The Captain looked around in confusion for the source of the second voice. "Who said that?" He focused on Kaelic. "Are you an officer, sir? I see no uniform, and you're certainly not from this vessel."
Nurai started to follow Kaelic to seeing the Captain, and paused with a glance to the annoyed guards "Afterward, we should compare notes on those cultists and getting rid of them."
The Ghost Wolf started to look and sniff around for odd magical items that matched Nurai's description.
--------------------------
At the Captain's question, Nurai pulled out her license again, "I'm Nurai and we've been sent unofficially by the British government, to keep on the nicer side of the multiple treaty lines we're walking on, to help get you all and as much as of this as possible back."
The moustache waggled as the captain worked out what to make of this. "Suppose I'd best have a chat, then. In here, please." He ducked into the small room he was already in.
The office was small, with a heavy desk bolted to the deck and a number of pictures and certificates were riveted to the walls. The captain stood behind his desk, his hand resting on the chair there, unwilling to sit since there were only two chairs for you all to share. "I am Captain Joshua Simcoe, commander of this vessel. I appologise for the brusque tone but things have been...trying."
He removed his hat, setting it down and rubbing his brow. [b]"Now then, it sounds like you have the best of me. I only learned of such...treaties...after our time here, and second hand at that. Any help you can offer would be appreciated. And we really should get down to buisness. But first...do you have any news from our families?" He paused for a moment. "My wife?"
Morgan slips in while the others are opening the door. "Ah, yes. Human priorities." he purrs, looking for another warm spot.
"They didn't tell us any of that stuff because they weren't expecting any of you to still be alive."
Kaelic nodded to Jennifer. "Our friend here has summed it up nicely, if abruptly."
He scanned the room a bit before focusing on the captain.
"Let's just get you back home so you can see them for yourself."
"Possibly, there is also data protection and all that which is meant to prevent governments from giving un-urgent personal information to third-parties like us and the person who reported the ship being here not getting close enough to see people. Our information on the ship is through a very classified filter as well. That does make our job more difficult, but between you and your crew's knowledge of what has happened and ours on the more unusual parts of this situation like the interdimensional issues involved, I think we should be able to piece something working together. As I told some of the scientists, there is a last resort back-up option to just get you all and what you can carry out the way we came in, but we're working on ways to deal with the attack going on and getting as much of this back as well. Either way, as Kaelic put it, we can work to get you all back to see them for yourselves."
"I suppose that makes sense." He considers for a moment. "Not alive? Really?" The Captain sighs. "They're right about half my crew." Pausing, he continued, "Alright. What do you need to get my people home? The Blackwing is, for this purpose, at your disposal."
Ten offerings and a magic portal. Izami thought. "First things first, how much do we have to work with from your crew?" she inquired. It was better to take stock of what you had before making plans.
"Depends on what you mean by that," the Captain said slowly. "Most of our technical people are still about. Most of our losses have been to our Marine compliment and the crewmen repelling borders. We also have one...specialist...that you may wish to talk to, a Russian who has been here longer than we."
Continuing, he added, "Supplies are low. We have been hunting and scouting when we can, but leaving the ship is challenging. Most of our ammunition has been used up, as have parts and spares. We do have a few unusual items we've held off on using due to there...experimental nature."
"The Blackwing herself is intact and largely undamaged. Bar one or two large monsters of some kind none of the local wildlife seems able to threaten her, due to her hull being steel. Her power supply is nuclear, and will last quite some time yet. Since her main armament was experimental rail and coilguns ammunition has not been a problem, although about half have failed."
"How many of these 'experimental' items are portable?"
"Several, although some are less so. One is a mobile artillery version of the coilguns. Not easy to move, but possible. We have some powered armour suits but they were..." He looked around the room. "Ah, your faces suggest you know. Well. Yes. We also have some new types of grenades. And two railrifles."
"Ah yes, the sword can talk. Sorry if that's unsettling." Kaelic noted casually. It seemed they were getting along alright anyway.
"Powered armor sounds useful, but I think I just had to fight some of that. Not as useful with a monster in it."
He tapped his chin, thoughts swirling for a bit.
"Would you happen to remember anything about how you got here?"
