Chapter fourteen: The Tirpitz, The lonely queen of the North Sea
The Enterprise was on a mission. It went to the South Atlantic. Lori went up to the bridge. It was evening and bridge duty is to be transferred to Lily. Arriving on the bridge, Lily and the helmsman saluted Collins.
"It's 8:00 PM. I've completed the tour. Commander Loud, you're in command."
"Aye captain."
"Captain, the weather service has reported minor thunderstorms. They pose no threat." said Collins.
"Great. Then I can go."
Lori went to a computer console and pressed a button.
"USS Enterprise log, CVN-97, Captain Lori Santiago, addendum. Bridge command transferred to Commander Lily Loud at 8:00 p.m."
Lori stood away from the computer console.
"A nice evening to you."
"Good evening Captain." said Lily.
Lori left the bridge and went to the lower sections, seven decks below the hangar deck. There she entered her quarters. The chef had saved her some of the supper and brought it to her quarters. Lori opened the container. The wonderful smell of lukewarm spaghetti Bolongnese hit her nose. She started eating. She looked through the porthole of the quarters at the ocean. It was beautiful how the moon reflected on the water. When she was done, Lori lay down on her bed. It was soft and comfortable. Everything she wished for. On the bedside table was a framed photo of her, Bobby, Lorraine and Miranda. It was recorded before Lori was given command of the Enterprise. She wanted to take the photo. And her eyesight began to flicker. It was as if a gray veil was obscuring her vision. She tried to get up, but even walking was difficult for her. She tried to go to a comconsole, when the light started flashing red, she went to the quarters door. She had to brace herself against the wall. When she opened the door, she saw something incredible. The hallway, in which there were sailors who felt the same way as Lori, curved. It went up so Lori couldn't see the end. She looked the other way, where the same thing happened. Lori tried to make her way to the bridge. But it was agony. Lori could barely walk and everything felt so, unreal. Sometimes Lori thought she saw herself in front of her, like in a mirror image. And in one fell swoop it all stopped. Suddenly Lori felt the same as always. The corridor was straight again. When she could walk properly again, she ran to the bridge. Lily was still there, and Collins. Collins was in shock, Lily checked every system of the Enterprise.
"What just happened?"
"I'm trying to find out." said Lily.
"Captain. I think I saw another aircraft carrier on the port side." said Collins panicked.
"What kind? Demon? Gorbachev class?"
"No. I think it was a Satan class carrier. It looked just like the Enterprise."
"It's impossible! We're the only ones."
"I know that. Something very strange was going on here."
Lily started reporting.
"Position determination via GPS failed. Position determination via GLONASS failed. No connection to satellites or radio systems."
"That is impossible!"
Lori tried to get everything under control. And that worked. Around dawn, the ship was operational again and after sunrise the alarm was lifted. Lori was now extremely tired. The Enterprise set course back too the US Coast. Navigated with Maps on Paper. But after a few minutes, the radar reported 34 ships approaching the Enterprise. Lori immediately gave the alarm command again. And ships appeared on the horizon. It was a massive fighting force.
"What the hell?" said Collins.
"What is that?" asked Lori.
The ships came closer and closer. Lori looked through her binoculars. The ships were all outdated. A construction from the Second World War. Every ship also had something in common. Artillery instead of missiles. And on the bow deck was a blood red area with a white circle and a black symbol. But Lori didn't recognize it.
"I've never seen anything like it."
The ships adjusted course. Especially destroyers came close to the Enterprise. Lori looked through binoculars. Markings were applied to the sides of the destroyers. Z-2452, or Z-4244. And it wasn't just destroyers. But also battleships. Lori looked for flags or identification symbols. And Lori found one. She got cold. The flag was red, divided into four areas by black stripes, and had a white circle outlined in black in the center. And in the circle was a swastika. Lori looked at every ship and every flag. Every ship carried the Reichskriegsflagge on the flagpole. Lori put the binoculars away from her eyes.
"God help us."
She heard a shot and at the same moment a handkerchief was held in front of her face, which smelled strongly. Lori saw black and lost consciousness. When Lori woke up again, she was somewhere else. She was in a quarters. But not in hers. It was strange quarters. She got up immediately and looked around. It was dark but there was a porthole and it was night outside. She saw the outlines of the ships orbiting the Enterprise. Lori was looking for a light switch. She turned on the light. The bed was dark oak, the floor was ash, and the walls were mahogany. The bed was covered with a red bezig. It was a nice bed. Lori kept trying to look around. It wasn't long before she saw the portrait of Adolf Hitler hanging on the wall. That was the strangest thing she'd ever seen. Adolf Hitler appeared to be old in the portrait. His mustache and hair were light gray and he had slight wrinkles. It was getting to be too much for Lori. She had to sit on the bed. She no longer knew what was happening around her. Was that a nightmare? Was that real? You forgot the time. Then the door suddenly opened. Lily stepped inside. But she wore a different uniform. The uniform was black. Around the right arm was a red ribbon. And on the collar she had a symbol. ᛋᛋ The symbol of the SS.
"Are you finally awake?" said Lily.
Lily spoke oddly. As if emotions were involved. But not good ones. They were cold, brutal emotions.
"Answer!"
"What's wrong with you Lily? Why are you in that uniform?" asked Lori, startled.
"Oh you mean this one? This uniform is my real one. May I introduce myself? I am SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer and Generaloberst of the SS Totenkopf Units, Lily Klara Laut!"
"What? What do you mean?"
Lily closed the door. And then she turned back to Lori.
"As our beloved sister Lisa Adelheid Laut proved, there is an infinite number of universes. For you, this is the Mirror-universe. And for you, i am Mirror-Lily. But for me, you are the Mirror of my Lori. Our two universes are mirrored. They are the same but different. That's interesting, isn't it? Multiple universes that exist side by side. These can be entered and exited. I don't know how, but I managed to get into yours. And the differences quickly became clear to me. The Third Reich has it Lost the great war And this world you lived in was despicable All those disgusting Jews and niggers everywhere. I couldn't stay there. And in Lisa's old files, I found a way to get back home, The enterprise was able to bring about the Lisa Laut effect with its powerful nuclear reactor. I killed your Lily and took her place. And so we are here now. Any questions?"
Lori had to process everything she had heard. The Third Reich had won the war? Does that mean Germany won the second world war? And multiple universes? Lisa lived? She could hardly understand anything.
"What does that mean? Why did you take me and my ship with you?"
"Oh Lori. You know, you are not only an officer in your world, but also here. Lori Eva Laut. Vice Admiral of the Kriegsmarine. You are dead here. Captured and murdered by Jewish terrorists. I got you back. And I will keep you until you become my Lori."
"Why?"
"Because I want it that way. Someone wants to see you. I bet you know him."
Mirror-Lily left the quarters and closed the door. Lor sat on the bed staring at the floor. Germany had won. She was in another universe. And, she should be dead in this universe. And yet she lived. The door opened again. A man in a field gray uniform, a red ribbon, and an officer's cap. He was 35 years old and had white hair. He closed the door and spoke kindly. He looked familiar.
"Nun Lori. Oder, du bist vielleicht Lori. Lily meinte etwas von Universen und mehreren Realitäten."
(Well Lori. Or, you might be Lori. Lily meant something about universes and multiple realities.)
"I do not understand."
"Du kannst doch deutsch, oder?"
(You can speak German, right?)
"Please, I do not understand."
"Apparently German isn't very common in your world?"
"No. German is only represented in three countries."
"Half the world speaks it here."
"Who are you? And what happened to the world here?"
"I am Captain Lincoln Hermann Laut. Captain of the KMS Derfflinger."
Lori felt her heart skip a beat. In front of her stood Lincoln. And it felt so real.
"Lincoln? But... you're dead. How is that... That's not... no…"
Lori slumped on the bed. Mirror-Lincoln sat down next to Lori.
"Lily mentioned that I died for you when I was eleven. Correct?"
Lori just nodded and stared at Lincoln in disbelief.
"Is it disappointing to see me like this? I heard that Nazi socialism is forbidden in your world."
"Yes."
Mirror-Lincoln leaned towards Lori and whispered in her ear.
"We are on the same side. National Socialism has no future. I, my Lori, and my Lisa have joined the enemy. The Soviet Union."
"I do not understand."
"I'll explain. In 1939, Poland attacked Germany. The Führer began the counterattack. Together with the Soviet Union we attacked Poland and annihilated it. With a lightning war we attack France and occupy it. Then Norway, Sweden, the Benelux countries, and Finland. We were victorious in North Africa. Rommel was a very capable general. England was a great enemy. But we attacked the convoys. And this ship here, the Derfflinger, was put into service during the Great War in 1947. Wait, I'll be right back."
