27th June, 1941.
"Sheffield, stand down!" Victory tries to de-escalate the situation.
"Ma'am, why is the prisoner out and about? What are you two up to?" Sheffield demands.
Bismarck recognises the Light Cruiser as the spy she brutalised. She didn't initially know as she was distracted by the maid uniform and the new hairstyle covering the eye she injured. "Sheffield… that is your name? I can only apologise for—"
"Apologise? For blinding my eye and paralysing my arm? Or for killing our beloved Lady Hood? Do you really expect to be forgiven for that?" Sheffield growls.
"Sheffield! I said stand down!" Victory positions herself between them.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but my duty dictates that I shall not obey the orders of someone who conspires with the enemy."
"I'm not conspiring with her! She's helping us!" Victory yells.
Sheffield almost falters, "I… I beg your pardon?"
Bismarck adds, "Sheffield, the Kommandantin speaks the truth. I have seen the Nazis for what they really are. I saw the pictures. I did not know that humans were even capable of such atrocities. Say whatever the hell you want about me, but I am willing to do anything I can to make up for my wrongdoings… including Frau Hood. I regret having to sink a fellow Kansen, now that I know there's a bigger threat that we need to be united against… I… I wish I could've known sooner who I should've been fighting… I would have surrendered to her. I should've listened to you, Sheffield. I should've looked into it…"
"They would have caught you and probably sent you to one of the camps yourself for trying, Bismarck. Also, I doubt your Admiral would've allowed you to surrender. What's done is done." Victory tries to comfort her.
Sheffield yells, "Ma'am! How could you just say something like that after she-"
They all hear a fourth voice as Sheffield feels a hand on her shoulder. "Miss Sheffield may take some time to trust you. You may regret your actions, but you mustn't let them torment you. Just focus on what you can do for us now, Miss Bismarck." The voice of Belfast says. "Miss Sheffield, Her Majesty requires your presence."
"Understood, Miss Belfast. Bismarck, Just know that if you try anything, the Royal Knights will put you down before you can even blink." Sheffield warns.
"Noted." Bismarck responds. Hesitantly, Sheffield puts away her guns and leaves.
Victory nods to Belfast, "Thank you, Bel."
The Head Maid curtsies, "Diffusing situations where you are in danger is simply a part of my job, Ma'am. I would also highly recommend that you keep Lady Wales separated from Miss Bismarck for now." She turns and follows Sheffield.
Victory looks back to Bismarck, who seems confused. "What's wrong?"
"You Royals… why do you all act so… strangely?" Bismarck asks.
Victory shrugs, "The whole Royalty and Maid thing? I don't know. I'm not named after anyone, so I really don't know why Elizabeth is convinced she's a real Queen. Nelson at least doesn't think she is her namesake, thank God. As for the Maids, they certainly play their roles well. I guess it's just what they want, and they're free to live how they like here outside of operations, and that means you as well now, Bismarck."
"Live how I want?" Bismarck looks at the base.
"Yeah. Just don't go angering anyone." They look at each other. "Okay, for you that might be a lot more difficult here, but at least try to be friendly, I suppose?"
"After what I've done, difficult may be an understatement…" Bismarck starts to walk back towards the base.
Victory walks with her, "You know, strategically speaking, we do have an advantage now, at least."
"And what is that?" Bismarck listens.
"Everyone in the world outside this base thinks you're dead. If you return in secret to offer your girls a better life here, they'll surely rally to you over living under fascism. Then we can start to decrease the naval power of Iron Blood and reinforce our effort against the Sirens. Also, the Nazis may assume you're dead as well and shouldn't go looking for you." Victory explains.
Bismarck thinks about it. "A better life for my girls? For my schwester? For U-556…? Very well. Let us plan."
"U-556? Is she a U-Boat?" Victory asks.
"Ja. Probably the most dedicated little submarine in Iron Blood. I suppose you could say I developed somewhat of an instinct to look after her upon meeting her..." Bismarck answers, interrupted by a hail on Victory's radio.
The Commander tunes it to better hear the transmission, "Commander Victory."
