I stood at the climax of the ship's giant ramp, wide enough to fit eight or nine ‘generously’ sized fellows walking together, in freedom units, that’d be 70 by 25 feet. On both sides stood my soon-to-be former crew, sending off the last of our guests with bittersweet smiles and waves, just as the PR team would like.
I looked over the dock of PortMiami and the infamous 305’s backdrop. A fitting end? Maybe. This was our first ‘deployment’ all those twenty-something years ago. “Cruise, Atlas, cruise,” I corrected myself internally while keeping up the show.
Wise old smile equated, hand waving the same as my team, “Crew.” The crew in question continued to do so while flanking the boarding ramp, just as a douchebag’s voice came over our earpieces.
“Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.” Apollus, the aggravating third officer, chimed. “That smile’s why therapists are rich.” The reply from Vrezaw, the second officer, showed her sole purpose. Annoy the 3rd mate.
Four decades-old reference right there. Good god, that made me feel old. “Fifties ain’t even old!” Finally, the last guest cleared the ramp, and we began to march back into the bowels of the beast.
We then dispersed onto the ship's I-95. My own personal destination was the bridge. Using elevators from the I-95, I moved up toward the ship's bridge. I couldn't help but mull over what had gone wrong. I knew this would happen. This ship was just a little over twenty years old, and it was being scrapped.
“It's built to last at least forty! It runs on twin nuclear reactors for Christ's sake!” I grumbled. Twin-knot is the marvel of her time, twenty years old, and nonetheless, her rivals were still playing catch-up. “And unlike the F-22, she got to work immediately,” I said with a snicker.
The Juggernaut Who Dreadnoughts, or “Twin-Knot,” was a cruise ship designed during the second Cold War to operate in WWIII. Built in 2032, she did just that.
17-inch waterline belt, decks with 1 ft of armor added to their already bulky cruise ship standard. She had 14 anti-air lasers, 12 jamming pods, 4 LRADs, 16 water cannons, 6 20x40 acoustic distraction devices, and 4 ship defense drone pods. But one thing ol’ girl was was a runner. “Ohhh, and you can run girl,” I chuckled.
She had sensors that went wide enough to spot most AWACS and sharp enough to sniff out 6th-gen jets. And once you got her spooked them twin reactors would send her running at 120 knots. But that’d only last for five hours before her frame started complaining. And all that to say…
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“I hate old fellows~.”
I sighed. “But, cap’n, ain't you a museum piece?” sounded the voice of my Chief Officer, Maradac. Already waiting for me on the bridge, a real talent at only 35, the youngest bridge member, I ignored her quip. I asked, “Did the Killjoys leave?” Her reply was a smirk rich in ill intention.
“Was that directed at me or the plan?”
Silence.
Employing my old-money background, we pulled off some palm greasing. Usually, for this shipping line, a cruise ship would be docked and scrapped in the U.S., but. “Corruption is good when you're rich, kekeke.”
We (mainly me) had. “Convinced”. The top brass to allow us to sail the ship to Argentina, where the company is. “Suddenly”. In need of metal and two reactors… So we were doing exactly that.
After an hour of departure procedures, we were soon clear of the dock and fully on autopilot. Unlike regular-fueled ships that needed constant attention for fuel efficiency, two nuclear reactors made sure we never had to put that in our minds.
I made my way to the main deck with the remaining 100 crew members who stayed. Luckily, no essential members were left. I knew they wouldn’t even if I paid them to, but it left a feeling in the air. Like when you finish a book with a tragic end and no plans for a sequel.
We knew this was the end.
After a few minutes of elevators and walking, I made it to the deck where everyone was gathered. Contrary to the tropical morning, the atmosphere on deck was gloomy. This was their home, family, rivalry, arguments, fights, reconciliation, and growth.
All on this floating castle.
I stood at the raised platform at the bow, the familiar weight of the crew’s anticipation still locking me to the likewise familiar spot. Looking back at their uncertainty, I replied with determination in my eyes and in my voice as I began.
“Attention all Sailors, attention all you once and always squids, attention all you of my crew, and attention all of you, the family of the Juggernaut Who Dreadnought.” I paused and looked at them all intensely.
“WE are gathered today because all of us are imbeciles and/or Swabs. WE chose when we left the navies of our countries that WE did not have enough of the sea, oceans, or any deadly water body. WE decided WE would sail together. And for fuck’s sake, if there is anywhere we can do that, it is this ship.” I paused once again
“But that's why WE are here, because the one bitch, stubborn enough to hold us, will soon meet her last. And Squids, when that happens, I fear WE too will sail together our last. None of us cares for touchy moments or stories, so I will give it to you straight. This is our last sail, this is our last HOOYAH, and fuck, we will make it count.” I pointed to the open seas
“So WE will go out there and voyage our last voyage to the seas and oceans beyond. Squids, once and forever, sail forward!”
“SQUIDS ONCE AND FOREVER!”
“SQUIDS ONCE AND FOREVER!”
“SQUIDS ONCE AND FOREVER!”
Just as the chorus rang out among our former Navy sailors, a strange phenomenon took place. It was unknown to the crew as they sailed toward the rising sun, but such goes.
The disappearance of The Squids of The Twin-knots.
