The Octonauts and the Overfishing Incident (complete)

Chapter Seven

The net had nearly broken the surface of the water. Dashi mentally thanked the fact that there were no fish this time, or they wouldn't be able to breathe. The two Gups were still lodged where they had been caught, Tweak in an uncomfortable position upside down. From the corner of her eye Dashi could see the Gup A approaching, but they were nearly above water and nearing the dark shape. Shellington looked nervous to be above water on the fishing boat, Dashi knew there would be a confrontation. As the Captain neared the Octonauts caught could see his worried face. On her radio Pesos face came on, his small worried eyes wide in concern.

"Are any of you hurt?"

"Well Shellington hit his head before and Tweak' s stuck upside down in the Gup D. But I think we're all right." Dashi suddenly felt a jolt that threw her off balance into Shellington as the net was yanked up sharply, Tweak cried out as the vibration of the Gup D shook her about. The Captain's eyes widened and he quickly jumped out of the Gup, followed by Kwazii and finally a nervous looking Peso. Barnacles swum to the net and clung on underneath, Kwazii joining him. Peso nearly slipped but hung on grimly with one flipper as the net was jolted and lifted right out of the water. For the first time the Octonauts could see the dark shape which revealed to be a large fishing ship. Dashi, Shellington and Tweak inside their Gups looked with wide eyes at the massive contraption in front of them. The other three were just seeing the ship and trying to hold on to the bottom of the net at the same time.

The net was lifted up, higher and higher, by a crane built into the ship. Shellington whimpered slightly, and Dashi remembered that he didn't like heights. She could hear him muttering to himself: "Mustn' t look down, mustn't look down," and she stood closer to him.

"Don't worry Shellington. We'll be all right."

The net finally came to a juddering halt, five metres above the water swinging slightly. Up on the deck Dashi craned to see silhouettes of figures standing there looking at the net. Then one jumped down into Dashi' s vision and she let out a gasp.

The figure standing there was a white wolf. He was handsome with ice blue eyes and a sailors hat cocked jauntily on his head. His body language showed arrogance and power. Two others jumped down, one was a brown dog and the other a bear. They wore identical sailors outfits and were obviously fishermen.

Dashi and Shellington exchanged curious looks. Below them Tweaks ears were twisted as she looked up from her uncomfortable position upside down. Underneath Captain Barnacles was hanging on, Kwazii next to him and Peso desperately clawing at the net to get a better grip on it from where he clung with one flipper. The wolf surveyed all of this with curious eyes, then his face changed and he looked suddenly mean.

"So you're the ones sabotaging my fishing operation." If ice had a voice this would be it. His tone was cold and his voice was loud and strong. Captain Barnacles would have normally been the one to speak, but as he was trying to hold on underneath he couldn't really hold a conversation very well. Dashi racked her mind for something to say, but Shellington was the first to speak.

"So you're the one who has been destroying innocent creatures' homes. " His tone was colder than Dashi was used to and she looked at the normally fumbling awkward scientist with new respect. When creatures were in danger he really cared. The wolf laughed, a slightly scary sound in the open sea.

"Oh, environmentalists? I should have guessed." He stopped laughing. "I despise environmentalists."

"We are the Octonauts," the Captain managed to say from where he hung. The wolf turned to him, noting his captains clothing with a sceptical eye.

"Oh so you're the Captain of this little parade? I'm the Captain too. I'm Captain Hawkeye. Welcome to my ship."

"What are you doing to these fish?" Dashi asked.

"Oh straight to the point I see. Very well. I fish here. I get fish, sell them, make money. It's a popular trade."

"How could you kill fish like this?" This was Shellington again, his voice raised in anger for one of the only times that Dashi had known him to.

The wolf laughed. "I don't kill them! I take them out of the water, yes, and some don't make it, but I keep them alive. It keeps them fresh."

All of the Octonauts were glowering at the wolf now, sharing their anger and horror. The wolf continued on regardless.

"I fish from one area, then when the supply runs out I move to another area."

"Species are going extinct because of your fishing. You have to stop it!" implored Captain Barnacles with steel in his tone.

"You can't stop me, and if you dare come here again I will have to take action against you 'Octonauts'," threatened Hawkeye. Then he raised his hand and motioned to a dog who was operating the crane. Before Dashi could realize what was going to happen the net was released from the crane's grip and the Octonauts, Gups and all, fell back into the water, the remains of the net hanging around them. The Captain shouted just in time before he reached the water: "Helmets!" and Peso and Kwazii pressed the buttons to activate their helmets. Dashi and Shellington cried out as the Gup E fell, and Tweak upside down in the Gup D fell with them, her ears twisted. Then they were back in the water, the dark shape of the ship growing smaller above them as they sank to the sandy sea floor without anything to hold them up. The Captain and Kwazii immediately went about untangling the net from around the Gups, setting the three Octonauts inside free. Tweak sighed in relief as she was untangled, flipping back over and letting her ears untwist. Dashi got out of the Gup E, followed by a unbalanced Shellington. Peso quickly swam up to them before anyone could say anything, checking Shellington out for concussion. He had a bruise on his forehead but no other evident damage. Dashi seemed fine and Tweak was just dizzy from being hung upside down for so long. After a few moments, Peso stood back.

"They're all right, Captain." Captain Barnacles smiled in relief before a troubled look came over his face again.

"So what are we going to do now?"

Finally some drama after seven chapters, I hear you cry! Well there's plenty more to come yet hopefully. Hope you're enjoying!