The Fox, Red

078 - Rage of the Ocean

We have been dealing with the waves on the ocean for almost two whole days but this is getting violent. We were to trade off for firewatch this evening but it seems that no one can sleep with this violent shaking. We have our equipment under our cots to prevent it from flying around. The light we were using had to be removed before it hit someone. I let a floating ball of light hang around the container so we could continue to see.

Sergeant Blatz was looking a little worse for wear. He always kept a straight face but looked like he was turning green. Carter was the only one doing ok but that was also barely. Being a frog, he had sticky pads that he could use to hold himself up. He was almost hugging the wall to stop from shifting around. It finally got to Blatz and he finally pushed me too far. "Welch! Can't you do something about this with your voodoo magic?"

"Oh, sure! Let me just caress the ocean to calm it down!"

"I don't care if you have to give Posiden a reach-around! Just make it stop!"

It was finally getting to him. There's nothing I can do about it though. We have to take this on the chin and wait for it to be over. The minutes turned to hours before it seemed to even try to lighten up. We were still shifting back and forth violently. I was starting to get sick at this point.

We could only wait in the silence of our container. The silence was broken though. Someone was shouting rather loudly in a language that none of us spoke. By the tone, we could tell that it was in a panic. Was the ship sinking? Did something happen to the engine? I didn't need Blatz's order to send out a ping to see what was going on but he did it anyway to make himself feel better.

The first ping I sent out didn't reach far beyond the boat. I was fighting with the rocking and trying to see past the waves. I kept expanding my reach until I was at my limit. It started turning into a slideshow so I could get the power needed to see further out. Something caught my attention. I kept pinging outward trying to see what it was. Blatz was in my ear demanding information until I finally snapped "Shut up! Shut the fuck up! I am trying but you are ruining my ability to focus and see what is happening! Sit down!"

I bared my teeth as he wanted to fight back. The next step was going to have the other three hold him down. I keep pinging trying to get focus on something in the water. My eyes don't look in the direction of where I'm trying to focus. "Three boats." I'm finally able to zero in on an area. "They're within radar range of the boat. The crew is scrambling." Blatz barked, "What about the boats?"

"I'm getting there! Unknot your underwear."

I focus my ping into a cone to get finer details. "Three boats coming towards us at high speed. Can't tell the type of boat. Each has 4 engines on it, an upper and lower deck." I focus further trying to refine the details. "Four to seven occupants each. All rats. And... uh oh."

"I don't like 'uh oh', Welch."

"AKs, small arms, SMGs, pistols. They're not friendly."

"Pirates."

"More than likely."

"Using the storm to get in close."

We don't have weapons other than knives and my magic. I have to call everyone's attention, "Sergeant Blatz, what's the call here?" He takes a deep inhale to answer, "We wait. Welch! Keep an eye on the boats and the crews. See if they're able to push them back or chase them off. If they get on board we hold up here and fight back. Do you know offensive magic?"

"Yes, sir."

"We may be relying on you for this fight."

I nod in agreement. For now, all they can do is wait. As for me, I'm pinging constantly as they get closer. The boats come up alongside our ship. Gunfire begins to ring out from both crews. They throw hooks up onto the side trying to board. A few sling their rifles as they climb up. The numbers are too much for the crew and force them to surrender. "We're in trouble. They've taken the bridge and the crew."