The combined fleet had assembled. Because of the nature of the mission, all Realmfleet members were required to wear their duty uniforms instead of their usual clothes. The duty uniform consisted of a grey shirt with long sleeves and a pair of black pants with a black, loose, knee-high skirt. The trim on the uniforms signified where the person worked at. Red was for ensigns, orange was for engineering, yellow was for security, green was for the sciences, blue was for the medical profession, and purple was for command. If the person wearing the uniform was not bipedal or naturally had a way to obscure the lower half, the shirt was the only thing required. Arsha adjusted her purple-trimmed shirt and tied off her bun, forgoing her rose hairpiece. She then adopted an authoritative stance. Time to project confidence. She strode onto the bridge to see all bridge crewmembers in their uniforms. Oak, Nazay, Shalvey, and Laverda had purple trim, Dalengor and Malak had yellow, Thangred and Melandra had orange, Elmar and Orthena had green, and Marshii and Thengo had blue. \u201cAll decks report ready,\u201d reported Dalengor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll ships are standing by,\u201d called Shalvey. \u201cThey await your command.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShip to ship communications, Commander Shalvey,\u201d ordered Arsha as she sat down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cChannel open, Captain,\u201d replied Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll ships, we\u2019re ready,\u201d said Arsha over the channel. \u201cMove out!\u201d The channel closed. \u201cNazay, set course for the Trelfan Trench, all available speed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTrelfan Trench, all available speed,\u201d confirmed Nazay. The Endeavor<\/em> then moved to lead the combined fleet to battle. Like a great silver and pink wall, the fleet of the Kurontar Sea and Realmfleet ships ploughed through the water inexorably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n King Jargoon, the leader of all Mega-sharks across the Realms, patrolled the perimeter of the trench. He had to deal with his family\u2019s personal slave, the former Queen Roomeela, sister to Forneth, not performing as fast as she usually did in her 50,000 years of enslavement. After giving her 20 lashes, he got healers to fix her up and cure any illnesses that may have snuck into her body. A sick or injured slave is valueless in his mind. He was about to swim back down when a scout swam to him. \u201cYour Majesty!\u201d she yelped. \u201cA Realmfleet force is coming with those fish-people as well! They\u2019ve crossed the border in an attack formation heading directly here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWHAT?!\u201d bellowed Jargoon. \u201cHOW DARE THEY?! CALL OUT THE SOLDIERS! WE\u2019RE DEFENDING OUR HOME!\u201d The horn blew and the Mega-shark soldiers swarmed out of the trench. The fleet arrived, laying down suppressing fire while the smaller fighter crafts attacked the soldiers. The fight was brutal, both sides sustaining casualties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKeep on them,\u201d urged Arsha as the Endeavor<\/em> chased a Mega-shark light cruiser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll give them this,\u201d muttered Nazay as his fingers danced across the console, \u201cthe Mega-sharks know how to pilot their crafts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo do you, Commander,\u201d encouraged Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStay on them,\u201d urged Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m trying, Sir,\u201d replied Nazay. \u201cAnd they say we Nagas are slippery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnable to lock target,\u201d growled Malak. The ship then rocked as something hit it. \u201cWe have two Mega-shark heavy cruisers aft of us!\u201d called Malak. \u201cBearing 2-7-0-mark 1-0-4!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEvasive action Arsha Sigma,\u201d Arsha ordered Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHang on!\u201d called Nazay. The Endeavor<\/em> then loop-de-looped over the Mega-shark ships and ended up behind them. Malak took the opportunity and fired on them, destroying them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNice work,\u201d praised Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCouldn\u2019t have made those shots without Nazay\u2019s help,\u201d called Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah,\u201d hissed Nazay, \u201cbut I lost the light cruiser we were chasing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not too choked up,\u201d replied Malak. \u201cPlenty more for us to choose from.\u201d I wish I could say that was a good omen, but it wasn\u2019t. The Mega-sharks decided to go on a few kamikaze runs on the Merfolk\u2019s Shellcrafts. Both crafts exploded on impact. It wasn\u2019t looking too good for the combined fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCaptain,\u201d reported Shalvey, \u201cKing Vorko for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOn screen,\u201d commanded Arsha. King Vorko, one of Marianes\u2019 dads, appeared, his brown beard disheveled by the battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Realmcutter<\/em>\u2019s been destroyed,\u201d he reported. \u201cThat entire line is collapsing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ll try to help,\u201d assured Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith what?!