Stealth Journeys with the Steam Mapper

Chapter 96: The Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn

The first hint of sunrise could not come soon enough.  The ship's Captain and Chief Scientist were pleased to report that rescue ships were on their way.   And a very important one was the USS Carl Vinson, loaded with plenty of aircraft (over sixty fighter jets) onboard.   The aircraft carrier was coming to fight and destroy the monster.   The Carl Vinson and two U.S. nuclear submarines, which are usually on top secret maneuvers, were coming to their rescue.    Would they arrive in time to save the research vessel?   Everyone on board now waited with bated breath and thought of their family members back home.

The hours passed slowly and StLF drifted asleep sprawled across a large inflatable raft.   And then awoke with a start as the realization hit:   the ship's engines were running at top speed and the vessel was hitting the waves at great force.   Everyone was hanging onto stairwells and bolted down fixtures to brace themselves against the jarring bounces of the ship.   The salty spray flew up on every bounce, drenching those closest to the railings.   The propellers were no longer held hostage by the tentacles of the enormous squid.  StLF was grateful for the cushioned inflatable and held on for dear life.   Until the ship slowed, there would be no way to stand up and take hold of something else.

MYKA saw that StLF was struggling to kneel, and gingerly moved along a railed wall, until the two were in speaking range.  "We've been running at top speed for two hours.    You must have been exhausted to have slept through all of this racket.    I was speaking to Dr. Hayashi about all of the known species of squid.   She is very knowledgeable about marine species mutations and the susceptibility of soft tissue species.   She has been watching one of the Korean passengers, knowing that he came on the expedition precisely because of the reports of Kraken-sized creatures in the Sea of Japan and the entire Pacific from pole to pole.   The Ukrainian was seen talking to him, too.   They both know more than they are telling.   We changed course to rendezvous with the USS Carl Vinson and the cruiser ships accompanying it.  They have powerful weaponry aboard to kill this thing.   They are fast approaching and should arrive in just hours.    No one has seen this monster, since we took off, but we all suspect it is traveling right along with us, well below the ocean's surface."

The Chief Scientist had been listening from an open doorway.  "We can all thank Robin for having these ships close at hand.   I called in for military protection days ago, before the Kraken entered the picture.   Robin alerted me to the presence of spy operatives on our ship.   The cell phones that were confiscated had decoy outdated covers but they are very sophisticated and are dangerous tools for disrupting our mission.   Recognizing how high ranking those two are and not the scientists they claimed to be, has been worrisome.   They are not present here and I ask that the five of you present keep a watch for them, but don't say a word to anyone.   We fear that they might sabotage our equipment or attempt to commit some other nefarious plot."

"And, we can thank MYKA and MAHA for being dogged in trying to identify the type of creature capable of attacking our ship.   They warned that we had one or more creatures following us."

StLF gave a grin in Robin's direction.   Then catching MYKA's eye, "Only a Cousteau would know", was mouthed silently.   The Chief Scientist caught the silent exchange and gave a puzzled look.