Mirror Lincoln left the quarters. A few minutes later he came back with a book. He flipped it open and there was a photo of New York and the Statue of Liberty, and a mushroom cloud atop Manhattan.
"December 25, 1948. The attack on the United States began. This is the photo of the first attack. The nuclear attack on New York City. Then another bomb flew. On Chicago. Then Pheonix, Dallas, Atlanta, Detroit, and San Francisco , with Japanese support. The US surrendered unconditionally. And then this photo was taken."
Mirror-Lincoln turned the page and there was a photo of Adolf Hitler on the Capitol in Washington DC.
"The USA was divided. In east and west. In the east, the Japanese Pacific States. From India to Pheonix and Salt Lake City stretches the empire of the Japanese. And Germany, from Warsaw to Oklahoma City. With the heart, the capital Germania. The Soviet Union stretches to the east. All of Africa belongs to Germany. Adolf Hitler died in 1966. Heinrich Himmler became Reich Chancellor. In 1989 the German space shuttle Adler landed on the moon. Rudolf von Habicht and Otto Ziegler were the first Aryans on the moon."
Mirror-Lincoln showed a photo of an astronaut standing on the moon in front of the red flag with the swastika and doing the Nazi salute. The earth could be seen in the background. Mirror-Lincoln continued turning the pages.
"Mikhail Gorbachev, the Secretary General of the Soviet Union, persuaded Japan to switch sides in 2002. Now Germany, Italy and Spain faced a great empire in the east. But various agreements meant that the situation remained calm. And then Lily came into play. She became Colonel-General of the SS Totenkopf Units, and the final solution was immediately implemented in the German, Italian and Spanish spheres of influence. Everything is still working, but Lily has already murdered 14 million Jews and 7 million Muslims. Also our sister Luna. I don't know if yours was the same, but here she was sexually deviant. Our sister Lynn, who is with the Gestapo, found that out. Lily had Luna immediately deported to Auschwitz. I don't know if she's still alive. But I do not think so. And everything is getting upgraded. The Wehrmacht has tripled its fighting power and the SS has quintupled its strength. Is that all, or do you need to know more?"
Lori tried to process everything. But it was too much. Everything from Mirror-Lincoln to the World War Germany had won was too much for her.
"Your ship, the Enterprise, is very beautiful. Lily wants her copied and reproduced. But I have other plans."
"What do you mean with other plans?"
"The next stop for our battle group is Saint Nazaire. In France. The Enterprise will be empty. Half the crew has already been killed. With the Soviets and the Japanese, a huge fleet is waiting near Hawaii. Five hundred ships. Over eight million men. "
Lori looked at Mirror-Lincoln.
"If I understand you correctly, should we hijack the Enterprise and hand it over to the Soviets? Why? What is the significance of this aircraft carrier?"
"What do you know about calculators?"
"You mean computers?"
"Yes. Apparently the Enterprise's computers are highly developed. The KMS Derfflinger has the most modern computer in the German Empire on board to calculate Shell trajectories. Come with me."
Mirror-Lincoln and Lori left the quarters. SS men were everywhere. Mirror-Lincoln Made The Hitler Salute.
«Heil Hitler!
The SS man also gave the Hitler salute.
«Heil Hitler!
Mirror-Lincoln led them to a room in the belly of the ship. There were huge boxes and closets in this room. Mirror-Lincoln pointed to a type of keyboard that looked like an antique typewriter.
"Calculate a trajectory for a 305 millimeter projectile, with a muzzle velocity of 875 meters per second, at 20 kilometers."
Lori looked at the keyboard. It was easy to understand. She typed in commands. But she didn't know what to do to start it all. Mirror-Lincoln tapped a button that said "Bestätigen." And the whole room started rattling, snapping, clicking, and creaking. A paper document was being printed next to Lori by a roller printer. Mirror-Lincoln took it and looked at it.
"Yes, that works. As you can see, the calculator here is mechanical, not digital. I've only known the term since Lily got back. Your world is much more advanced."
"And the Enterprise would be a great asset to the Nazis."
"Exactly. Will you help me?"
"Yes. Always for something like that."
"Wonderful. If everything goes according to plan, we should reach Saint Nazaire tomorrow. However, I have to tell you something."
"What?"
"There are rumors that the Reich government and high-ranking military are planning a major offensive on the Soviet Union. And according to the KGB report, you should take part in the general conference in Berlin in the Reich Chancellery. You have to bring as much as possible with you."
"Do you really think so? Lily must have done everything to let everyone know that I'm not the real one."
"No. I heard her send Reichskanzler Von Schiller a message via encrypted radio. She said that she had freed you from the hands of the Jews. She is trying everything to achieve her goal of becoming Reichsführer SS."
"What am I supposed to do? They all speak German. And I can't speak German."
"Don't worry. The Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine, Ernst Klein, is also one of us. And he's quite convincing. He says that he tells you to listen and not to speak. Lily is the only one who might find that odd But Lily is not Reichsfuhrer SS. Her doubts will probably be lost in the plans of the war."
"That means I'm spying and bringing you the information?"
"Exactly. Any questions?"
"Is there someone in the SS who is also with us? A high-ranking officer?"
"Yes. SS Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the SS Totenkopfverband Erich Fuchs. Why? Nothing planned that would require him in combination with you."
"No. I have to go to Auschwitz."
"What do you want in Auschwitz?"
"Luna."
"Lori, we're talking about Auschwitz. Luna might not even be alive."
"If she's still alive, I'll get her out of there. She's family. I'm sure that she too is an opponent of the Nazis."
"You want to go to Auschwitz for someone? For someone? That's hours by train from Berlin."
"Do you have planes?"
"Yes, but that makes..."
"Then I'll take a plane."
"That makes no sense."
"I'm not your Lori. But I Am Lori. I hold the rank of Vice Admiral! You're just a Captain! And I'm your elder sister! You take my orders!"
Mirror-Lincoln smiled slightly.
"Like a leader of a resistance."
Mirror-Lincoln went to the door and opened it.
"It's still a day until Saint Nazaire. I'll take you back to your quarters."
Lori Followed Mirror-Lincoln back to the quarters where Lori woke up. He left the book with her so that she could read something. An SS man later brought her food. It was mashed potatoes, and a nasty-tasting sauce. Lori thought it was disgusting. But she found Hitler's face in the portrait even more disgusting. Before going to bed, she raised her middle finger and held it against the portrait for several minutes. Lori tried to sleep. But she couldn't. Again and again she heard footsteps from SS men and sailors on the decks. Again and again voices could be heard that Lori didn't understand because they spoke German. But Lori kept hearing the Hitler salute. When the fleet reached the port of Saint Nazaire, thousands of soldiers could be seen on the shore. Most from the Wehrmacht. But a number not to be underestimated were from the SS. When the port was reached, and the KMS Derfflinger, the Enterprise and several destroyers were at the berths, Mirror-Lily shooed Lori overboard. Looking towards the Enterprise, Lori saw the name tags being removed from the bow. And a black lettering was applied with paint. Lori saw the Enterprise being renamed in Munich. A lectern was placed in front of the berth, and at least three thousand SS men stood in front of it. Mirror-Lily walked up to the lectern and directed Lori to stand next to her. Mirror-Lily spoke into the microphone.
"Heute, ist ein Grosser Tag!"
(Today is a big day!)
"Uns Gelang es eine gelegenheit für den Endsieg zu sichern! Um Die Sowjetische bedrohung des Jüdischen Bolschewismus, und des Japanischen Kaisereiches zu vernichten!"
(We managed to secure an opportunity for final victory! To annihilate the Soviet threat of Jewish Bolshevism, and the Japanese Empire!)
Mirror-Lily turned and took out a champagne bottle.
"Dein Name ist München!"
(Your name is Munich!)
Lily threw the champagne bottle at the Enterprise's bow and it shattered. At the same time as the Chapanger ran down the Bug into the sea, the Reich War Flag was hoisted.
"You see Lori. Germany always wins."
Mirror-Lily turned around. She did the Hitler salute.
"Männer der SS! Arische Freunde! Heil Hitler!"
(Men of the SS! Aryan friends! Heil Hitler!)
And in a massive volume, three thousand SS men respond with the words, "Heil Hitler." A marching band began to play. And the Three Thousand SS Men, and Mirror-Lily, began to sing a song that not only sounded ominous, but was ominous in every way.
«SS marschiert in Feindesland
und singt ein Teufelslied,
ein Schütze steht am Wolgastrand
und leise summt er mit.»
(SS marches into enemy territory
and sings a devil song
a shooter stands on the edge of the Volga
and softly he hums along.)
«Wir pfeifen auf Unten und Oben
und uns kann die ganze Welt,
verfluchen oder auch loben,
Grad wie es jedem gefällt.»
(We whistle on below and above
and the whole world can
curse or praise
Just as everyone likes it.)