"We hit a storm, and battened down the ship. A lightning strike would be...well, theoretically it should be fine, the ship is designed to weather them, but theory and reality are not what you want to check. During the storm a..." Simcoe paused for a moment, looking baffled. "A dragon attacked the ship. Some kind of hybrid of a dragon and a turtle? It was until the lightning lit it up that we saw people on its back, performing some kind of ritual. We fire the guns and...we were here."
He shrugged. "Two minutes later the damned turtle dragon appeared too. We were still getting our bearings, but it didn't survive long. It wasn't until we heard the screams that we understood it was a decoy. They tried to board us, but spears and shields were little use against rifles. I don't think they expected that. They've been trying to board us ever since, and we've been refusing."
"Do you know of any...artifact like items. One was found on one of the other ships they've brought through. Nurai described the item as she recalled it.
"Ri is currently looking for anything similar, and while I hate to spoil their fun, sooner sounds like it would be better with the attacks going on."
The captain paused. "I haven't heard of anything on this ship, but there was some odd cargo on the Krimzen, the Russian sub. She's a Typhoon, monster of a sub. We checked her for supplies but she was already being overrun, and we were worried a fight might hit one of her nukes."
"You know, people used to worship objects that talked to them." Izami said with a huff. "Although ever since technology like the radio came about, that's become rather less of a thing." Then, after a moment, "Also, let's not set off nuclear weapons? Once was enough."
"People also used to worship cats, Izami, I feel your pain." grumbles Morgan from his catnap. "What about this odd cargo? Anything that may be of use, or of interest for the boarders?"
Nurai looked between Izami and Kaelic at Izami's "once was enough" comment, "I think it's my turn to ask if you blew anything up..." before she waited for captain's reply to Morgan's question.
The Captain's eyebrow raised - whether at the idea that he should be worshipping cats and swords or that there might be a nuclear blast in his future - but added, "I'm afraid we were focused on food and weapons, and didn't search the whole vessel. It is entirely possible something was left. If you wish, I can try and call the survivor from the Krimzen. He was...alone for some time, and a little odd now, but he might know more about her manifest."
"Have him start a cult to me. People who are very faithful will spill anything." Izami suggested.
Kaelic frowned at Izami. "This is why I keep you sheathed."
Stroking his beard, he considered for a moment. "I think we should talk to him, yes. At very least it's a good place to start."
"I'd think talking should be all that is required," the Captain replied slowly, "He has been nothing but cooperative. Not cults required. I'll radio him when we're done here. Is there anything else you need?"
So many unanswered questions answered was a want, but not really a need. With a smile and a shake of her head, "Not that I can think of other than getting in touch with the Krimzen's survivor...what was his name? Maybe he and I can bond over мәнті and get some more answers there..."
"Artyom," the Captain replied slowly. He clearly had no idea what мәнті meant. "Anything else you need?"
Izami muttered something about the world not having enough cults these days.
"That's all for now, I'll try to update you soon..." With her typical smile, she walked back to the door as she waited for the others and called for her ghost wolf with a warble whistle.
Nodding, the Captain went out to the main Bridge and made a call to the Russian sailor. It took an hour but eventually, a small, wiry man rowed to the ship, some kind of deer in the boat with him. Climbing aboard, he smiled through a heavy beard.
"Artyom," he said in a thick accent, "I understand you have question about the old tub?"
Nurai stood in front of her ghost wolf on sight of the deer in the boat. With a quick nod, her accent came through, "Yes, thank you for coming. I'm Nurai Ayaulymkyzy and working on piecing together the ritual these attackers used to bring everything here so we can get as much back as possible. Another old boat they brought through had an odd artifact that I think might be part of it."
She gave a brief description to Artyom. "Have you seen anything similar?"
Kaelic crossed his arms in front of him and considered the man with no apparent feeling. He estimated that the man was likely to know something useful and that they would find it soon enough, and he'd been doing too much talking anyway. That was Izami's job. Or it was supposed to be. But apparently she was feeling down about herself and looking for cult followers, so for now the talking fell to Nurai.
The Russian looked at the Ghost Wolf for a moment, then shrugged and focused on the metal fragment Nurai is holding up. "нет, not that I saw. But the cargo hold is full of sealed boxes. Plus, she is a big boat. Lots of rooms I have never been in. Is not impossible such is there." Scratching his beard, he added, "Why?"
