Georgia and Enterprise recollected their thoughts, taking a moment to rex now that Akagi and Kaga had vanished beyond the horizon. Despite their retreat, Georgia’s advanced surface radar continued tracking the carriers’ distant signals.

  Enterprise’s sharp gaze turned toward Georgia, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. “You didn’t tell me—or Vestal—that you were injured,” she said coldly, her voice carrying the weight of command.

  Georgia shrugged, attempting to py it off with her usual nonchance. “It never came up?” she offered, keeping her tone light, though a faint wince betrayed the pain she was trying to hide.

  Enterprise’s silver eyes narrowed. “Uh-huh. Well, you’re going straight to dry dock when we return to Pearl. No arguments.”

  “I think there are other girls who need it more. This? It’s just a flesh wound,” Georgia replied with a weak grin, trying to stay upright despite the obvious strain on her body.

  Before Enterprise could respond, Georgia’s face twisted in pain, and her right leg suddenly buckled, sinking to her knee as though the weight of her rigging had finally become too much. She clenched her jaw, a strangled sound escaping her lips—not quite a scream, but unmistakably pained.

  “Georgia!” Enterprise was by her side in an instant, steadying her as best she could. “You idiot! Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”Georgia forced a grin through the pain, her voice barely above a whisper. “Didn’t…want to worry you. Look…at how well that turned out…” Her words trailed off as her strength gave out entirely, and she colpsed into Enterprise’s arms.

  “Vestal, we need you on standby!” Enterprise barked over the comms, already skating toward Pearl with Georgia in tow.“Hang on, Georgia. We’ll get you fixed up.”

  Georgia’s vision blurred, the world around her fading as exhaustion overtook her. The st thing she registered was the steady beat of Enterprise’s engines and the warmth of her friend's grip, keeping her afloat as sleep cimed her.

  Georgia’s eyelids flickered open, the sterile white lights of the med bay casting a faint glow over the room. She blinked slowly, her senses sluggish, and her mind foggy from exhaustion. The distinct hum of equipment and the quiet murmur of voices confirmed where she was before her gaze even adjusted.

  She tried to sit up but immediately regretted it, pain fring across her body. With a strained groan, she sank back onto the bed. “Ugh… where…?” she mumbled, gncing around.

  “You’re awake,” came a familiar voice. Enterprise stood at her bedside, arms crossed, a relieved but still stern expression on her face. “You passed out. We had to haul you back here, and you’re lucky you didn’t sink outright with how bad your rigging was.”Georgia attempted a sheepish grin. “Guess I overdid it, huh?”

  “‘Overdid it’ is an understatement,” Enterprise snapped, though the worry in her eyes softened her words. “Vestal said you’re stable for now, but your ship? It’s in dry dock. Barely fits, by the way. Half the dock crew had to scramble just to make room for you.”Georgia’s brow furrowed. “Didn’t think I was that big of a problem.”

  “Tell that to the engineers,” Enterprise replied with a sigh. “Your rigging was so damaged they couldn’t even start repairs right away. The Manju are running around like crazy and half the stuff on board cant even be identified… They think you are a siren.” Enterprise states. Georgia’s expression shifted into something between amusement and disbelief. “A Siren? Seriously?”

  Enterprise gave her a pointed look. “You can’t exactly bme them. Half your tech looks like it’s from the future, and the other half? Nobody knows what it even is. They’ve never seen anything like it before.”

  Georgia let out a tired ugh, though it quickly turned into a cough. “Well, that’s fttering. I guess being America’s secret weapon makes me a bit... unconventional.”

  “Unconventional is putting it mildly, no one even knows who you are! All that exists on paper is a battle cruiser to the Montana and Iowa css.” Enterprise states

  “Well as much as I hate the term battle cruiser that is technically what I am.” Georgia replies leaning back onto the paper. “An all the unconventional tech?” Enterprise asks

  “Well, you know how it is—experimental programs, secret naval projects. I was designed to outcss everything the Sirens or anyone else could throw at us. They weren’t exactly concerned about whether I fit neatly into a category,” Georgia said with a shrug, though it was clear the motion strained her.

  Enterprise folded her arms, her sharp gaze never leaving Georgia. “So, they built you as a one-of-a-kind ship, packed you full of technology no one can understand, and didn’t bother to tell anyone about it?”

