Chapter 1971 Move Out!
It was pitch black when Several people stood at attention with their chests raised high. The air was thick with tension and anticipation, the salty breeze carrying the faint sound of distant drums, a reminder of the conflict that lay ahead.
The crowd broke down into smaller groups, now standing before the massive vessels. They were told they would be leaving at 00:30 for WAR.
This meant the ships would set sail by then, so of course, everyone was expected to arrive hours earlier. "Fang Dovu!" "Sir!" A man exclaimed passionately before rushing up into the ship with his backpack. "Beatrice Staggard!"
"Sir!" A lady replied, rushing into the ship too. "Han Stoye!"
"Sir!" "Harvey Whineblock!" "Sir!"
One by one, their names were called and marked off the list. All those working together, be they from whatever UN empire, all boarded the same ships. It was also amazing that the humans held Roll all for the dogs and the dogs actually replied one by one and rushed into the ships too. Several people watched this matter with black lines, wondering how in heaven's name did these Baymardians manage to train these dogs. Why were their own dogs so stupid and useless? (-_-)
–00:07 AM–
"All aboard!!!" yelled one of the well decorated Navy officers. They had successfully boarded at 12:07 midnight, but still had 23 more minutes before the ships officially set sail. Some ships weren't ready yet, so they had to wait a bit longer until the official sailing time. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. On the deck, sailors moved with purpose, their faces a mix of determination and apprehension.
The Almighty Destroyer, a Baymardian Burke-class guided-missile destroyer and Navy cargo ship, loomed with an intimidating presence. Captain Lisa Reeves stood on the bridge, her eyes scanning the bustling deck below as her crew made final preparations.
"Get Ready!" she commanded, her voice cutting through the morning air like a blade. The crew sprang into action.
"Yes!" Everyone replied with heavy faces. "All systems check complete, Captain," Lieutenant Commander Jackson reported. "BAY-Aegis combat system is fully operational."
Reeves nodded, her gaze fixed on the ship's distinctive SPY-1D radar arrays. "Initiate departure sequence," she ordered. They must be ready the second the clock strikes 00:30. .
Tack-Tack-Tack. Jackson's fingers flew across the integrated bridge console. The ship's advanced systems were indeed far extraordinary than anyone could have dreamt of. "Releasing mooring lines," he announced, tapping the appropriate controls.
00:27… 00:28… Every second was like a heavy guitar string tugging at their hearts.
00:29…
00:30… Go! Go! The time was NOW!
"Bow and stern thrusters engaged," Reeves said, manipulating the joystick controls. And then it happened. Brrmmmm!~
The Almighty Destroyer Ship Xenon 54, now began to inch away from Baymard's shores. Great!
Everyone was ecstatic.
"Engage main gas turbine engines, all ahead one-third," Reeves commanded, smiling from ear to ear.
This was her first time as a newly promoted Navy Captain controlling a Battleship ship. And you best believe she was not going to f**k it up! Go! Go! Go!
In a flash, her ship surged forward, its wake churning as it picked up speed. On the displays, various systems reported ready status, from the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System to the AN/SQQ-89 sonar suite.
"Plot course for the South Lampe-Adonis Sea." Reeves clenched her gloves fists, locking her lips determingly. "Everyone, let's show them what this ship can do!!"
…
Seconds passed into minutes, minutes into hours and hours into days. So much time has passed since Coby came aboard these ships, but everyday still felt surreal to him. Coby was a peasant from the Czar empire in Romain. Only after Czar became a recognized UN empire, was his worldview changed. He has never trained in Baymard like others, but has trained under people who returned from Baymard. All he had to say was that discipline was of top most importance to those who returned. When Coby first got on the battleship, his eyes wide with awe and a touch of apprehension. The ship was a marvel of modern engineering, just like Baymard's many other ships. However, these ships were different from Cruise Ships, being more plain and more focused on cargo and so many distinct features. Coby thought his superiors who trained him in Czar were tough, but only when stepping into these Battleships and having Baymardians Navy squads drill him raw, Coby felt what he underwent in the past was child's play. Coby swore he would never forget his first days aboard the ship. He had only been aboard for a few days, and already he felt the weight of the expectations placed upon him. The seasoned Navy officers moved with a confidence and precision that he could only hope to emulate. As he watched them, he couldn't help but feel like a fish out of water.
Oddly enough, this made Coby's heart race with excitement. On day one, they were already doing drills. "Today, we're running through damage control drills," one of the Navy officer's announced. "In a combat situation, knowing how to handle damage quickly and efficiently can mean the difference between life and death."
Oh My God! The drills were intense. Coby found himself crawling through narrow passageways, sealing hatches, and operating emergency pumps. The physical exertion was immense, and his muscles burned with the effort.
After the drill, Coby thought that would be it for now, boy was he wrong. "Drop and give me two hundred!" "_"
Can he say he wanted to jump off the shock now? Next came sit-ups, burpees, and a punishing run around the deck. The sailors moved with a synchronized rhythm, their breaths coming in unison as they pushed their bodies to the limit. Well, he felt like that then. "Hey, Cody!" one of his cabin mates called. "You know what they say: 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!'"
"Huh…" Cody shot back, a grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, but I think I'd prefer to stay weak and alive."
He swore he could no longer feel his legs anymore. Devil Trainers! Each and everyone of these Navy officers were trainers from hell! Like that, Cody went through hell and back. And by the end of the morning, he was exhausted. His body ached, and his uniform was soaked with sweat. However, after looking around at his fellow sailors, he felt a sense of camaraderie and pride. Hah! Cody wondered if he was a masochist when seeing how much he grew to enjoy his life aboard the ship despite it being hellish. (~w~)