«Wo wir sind da geht's immer vorwärts
und der Teufel, der lacht nur dazu:
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!
Wir kämpfen für Deutschland,
wir kämpfen für Hitler,
der Rote kommt niemals zur Ruh'.»
(Wherever we are, we're always moving forward
and the devil only laughs:
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!
We fight for Germany
we fight for Hitler
the red one never rests.)
«Wir kämpften schon in mancher Schlacht
in Nord, Süd, Ost und West,
und stehen nun zum Kampf bereit
gegen die rote Pest.»
(We've fought in many a battle
in north, south, east and west,
and are now ready to fight
against the red plague.)
Lori stopped listening. As the song went on, she swore to herself, quietly and secretly, something.
"I'd rather die than help you. I will do whatever I can to help the Russians, the Jewish people, the Muslim people, and everyone else to defeat you. Nazism must die!"
And she would never break that oath. Never give up. And hold on to the bitter end.
After the horror of the ship's christening, a black Mercedes Benz pulled up, and Lily motioned for Lori to get in. Lori wondered where they were going. She looked through the window. Saint Nazaire was a beautiful town. Typically French. The flag of Vichy France hung on some buildings. But they stopped nowhere. Mirror-Lily seemed to notice Lori looking out the window.
"We're not staying in France."
"Where are you taking me?"
"To the capital of the Reich. Berlin."
The Mercedes drove into a meadow. The driver stopped and let them both get out. In the meadow, Lori noticed the mighty Messerschmitt 264 standing there. The infamous German America bomber stood in front of her. Mirror-Lily motioned for them to get in. Once inside, Lori noticed that the bomber was no longer a bomber, but a high-ranking officer transport aircraft. The place where the bomb bay and the brackets for the bombs should be was actually a nicely furnished passenger compartment. Even windows, which allowed a generous view outside, were let in. The engines were started and The America Bomber took off. As the Former Bomber flew above the clouds, Lori looked at the sky and the cloud cover. This was the only thing in this world that was still beautiful. But that didn't last long. Two Horten 229 flew to the side of the bomber. Those flying wings were scary. They looked terrible, flew for a terrible purpose, and were the construct of evil. Lori looked at these flying wings. They didn't even fly like airplanes. She would rather compare it to a bat. They were so agile, fast. Two hours later, the Messerschmidt 264 landed at an airport near Berlin, together with the two Horten 229s. When the America bomber was on the ground, Mirror-Lily spoke for the first time since Saint Nazaire.
"Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine Ernst Klein wants you at a meeting."
"What is this meeting about?"
"The end of Bolshevism and the Jewish world conspiracy. You have learned different tactics than we have. The Soviets do not know these. You will fully cooperate with Grossadmiral Klein. Got it?"
Lori thought of what Lincoln had said. Ernst Klein was an ally. The resistance. Lori did what she thought would be for the best. She raised her right arm.
"Understood Oberst-Gruppenfuhrer Laut. Heil Hitler."
Mirror Lily smiled.
"Finally you understood how it works. You are driven to a hotel in a car. Rest. Heil Hitler."
Mirror-Lily exited the Messerschmitt and got into a black Mercedes Benz. Lori also got out of the Messerschmitt. She got into a Mercedes, where an SS man was standing, and called her over. Lori was driven to a hotel, and there she rested. The next day, she had to remember important information. In the morning she was rudely woken up by SS officers. She was given a uniform of the Kriegsmarine and told to report to the responsible office in the hotel in ten minutes. Lori did this. However, when she saw the spot, an SS man said a car was waiting in front of the hotel. She walked in front of the hotel, and a black Mercedes, license plate ᛋᛋ-1503, was waiting outside. Lori got in and the Mercedes drove off. Lori saw a part of town that looked like ancient Rome. At the mighty gate was the inscription "Germania". The Mercedes drove into an area where there were more soldiers and SS men than civilians. The Mercedes stopped in front of the New Reich Chancellery and the door was held open for Lori. The SS Man did the Hitler salute. Lori returned this. Another pulled up behind Lori's Mercedes, license plate ᛋᛋ-3. Mirror-Lily got out and approached Lori. Mirror-Lily did the Nazi salute.
"Heil Hitler. Vice Admiral Laut."
"Heil Hitler. Generaloberst Laut."
"I see you were resting. That's good. History is being made today."
"What is it about?"
"You'll see."
Mirror-Lily led Lori to the New Reich Chancellery. In the hallways, Lori saw someone she could only recognize as Lynn's counterpart in this universe. Mirror-Lynn.
(Mirror-Lynn)
"Na wen haben wir den Hier. Ist das nicht unsere Geliebte schwester?"
(Well who do we have here. Isn't that our beloved sister?)
(Mirror-Lily)
"Ja. Die Jüdischen geiselnehmer sind nicht so schlau wie man denkt. Ich habe sie Höchst persönlich mit zwei SS Männern zurückgeholt."
(Yes. The Jewish kidnappers are not as smart as you might think. I personally brought her back with two SS men.)
(Mirror-Lynn)
"Ich denke schon. Übrigens konnte ich in Italien, in der Nähe von Florenz, ungefähr tausend Juden ausfindig machen. Alle auf dem Weg nach Auschwitz. Mit persönlichem Befehl von mir, direkter Weg in die Gaskammer."
(I think so. By the way, I was able to locate about a thousand Jews in Italy, near Florence. All of them on the way to Auschwitz. With personal orders from me, direct way to the gas chamber.)
(Mirror-Lily)
"Du bringst mir immer gute Neuigkeiten. Ich setze mich für dich ein dich zum Obersten Offizier der GESTAPO zu machen."
(You always bring me good news. I'm committed to making you a senior officer of the GESTAPO.)
(Mirror-Lynn)
"Das weiss ich zu schätzen. Die Endlösung ist nah."
(I appreciate that. The final solution is near.)
(Mirror-Lily)
"Das hoffe ich. Wenn du uns entschuldigst, wir haben noch einen Termin."
(I hope so. If you'll excuse us, we still have an appointment.)
(Mirror-Lynn)
"Verstehe. Bis später."
(I see. See you later.)
Mirror Lily walked on. Lori followed her. She didn't understand the conversation. But she was sure that the two did not discuss anything good. At a door, the two walked through, into a room with maps of the whole world on it, and some people in suits and uniforms. Most were seated at an oval table. A few sat against the walls with something hanging from their ears. A high-ranking SS officer and a functionary of the NSDAP approached the two. The SS officer spoke English with an extremely strong German accent.
"Vizeadmiral Laut. I am SS Brigadefuehrer Erich Fuchs. I was instructed by Ernst Klein to accompany you."
Mirror Lily answered him.
"Now the Kriegsmarine is speaking into my area of responsibility? As a member of the SS, you report to me."
"Of course, Generaloberst Laut. However, Vice Admiral Laut is not subordinate to the SS, but to the Navy. And someone from the SS is better suited to instruct you in our plans. And if I may say, Generaloberst, you are too important to deal with something like that to hand over."
"Then do it like this."
Mirror-Lily stepped away, and with the NSDAP official, to other high-ranking NSDAP officials. Erich Fuchs gave Lori a device with a cable.
"Put this in your ear. Someone will translate everything and you won't have any trouble understanding everything."
Lori put the device on. She heard nothing. As the officers sat down at the table, and Lori sat down in a chair that was against the wall, she heard a voice translating a high-ranking NSDAP official.
"Gentlemen. I'm glad you're here. The Reich Chancellor had invited you all to this meeting."
A man who had gray hair and was wearing a suit began to speak. This had to be Reich Chancellor von Schiller.
"Exactly. We have to prepare for the last part of the task that our Aryan race has. Reichsfuhrer SS and the Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Atomic Forces already have some plans how we will implement this."
A projector began to shine on the world map. This shows arrows pointing from the oceans, and the German territories in North and South America, as well as Poland to the Soviet Union, and Japan. The NSDAP functionary spoke.
"Phase One. Silos and submarine-launched nuclear missiles target primary targets. These include San Fransico, Sacramento, Portland, Hawaii, Seattle, Vancouver, and Los Angeles to the west. To the east, Moscow, Kiev, Minsk, St. Petersburg, Vladiwostok, Beijing, Dehli, Seoul, Osaka, as well as Sydney, Canberra, and Kyoto. Time to first impacts, approximately fifteen minutes after launch."
"And why not Tokyo, in phase one?" asked Von Schiller.
Mirror-Lily began to answer.
"If we kill the Emperor, it will prolong the conflict."
"Why should we spare him?" asked an officer wearing a Waffen SS uniform.
"The Japanese must see their god surrender. And thus accept the superiority of our master race."
"They will accept this even without him. Destroy Tokyo in phase one."
