The rear lowered into the water and we heard Dan over the radio, “The fleet will go into a circle again, but we are staying in the circle as well.”.
Slowly the fleet moved into formation, while doing that the front of the creature rose in front of our ship about 20 feet away. The water got rough but luckily the second Dan saw the thing rise up the boat reversed quickly. Me and Liam were terrified and we got side by side out of fear, luckily after backing up we moved in between 2 other ships. I asked Lilith how she was, her voice made it clear she was scared.
“I’m fine, just right in front of the ship getting a front row seat. Want to switch places and get a soft seat?” she responded.
“No I’m good, you deserve the seat not me.” I told her. I then talked to Liam “You forgot knee pads didn’t you?”.
“yeah but I don’t need to kneel since I only have a rifle.” he told me.
The ship we were near earlier was being attacked while the rear was still under water, after a few minutes while the fleet was still attacked the circle formation was finished. The rear rose again and was lifted above the deck of a ship from the side, it then dropped. We couldn’t tell from our ship but some people were probably crushed, the top mounted gun fired at the section just out of the water. The shot caused the end to return under water, it’s face was still up for now spitting acid. But soon it went back under, we still were on standby waiting for orders. I was both relieved to get orders and terrified at what we were told.
“We will stay outside the circle and when we spot it we will approach then attack.” Dan told us all.
We left the circle then went around it until we spotted the things head coming out again, we pulled up about 40 feet away I think. The starboard side faced it and I fired the launcher that I loaded a few seconds earlier, Liam was next to me shooting. Lilith had saved the harpoon for now only firing the 50, after it went under again we waited till it rose again. It waited a minute the rose again still on fire, don’t know how that worked but good it was still being damaged. We went where it attacked and after we finally got there, we repeated the same attack.
This attack was better planed, attacking and then hiding under water after. The ship next to us had its top mounted gun being targeted by the rear, it hit the side but luckily because of how hard it hit it’s mouth was right in front of the barrel. It started to move away, clearly it didn’t intend to go towards the muzzle but that’s where it ended up.
Not wasting this opportunity the gun fired, the front part of the upper jaw was hit. The rear fins and top of the of the mouth was blown off and into pieces, blood and flesh chunks went all over. Luckily the creature attacked from the side we weren’t on, so all the blood and pieces were blown away from us.
That part of the creature dropped down instantly, it hit the ship on the way down as it fell. Blood was leaking out as it fell, covering the guns barrel in blood. We lost sight after it was low enough but heard the splash, the whole fleet waited to see if this battle was done.
After a minute it came back up, this time with the front and was launching one final attack. Lunging its whole front on the deck of a ship farther away, this was different than previous attacks. This one was more intelligent or something but this final attack stood out, it was desperate.
I then realized what it was doing, trying to drag the bow down towards the water to sink the ship. This ships top mounted gun aimed directly down at it, even though the deck would be hit as well but better that than sinking.
“I’m being told that it is flooding the deck with acid.” Dan told us.
Then the cannon fired and the head was blown open and into pieces, even here we saw red everywhere. The ship itself caught fire at the same time where it was hit, then the body slid off the deck and the bow moved up while the stern lowered. A huge splash could be heard even from here as it fell under and the ships stern fell back down as it was lifted a good amount out of the water. The fire was still going and the fleet didn’t move, after a few minutes the fire was put out. We got back in the half circle formation with the damaged ship moving slower than the others so all the fleet slowed down, we all got back inside but no one talked and I went upstairs and lied back in bed. We continued to head back and I just wanted to not do anything, after a few minutes Kelly came to me.
“How you felling?” she asked.
“I don’t know what to say, I don’t want to talk right now.” I told her.
“Well have some more water, I already got everyone else downstairs more.” she told me and I got up and sat on the bed taking the water. She sat next to me, then continued to talk.
“You really did good for being the least experienced of us, your thinking what if an another shows up.” she continued.
“Yes but I’m trying not to, also after both were killed there bodies did eventually come back up and were floating. We just left there bodies behind but how long do you think it will take for them to be eaten?” I asked. Trying to change the subject to something else as I didn’t want to be reminded of the possibility of a third attack.
“I don’t think even the squids can finish it all before it goes bad and even they wont eat it.” she finished and left me alone. I just lied back in bed and tried to sleep but I couldn’t do it, I was to nervous.
Finally we got back to Servus city and while we did win no one was happy or celebrating as we returned, not after what we saw. All the ships docked and I got out of bed, I was waiting on the first floor for Dan. Everyone else had left and he finally came down, then he told me what was next.
“Your coming with me, I have to file a report and I can add stuff that you saw as well.” I was told and I followed him to a building. We entered and we walked down the main hall off the lobby then entered an office.
He sat in the chair and since there was only one I stood, he said they wouldn’t give more then one per office to save money. I was well rested anyways because I lied in bed, it took forever but he was writing lots of details. I finally thought about it and we were gone for a little over 8 hours I think since it was 3 hours until we encountered it, a little over an hour for the first fight, it was going to be 3 hours back but with the damaged ship it took longer and we were attacked on the way back. I heard that only lasted 40ish minutes but it felt longer, still we left so early it was still light out. I was then asked by Dan to add what I saw.
I told him about seeing that big eyed fish that went under and that I heard Liam had seen one under water, I continued to say it only watched. Then I went to my feelings about the first fight and how it fought at a disadvantage, I then told him how the second fight seemed different to me. This one used the water to its advantage by attacking without showing itself first, hiding under then attacking again. What stood out was attacking the harpoon guns and artillery, it did clearly know it made a mistake being near the muzzle as it tried to move away. After adding my comments under the property’s opinions and experiences section of the report he finished.
“I agree with you, the second one was thinking or something and the first fight was odd.” he told me.
“What about the big eyed fish?” I asked.
“Still confuses me, it wasn’t hungry clearly but its not worth thinking about. We will not be able to know any time soon so move on for now.” he responded then asked me a question.
“There is a spot for name suggestions of the thing, I want you to give a name.” and I didn’t know what to say.
After a while I thought of something, “Varvara, it is my mothers name.” I told him.
“I love it, she probably wouldn’t be happy with that monster having her name.” he laughed. She was a monster and to celebrate finally moving on I would try to name this after her.
We left and he handed in his report, we then walked to the base’s eating area. The food was slightly better than canned meat I was told and we could eat for free here so Dan wanted to.