Disappointed but not surprised, Nurai kept smiling as she considered her words, [b]"I suspect either they're part of the ritual and therefore possibly part of returning or something the attackers want which is sometimes helpful to have or both. It's one of the leads we're following since most don't want to do with Plan Я of destroying their work and legging it just yet."
"Did anything look particularly durable or sealed? That's usually where people put the important things." Izami opined, completely confident in her ability to get through any regular barrier in short order.
The man stared at the sword for a moment, then at the captain who gave a little shrug. "Ritual, huh? Yes, yes. Makes sense. Perhaps there was something. There was a small storeroom. Kept locked on the lower deck. Saw inside, once, when the captain was checking something. A big...uh...chest? Made of black дуб. Uh, oak. Metal bindings. Fancy looking."
"Sounds pretty dramatic. I think we should check it out." Kaelic nodded as he straightened up from his slouched position. "Do you guys have working radios? I want to stay in touch."
"It does indeed sound like a good place to start. Are you done exchanging words with any soul on this boat? We could be hunting the source of this anomaly by now."
The ghost wolf kept nudging at Nurai as she listened before she spoke, "A possibility, thank you for telling us, Artyom. She then turned and said something in Kazakh which ended with a chuckle from both before the ghost wolf happily ran off.
Turning back to the Russian man, "I'd welcome your expertise in this investigation.[b] With a glance between him and Kaelic, [b]" I don't think I have any radios, just my phone and those souls that just went hunting who can find me anywhere. Unless someone wants to look elsewhere, I think we're all heading to the lower deck." as she started to head.
Jennifer has been keeping her mouth shut for most of this exchange, recognizing that her impatience and particular charm weren't going to get any information faster than what Nurai, Kaelic, and even the cat were doing. (She feels she could probably be more diplomatic than the sword, though, if she really pushed herself.)
When they finally have a destination in mind, she shoulders her way past any sailors between her and where Artyom was leading.
"Not you guys," Kaelic remarked to Nurai, "You guys." He finished, nodding to the captain. "I don't want them getting boarded again or anything else strange happening while we're out."
"Well, as the call to Artyom suggests, radios can certainly be arranged." The captain nodded to a crewman to make it so. Before they could leave the ghost wolf came back with radios. And also a cake. "Where the hell did he find cake?" the captain asked in general confusion.
With communcations (and cake) resolved, the Russian led you all to the small boat. The deer in the front watched you all as it sat, passively. Which didn't seem as odd as it probably should. Something about the creature made you suspect it was probably smarter than most. The ghost wolf curled up next to it for the trip.
The trip to the edge didn't take too long. The massive submarine sat just a couple of hundred feet from the lake shore, clearly visible. Its black metal hull was obvious against the greenery of the lake, although it did seem...dimmer...here.
Nurai chuckled, "I didn't ask them for that..."
---
The dimmer light pleased her shadows while Nurai looked around at the greenery around them. It raised a few questions, but Nurai waited for now.
Izami mentally frowned as she noticed the dimness. ".....Mm." she muttered, deep in thought.
"This world, it reacts to things," Artyom muttered. "A lot of men died here, in fear and confusion. The world remembers." He pointed to a rope hanging down the hull near the conning tower. "That is how we enter."
Kaelic spoke his words and, after a moment of upward wind, a glow appeared on Izami. "I'll go first." He stated directly before trying his weight on the rope and subsequently climbing.
Kaelic easily scales the tower, with Artyom behind. The Russian grabs the hatch and twists the valve with both hands, tossing the metal up with a practised flip. Staring down into the interior, lit only by the red glow of the emergency lighting system, he nodded. "Does not look different to the last time I was here. The fey, they cannot enter, but they have servants who can."
"Pfft. Fey." Izami said, sounding like she was getting a bit of her smugness back. "They're not so bad. At least they can bleed."
Kaelic hesitated at the door. "Well, I guess let me know what you all find."
Artyom looked at Kaelic in surprise. "You too get the iron sickness of the Fey? I can help you. A spell I made for a friend. It will allow you to move through the ship." He muttered something in Russian and moved to touch Kaelic.
Kaelic seemed suspicious, for a moment withdrawing from the man, but he soon relented and allowed himself to be enchanted. "...Thanks." He still looked wary, but reluctantly lowered himself down. The glow he cast upon iron-cutter spread into the darkness.
Nurai looked at the rope with some reluctance before she followed, the ghost wolf glided after. She cautiously stepped into the red-lit area.