Do or Die
The Ark Queen was bustling with activity, just a few minutes before the ship would switch to total combat mode. Technicians and soldiers had finished double and triple-checking their areas of expertise and were now assembling their important stuff in case a hasty escape would be needed, some even prepared last messages to their familes. Others, who wouldn't be taking a part in the battle were preparing to lay low in the bunkers.
Adrian had conducted numerous missions with and had a cent per cent success rate, but this was going to be the biggest challenge he had faced, yet. And he wasn't going to go down, not without a fight. The mighty battle cruiser sailed into the dark waters. Movement on board had reduced now- the ship was still at EMCON Alpha-1, sailors had been instructed to lay low and remove shoes, lest they attract the attention of the enemy SONAR. Adrian took his seat on the bridge and stared into the vast featureless expanse.
"Release the bait", he ordered.
"Aye sir- release the bait", the OOD repeated into the intercom.
*******
The crane lowered the RHIB into the water, "Blue", Arbon spoke, thumping his partner on his shoulder.
"Brackler", Starling spoke, repeating the acting.
"Ready to trap fish?"
"It's a good day to go fishing", Starling commented, "hell I'm ready".
"Let's do this", Arbon grinned and punched the lever up, "mother we're heading away", he spoke into his earpiece.
The tiny boat zipped over the waves and soon enough it was way from the Ark Queen. Arbon steadied the helm, while Starling unpacked the 'bait'. "Mother we are fifteen miles out", Arbon updated the crew on the ship.
The radio controller must have relayed the information to Ardian, she took a few seconds to get back, "Lieutenants, expect to see target, six miles to your port side ".
Starling put his finger on the side of his silver helmet, the image magnified on the visor, "there she is", he exclaimed as the ship showed up on his screen. Arbon held up his pair of dynamic looking binoculars and focused it to where Starling had pointed, "hell of a ship, man".
"Dardians- never know how to use their toys".
"Coming from a person who loves warships", Arbon began, "it's going to be a pity putting that beast down".
"For Atlantis", Starling nodded. "For Atlantis", his partner echoed.
“You think it is gonna work?”, Starling asked, casually as he opened a carton to pull out a long aluminium sheet. Arbon thought for a moment, “you know”, he began, “I’m not going to lie, the odds are not in our favour- but Adrian Burk- if he says, then I would run a sword through water and expect it to slice up, if you know what I mean”.
Starling bit his lips, “totally”, he chuckled, "couldn't have said it any better myself".
Starling slid the aluminium sheet onto a rod on one side, "so what? We put this sheet up and they think we're Ark Queen?"
"Oh this baby is going to be a big red spot on their RADAR", Arbon commented, "they're going to go running backwards-".
"-Where Ark Queen will put her down", Starling finished. "That's right," Arbon said, stealing a glance at his partner, "hey you're not doubting Adrian are you?".
Starling thought for a moment, his brow tensed, "you know- if Ark Queen was at her best I wouldn't have worried, but she needs repair from fourteen months at sea, not to mention the recent events. It's going to be close".
"Hey, quit fussing", Arbon commented, "we do this right and Ark Queen wins, you get it?". Starling did not reply, just continued setting up the equipment.
*******
Adrian leaned back onto his chair, "how far are they?", he spoke into the intercom.
"Thirty-seven miles captain", the technician replied.
"That's good enough- draw out the purgatory", he commanded.
"Aye sir"
*******
The technicians aboard the purgatory were an unruly bunch, but they did know their job. In this case it might have been a disadvantage for them,
"Cappy!", a middle-aged bearded man with beetle eyes had to yelled to get himself heard over the ruckus, Cappy walked through the overcrowded path packed with pirates laying back onto their seats, half of them pushing stale food down their throats with immense joy, "what is it?"
"This-da-problem man", he pointed on-screen- which had some sticky liquid dropped over it limiting his perception.
"What is that?"
"My guess", the man spoke, then pausing to put some dried cereals in his mouth, "that sort of radiation, we are heading for a warship".
Cappy squinted at his man, this was important, "SILENCE! BEFORE I START THROWING PEOPLE INTO THE FUEL CHAMBER"
Immediate silence surrounded the room, they knew it was best not to disturb the man, at least not when he was in a spirit like this.
"Atlantean?", Cappy continued.
"Who else can it be?", the man snickered.
Cappy stared at the man, but then he had three-hundred such hopeless cases on board. Putting the thoughts out of his head, he proceeded to pick up the intercom- halfway through the process he remembered the intercoms were no longer functional, "stupid ship", he muttered to himself.
He pulled the man closest to him, by his collar- his name? Cappy couldn't care less, "run up and tell them to turn the ship around", he yelled at the man pinning him to the wall.
"Yes sir", the man whimpered.
"Not sir", Cappy shouted, "Admiral! You understand?!- What will you call me?"
"Admiral- admiral"
"Good, say it wrong again and you will be on the breakfast table tomorrow", Cappy seethed, "now get your ugly face out of here!", he turned to look at his men commandingly, "you", he pointed the missile technician, a rather obese and typical geek, "they come behind us- you smoke em, you understand?"
"Yes Admiral", the man spoke, straightening up.
"Torpedos ready?"
"Ding-dong admiral!", the man spoke quickly, turning his chair around to face his screen.
Cappy wasn't going to go down without a fight, "today he hissed we repeat the Hyper Cruiser incident! today we sink the high flying Atlanteans! Today we make history!", he shouted.
The pirates cheered, making up for their lack of planning with their enthusiasm. Cappy smiled to himself, he knew he had got his crew kicking.