"Yes. Phase two. Airborne bombers, and nuclear-tipped bombs attacking secondary targets. Salt lake City, Reno, Frenso, and Tijuana to the west. To the east, Smolensk, Poltava, Taipei, Dongguan, Bangkok, Manila, Davao, Brunei, Kuala Lumpur, Medan, Jakarta and Singapore to the east. Time to first impacts, approximately six hours after launch."
Lori now understood what was planned. A nuclear war.
"The third phase begins with the ground offensive by the Wehrmacht and the Kriegsmarine. However, there are bureaucratic problems that will arise on the Eastern Front."
"Which?"
Mirror Lily replied.
"The rail network of the Deutsche Reichsbahn is fully utilized. It is needed because of the trains to Auschwitz."
Von schiller spoke to Mirror-Lily.
"I welcome your efforts in the sense of the final solution. However, the railway network is required for the Wehrmacht."
"I am not willing to slow down the final solution and weaken the efficiency of Auschwitz and the other concentration camps in the east."
"Well you have to put up with that. And besides, there are still fifty million Jews waiting for you in the east. You still have plenty of time."
The meeting went on. And more and more terrible things were discussed. When the meeting was over, Erich Fuchs came to Lori. He gestured to Lori to come outside. She followed him, and in front of the New Reich Chancellery he began to speak.
"You know who Luna Laut is? Don't you?
"My sister. I was told that she was deported."
"Yes. She's there in that Mercedes."
Erich Fuchs Pointed to a Black Mercedes, License Plate ᛋᛋ-2869.
"Before you go to her, remember that she doesn't look human. You're from the Kriegsmarine. You don't know what the world is like."
Lori looked at Erich Fuchs, and then at the Black Mercedes. She walked towards it, opened the door, and sat down. In the Mercedes was Mirror-Luna. With a shaved head, young, almost dead eyes, skinny as a skeleton, and in a striped suit, with a pink triangle pointing down. A number above it. 857748-65775.
"Luna?"
Mirror-Luna's eyes move to Lori. She was extremely weak physically.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I was taken halfway to the gas chamber. Why am I here and not dead?"
"I got you out."
Mirror Luna smiled. It was an empty, dead, and sad smile.
"Want to do it in person? Go ahead."
"What?"
"Kill me."
Lori looked at the bottom of the mercedes. She used a word she had picked up from Mirror-Lily.
"Flughafen."
The driver drove off. To the airport. There, where the same Messerschmitt as the day before was still standing. Lori carried Mirror Luna inside, and gave the pilot a target. Saint-Nazaire. The Messerschmitt took off accompanied by the two Horten 229 and flew to Saint Nazaire. While the Messerschmitt flew over Germany and France, Lori looked for other clothes for Mirror-Luna. She found a suitcase that must have belonged to someone in the Gestapo. Inside was a suit. Lori Half Mirror-Luna getting dressed. She noticed how lifeless and weak she was. Lori didn't want to imagine what must have happened in Auschwitz for her to be mauled like this. Lori looked at Mirror-Luna a bit more. Then she put her cap on Mirror-Luna's head. It should be less noticeable that way. Lori took out a bottle of water and gave Mirror-Luna a glass full of water. Mirror Luna was skeptical. But she drank like Lori had never seen anyone drink before. It was quiet. Only the four engines of the Messerschmitt and the jet engines of the two Horten 229s could be heard. But Mirror-Luna began to speak.
"How do you like it when you have your period?"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Your period? How do you like this time of the month?"
"Not at all. I find it extremely uncomfortable."
Mirror Luna laughed weakly.
"You spoiled brat. You've never changed. I wish I could get my period back."
"You don't have any?"
"Auschwitz is the meaning of pain, Lori. Only enough to eat that you might still be a worker. Too little. Your periods stop. And enough that you don't starve. When you get into Auschwitz, you think It's a nightmare. But when the air only smells of burned flesh and the landscape looks snowy because so much ash is coming out of the crematorium chimneys, you quickly think that. This is Auschwitz. The death factory."
"Why did you come there? Just because you're a lesbian?"
"Lesbian? What's that supposed to mean? Sexually deviant."
Luna looked out the window. She pointed to the clouds.
"There she is. My love. Number 857748-65776. She received a mercy death in the gas chamber. With me. But then I was taken to Berlin. Because you apparently ordered it."
"Who was she? Was her name Sam?"
For the first time, Mirror Luna's eyes looked alive.
"Sam. Sam. We forgot our names. We didn't have names anymore. Only numbers. Sam."
Mirror-Luna sadly looked out the window at the clouds. She started saying Sam's name incessantly. The Messerschmitt flew on. So far above the clouds, no one could hear Mirror-Lunas calling for Sam. Except for Lori. And it felt like torture for her. Lori considered hugging Mirror Luna. But this was wrong. Lori would never be able to understand what horrors Mirror-Luna must have experienced. The Messerschmitt landed in Saint Nazaire. There we went again with a black Mercedes to the port. There lay the Enterprise, which now bore the coat of arms of the city of Munich on the bow. Two SS men guarded the ascent to the Enterprise. Lori stepped in front of the two, with Mirror Luna behind her.
(SS Man)
"Durchgang Verboten!"
(Acces denied!)
Lori yelled at the SS men.
"I am Vice Admiral of the Kriegsmarine! I go where I want! And you worms will not stop me!"
The SS men looked at each other. Apparently neither of them understood English. Mirror-Luna pointed to Lori's insignia of rank.
(Mirror-Luna)
"Kriegsmarine. Vizeadmiral."
(Kriegsmarine. Vice Admiral.)
The two SS men cleared access and gave the Hitler salute. Lori ignored both of them and went on the Enterprise with Mirror-Luna. Both managed to get to Lori's quarters. Lori looked in the refrigerator in her quarters, and found yogurt, cheese, and some bread in a cupboard. She gave everything to Mirror-Luna.
"Eat this. This will do you good."
Mirror Luna immediately began to eat. Never that anyone so fast in front of Lori. Three yoghurt cups within a minute.
"I'm going to The Bridge. Stay here."
Lori left the quarters and closed the door. She went to the bridge. There were officers from the Kriegsmarine, and Mirror-Lincoln, and someone Lori could only recognize as Mirror-Lisa.
"Are you still here? I mean, are you alive?"
"Am I dead in the mirror universe too? Like you Lincoln?" Mirror-Lisa said.
"Apparently. Lori, we have everything prepared. However, there are problems with the so-called computer."
"Which?"
"All functions of the ship are blocked." Said Mirror Lisa.
Lori knew what to do. She went to a computer console.
"Computer, cancel officer command structure of USS Enterprise, CVN-97."
The computer's voice rang out, and Mirror-Lisa, Mirror-Lincoln, and every officer on the bridge winced.
"Please confirm with code."
Lori held her fingers to the fingerprint sensors and said the code.
"Tango-342-Charlie-32-X-ray-531-Bravo-995-Mike-2432-Sierra-421-Papa-33-Zulu-44-Echo-12-SierraMike-22-Tango-17."
"Confirmed. Rudders released. Nuclear reactor idle. Should it be powered up?"
"Confirm."
A screen showing a schematic of the reactor showed the control rods being deployed. Mirror-Lisa and Mirror-Lincoln were thrilled.
"Is it that simple?" said Mirror-Lisa confused.
"Welcome to a world where Germany has lost. It's time to catch up. Untie the ropes. Lift anchor. Prepare torpedo tubes. When we leave Saint Nazaire, I want to cause a bit of chaos. And i have to warn you. The Reich leaders want to make a big nuclear war." said Lori.
"It's good that you're going to tell us. Lisa, tell the KGB. And now we're going to cause some chaos."
"What are you thinking about?" asked Mirror-Lincoln.
"When we leave port, we'll fire a Mark VI torpedo at every ship. That should disable every battleship here, and pulverize every destroyer. Is the Derfflinger in port too?" Lori asked.
"No. She's a hundred kilometers off the coast, and she waiting for us with the aircraft carriers Max Immelmann and Graf Zeppelin, and with the battleships Bismarck, Tirpitz, Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, as well as with the cruisers Clausewitz and Admiral Hipper. The North Atlantic Fleet, with seven battleships, fourteen battlecruisers, seventeen heavy cruisers, eighteen light cruisers and twenty-eight destroyers, which will accompany us to the south where we will meet the Japanese and Soviets."
"Perfect. Gentlemen, let's begin."
The ropes were untied, the anchor weighed, and the thrusters began to move the Enterprise away from the berth. From the bridge, Lori saw how the two men of the SS, who were supposed to be guarding the Enterprise, looked at the now moving Enterprise, dumbfounded. The first torpedo was fired. This shot through the water towards a destroyer, and this exploded in a huge fountain. A Kriegsmarine Officer yelled.
"Torpedorohr zwei wird Nachgeladen!"
