Stealth Journeys with the Steam Mapper

Chapter 86: A Change of Tide

As StLF and MYKA headed for their berths, they noticed that crew members were reassuring everyone that some would stand watch and alert all others if any more sightings or trouble of any kind came up during the night.

The Chief Scientist approached them as they started down the hallway to their bunks.  "Listen you two.  I'm sorry to have brought you along under false pretenses.  The hydrothermal research to find bacterium that feed on carbon emissions was what was most important for this mission, but we knew before leaving the South American coast that some of the scientists who joined on and whose countries contributed a lot to the financing of this long trip were aware of unusual sightings of giant squid that were described as 'record breaking' in size."

"They didn't share much information about what they were seeking.    I am learning more tonight.  The Korean scientist tells us he is concerned about a nuclear warhead that was fired years ago and was never recovered when it fell into the North Pacific.    The north Pacific waters have actually had the most sightings of monster-sized creatures.   We now all know about Dr. Hayashi's close encounter near Japan.   Of course, Japan is also guilty of having radioactive materials flowing into the Pacific ever since the nuclear plant disaster."

"The Icelandic team states they have had encounters involving the fishing fleets, but I have heard that they have more environmental concerns along their coastlines where something is interfering with their hydroelectric plants."

"VLAD comes from the Ukrainian research facility in Antarctica, which is actually financed now by the Russians.   Their offshore oil rigs have been under attack by mysterious activity, where some of the state-run rigging crew are complaining of disappearing workers.   We don't know if dissidents or environmentalists have any part of these strange happenings, but we do now know that something has greatly altered the delicate ecosystems of many types of aggressive sea creatures."

"The rising sea levels, the pollution into the oceans of heavy metals and toxic waste, the fact that there are limited food sources for some species . . . The list goes on and on."

"Yes", replied MYKA, "But all throughout history there have been these amazing sightings of gigantic creatures and there are fossil records to prove it."

"True", the Chief Scientist answered, "We do know that in the past it seemed cyclic.   The early nineteenth century had multiple sightings, and then again in the late 1860's.   During the Great War, better known as World War I, sightings picked up again.   It seems every time mankind gets to creating disturbances in the oceans, these creatures rise up from the deep abyss.   Reports of sea monsters continued around Australia long after the end of World War I.    Not a good time to be an adventurer."