  Georgia gave a zy grin. “Pretty much. Top brass wanted a trump card. Something fast, heavily armed, with enough firepower to make even Yamato jealous. But they didn’t want to wait on final designs, so... here I am. A ‘battle cruiser,’ if you really want to call it that. Laid down in 1997 unched in 1998.”

  Enterprise arched a brow. “Laid down in 1997 and unched in 1998? Georgia, it’s 1942. You’re telling me you were built over fifty years from now?”

  Georgia gave a slow, deliberate nod, her grin unfazed. “Yep. Like I said, I’m... unconventional. I wasn’t supposed to be part of this timeline, but something went sideways. One moment I was running trials, killing Leviathan, and the big space worm next thing I know—bam! I’m just outside of Pearl Harbor.”

  Enterprise looked at her, stunned into silence for a moment before letting out a frustrated sigh. “Of course. Because dealing with the Sirens wasn’t complicated enough.”

  “Hey, I didn’t exactly ask for this,” Georgia replied, her voice light but with an undertone of weariness. “But since I’m here, might as well make myself useful. Even if half the base thinks I’m some futuristic Siren decoy… I trust you Enterprise”

  “You know me from the future? They didn’t force me into retirement?” Enterprise asks as she flexes her hand feeling slight joint pain.

  “Ah, they kinda did. You were still around and your Daughter took up the name, she toppled two countries on her own you know?” Georgia answers with a smirk.

  Enterprise blinked, momentarily speechless. “Wait... my daughter?” she repeated slowly, her tone equal parts disbelief and curiosity. “You’re telling me I have a daughter in your timeline who carries my name and—what did you say—toppled two countries?”

  Georgia chuckled softly, her grin widening. “Oh, yeah. She was a real powerhouse. Just like her mom. Carried on the Grey Ghost legacy with style.” She paused for effect, adding with a wink, “Though, to be fair, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”

  Enterprise crossed her arms, clearly trying to process this sudden revetion. “I don’t know whether to be fttered or concerned.”

  “Why not both?” Georgia quipped, leaning back slightly. “Anyway, she’s a testament to your legacy. You didn’t just retire—you became an icon. One of the most respected carriers in history. Hell, even after they sidelined you, you kept mentoring new generations.”

  Enterprise frowned, the thought of forced retirement clearly not sitting well with her. “And yet, I got benched. Typical bureaucracy.”

  Georgia shrugged. “Yeah, but don’t take it too hard. You did what you had to do. And trust me, your influence didn’t fade. If anything, it grew stronger over time. Your name became a rallying cry for every new carrier that entered the fleet.”

  A flicker of pride fshed across Enterprise’s face, though she quickly masked it behind her usual stoic expression. “I suppose that’s something.”

  “It’s a lot,” Georgia said softly. “Without you, the Eagle Union wouldn’t have stood a chance in my timeline. You shaped the war and the peace that followed. You earned your rest—retirement or not.”

  Enterprise exhaled slowly, her gaze shifting toward the window overlooking the dry dock where Georgia’s battered hull rested. “Well, right now, we’re in this war, not yours. And if you’re really from the future, we’re going to need every bit of that firepower and experience to win it.”

  Georgia nodded, her expression turning serious. “Count on it. I didn’t come all this way to sit things out. I’m here to fight, same as you. Let’s make sure this war ends in our favor.”

  Enterprise extended a hand, her usual wariness tempered by trust. “Then we’ll fight together.”

  Georgia grasped her hand firmly, a grin creeping back onto her face. “Together, it is gonna be so much fun fighting side by side with you again.”

  The door suddenly opens for an older man in his full dress whites to walk in vestal hurrying along behind him. “Ah, I see the mysterious ship is awake.”

  “Admiral Nimitz sir, it is an honor to meet you,” Georgia replies trying to sit back up in the bed again.

  Nimitz’s lips twitched in what might have been amusement before he adopted a more serious tone. “Rest up, Georgia. We’ll have a lot more to discuss once you’re back on your feet. For now, focus on recovery. That’s an order.”

  Georgia gave a small salute, wincing slightly from the movement. “Understood, sir.”

  With that, Nimitz turned on his heel, heading for the door. Enterprise lingered for a moment, casting one st gnce at Georgia before following the admiral out. Vestal remained behind, muttering something about reckless ships as she tended Georgia’s wounds.

  “How did you even end up with these?” Vestal asks

  “I fought a really really big siren.” Georgia answers