Deep Sea Water 10.2

The Depth

“The way we map on the sea is to look at the stars and the …” The Captain held the wheel while steering the ship across the waves. “And the sun. We have been sailing for four hours now and given the sea current speed and the wind speed, I would say we are…”

“Far from the land I presume, Captain.” The Sergeant Major cut in. “I will reckon you are lost.” 

“A sea Captain is never lost. He will navigate you to anywhere.” The Captain then looked at the First Officer. “Stacy, tell me where do I steer next?”

“I give up.” The Sergeant Major sighed. “You are the few Captains I knew who could not navigates.”

“Twenty five to port and maintain speed at ten knots. We should be there soon.” Stacy replied.  Then she looked at the Sergeant Major. “He ain’t afraid to navigate but he can’t read those small charts anymore.”

“A sign of the advanced age, my dear Captain. Never fear, my good man. I can be your reading aide.” The Sergeant Major sniggered before he steps away and bumped his head on the doorway of the wheelhouse.

“I think they made the door too low for you or are your eyes downwards at your feet.” Jones laughed at the Sergeant Major. It was then when Lord Henry pounced into the wheelhouse.

“Are we there yet Captain?” Lord Henry was all excited to know.

“Aye, my Lord. I believe we are …”

“Five minutes away, my Lord.” Stacy assisted him. Lord Henry looked to his watch and smile.

“Good.” Lord Henry then looked at the Sergeant Major. “Can you ask the crews to fire at the dirigibles? I can’t have them around in five minutes.”

The Sergeant Major saluted and pulled Jones along to carry out the command. The machines guns started firing at the dirigibles shadowing the ship and causing them to steer away. The clock ticked away and soon the dirigibles were at a safe distance from the guns. It was then Lord Henry asked Stacy to stop the sail and idle the ship engines.

“Al engines to halt.” Stacy called out to the Engine room. The ship slowed on the termination of the push on the engine and soon it was floating on the sea waves. It was never a good sign to idle on the high seas for the danger lurks below in the water. The crews were on alert for any predators that may loom over their position. Lord Henry was all excited while he checked his duo watches for time precision. A seagull came swooping down and then perched on the rail at the port side. It quacked for a while and then began to preen its feathers. Tensions were high but the crews remained quiet. Everyone was watching the sea and surprisingly the dirigibles kept their distance.

“Sharks!” A crewman called out. He pointed to the moving predator seen by the moving water flow when it cuts across the sea waves. “It’s on portside. It’s moving to …the aft.”

The shark soon emerged from the waves but it was not a shark as seen by the crewmen. It was enormous for a sea predator when its upper body cut away from the sea waves. The three hundred feet in length soon broke surface a short distance from the ship. It was no shark but the submersible Sea King. It rose with the two upper compartments appearing at the rear. Six top deck hatches were seen later popping open and the crew members stepped out. They fixed the metal struts to support the Lewis gun before they took position behind it.

“Captain Arthur, it’s time we jump ship. Lord Henry ran out of the wheelhouse to the port side. There he instructed the ship crews to lower the lifeboat. He soon boarded it with the Sergeant Major, Corporal Jones with Captain Arthur and First Officer Stacy.

They rowed to the new Sea King on her maiden voyage. They were met by the Boatswain I Abigail Conlay.

“Boatswain Conlay, please meet your new Captain and First Officer.” Lord Henry told the Boatswain I.

“Good day to you, Captain. Please come in. We may hurry. We got some predators on the prowl.” Boatswain I Conlay replied. She then looked at Corporal Jones.

“Hello…” Corporal Jones short greeting was met by the solid right punch into his midriff and then the left hook to throw him off the deck into the sea water.