Deep Seas War 4.2

The Depth

The first rule of survival is to kill and not wound. The later could turn the odds in the killing. Stacy held her grip on the wheel while they raced through the high waves then added with an enraged wounded serpent. The explosion had torn off a part of the serpent’ left side of the head to its upper fins leaving a trail of blood.

“Drop another round, Engine.” Captain Arthur himself was strapped into his seat with the hand gripped white to the flesh while he listened for reports. The third load of drum charges went out to sea and created a series of explosions. The Sea King was flying just above her draft line with the extended keels but she was losing the pace to the serpent. The creature swam parallel to the ship and was trailing a bloody scent for other predators.

“Jettison Hold Three and Four.” Captain Arthur called. It was a grim call for those two holding were their largest and held the best catch. It was also their heaviest.

“Aye, Captain. “The boatswain replied before he pulled the levers to release the catch. They had spent two months out at sea to get those loads and now it was time to forego them. He knew why the Captain released the loads for that will eased the burden on the engines and above all, the predators were already on their stern. The off loaded catch will delay them and if time permits they will out be out of danger zone.

“Big White on the aft.” The crew called out.

“Damned!” Captain Arthur cursed out. The Big White was a huge sea predator with few others ranked next to it. They grow up to fifty or eighty feet out there with their fins to belly at over twelve feet. They looked like the sharks but these monsters likes to take big bites off the ships. Especially big ones. That one was over sixty feet and it was heading towards them.

“First Officer, I hoped you sign on your declaration form. I am not sure we will make it.” Captain Arthur called out. Stacy ignored him while she steered the ship. Just like she ignored the pain of knowing it was Arnold who went down with the crane. It did not matter to her on who died for they were expected to be on any expedition. Anyway she had rejected Arnold’s marriage offer. In their line, being married means staying off the ships. Stacy was not ready for that.

The Big White was approaching them from the portside and wounded serpent was still trailing at starboard.

“White to below hull.” The crew carried out when he saw the monster submerged. It was the tactical move of the Big White when they then rammed the hull.

“Give me ten degree starboard.” Captain Arthur called out. Stacy moved the wheel to the designated direction which will take them on a collision course with the serpent. “Hold her steady.”

“Steer five degrees portside.” Captain Arthur called out. The Sea King strained on the new direction with waves pounding its stern and portside. The crew at the stern did not call out but what he saw will remain as his nightmare. The Big White rammed into the serpent on its wounded side. Both creatures were swept beneath the waves.

“White hit Serpent.” The other deck crews saw the battle. They were jubilant at the battle and it spread to the others at the dimly lighted compartments. Captain Arthur unstrapped himself from the seat and looked out of the wheel house windows. He then saw the White surfaced with the serpent ensnared in its jaw at the wounded neckline. The serpent was struggling to fight off the Big White but it was a losing battle.

“Good work, First Officer.” Captain Arthur complimented his officer.

“White in danger.” The deck crews called out. The Captain looked over and saw the second serpent had joined in the battle. The smaller serpent had snapped it bite on the Big White’s belly at the gills. It was a good move and will ensure the odds of the serpents winning. It then released its bite and snapped at the pectoral fins. It was disabling the Big White from escaping and then moved back for another bite on the under belly again. The Big White was in pain and bleeding when it released the bigger serpent. It was a bad move because the wounded serpent struck back with its elongated body to snap at the Big White on the upper fin. The Big White was trapped by the two serpents. They went in with large bites to tear at the flesh off the Big White. The sea waves displayed streaks of blood and the water surface was soon coated with torn bits of flesh. The Big White struggled to flee but with its fins bitten off, it was floating feast for all. The final bite came from the larger serpent which bit into the snout of the Big White near the eyes.

Captain Arthur threw a salute to the dead Big White which was fed then by the two serpents at over five hundred yards away. It was a sign of respect those three predators and their display of prowess for his ship. They have survived another expedition but lost half their load. It was a fair gain for the previous expedition they lost part of their crews and loads.

“We had done well, First Officer.” Captain Arthur once more complimented on the steering done by Stacy. “Let me take the wheel.”

The First Officer stepped away from it and then grabbed her left wrist. She had bruised it during the steering with the serpents.

“Sorry about Arnold.” She faced the Captain who offered her the sympathy. She in turn questioned him on the loss of the catch.

“Yes, Hold Three, Four and Five is a more than half our catch but we are alive. That’s what concerns me.” Captain Arthur replied. “More to that, this is my last voyage on the Sea King. I am considering to retired.”

“Retire? Heck, Captain. That will be day the sea dries up or you are dead.” Stacy mocked at the Captain noble intentions. :”I have sailed with you for over three years, and every day you looked forward to another voyage.”

The Captain kept his focus on the lighthouse that signals their arrival at the port.

“Tell me on the new adventure. You mentioned submerging. That’s a scary thought. I cannot see myself encased inside a ship under the sea.” Stacy shuddered at the thought. “It’s a frigging iron coffin.”

“That was just a passing offer but I have not thought of it.” The Captain lied on that. He was intrigue with the idea of sailing under the sea. It will be wonderful to see where the serpents and sharks holed up. He then shooed the First Officer to the Infirmary while he focus on his next adventure.