\u201d asked Vorko. \u201cArsha, we\u2019re losing too many ships! We\u2019ve got to find a way to turn the Mega-shark\u2019s left flank!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s too well protected,\u201d replied Arsha, \u201cbut their lines are spread pretty thin in the middle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou help the Realmfleet ships,\u201d directed Vorko. \u201cForneth and I will hit the center.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOn my way,\u201d answered Arsha. The call ended. \u201cShalvey, have attack wings 23 and 24 follow us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAye, Ma\u2019am,\u201d confirmed Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat is going on up there?!\u201d growled Jargoon\u2019s wife, Veloom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re unable to get an accurate reading at the moment,\u201d replied a guard, \u201cbut, I assure you, we will hear the victory horn momentarily.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ve been saying that for the past hour!\u201d roared Veloom as she swam closer, her teeth bared. \u201cMeanwhile, there\u2019s no way of contacting my husband! No way of knowing how the battle is going!\u201d Roomeela, her brown hair showing the abuse she suffered for 50,000 years and her tail in constant pain, noticed her captors\u2019 distress. She decided to bide her time until a signal could reach her and her people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMega-shark ship off the port bow!\u201d reported Malak. \u201cShields are down to 50%!\u201d The ship rocked again. \u201cAnother Mega-shark ship to port!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThangred, auxiliary power to port shields!\u201d ordered Arsha. \u201cShalvey, we need some support from our attack fighters!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAye, Captain!\u201d called Shalvey. The ship rocked again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnother Mega-shark off the starboard aft!\u201d relayed Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cArsha,\u201d reported Shalvey, \u201cmost of our fighters are either destroyed or under attack themselves!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCommander, give us some breathing room!\u201d ordered Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m trying!\u201d called Nazay. The Endeavor<\/em> still had the three Mega-shark ships on her, at least, until Forneth managed to dive into them and destroy them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main command center was filled with every single pleasure slave the Mega-sharks have kept for 50,000 years. A look of horror crossed Veloom\u2019s face as the long range sensors displayed Forneth destroying ships. A murmur could be heard throughout the slave population. \u201cQuiet,\u201d ordered Veloom. She then noticed that she didn\u2019t get immediate obedience. \u201cI said, quiet. You are bred to serve us and obey us. Quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo!\u201d snarled Roomeela. Veloom gave the former Queen her full attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat did you say?\u201d she hissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI SAID NO!\u201d roared Roomeela as she leaned back and decked Veloom in the snout. That was all the motivation the enslaved merfolk needed. They started breaking their chains and grasping at the shells on their backs. Veloom recovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNeuro-shells,\u201d she ordered. The Mega-shark at the console pressed a button and pain filled the merfolk, but still, they managed to grab the shells. \u201cNEURO-SHELLS!\u201d bellowed Veloom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019ve thrown up mental blocks!\u201d called the Mega-shark. \u201cI can\u2019t get them to fall in line!\u201d The merfolk then tore the shells off and threw them onto their oppressors. This time, the Mega-sharks felt how bad their own devices were. As the Mega-sharks tried to terminate the treatment, the merfolk swam out of the command center and joined the battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow goes the battle?\u201d asked Jargoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re still in a standstill with the enemy,\u201d reported a Mega-shark. \u201cWe shall soon break through their\u2026do you hear that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMY LORD!\u201d called another Mega-shark. \u201cBENEATH US!\u201d The formerly enslaved merfolk then attacked Jargoon\u2019s forces from below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHOW DID THEY GET OUT?!\u201d bellowed Jargoon. \u201cDISCIPLINE THEM!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019ve removed their neuro-shells!\u201d called a Mega-shark. \u201cThey CAN\u2019T be disciplined!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour Highness! Look!