(Torpedo Tube two Reloading!)
Mirror-Lincoln gave Commands.
"Alle schiffe befeuern! Los!"
(Fire all ships! Go!)
Another two torpedoes fired from the starboard side below the waterline of the Enterprise's hull. A torpedo made a ninety degree turn to the left and hit the stern of a heavy cruiser. This one swayed from the explosion. The other torpedo shot at another destroyer, and also shredded it. The Enterprise was slowly but surely turning right to enter the Atlantic. A torpedo shot straight ahead out of the Enterprise's bow, turning nearly 120 degrees. The torpedo headed toward a battleship being loaded in port. The torpedo hit the armor belt, tearing a huge hole in the battleship. As the enterprise passed right next to the battleship, all the port torpedo tubes fired, and when the three torpedoes hit the battleship, there was a so loud and dull bang that the whole enterprise shook. And when the harbor was behind them, Lori gave a long-awaited order.
"Full steam ahead."
The Enterprise began to accelerate to her 27 knots top speed. The coast was getting farther and farther away. And the Derfflinger combat unit came closer and closer. As the Enterprise rode into the battle formation, Lori went outside on the Flight deck. She looked at the German ships that would change sides. Mirror-Lincoln came to her side.
"Isn't she a beautiful lady, the Derfflinger?"
Lori looked at the many guns, the two thick chimneys, and the extremely beefy and massive appearance of the Derfflinger.
"Yes. She is beautiful."
"Mecklenburg-Class. Sixteen 305mm guns spread across four twin turrets. Turtle shell Armor belt design. Nothing gets through. Eight torpedo tubes. Four per side. Maximum speed of 34 knots. And there are four sister ships. The KMS Mecklenburg, the KMS Köln, the KMS Mannheim, and the KMS Stuttgard."
"Are these the strongest battleships in the Kriegsmarine?"
"No. These are the ships of the Hannover class. Eight 483 mm guns. Faster than thirty knots. Turtle design in the armor belt, with reinforced and thicker steel. There are only three ships of the Hannover class. The KMS Hannover, the KMS Berlin, and the KMS Adolf Hitler. Fortunately, we have the Berlin on our side."
"What ship is that over there?"
Lori pointed to a ship that was parallel to the Enterprise.
"The Tirpitz. The Beast. Or, the Lonely Queen of the North Sea. There is so much to tell about the Tirpitz. But that would…"
There was a kind of siren sound coming from the sky. Mirror-Lincoln ran to the bridge.
"Stuka! Stuka!"
Lori looked up at the sky, and out of the clouds appeared a myriad of Junkers 87 planes. And they dived toward the Enterprise, making the eerie siren sound that plane was known for. Sailors ran onto the flight deck, with machine guns. She heard Mirror-Lincoln yell something from the bridge.
"Gebt Laut eine Hitlersäge!"
(Give Laut a Hitler saw!)
A sailor gave her a MG 42. Lori knew immediately what to do. She pointed the MG 42 at one of the Stukas, and fired on it. The first Stukas dropped the bombs. Fountains sprang out of the water around the Enterprise and a bomb hit the stern. Anti-aircraft fire erupted from every ship around the Enterprise. Lori kept aiming at the Stuka, which was flying straight towards the enterprise. And it began to burn, and crashed into the sea alongside the Enterprise, along with its siren sound. Bismarck and Gneisenau's anti-aircraft defenses were also successful, shooting down five Stukas. The Tirpitz even six. The remaining Stukas flew away. But from the Graf zeppelin came engine noise, and Lori saw a squadron of Horten 229 take off. Lori continued to look around. Mirror-Lincoln shouted for her to come onto the bridge. Lori ran to the bridge.
"What was that?" asked Lori.
"That was the Luftwaffe. And there will definitely be more to come. If I'm right, then in a few minutes Messerschmitt 264 and Horten H XVIII attacks will begin. Maybe even Spanish ones. Is the Enterprise's anti-aircraft defense working?"
"Yes. The missiles are always ready."
On the deck, sailors began to yell and pull up in the sky. Lori went out again and saw white lines at extreme altitude and silvery shiny flying wings. Horten H XVIII. Lori turned and yelled into the bridge.
"What did i say? Anti-Aircraft!" Mirror-Lincoln ordered.
The Enterprise's anti-aircraft missiles fired, shooting into the sky in a black streak of smoke. It was hard to see, but an explosion formed ten kilometers up and fragments of the Horten H XVIII fell from the sky. And with the fragments also bombs. Bombs dropped by the other bombers. A bomb hit destroyer Z-5451, destroying it within milliseconds. A bomb hit the sea next to the Enterprise, causing her to tremble with the explosion. Another bomb hit the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper. The bomb penetrated turret C and detonated. Fragments from Turret C flew everywhere, landing on the Enterprise's flight deck. More anti-aircraft missiles were launched. Lori watched them and saw a squadron of Messerschmitt 264s being destroyed. If the anti-aircraft defenses worked at long range, they shouldn't have any more problems. Lori handed over command to Mirror-Lincoln, and went to her quarters, where Mirror-Luna was sitting on the bed, looking out the window. The stern of the Tirpitz could be seen from the bed. Mirror Luna seemed unsettled and frightened.
"What happened?"
"The Germans attacked us."
"That doesn't make any sense. We're Germans."
"Luna, our roots are in America. Mine certainly. And I prefer to see America in Soviet and Japanese hands than in German hands."
"We fight against the Reich?"
"Yes. Along with the Soviets and the Japanese."
Mirror Luna looked down thoughtfully.
"When I think about being deported by my sister, I don't want to be on the same side of the conflict as her. I want... I want…"
"What do you want?"
"I want Lily dead."
Lori looked out the porthole. The Tirpitz drove effortlessly through the waves. Lori thought about her Lily. To the Lily she loved. Not a the goddamn Mirror-Lily. During the night Lori slept on the floor next to the bed. Mirror-Luna got the luxury of a bed. But in the middle of the night there was a loud knock on the door. They were Kriegsmarine sailors.
"Captain Laut wants to see you on the flight deck."
Lori went outside, but Mirror-Luna followed her. There were an enormous number of people on the flight deck. Everyone looked at the sky. Lori also looked at the sky. In the sky, many small reddish-orange dots shot slowly through the sky. Like little fireflies. It looked beautiful.
"What is that?" asked Lori.
Nobody answered. Until Mirror-Lisa did.
"This is nuclear war."
Lori realized all those dots in the sky that looked like fireflies were German, Italian, Soviet and Japanese nuclear missiles. The first phase had begun. The dots flew around. And sometimes the sailors and Lori saw a faint light appear on the horizon, which disappeared again. And each light had just ended hundreds of thousands of lives. Lori leaned against the wall of the bridge structure. It was hard to describe what was going through her head. Probably because a nuclear war means the end of the world. There she sat for Hours. A crimson sun rose on the horizon. The morning after the nuclear holocaust had dawned. The Enterprise was now probably in the mid-Atlantic. The mood on the Enterprise was depressing. Everyone on the ship had probably just lost their families in an atomic firestorm. Lori rubbed her eyes. What else to fight for? The world was probably no longer viable anyway. Lori contemplated suicide. She was already in the wrong universe. And Lorraine and Miranda didn't exist here either. Maybe she should shoot herself. Or jump into the ocean. Maybe poison. These thoughts only stopped when over a hundred and twenty ships appeared on the horizon. Mirror-Lincoln stepped onto the flight deck. He called every ship by its name. The Soviet destroyers Kiev, Khabarovsk, Zorky, Ognevoy. The heavy cruisers Moscow, Stalingrad, Petropavlovsk, and battleships named Sovetzky Soyus, Kremlin, Admiral Ushakov, Vladimir I Lenin and Slava. Mirror-Lincoln stopped talking when he saw the full extent of this fleet.
"Lori. Look at that!"
"I've never seen anything like it."
"The Ushakov and the Kremlin are equal to the Hannover. And the Slava. Among the officers, ships of the Slava class are also called the Communism Launchers. Look, the Japanese! The aircraft carrier Taiho, Shinano, Hakuryu. The battleships. The Yamato, Musashi, Shikishima, Yashima, Satsuma, Tokyo, And the Tenno Hirohito."
A sailor yelled.
"Kapitän! Da drüben!"
(Captain! Over there!)
Mirror-Lincoln saw an aircraft carrier flying the Soviet flag.
"But that's... The aircraft carrier Josef Stalin. The Soviets gave everything."
The destroyer Zorky Headed for the Enterprise, and made a maneuver to run parallel next to her. A flight of stairs was lowered and officers in Soviet uniform came on board. Among other things, a woman. It was Lori. Mirror-Lori. She entered the flight deck and looked around. Mirror Lincoln went to her.
"Do you like what you see?" asked Mirror Lincoln.
