2 - A RESTFUL SLEEP
2.1 - A CHALLENGER APPROACHES
14th November, 2020 07:22 Ship Time
DAWNING HORIZON – Engineering Bunks
Unknown Ocean - ∞KM from Destination Shanghai
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Eric was woken to the sounds of something smashing against the hull. He blearily pulled himself from his bunk and dropped to the ground, quickly getting dressed in his usual overalls.
“Dah fuhck?”
As Eric moved towards the door he dances over the leaning piles of manga that circle the room. He reaches the door of his room and steps out into the hallway. As he does so, the deep wail of the alarm begins to sound throughout the ship.
*whhhHHHAAAAAhhhaaaa* “All Hands Report to the Bridge Immediately. Secure all external hatches.” *whhhHHHAAAAAhhhaaaa*
Greg’s voice interspersed the alarms wail, and he did not sound happy.
Eric broke into a quick jog as he headed for the stairs that led up to the bridge. Taking the stairs two at a time, he slips through the door to where the rest of the crew were already waiting.
Kru marks off Eric’s name on a dry erase board, nods to the captain, and then shuts the door. Eric hears the echoing metal clunk as the wheel is locked, securing it. It appears Eric was the last to arrive.
Kevin looks towards Eric and gestures for him to stand with the rest of the non-security crew. “Alright folks, we have a hostile vessel. They’ve already fired first, but the shot appears to have bounced off the hull… How do we want to proceed?”
Murmuring began between the crew as they realised the source of the noise that had caused their early morning distress.
“What vessel attacked us? What’s their flag?”
“Yeah, are they pirates? What do they want?”
“Can we withstand any more hits?”
Kevin shook his head as they were getting nowhere. “Greg, you’re the captain. It’s your call. How do we want to proceed? Respond with force? Or try to run? Something else?”
Greg stood nervously, shifting his weight between his feet as he struggled to decide how best to fix the scenario in which they found themselves. “Attempt to make contact. Can someone check for damage to make sure it’s not burst the outer hull?"
At his request, all eyes turn to Eric as the chief engineer. Eric turns to Max. “Go check on the hull, and make sure the bilge pumps are operational in case we do get a leak in the outer hull.”
Max nods in understanding, and moves towards the door. Kevin stops her for a moment, “Pay attention to the intercom. If we announce we’ve been boarded, stick to the interior and come up the tower ladder. Bar any hatches you can as you make your lap around the ship.” Max nods and goes to leave.
As Kru lets Max out to run and spot check for damage, Greg continues, "I think we should wait it out. If we aren’t damaged then we can afford to sit here and wait for a while, I don’t think we’re in any real danger if they can’t even damage the hull on a twenty-year-old container ship. I know it’s a long shot, but I’ve already hit the SSAS beacon.”
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Kevin nodded in agreement as he began to order the crew to make arrangements. “Eric get on the radio and try to hail them, if that fails, use the floodlights to try and signal them in Morse Code to get them to bugger off. If that fails… we respond.”
The remaining members of the crew stood around nervously waiting for orders while Eric made the radio call to attempt to hail the pirate vessel.
“Unknown Vessel, please cease your attack. State your intentions or we will respond in kind. Unknown Vessel, cease your attack. State your intentions or we will respond with force.”
A thud rocked the boat as another object impacted the hull towards the stern.
“I don’t think they can hear us. Or they don’t care.”
“What if they don’t speak English?”
“Then I hope someone has Duolingo or we are straight fucked.”
The ladder hatch opens in the floor, as Max climbs back in from checking the hull. “All clear, sir. No damage to report and all systems are reporting properly. I managed to bar or lock all exterior hatches.”
Greg nodded at her in understanding. “What kind of projectiles are they even using? How can it cause no damage?”
Keith raised his hand politely “If I may Sir, they appear to be cannonballs. The noise of the firing is very similar to a Civil War reenactment I visited where they fired 12-pound cannons.”
“So. A sailing ship firing at us with cannons. Did we get lost and stumble into the 19th century?”
Eric slipped his headphones off one ear and leaned back from the radio microphone. “Maybe we’re in another - “
A short look from the captain was enough to shut Eric down and set him back about his task of raising the other vessel on the radio. Greg resumes looking out with his telescope.
“Pirates will use whatever they can get their hands on”
“And where do you suppose they got their hands on a sailing boat with cannons? It’s not the USS Constitution out there you know.”
Kevin sighed. “Quiet. They’re a hostile force, they’ve already opened fire on us. The only reason we’ve not responded is because I am fairly sure they don’t have the firepower to actually do damage to us. The worst case scenario is they decide to board us.”
As the group bickers, the unknown sailing vessel completes it’s most recent loop around the Dawning Horizon and begins to draw closer. The rhythmic sound of drums can be faintly heard, growing ominously louder.
Greg clears his throat, interrupting the discussion. Telescope still to his eye, he points with his free hand. “They’ve run out oars. That’s a galley of some sort.”
“A who?”
“A galley is a sailing vessel that was used primarily around the coasts of Europe, and is notable for combining oars and sails. The oars can be used to move without wind, and for ramming opposing vessels.”
“Nerd” Max coughed.
Greg took his eye away from the telescope and glared at Max before returning to watching the approaching vessel through the telescope.
“So it’s a big rowboat then?”
“Annnd… They have some kind of ballista and maybe twelve cannons,” Greg continued unabashed with his description.
“Ballista?”
The captain was happy to explain, “An ancient siege weap-”
“It’s a giant fucking crossbow.” Keith happily supplied.
“Yes, it’s a ‘giant fucking crossbow’”, Greg snapped.
“Maybe we should stop quoting Wikipedia and come up with a plan, please?” Kevin sighed.
Meanwhile, Kru stood near the front corner of the bridge, using a set of binoculars to monitor the approaching vessel. He takes the binoculars and slaps Kevin’s arm with them, before holding them towards Kevin and pointing.
Kevin takes them and looks towards the galley. On deck, men are lining up. Some are donning some type of vests. Composed of wood slats held together with rope down their fronts and backs and fastened on either side, it was obviously armor. Each slat was painted red or white, in an alternating pattern.
Others were fastening on brightly polished copper or bronze chestplates. All of the individuals lining up were equipped with hatchets, swords, daggers, or crossbows. Grappling hooks and ropes were being fastened together by unarmored crewmen.
Greg, watching through his telescope, comes to the same conclusion as Kevin.
“They’re preparing to board us.”
Eric turned to stare at Kevin.
“You fucking jinxed us.”