***** Vol.1 Chap.14 Searching by the submersible *****

Kristin ran to the crane control and punched in the automatic launch code. With a single leap, she catapulted herself into the submersible hatch. Without wasting another second, she opened the hatch and ducked into the tiny cabin inside.

After switching the primary power switch on, the electronics hummed softly in the background. She ran through the pre-launch check sequence and noted that she had full power and oxygen. Next, she turned on one of the front cameras and the two side cameras. For the next few hours, the cameras were her eyes on the outside world.

“Jim, I am ready. Request permission to begin the auto-launch sequence.” She radioed the control room and signaled her readiness to go into the water.

“Permission granted.”

With the view on her cameras, she activated the auto-launch sequence from her remote control. There was a slight jerk from the crane lifting the sub off the pad, followed by lateral movement as the crane moved the sub over the water to clear the edge of the boat. Next, she sensed the gentle movement of the crane lowering the sub into the water. A pop sound told her that the suction cups of the crane released the sub. Instantly, the sub swayed with the waves. Hurrah! Free at last! She checked the cameras and noted that she drifted apart from Mayflower.

Hallelujah! What a sensation! What an exciting sensation! No words can describe the elation surging up in her.

“Mayflower calling Jennifer. You are all clear.”

With the “all clear” signal, she did not waste a single second. She turned on all the lights and started the engine. While the sub was bobbing up and down from the waves, she nudged the throttle and the sub glided away from the ship.

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“Jennifer to Mayflower. All systems go. Beginning the dive now.”

“Noted. Over.”

Slowly she set the sub to dive while spiraling downwards. Even though she was on a rescue mission and time is important, the dive was just too exhilarating, too invigorating, and too breath-taking to go fast. Savoring every minute of the dive, she scanned all her cameras and was aghast at the view coming into her monitors.

Though visibility was not great and became worse as she dived lower and deeper into the ocean, the view was still more stunning than she had ever imagined. With the lights, a school of beautifully colored fish swimming all around her came into view. The color spectrum shimmered around the fish bodies, creating a multi-color mosaic. She slowed the dive and took a few turns with the school. Imagining herself to be one of them, she felt she was one of them and to frolic with them was simply irresistible. She turned and swayed with the school.

“Kristin, is everything okay down there?” Jonas’s voice crackled through the speaker.

“We are tracking your descent and saw your dive getting very erratic and almost stopped.”

“No problem, captain. Just checking on my controls.” A plain white lie.

“Get going.”

“Yes, sir.”

She saw a couple of tunas swimming around in the distance. She wished to be with them. Pinching herself, she could only admire them in the meantime and settled for what fantastic view she saw around her surroundings.

At least I am among you now. Everyone else only had the video being sent up to watch and dream of what it would be like. Absolutely delighted at her present opportunity, she continued the dive slowly. As she approached the ocean bottom, crabs and the starfish littered all around the ocean floor. A few other bottom dwellers also milled around, trying to salvage scraps of food here and there.

You are scavengers, but you are still lovely to me. She said to them.

Still panning one of her cameras around, she found eels poking their heads out of their hiding place to investigate what the commotion brought. She apologized to them for disturbing their peace. Then she spotted some stingrays gliding along smoothly and gracefully. Without thinking, she glided along with them.

“Kristin, are you lost?” Jonas’ voice did not sound friendly.

“Just getting my bearing, captain.”

“The ridge is bearing NNE of you.”

“On my way. Thank you for the directions.”

She did a mock salute away from the cabin camera and headed towards the ridge.