"Definitely. The fighting power must be enormous." said Mirror Lori.
"Fact. The Enterprise will help us. Germany cannot win."
"Fact."
"Does the KGB know where Lily is?"
"Yes. She's on the battleship Hannover. And she's on her way here. With all the rest of the Z-Plan fleet. Well, the part of the Z-Fleet wich is not destroyed by the Nuclar offensive."
"Should we retire?"
"Not recommended. I propose that a battle group consisting of Derfflinger, Bismarck, Gneisenau, Tirpitz and Scharnhorst, plus all Japanese ships and three quarters of the Soviet ships, mount an offensive on Z Fleet."
Lori heard the two speak. As she emerged her own self, a realization surfaced in her mind. This isn't Lori's world. Lori didn't belong here. Lori looked at the crimson sun. As they look at Mirror-Lori, she knew she had to go. Two lories are too many. She got up. She knew what she wanted. on a ship. On any battleship visiting the battle. Maybe the Derfflinger. Or The Berlin. In the end maybe just the Scharnhorst. Lori approached Mirror-Lincoln and Mirror-Lori. Mirror-Lori was surprised. It was like looking into a twin's eyes for both of them. Lori started to speak.
"I... I can't stay on the Enterprise. I have to go to another ship. The Derfflinger, Berlin, Scharnhorst, or the Tirpitz. I have to fight the Germans."
"Who the hell are you?" asked Mirror Lori.
"She is you and you are her." said Mirror Lincoln.
"What do you mean?"
"That does not matter." Lori said firmly. "I have to get on a ship of this combat group. You know enough about the enterprise. I have to fight the Nazis."
"Is that important? You are very important." said Mirror-Lincoln.
"Yes, please."
Mirror Lori replied.
"Is Tirpitz okay?"
"I don't care. I just have to belong to this combat group."
"Well then. Then you are now the new Commander of the KMS Tirpitz."
"That fast?"
"I know that you are me. I can't refuse a request of myself."
Mirror-Lori smiled at Lori. Lori smiled back.
"What are you waiting for Lori?"
Lori turned to Mirror-Lincoln. She hugged him.
"I couldn't really say goodbye to you last time. And how much I love you."
Mirror-Lincoln whispered in Lori's ear.
"I know you mean your Lincoln, and not me. I appreciate it just as much, I think. Go make your Lincoln proud, and not me."
Lori ran to the stairs and entered the destroyer Zorky. This brought Lori to her new ship. She waved at the Enterprise, turned, and looked to her future. The Mighty Tirpitz. The Zorke maneuvered through several other Soviet and Japanese ships, but she reached the Tirpitz. The Tirpitz was in no way comparable to the Derfflinger or the Enterprise. She was an old, lovingly maintained battleship. A Navy officer followed her step by step. Lori turned to him.
"What do you want?"
"I'm the first officer Jäger. I report directly to you."
"Okay. Then familiarize me with the Tirpitz, sir."
"Tirpitz, Bismarck class. Four double guns, two on the bow, two on the stern. Caliber 380 millimeters. Heavily armored. The most important victory in her history is the sinking of the American battleship USS Iowa. In addition, she was a few hours after the nuclear attack New York in 1948 near the American coast, and started shelling infrastructure. Do you need more?"
"No. Actually yes. Where is the bridge?"
"It's right behind Turret Bruno. Wait. I'll show you."
Jäger led Lori onto the bridge. There were many officers of the Kriegsmarine there. Jäger began to speak loudly in German.
"Das Ist Vizeadmiral Laut! Sie ist der Neue Kommandierende Offizier der Tirpitz! Sie wird Unsere Dame in die Schlacht Führen! Und sie siegreich Herausbringen!"
(That's Vice Admiral Loud! She's the new Commanding Officer of the Tirpitz! She'll lead Our Lady into battle! And bring her out victorious!)
All officers nodded. One of low rank approached the two.
"Wir wurden von den Sowjetischen Admirälen gebeten abzudrehen, und der Sowjetisch japanischen Kampfgruppe zu folgen."
(We were asked by the Soviet admirals to turn around and follow the Soviet-Japanese battle group.)
Jäger turned to Lori.
"We received orders from the Soviet to follow the Japanese battle group. What is your decision?"
"Carry out the command."
Jäger translated it into German. Lori walked towards a chair near the helmsman's post. She sat down and looked closely at the bridge. The technology that was installed here was now a hundred years old. It was so obvious that the Tirpitz didn't come from this century. The bridge had the old design from the second world war. Tiny window made of a foot thick armored glass, and the entire bridge was made of more than a foot thick Krupp steel. Lori watched the helmsman turn the wheel and the Tirpitz slowly began to turn. It was almost as if Tirpitz didn't want to turn. She was sluggish but fast. Lori had learned all this from Lily. your Lily. The Good Lily. Not Mirror Lily. As for Mirror-Lily, if she was on the KMS Hannover as the KGB reports said she was, then Lori's first order in battle would be to concentrate fire on the Hannover. Lori walked off the bridge once more, and looked at the Enterprise, which was being escorted away by Soviet destroyers. Her gaze swept from the ocean liner to the massive eight 380mm guns. This was her new ship. The Tirpitz. The lonely queen of the North Sea. As Lori looked towards the bow, she saw dark clouds on the horizon. Grey, slightly brownish clouds. And when the clouds were over the Tirpitz, ash slowly began to fall from the sky. Lori went into the bridge. Because the ash was radioactive fallout. Lori went to Jäger.
"Tell the crew and other ships that as few people as possible should be exposed to the ash."
Jäger nodded, and turned to the communications officer.
"Benachrichtigen sie die Besatzung, dass kontakt mit Asche möglichst zu vermeiden ist, und leiten sie das an die Streitmacht weiter."
(Notify the crew to avoid contact with ash whenever possible and refer this to the force.)
The force drove on. The whole sky went dark. The ash covered everything. And it started raining. Black Rain. The water that the windshield wipers washed off the armored glass almost looked like ink. The rain turned into a thunderstorm. And the waves got higher and higher. Lori just sat on the bridge, sometimes went to the toilet, and returned immediately. Once Jäger said that a pack of wolves had been sunk. When Lori asked what he meant, he said a group of submarines. And what Lori learned, the wolf pack had sunk some destroyers. The hours passed. It was getting dark. Lori sat on the floor of the bridge, leaning against the wall. She needed some rest. Eventually Lori woke up. Things got hectic on the bridge. And from the battleship Derfflinger came Morse code by light signal. Lori turned to Jäger, who entered the bridge in a wet raincoat. The storm was extremely strong.
"What do these Morse codes mean?"
"The Z-Plan fleet has been spotted. The battle begins."
Lori looked back at the Derfflinger.
"Is Captain Lincoln Laut on the Derfflinger?"
"Yes. Like us, they are waiting for the command of the Admiral Ushakov."
"What's the signal?"
"A broadside of her 457 mm guns."
Lori looked at the Tirpitz's turrets. She turned back to Jäger.
"If the Hannover is sighted, I want the fire to be focused on her."
"Befehl an Geschützturm A, B, C und D. Feuer auf die Hannover konzentrieren."
(Orders to turrets A, B, C and D. Concentrate fire on the Hannover.)
Lori wanted to look back to the Derfflinger, but then it rumbled. And it rumbled again. The Soviet battleships opened fire. And then it banged with the Japanese. Lori saw the Shikishima's massive jet of flame, at least fifty meters long, and then a broadside from the Tokyo that looked like an explosion. The Tirpitz's gun turrets began to turn to port. And then the Tirpitz also gave a broadside. The whole ship shook. Lori saw flames and gunfire everywhere. She approached Jäger.
"Are we targeting the Hannover?"
"Yes! As you ordered!"
The middle artillery began firing. And after almost thirty seconds, the Tirpitz's eight 38 centimeter guns banged again. An officer looking at the Z-Plan fleet with binoculars made a report.
"Salve Deckend! Wahrscheinlich ein Treffer auf die Hannover!"
(Salve covering! Probably a hit on the Hannover!)
Jäger translated.
"One hit Vice Admiral!"
"Keep it up!"
After another thirty seconds the artillery fired again. A second later there was a noise so loud that everyone on the bridge had to cover their ears. Judging by the sound, the armor of the bridge had been hit by an armor-piercing shell, which ricocheted off. Lori's ears hurt. The Tirpitz's artillery fired again, accompanied at the same time by a Lightning. At this point, the thunder of the storm was indistinguishable from the thunder of the artillery. The sounds merged into one another. The Tirpitz fired again. And when the salvo was supposed to reach the Hannover, a huge ball of fire could be seen on the horizon where the Hannover was. The officer with the binoculars began to cheer.
"Die Hannover ist Detoniert! Sie ist Detoniert!"