\u201d yelled Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI see it!\u201d cheered Arsha. \u201cWe have the Mega-sharks surrounded! Lock onto Jargoon and warp him to the bridge!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGot him!\u201d replied someone from the Port Deck. Jargoon appeared on the Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s bridge and started gasping before he attached rebreathers on his gills. He then got up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou have forced me to accept a handicap,\u201d he growled, \u201cand walk on two legs like a foul land-dweller! HOW DARE YOU!\u201d He then started swinging wildly, a poor decision. He wasn\u2019t as adept at fighting in air as he was in water. Arsha dodged his swings, then decked him in the eye, the rough equivalent to hitting a human below the belt. Dalengor then fired a stun blast and knocked Jargoon out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood shot,\u201d complimented Arsha. \u201cIs the cell ready for him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReady and waiting,\u201d cheered Dalengor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThrow him in the brig,\u201d directed Arsha. Dalengor strode over to Jargoon and cast a teleport spell on the pair of them, taking them to the brig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCaptain,\u201d reported Malak, \u201cthe enemy lines have collapsed!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank goodness for the slave uprising,\u201d cheered Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKing Vorko wants to talk to you,\u201d called Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPut him through,\u201d replied Arsha. Vorko appeared on the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRoomeela, Forneth\u2019s sister,\u201d he relayed, \u201chas told us about how the uprising happened. Forneth\u2019s presence encouraged them to rebel. We\u2019ve got Jargoon\u2019s forces in our brigs and the former slaves are receiving medical treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s great news,\u201d cheered Arsha. \u201cWhat about the rest of the Trench\u2019s denizens?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy Queen,\u201d urged a Mega-shark after the shells were removed, \u201cwe must avenge your husband! We must avenge our forces! I\u2019ll summon an army to destroy the enemy and\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat army?!\u201d bellowed Veloom. \u201cAll we have left are civilians! Pregnant women! Children! Guards! Not soldiers! Admit it, we\u2019ve lost. Begin evacuation procedures. Pregnant women and children are top priority. The guards will cover the retreat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNO!\u201d roared the Mega-shark. \u201cWe can\u2019t leave the Trench to those fish-people!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have had enough of disobedience for one day!\u201d shrieked Veloom as she slashed his face with her claws. As he cradled his face, Veloom turned to the rest of her people. \u201cAnyone else?!\u201d she challenged. No one dared speak up. \u201cEvacuate the Trench,\u201d she ordered. \u201cUse all available speed to our Realmgate. We\u2019re returning to our ancestral Under-realm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe civilians are evacuating the Trench,\u201d reported Malak. \u201cA Realmgate has been opened, leading to the Under-realm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re returning to their ancestral seas,\u201d guessed Marshii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy friends,\u201d cheered Vorko, \u201csongs will be sung of this day. Once this affair is over, I\u2019ll have a guard posted in the Trench to watch the Realmgate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt will lead to a community living there again,\u201d cheered Erga. \u201cA merfolk community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith respect,\u201d sighed Roomeela as she swam onto Vorko\u2019s bridge, \u201cI don\u2019t think any of us will live there a second longer. We need to return to our home, even if it IS in ruins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe will help you rebuild,\u201d assured Vorko. \u201cYour kingdom will live again!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot MY kingdom,\u201d countered Roomeela. \u201cI have given up my crown. To wear it again would only have me dwell on what was instead of learning the lessons from that time. That\u2019s not what the Order was founded on. The city I once ruled will become a shrine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA shrine city,\u201d realized Arsha. \u201cThe amount of pilgrimages would be staggering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat shrine city will still have people living there,\u201d replied Roomeela.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat was your city called?\u201d asked Vorko.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, you\u2019ve read about it in some measure,\u201d answered Roomeela. \u201cIt was the original capital of the Kurontar Sea, Domoroto.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDomoroto?!