Dark Tide Rising by David M. Salkin

Author:David M. Salkin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sea stories, survival, scifi thriller, sea creatures, research vessel, experiment gone wrong, deep sea creatures, challenger submarine, deep black sea, undersea experiments
Publisher: Permuted Press

TWENTY-SEVEN

Shikishima

Acting Captain Sato hung up the phone with headquarters in Japan. He sat in the captain’s chair, suddenly not wanting to be captain anymore. It was strange to want the captain’s chair for so many years, and then wish it away when it arrived.

As terrified as he had been when he saw the massacre on the trawler, he felt better now knowing that he wasn’t alone in the world as a witness to what he had seen. The international channels were buzzing with information about what was going on. And while no one was one-hundred percent sure about exactly what they were dealing with, they did acknowledge that something horrific had been unleashed upon mankind.

More importantly, they knew how to kill it.

Alcohol.

It gave Sato comfort knowing that something as simple as alcohol could kill whatever that beast was that had annihilated the crew of the trawler and his own shipmates. The bad news was they had a very small amount in the sickbay, and that was all. Their orders were straight forward enough. Stay on station, keeping the trawler in sight, and await the American Navy who were sending the closest warship.

Sato took a deep breath and took the microphone in his hand. He had been told once by the captain about the theory of the all-call button. It was something that was never used by the captain. “Sato,” Captain Ito had explained, “A captain never uses this button, because if you ever have to, it will be like the voice of God himself addressing the crew.” In his three years with Captain Ito, Ito had never used it. Now, on his first day as captain, he pressed the button.

“Attention, Attention, Attention. This is your acting captain speaking. I have been in touch with headquarters and spoken to command. We have been instructed to hold our position and monitor the fishing trawler. The closest military vessel is an American missile cruiser, which is on its way to assist us. This creature that we are facing, be it a kappa or something else, can be killed! I have been told that simple alcohol is the best way to destroy these creatures. We don’t have enough on board, but the Americans are sending us some soon. For now, everyone will remain at battle stations. Stay focused and be alert. All of Japan is watching us. Captain out.”

Sato sat in the chair and exhaled slowly. He stared at the radio and prayed it would send him a message that help was nearby.

On the deck of the Shikishima, the crew eyed the trawler, the officers with binoculars, watching the ship and the water around it. Crewmen with machine guns walked the perimeter of their own vessel, eyeing the water and wishing they could see beneath the surface to know what lurked below.

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