(The Hannover has detonated! She is detonated!)
Jäger responded with an order.
"Feuern wenn bereit!"
(Fire when ready!)
"What happened?" asked Lori.
"The Hannover exploded. We carried out your order Vice Admiral."
Lori wanted to cheer, but she saw some officers shout and the helmsman turned the rudder wildly to port. And then it banged. A torpedo hit the stern. The helmsman sweared loudly.
"Scheisse! Das Ruder Klemmt bei dreizehn Grad Backbord! Ich kann nicht mehr steuern."
(Shit! The rudder is stuck at thirteen degrees port! I can't steer anymore.)
Jäger also sweared.
"Scheisse!"
(Shit!)
A look at the Tirpitz's rudder indicator showed that the rudder was jammed. And the Tirpitz slowly turned towards the Z-Plan fleet. A shell hit turret B and exploded. Pieces of armor flew into the ocean, exposing the guns, which were obviously destroyed.
"Geschützturm B ist explodiert!"
(Turret B exploded!)
A high-explosive shell hit the superstructure of the Tirpitz. The Lonely Queen of the North Sea broke through the front, unintentionally abandoning the protection of the allied fleet. In the middle between the fronts, the ships of the Z-Plan fleet could be seen more and more clearly. Lori took out a pair of binoculars and looked through them. She could see several battleships in the darkness. Sometimes the light was enough to see where the guards were facing. And sometimes she could even recognize the name of a ship. And two ships aimed at the Tirpitz. The KMS Grosser Kurfürst, and the KMS Adolf Hitler. And more and more shells hit the Tirpitz. Jäger took Lori and pushed her towards the door.
"See that you find a way off the ship! Or hide in the citadel! Go!"
Lori ran through the stairwells and the narrow corridors of the Tirpitz. Two powerful explosions sounded and shook the whole ship. These were definitely torpedo hits. As Lori ran towards the citadel, the Tirpitz began to tilt to starboard. She was full of water. Damage control sailors ran aroound. As Lori ran down a hallway, she was thrown to the ground by a blast. When she got up again, and wanted to run to a steel bag. But that was bent and was stuck. It was so tight that Lori couldn't get it open. She tried to run to the door she came from. But it was blocked by a steel girder that had been bent by the explosion. Lori was trapped. She ran to the other door and started banging on it.
"Get me out of here! Help!"
The Tirpitz leaned further. And Lori noticed that the Tirpitz was beginning to sink. Lori pounded even harder and panicked on the door.
"Let me out of here! I want out of here! Help!"
The Tirpitz was now capsized so far that Lori was standing on the steel wall and the door was sideways. She knocked even harder.
"Help! Help! Help me!"
The Tirpitz began to tilt bowward. And the walls began to drip. Sea water made a puddle, which became higher and higher. Lori kept knocking on the door.
"Don't let me drown! I want out of here! I want out of here!"
The water reached a point where Lori was knee deep. She gave up all hope. It would end here. As Lori swam in the water, all she could think about was her family. To Bobby, Lorraine, and Miranda. Lori began to say a prayer.
"Dear Lord, please take care of my two daughters and my husband. Please protect them at all times and let me wait for them in your eternal kingdom of heaven. Please let the three know that I have always loved them, and always love them And let Lorraine And Miranda live a happy life, free from sickness and suffering. And I beg of you from the bottom of my heart that my Bobby…"
Lori banged her head against the steel. The water was so high that only four inches of water remained. Lori held her face up. And then there was no more air. Lori was completely underwater. The Sinking Tirpitz took her to the bottom of the ocean. Lori felt the air getting too little. She tried to keep them inside. But at some point the air was so used that her mouth opened. She felt the air bubble out, and her body filled with water. her lungs, her stomach, everything felt watery. And then she felt nothing. The Lonely Queen of the North sea took her with her to the bottom of the ocean, and would never give her back.
Lori woke up. In a bed. In a hospital. Somehow she must have been found, and revived. Lori wanted to get up, but noticed the IV in her arm. She pulled the needle out and headed for the hospital room door. She was wearing a patient gown. Lori opened the door and walked out into the hallway, following the signs that said exit. A nurse approached her.
"Did you just wake up? Please lie down."
"I can't. Where am I? In Germany? The Soviet Union? Italy?"
As The Nurse was about to answer, Lori saw Lily in a waiting room. Lori turned around, ran towards Lily and grabbed her neck with both hands. Lily struggled, and grabbed both of Lori's wrists.
"I'll kill you you goddamn Nazi!"
"What are you talking about?" Lily asked.
"You know exactly what!"
"Chill out!" said a familiar voice.
The nurse, Sam and Lana pulled Lori away from Lily. Lori was massively confused now. She ended all resistance.
"Sam? You're alive? The Nazis gassed you."
Lana made a face like she had never heard such nonsense.
"What the fuck?"
"Nazis? Gassed me? What coma dream did you have?"
"Coma dream?" asked Lori.
Lily straightened her purple skirt, and straightened as usual.
"You slipped on one of Miranda's ice cubes and hit your head. That was three days ago."
"Ice cube?"
"Yes." said Sam, and let go of Lori. "You had a pretty bad day according to Lorraine, were very angry. Miranda heard a bang from the kitchen, went there and found you lying on the floor, with a pretty bad head wound. She immediately ran to Bobby, crying. Of course, he had immediately dialed an emergency call."
"You had quite a concussion." said the nurse.
"Then it wasn't all real?"
"What wasn't real?" lana asked, who now also let go of Lori.
"The Tirpitz. The Nazis. The nuclear war."
Lana looked at the nurse.
"Too much morphine?"
"It wasn't a dream. It was real. The Nazis won World War II and started World War III."
"The Wehrmacht surrendered on May 7th, 1945. Germany had lost the Second World War." said Lily.
"But you were in the SS."
"The SS has been banned since the end of World War II."
"But what about…"
"Lori stop." said Lana.
"You have to calm down." said Sam.
"But... oh it's all too much for me."
Sam and Lana grabbed Lori's arms.
"Come on, let's go back into the room." Lana said in a calm voice.
Lana and Sam brought Lori back to the hospital room, Lily followed them. And as Lori lay in bed, she told about the warping of the Enterprise, the Z-Plan fleet, the Tirpitz, and also about Mirror-Lincoln, Mirror-Lisa, Mirror-Lily, Mirror-Lynn, and Mirror-Luna. Sam and Lana were shocked. Lily just nodded. She was the only one who spoke after Lori.
"I guess your dream was pretty realistic. Your narration of the flying wings and the division of the world, as well as the other details are pretty realistic. I'm sorry if my 'Mirrored Variant' was so vicious."
"I should be sorry I tried to strangle you."
"This is not a problem given your confusion."
"How is your head?" asked Lana.
Lori touched her head and felt five stitches.
"I was stitched?"
"Oh, did we forget to tell you?"
"There was no time for that given her confusion."
"Yes, the wound had to be sewn up." Lana said, adjusting her shirt. "It was quite a mess on the kitchen floor."
"And Miranda cried for two days. Poor girl thought it was her fault."
Sam got up and opened the blinds of the room. A red light flooded the room. The sun was crimson over the horizon.
"Ah. Looks nice, doesn't it?"
"Is it evening already?" Lori asked, remembering the sunrise from her coma dream at the sight of the crimson sun.
"On the contrary. It's six in the morning." said Lily.
"Have you been here all night?"
"Yes. I mean someone should be here when you wake up."
"Thanks girls."
There was a knock at the door. Lola entered. In her hand she held a bottle of apple juice.
"Are you here? The hospital kiosk just opened and I have... Great that you're awake Lori."
"Hi Lola. Are you one of them?"
"We made a plan of who's here. The result, a plan that covered eight-hour shifts a day."
"Oh dear."
Lola looked at the bottle and then back at Lori.
"Apple juice?"
"Bring it on."
Lola opened the bottle and gave it to Lori.
"Drink it. You need liquid."
Lori started drinking. Lily spoke up again.
"Shall I text Roberto that you're awake?"
"You haven't informed Bobby yet?" asked Lola.
"Nope, there was still the Nazi thing." said Lana.
"Nazi?"
"Too long story." said Lori.
Lily took out her cell phone and put it aside.
"Fascinating. Roberto's answer came a few seconds later."
"If I have to explain love to you, then you always react like a robot anyway." said Lola.
"What does the message say Lily?"
"We'll be with you in twenty minutes."
"I hope he doesn't wake up the girls just for that."
"I don't think Lorraine and Miranda will be angry about that." said Sam.
"Maybe you are right."
Lola pointed to the door.
"Do I have to stay here or can I go home?"
"Oh come on Lola." said Lana disappointed.
"Go home." said Lori. "You deserve sleep."
"We all?" asked Sam.
"Yes. All of you. I can wait the twenty minutes."
