"General, are you all right?" On the Battleship Nevada, a staff officer helped Admiral Fletcher up from the deck and asked with concern.
The impact had been so violent that even Admiral Fletcher had been knocked to the deck. His spotless white naval officer's uniform was now covered in grime—dust, coffee stains from spilled cups, and more. Under normal circumstances, Admiral Fletcher would have flown into a rage and immediately changed into clean clothes. But now, he had no mind for any of that.
"Report the damage. How are our losses?" Admiral Fletcher asked.
"General, the German warship rammed a huge hole into the middle of our starboard side. Damage control crews are trying to plug the breach, but it's extremely difficult. Their recommendation is to seal the adjacent Watertight Compartments," a staff officer reported.
"What effect will that have on the warship?" Admiral Fletcher's expression turned exceptionally ugly.
"General, if we do that, the warship will list to a certain degree due to excessive flooding. Its speed will also be severely affected. The main gun turrets will be unable to continue firing because of the list. We must return to the shipyard for repairs," the staff officer continued.
"Damn it!" Admiral Fletcher could not help cursing.
Before they had even encountered the German Navy's main fleet, they had already lost a Battleship—the strongest flagship among their Capital Ships. Though it had merely been heavily damaged, the blow to American Navy morale would undoubtedly be enormous.
"What about the German warship?" Admiral Fletcher asked.
"General, the German warship did not get off unscathed either. Its bow has been completely destroyed. It will need to stay in a shipyard for at least several months."
"Idiots! One of our Battleships has been heavily damaged, while the Germans have only had one Light