She recognises the voice on the other end as her Secretary, Nelson. Of course, she doesn't bother to say who she is, "Commander, I've talked to the Doctor. My idea seems to hold water, but she can't quite get it working. You should come see her about it as soon as you can. You know how impatient she is…"
Victory responds, "You know I'm not very tech savvy, Nelson..."
"Something else you're useless at..." Nelson hangs up.
Bismarck sarcastically remarks, "Well, she seems friendly."
Victory smiles, "Oh, she's an angel, really. She just acts tough."
"What was that about needing help? You know, I'm something of a scientist myself." Bismarck proudly claims.
"Hmm… are you, now? Alright, I'll let you try and help, but you'll understand that I'll have to keep an eye on you."
"Of course. You would be wise to do so." Bismarck nods. They both make their way to the labs. "By the way, I'd like to ask you something."
"Go ahead." Victory listens.
"What kind of ship are you? I've seen your rigging in the visions Zero forced me to have. It's… wooden?" The Battleship inquires.
"Oh, me? I'm just a first-rate ship of the line. During the early 1800s, I was basically why you are today. I was once the most powerful ship in the world and the flagship of the Royal Navy, but unfortunately, I'm not so impressive nowadays…" Victory smiles sadly.
"I disagree." Bismarck looks at her. "You have impressed me, getting all these girls to listen to a ship who cannot fight anymore, no offence. It just seems like they can just turn against you and you'd be powerless to stop them. Many of the Iron Blood Kansen respect strength, but it doesn't necessarily have to be physical strength. While you may be considered physically weak, good leadership is also highly respected among us. That's probably why nobody likes their human superiors over there…"
Victory looks back at her, "Even if I was currently the most powerful ship on the sea, I'd still be powerless to stop everyone else defeating me, Bismarck. If I recall, you experienced that first-hand. Your former superiors rule their forces through fear. I lead my girls with respect. I respect them all greatly, and can only hope they respect me back enough to listen to me. So far, so good." She shrugs.
"I see… so… how DID you get awakened as the first Kansen? And how did you become the Kommandantin?"
"Well, it's a little bit complicated, and I only like to tell it in ten parts…"
Sheffield reports to the knee-high noble herself, QE. She bows and asks, "You summoned me, Your Majesty?"
QE responds, "Yes, Sheffield. I would like to know why Bismarck has not been brought before me yet."
Sheffield remarks, "Shouldn't you be asking the Commander?"
Warspite warns, "Watch your tone, Sheffield."
QE clears her throat, "Sheffield, I want you to keep an eye on both the Commander and Bismarck. Why has she set her free?"
Sheffield answers, "The Commander claims that Bismarck feels guilty for what she's done and has started to help us. She's also been shown the pictures I took of the Nazi camps."
QE puts her hand to her chin, "Could that have shaken her, perhaps, sisters?"
Valiant replies, "It would've shaken me if it was our country that did something like that."
Warspite nods, "Same here, Your Majesty. If it was our country, I would've abandoned them in a heartbeat."
QE says, "Maybe the Iron Blood Kansen have hearts, after all… they could be easily convinced to join us to get away from them, too… for now, Sheffield, my order still stands. She may say she's turned over a new leaf, but I want it personally confirmed. I'm assigning you as Bismarck's personal maid for now."
"YOU FUCKIN' WOT!?" Is what Sheffield wants to say, but she remains stoic and simply nods, "Yes, Your Majesty." She bows again and leaves.
Warspite looks at her sister, "Elizabeth, do you think it's wise to have Sheffield, of all girls, serving Bismarck?"
"Sheffield has the most experience with her, Warspite. She'll get it done. Besides, it's more like collecting any and all intel she can on Bismarck's true intentions." QE answers.
"But she got caught and injured by her…" Valiant interjects.
QE says, "Yes, Valiant, but if what Sheffield says really is true, Bismarck feels guilty for it and Sheffield now has the home-field advantage. Plus, if Bismarck attacks her again or anyone else, George and her Knights will cut her down where she stands."
Valiant deadpans, "I'm pretty sure at this point Wales is angry enough at her to handle her by herself…"