"Okay see you later." said Lana.
Lana, Lola and Sam left the room. Lily stopped next to Lori.
"Do you want to say something?"
"Yes. Your dream wasn't unreal. I don't have a clean slate myself, and I think that the Mirrored Lily and I might be the same person for you."
"That was never the same person as you."
"Are you sure? A lot of people see me that way."
"That mirrored Lily acted out of hate. And I don't think you're capable of that."
"More than 2000 people have been murdered on my orders."
"Lily, I don't have the strength to argue with you about this. Yes, what you did was terrible. And I wonder why you weren't arrested. But maybe I'm not supposed to know why. Please, I had a nightmare, and expect soon my family. So please go home and sleep."
"I can't deny you that. I wish you a good recovery."
Lily left the hospital room. She looked out the window where the crimson colored sun hovered over the horizon. As it turned orange, the door opened and Miranda and Lorraine ran into the room, followed by Bobby. Miranda ran towards Lori crying, jumped on the bed and hugged Lori extremely tight.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."
Lori hugged her back.
"Everyone slips on an ice cube once. And look at me. Nothing happened princess."
Lorraine hugged Lori too.
"I'm sorry about that stupid chocolate."
"Forget that. Are you alright?"
"Yes."
Bobby sat down next to Lori and Miranda.
"Hi babe. How are you?"
"For having five stitches on my head and having a nightmare, very good."
Miranda snuggled even closer to Lori.
"It's okay Miranda. I'm not angry."
"But I hurt you."
"Yes. And it could have been worse. And look at me. I'm fine."
Bobby whispered in Miranda's ear.
"She wouldn't say it if she didn't mean it."
Miranda continued to sob anyway. Miranda didn't stop crying until breakfast came from the hospital kitchen. Lori was pretty hungry, and pretty quickly ate her scrambled eggs and bacon. Miranda only ate half and gave the rest to her mother.
"Thank you my angel." Lori said to Miranda.
The Santiagos spent the day playing poker, or monopoly. When Lorraine went broke at Monopoly, she cursed in such seaman's language that even Lori didn't find it funny anymore.
"When I get home we'll talk about this young lady."
The Santiagos kept playing. Towards evening they turned on the television. There was something in the news about a newly discovered species of monkey and that a breakthrough in alternative fuels had happened. At 8:00 p.m., Lana picked up Lorraine and Miranda. Bobby decided to stay with Lori for the night. Since Lily slept in the Santiagos' guest room where Ronnie Anne had slept the day before, there was someone there to look after the two. The three of Lorraine, Miranda and Lana walked the streets of Royal Woods.
"And? How was your mother?"
"Strange. Hospitals always smell so awful." said Lorraine.
"Lorraine cursed." said Miranda.
"Not very ladylike Lorraine. And not very attractive."
"Why? Why should I be attractive?"
"You know. For the boys. A girl like you will soon be very popular among the boys at school."
Lorraine blushed.
"Oh. I'm a scarecrow. I'm not attractive."
"Don't play yourself down. You and Miranda inherited the best genes from your parents."
"Really?" asked Miranda.
"Of course. You two will make very beautiful girls. But you are too young for a boyfriend. Lorraine is old enough though."
"There's no one for me."
Lana saw how Lorraine looked a little shyly to the side. Lana knew exactly what was going on.
"Aww. You have someone you like. Don't you dare to confess your feelings?"
Lorraine blushed even more.
"Please stop. I'm getting embarrassed."
"But of course." Lana said slightly sarcastically.
Miranda and Lana giggled softly. Lana thought Lorraine's demeanor was pretty cute. She herself had been at this stage in her teens. So Lana knew full well that Lorraine had set her eyes on a boy. When the three arrived at the Santiagos' house, Lorraine and Miranda said goodbye to lana and went into the house. Lily was sitting at the dining room table, on her notebook.
"Hi Aunt Lily."
"Hello. Since it's getting late, I recommend that you both take a shower and get ready for bed. As tomorrow is Sunday, it's acceptable if you go to sleep at 10:00 p.m."
"I don't want to take a shower." said Miranda.
"This is necessary for hygiene reasons. I insist that you take a shower. When you two have showered, I have to shower too."
Lorraine looked at Miranda.
"Should I be first?"
Miranda nodded. Lorraine went to take a shower. Fifteen minutes later she was done and Miranda reluctantly took a shower. After that Lily. Lorraine ducked into her room and Miranda watched some more TV. After the shower, Lily went straight back to her notebook. At 9:55 p.m. Lily woke up and looked at the couch. Miranda lay asleep in front of the tv. Lily took her in her arms and carried her into her room. She laid her carefully on her bed and covered her up. Then Lily ran to Lorraine's room, knocked, and entered. Lorraine was lying on her bed in a purple nightgown, her bare feet in the air, and typing on her phone.
"Lorraine, it's bedtime. I wish you a good night."
Lorraine turned off her cell phone and crawled under the covers.
"Aunt Lily?"
"Yes?"
"I always wonder if Uncle Lincoln's death makes you the way you are, or if it's something else."
"As for the deaths of your uncle and my brother, it was probably temporary. Your aunt Lynn said I smiled even after he died. This was after she regained consciousness after attempting suicide on the RWR power line."
"Wait? Aunt Lynn tried to commit suicide?"
"Yes. That failed. Luckily. As for your actual question of why I 'am the way I am'. I'm Asperger's Autistic. We seem pretty unemotional to most. But we're just really good at the co-introduction to them And Asperger's can't be caused by trauma. It's there or it's not there. Is that an answer you were hoping for?"
"Somehow?"
"I wish you a good night."
"Goodnight Aunt Lily."
Lily turned off the light and closed the door. She went to the guest room, put on a pair of pajamas, and went to sleep. Miranda woke up in the middle of the night. She was having a nightmare. That her mother still hadn't woken up, and everyone geve her the fault of that. She ran to her parents' room with her teddy bear. But nobody was in bed. Then she remembered that they were both in the hospital. Miranda ran to Lorraine's room, but stopped in front of the door apprupt. Because she remembered the last time she woke up Lorraine. This ended with Lorraine throwing a shoe at her. Miranda's last resort was Lily. And Lily was creepy in Miranda's eyes. But without someone by her side, she wouldn't be able to sleep either. Miranda went into the guest room and went to Lily. She shook her shoulder. In the dim light, Miranda saw Lily's eyes open.
"Is something wrong?"
"I had a nightmare. Can I sleep with you?"
Lily lifted the blanket. For Miranda the universal sign that she was allowed to sleep with her. She jumped like a little torpedo at Lily's side. Lily lowered the covers again. Miranda wasn't sure if she should run it, but she snuggled up to Lily.
"Shall I put my arms around you until you sleep?" Lily asked.
"Yes."
Lily did just that. Miranda felt safe. And with Lily. That always seemed impossible to her. Because Lily was like a robot from a science fiction movie in Miranda's eyes. But now, now it was great with Lily. Eventually Miranda fell asleep. And then Lily slept too. That night was nightmare-free for Miranda.
End of Chapter
On January 27, 1945, the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Red Army. Red Army soldiers found horrible conditions that no one could imagine even in the worst nightmare.
More than 12 million people were murdered during the Nazi regime. Of these, 6 million Jews, 7 million Soviet civilians, and 3 million Soviet prisoners of war. The number is probably even higher. The people were snatched in the most brutal way of their lives. The Nazis also murdered homosexuals, disabled people, communists, Muslims, dark-skinned…
The goal was to exterminate every race that was not Aryan. The Aryan race had been considered the "superior" chosen race. The main war criminals were convicted in the Nurberg trials. Most to death. Adolf Hitler, Josef Göbbels and Heinrich Himmler evaded justice by committing suicide. Some criminals, like Josef Mengele, also known as the Auschwitz Angel of Death, were never caught. His crimes included some of the most gruesome of the entire Holocaust. In the concentration camps, people were dehumanized and murdered either through work or through gas.
The last survivors of the concentration camps are still alive today and tell how it was. But there are fewer and fewer. Soon there will be none. Then we are the only ones who will remember these atrocities. We need to listen to these people while they're still alive.
It is our duty!
The car in which Mirror-Lily arrived in front of the new Reich Chancellery was real. The car with the license plate ᛋᛋ-3 still exists today. In this, Rheinhard Heydrich was fatally injured by a hand grenade in an assassination attempt by the Czech resistance. Reinhard Heydrich was involved in planning the mass murder of the Jewish people.
The battleship Tirpitz was sunk by the Royal Air Force on November 12, 1944. With the exception of the shelling of a weather station on Spitsbergen, she had never shot at the enemy. She was Germany's last battleship, and the largest ever built in Europe.
This chapter is dedicated to the victims of the National Socialists. May her suffering never be forgotten.