
"Why...how...?"
"I asked Neumark and Iron Blood doctors to perform surgery. It saved your life, little sister..."
"..."
Tirpitz remains in shock, unable to utter a single word. However, when she pulls both of her arms from under the sheet. Even if she now has the strength to move her upper body, she forces to move at least her own arms. As soon as she moves her hands above her face, she sees claws shaped by ice covering all ten fingers. The ice starts from the tip until a few centimeters pasted her wrist.
"...!'
At that moment, the urge to scream until she sores her throat fills her lungs. No voice would come out no matter how much she tries, but her hands and limps tremble at the "grotesque" result of reality. Her widened eyes could only express her screams of agony and horror is restricted within her thoughts.
One year later...
Death Valley is a treacherous location for regular humans due to its extreme temperature and being "in the middle of nowhere". One minor facility is specially built there, courtesy of the Iron Blood partnering with the Eagle Union. It's the best fitted location to contain someone with an unusual condition.
"Isn't this a bit cruel? She's been locked here for a year" Victorious puffs her chest
"It can't be helped. She couldn't return to her normal life and would try to kill anyone from Iron Blood, especially Bismarck" Essex shrugs her shoulders
The two aircraft carriers converse over the situation while they stroll the long and eerie hallway. Since the facility only serves as a prison, there's no need for much personnel except for the ones who regularly come to check for an update.
"Besides, Tirpitz isn't allowed physical contact. Even if there's only cold air around her, the freezing temperature is concentrated on her skin. Those special gloves and bracelets are the only ones keeping the chill in check" Essex waves her hand as she explains
"I can't really blame her for being angry at Bismarck either..." Victorious drops her shoulders
"Well, I'd be angry too if I'm alive against my will. Whatever the case, we shouldn't really meddle in their sisterly quarrel"
"I don't think it's a normal quarrel when the younger sister seriously attempted to kill her older sister"
"That's why she's locked here. She refused to cooperate with anyone, so the Iron Blood had her contained instead"
The aircraft carriers turn to the left, then to the right, and lastly to another right. At the farthest corner of the corridor is a steel door without a doorknob. There's only a small rectangular window by the door and lock on the side triggered by scanning a key card.
"Don't take too long. Even if Tirpitz can't feel anything, she doesn't like being around others"
Essex pulls up a key card from the right side pocket. A simple gentle tap and the black screen responds with a brief beep and green check mark on the screen. The door slowly slides open in a matter of two seconds.
"It's been a year. She needs to see the sun" Victorious sighs
"And touch some grass?" Essex chuckles
"..."
"Sorry. Intrepid has been playing a lot of video games and the Beaver squad keeps telling her that" Essex clears her throat
"This won't take long. I'll drag her out myself if she refuses"
Essex lets out an exhausted sigh and proceeds to enter the room. Rather than regular quarters, she finds herself inside a room resembling an interrogation room instead. There are just two chairs on the opposite side with a long table separating them.
"..."
Tirpitz sits quietly and just stares at the normally looking white gloves concealing her ice-covered hands. Both of her arms rest on top of the table, but there's no sign of lingering cold air or the steel table with a frozen layer.
"Go away" Tirpitz speaks in a monotone voice
"I haven't even said anything" Victorious proceeds to grab the vacant chair and takes a sit
"If you're going to bring me to Iron Blood, then I'd rather fight all of you" Tirpitz responds again
"I know you hate Bismarck with a passion. It's ironic how you're still burning with hatred when your body is like a popsicle now"
"My bodily activities have decreased as a result of the operation, so the blood flow and heart beat is slower than normal. As a result, I'm both physically and emotionally numb now"
Five minutes into the conversation, Tirpitz's eyes are only towards her clenched fists. She stubbornly refuses to make the slightest eye contact with someone who isn't involved with her current misery.
"I forgot what it means to hate or be happy. Victorious, I refuse to cooperate because I have no motivation to go along anymore. Emotions drive us, but I gradually lost over the months they locked me here"
"You sound like an angsty teenager when you're a grown woman like me" Victorious grunts
"Take it how you see it. I have no interest in entertaining your whims"
"Just to be clear, I'm here to drag you back to the navy. It's not Iron Blood but you're still going to work again like a battleship should" Victorious hits the table with her curled up fist
"..." Tirpitz still refuses to look at her
"You're just going somewhere where there's no Bismarck or any Iron Blood members to remind you what you're so angry about"
Victorious carefully unfolds a clean piece of paper and straightens it first on the table before sliding it right in front of Tirpitz.
"The Mediterranean?" Tirpitz slightly raises her head
"Just take it as a vacation and a way to literally experience real sunlight again" Victorious crosses her arms
"..."
"You'll work together with kansens from other nations. Rest assured, there are no other Iron Blood ships there"
"The commander arranged this" Tirpitz confidently guesses
"...Yeah. You're wasting your strength here, so she thought you need to vent out all the five years worth of frustration"
"Frustration, huh..."
"That and we somehow need to show you can be controlled. Those annoying geezers are scared of how we're just keeping you caged"
"Not only you locked me up like a feral animal, you want to put a leash on me under the pretense of concern"
Tirpitz finally musters enough motivation to shift her gaze from the table towards Victorious' stern expression.
"I don't really care so long as I don't see my own sister"
"I'll be there to keep an eye on you too. They're scared you might run off and try to freeze the sea again. Besides, they say I'm the only one you're willing to have a normal conversation"
"I can't deny that. You're one of the few people I don't mind talking to"
"Being emotionless makes you more honest"
"Then do I take this as a confirmation?"
"Hmph" Tirpitz averts her gaze
"Great. I'm taking you away within the day. I just need to inform our destined base to report"
Victorious lightly hits the table with both of her palms and standing with a slight push of her arms. Tirpitz doesn't even protest since she doesn't concretely confirm anything and just implies she simply doesn't care.
(If it's the commander, then I'm expecting he has a serious reason. That old man never acts carelessly)
As Victorious hurriedly leaves the room, Tirpitz silently watches her rush out of the door. Tirpitz keeps her own thoughts to herself but remains apathetic when she would normally be upset and annoyed for being forced out in the open again.
