"danger, danger," chirped the automatic call, followed by a real voice. "This is the Sea Stirrer to anyone in Flotsam Command, code black."
"Flotsam Command to Sea Stirrer, location and nature?"
"It's-- it's a witch, she's transforming, we're..."
"Commodore, should we respond? We've a load of steel."
"Captain, you took me in for six months, and you cannot even answer that!?" Natalia near as roared and picked up the ship's wire. "Attention, all hands! Slip Penguin livery, run up Flotsam colors! Engine room, all ahead flank!"
"Engine room, all ahead flank," Eowyn called back.
"Penguin livery struck, ma'am."
"Flotsam Command, this is Mad Archer, responding to code black." Natalia watched the speedometer and the helm like a hawk.
"Mad Archer, this is Flotsam Command. Switch to channel 5 for response control."
"Flotsam Command, Mad Archer, clearing channel."
Natalia listened to the other ships reporting in. "All hands, general stations."
"Bridge, engine room, we are all ahead flank!"
"All ahead flank confirmed. Deploy luftfoils!" Natalia braced herself against the turbulence of sea-based takeoff.
Outside the ship, a half-dozen luftfoils on each side moved from inside the hull to outside, giving an impression of unfurling wings. This, then, was the project Grand Penguin!
The Mad Archer suddenly picked up speed as water resistance became air resistance, and Natalia braced perfectly against the helm, and laughed. Airborne! They were airborne! It worked! She rotated the luftfoils and raised the flaps. A little higher now, to keep from crashing into the waves. "Engine room, all ahead cruise."
"Cruise aye."
"Captain, i have to pilot, inform response, please."
Captain Bart Clinton got on the ENC. "Fleet Response this is Mad Archer, alt 500, ceiling 20,000, speed 95, vector 159 to intercept with Sea Stirrer, advise."
"-- Mad Archer, fleet response, repeat speed?"
"Fleet response, ninety-five knots."
"-- understood, Mad Archer. Proceed present course and altitude. ETA three minutes."
"Besides," Natalia says. "We promised to deliver to this detachment, yes? It's just a little hotter than we thought is all. Battle stations! Battle stations!"
"Fore castle, turret secure."
"Aft castle, turret secure."
"Port castle, all bays secure and readied."
"Starboard castle, all bays secure and loaded."
And now, all Natalia had to hope was that they were better shots than Russians were.
"Archer, fire for effect as soon as you have a solution."
"Fleet response, Archer, fire for effect, aye."
"Bridge, fore castle, i see the dragon."
"Fore castle, bridge, fire for effect!"
The Arcadia's ether cannons barked before the Archer's did, but her firing angle is wildly different. Hopefully that might pin down the dragon just a touch.
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Re: VILLAIN FIGHT
Date: 2025-06-16 02:58 am (UTC)"Flotsam Command to Sea Stirrer, location and nature?"
"It's-- it's a witch, she's transforming, we're..."
"Commodore, should we respond? We've a load of steel."
"Captain, you took me in for six months, and you cannot even answer that!?" Natalia near as roared and picked up the ship's wire. "Attention, all hands! Slip Penguin livery, run up Flotsam colors! Engine room, all ahead flank!"
"Engine room, all ahead flank," Eowyn called back.
"Penguin livery struck, ma'am."
"Flotsam Command, this is Mad Archer, responding to code black." Natalia watched the speedometer and the helm like a hawk.
"Mad Archer, this is Flotsam Command. Switch to channel 5 for response control."
"Flotsam Command, Mad Archer, clearing channel."
Natalia listened to the other ships reporting in. "All hands, general stations."
"Bridge, engine room, we are all ahead flank!"
"All ahead flank confirmed. Deploy luftfoils!" Natalia braced herself against the turbulence of sea-based takeoff.
Outside the ship, a half-dozen luftfoils on each side moved from inside the hull to outside, giving an impression of unfurling wings. This, then, was the project Grand Penguin!
The Mad Archer suddenly picked up speed as water resistance became air resistance, and Natalia braced perfectly against the helm, and laughed. Airborne! They were airborne! It worked! She rotated the luftfoils and raised the flaps. A little higher now, to keep from crashing into the waves. "Engine room, all ahead cruise."
"Cruise aye."
"Captain, i have to pilot, inform response, please."
Captain Bart Clinton got on the ENC. "Fleet Response this is Mad Archer, alt 500, ceiling 20,000, speed 95, vector 159 to intercept with Sea Stirrer, advise."
"-- Mad Archer, fleet response, repeat speed?"
"Fleet response, ninety-five knots."
"-- understood, Mad Archer. Proceed present course and altitude. ETA three minutes."
"Besides," Natalia says. "We promised to deliver to this detachment, yes? It's just a little hotter than we thought is all. Battle stations! Battle stations!"
"Fore castle, turret secure."
"Aft castle, turret secure."
"Port castle, all bays secure and readied."
"Starboard castle, all bays secure and loaded."
And now, all Natalia had to hope was that they were better shots than Russians were.
"Archer, fire for effect as soon as you have a solution."
"Fleet response, Archer, fire for effect, aye."
"Bridge, fore castle, i see the dragon."
"Fore castle, bridge, fire for effect!"
The Arcadia's ether cannons barked before the Archer's did, but her firing angle is wildly different. Hopefully that might pin down the dragon just a touch.