Admiration turns to envy, envy turns to bitterness, bitterness turns to spite.

Living in the shadow of a legend, it wasn't for lack of technological advancements that Essex never got a chance in the spotlight. More modern, younger, by all logic it should have been USS Essex that collected stars and returned to the land of the free as a war hero....

Reality was much more cruel to the state of the art aircraft carrier. Why deploy her when USS Enterprise is all but singlehandedly wreaking havoc in the Pacific theatre? All she had were ''soon''s and ''stand by''s. Temporary relief was found in alcohol and pleasantries, but the bitterness always came roaring back.

Why not Essex?

If the Eagle Union wouldn't have her, then others just might. Rumours spoke of a great force rising in the Atlantic. A Kansen navy flying Kriegsmarine colours, led by an enigmatic rogue only known colloquially as ''The Wolf''. The British had been domesticated, the Russians had lost all their footing in the Barents sea, and now Sakura Empire Kansen were getting reinforced by their Axis sisters from Europe.

Iron Blood, Iron Blood, Iron Blood...

Enterprise, the Commander, the Eagle Union, they'd all see what Essex could REALLY do. A meeting on neutral ground turned to an invitation back to Berlin, and before she knew it she was laying on her stomach, letting the sadistic Kansen Regensburg tattoo all sorts of hateful, fascist symbolism into her pristine American skin.

She doubted they had even noticed her absence. Too busy with their star-spangled patriotism and the sudden strong resistance in the Pacific. It wasn't until months later that the Eagle Union would figure out what became of Essex, with the converted carrier now proudly draped over the German contestant's racing car at a sporting event.

Enterprise covered her mouth as tears ran down her cheeks, her mascara dripping from her lashes in thick, black globules.

''E-Essex? What... no... no no no....''

The young, azure-haired woman looked back at her former idol and rival, her amber eyes betraying zero emotion as they stared at her like a predator at its prey.

''You made me do this, Enterprise. This is all your fault.''

~~

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