\u201d gasped Vorko. \u201cI don\u2019t believe it! It\u2019s the historical find of the age! The scholars of Rampenar will be all over that like minnows to plankton!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWill Realmfleet be prevailed upon to help rebuild Domoroto into a shrine city?\u201d quizzed Roomeela.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll have to clear it with the Realmfleet Council,\u201d replied Arsha, \u201cbut I doubt they\u2019ll say no.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you!\u201d cheered Roomeela. \u201cWe will see you at the base!\u201d The call ended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSpeaking of the base,\u201d mused Arsha. \u201cShalvey, contact Marianes. I have news to give to her in my ready room.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAye, aye, Captain,\u201d replied Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It took a few minutes to get the call through. By that time, Arsha had just put her dress on and was retying her bun when Marianes appeared on her screen. \u201cI heard the news from Daddy!\u201d she cheered. \u201cDomoroto, the ancient capital of the Kurontar Sea before Rampenar claimed that title, now being rebuilt as a shrine city for the Order of Ancestry! I have to thank Roomeela in person. My spouses and I have a new prayer spot and honeymoon location!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re enjoying the news,\u201d chuckled Arsha as she opened a small drawer and took her hairpiece out. She repined it and adjusted it, prompting a look of confusion from Marianes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen you without your hairpiece,\u201d she observed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI never have it on during conflict,\u201d replied Arsha. \u201cIt taints the luck it brings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s a good-luck charm?\u201d asked Marianes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSomething Foresna\u2019s mother gifted to me on her death-bed,\u201d explained Arsha. \u201cIt\u2019s usually passed to the daughter of the family, but Foresna\u2019s sister didn\u2019t want it. She\u2019s been a bit of a rough and tumble girl, not exactly a fan of \u2018girly\u2019 stuff. Any woman who wears this is blessed with luck and happiness, but it must never be worn if you are in any kind of conflict from the smallest argument to the largest battle. If so, the luck will drain from the rose and it will wither. She was the kindest woman I ever met.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI see,\u201d mused Marianes. \u201cHow did it become lucky in the first place?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s a legend behind that,\u201d replied Arsha. \u201cBefore the First Age of Unity, a witch had a garden. She didn\u2019t have the gardener\u2019s touch as everything wilted within a few days. A woman passed by and saw the witch railing against her fate as a poor gardener. She offered to help the witch, but this witch was a suspicious one. She initially refused, but the woman persisted. Finally, the witch caved and allowed the woman to fix her garden. After a few weeks, the garden was in full bloom. The witch soon realized that the woman did it out of the goodness of her heart, so she took a rose from the garden and used her magic to make a hairpiece out of it. She then gifted it to the woman saying to never wear the rose in conflict or the luck that has been infused within will kill the rose. Over time, the rose was passed down the line, bringing luck wherever it went.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd now, you wear it,\u201d observed Marianes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cForesna\u2019s mother was instrumental in my learning,\u201d recalled Arsha. \u201cI want to honor her in the best way possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, you\u2019re doing a good job,\u201d replied Marianes. \u201cIn the meantime, I\u2019m off to help rebuild Domoroto. See you around!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSee you around,\u201d bid Arsha. The call ended, leaving Arsha to think on one thing, the brave soldiers that lost their lives in the Trench.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The combined fleet had assembled. Because of the nature of the mission, all Realmfleet members were required to wear their duty uniforms instead of their usual clothes. The duty uniform consisted of a grey shirt with long sleeves and a pair of black pants with a black, loose, knee-high skirt. The trim on the uniforms […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1795,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,94],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-1983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-1-her-highness-the-captain","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1983","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1983"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1983\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1984,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1983\/revisions\/1984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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