Privateer

[Anonymous]

“Yes captain, we have complete silence. Nobody should know that we are here.”
The men stared at their screens and waited for orders as their captain looked over a print out of the orders. Their submarine sat in position at the mouth of the Retalian Sea submerged and able to sit in their location for up to two weeks with rations and air.

Undetected they sat and waited. The captain turned his attention to the crew, “we need to find a vessel flying the flag of Serenierre, and we need to sink it in these contentious waters. We have 72 hours to do this. Not because of the situation of our vessel, but because of the changing political dynamics in this region. It would be preferred if this vessel we sink is military, but civilian will be adequate as well. We’re on the clock ladies and gentlemen! Get to it!”

The captain walked off the bridge and to his cabin. They all sat and waited. Today they’d wait for the sound of a military vessel from Serenierre to appear on their instruments. Confirm it, follow it into the Retalian Sea and sink it in the Retalian Sea straits. If that failed, they’d have to follow a commerce vessel tomorrow.

 

[Serenierre]

Though the peace that been ushered in on the continent, the Retalian Sea, calm and picturesque as it was, remained ever tense. The risk of war never seemed far off and the presence of coast guard vessels belonging to the countries around it at various points never let anyone forget. Many a sailor found themselves feeling rather nervous when the entered these otherwise beautiful waters. The Hyacinthe, however, was in especially precarious territory. It was not often that a ship flying the Serenien ensign was allowed in the eastern seas, usually it was Borovangeren registered ships which would make the journey, while the ships were in fact Serenien. But the Hyacinthe was an exception.

As the ship entered the Retalian Gates, the narrow entry way into the sea, the captain clasped his crucifix and looked on.

OOC: @Eiffelland I don't know who posted this. But this is not my handiwork.

 

[Rheinbund]

The Busto was a multirole destroyer. It was originally a ship of the Retalian Navy, but now it was part of the Eiffelloretalian Navy. The crew consisted of Italian-speaking Retalians. Its current task was patrolling the southern part of the Retalian Sea, including the Retalian Gate. Captain Mario Galico was standing on the bridge when the Hyacinthe was reported entering the Gate. It was one of the very few ships carrying the Serenien flag in these waters. Galico was surprised about that.

Suddenly one of the systems made a sound. Then one of the officers said: "Captain, the sonar indicates an irregularity on the sea floor."
"What exactly do you mean, Lieutenant Falaco?" Galico asked.
"The sea floor looks different from what it usually looks like, Captain," the officer said.
"Hhmmm. Strange. It can't be a shipwreck. No ships perished here recently," Galico said. "There is no seismic activity here, either."
"Believe it or not, Captain, but it has the shape of a submarine," the officer said.
"A submarine? Here? On the sea floor?" Galico asked. Then he ordered to change the course in order to create some distance from what could be a submarine. He also notified the Naval Command.

 

[Anonymous]

That was the ping he had been waiting for. He could clearly see the dot moving on the low resolution map halfway concealed behind a large crack on his Eiffelandian-made smartphone.

Unbreakable, yeah right, he thought.

This internet thing though - you could find everything there. Hell, some freaks had even created a live map of maritime traffic tapping into transponder signals accessible for everyone for whatever reason. This kids these days sure had strange hobbies, but just this once it actually would be beneidiciao for him. Damn young people.

“Alright guys, that’s the moment we have been waiting for. The Hyacinthe has entered the Gate. Remember, stick to the plan. Hit hard, hit fast and seize control. Once we’ve got her, we’ll bring her right to Loago, trade her cargo in for a fine reward and then enjoy our retirement under palm trees. Let’s roll!”, his nervous, yet excited voice crackled through radio speakers on four speedboats.

They started their engines. Go time.

 

[Anonymous]

Headquarters buzzed with several officers in discussion. They monitored the risky mission they had set upon and still had the initiative to pull the plug. How might be the challenging part as the situation was becoming a bit dangerous. “Sir, our scout in the area is reporting four speedboats on a collision course for the Hyacinthe.” The man in charge of the operation observed the photographs coming to him via satellite. It was not a good development. The submarine in the area was on in full silence, and thus the responsibility rest squarely on the shoulders of the captain of the boat. He asked the room, “what are the odds that even if we sink the Hyacinthe, that the Serenierre Government will actually decide to pin the blame on the Eiffelland-Retalian Government?”

The room was silent for a moment. A moment that seemed to last a rather long period of time, even if it was only seconds. A voice chimed in after a few seconds of silence, “Who can really know, sir? By my own judgment, I’d say 50/50. It’s a coin flip.” Not exactly was the commander officer wanted to hear. He felt that was the case as well. The goal was to cause some chaos, but only if they wouldn’t get caught. The exact words he told the captain of the boat.

“I’m leaving this in the hands of the captain. No doubt he can hear the speed boats. He has a better assessment of the sea there. Back to work!”

The room broke out into chatter and conversations as the operations of this division recommenced. The next thirty minutes would be intense as another submarine moved into the Retalian Sea region silently. They had their own mission.

Onboard the second submarine the captain of this vessel looked on the situation. His was beginning a heading straight towards the Hyacinthe on a collision course himself. “Weapons room, I urge you to keep the torpedo tubes empty! All weapons stowed no matter the circumstances!”

 

[Rheinbund]

It was immediately clear to Captain Galico that the Hyacinthe was being ambushed. both by those four speed boats and by a submarine that was on a collision course with the Hyacinthe. He contacted the crew of the Hyacinthe to warn for both threats. He also indicated that the Busto would set course to the Hyacinthe and that he would send in helicopters for assistance.

He held his promise. The Busto set course towards the Hyacinthe. Three of the four helicopters on the Busto went into the air and flew to the Hyacinthe. Their mission: Stop the speedboats and the submarine heading towards the Hyacinthe. The fourth helicopter stayed on the Busto for the case that that thing on the sea floor was indeed a submarine and decided to attack.

Upon request for assistance by Captain Galico, two frigates went to the scene as well.

 

[Serenierre]

The captain of the Hyacinthe saw the approaching speedboats on his radar. Sensing trouble, he radioed in Ardeche, "This is the MS Hyacinthe, in Eiffellander waters, we are being pursued by speedboats. Hold on for update."

"Can you see who it is?"

"No."

The Captain of the merchant ship was concerned and thought it best to slow down to avoid any confrontation with any Eiffellander authorities. Little did they know that in a bid to avoid confrontation with the Eiffellanders, the ship was surrendering itself to the danger of the mysterious submarine. The ship's fate had been decided. Only a few moments till then.

 

[Anonymous]

"Who do these motherfuckers think they are?"

The pirate in one of the speedboats was pointing towards the horizon, the silhouette of a helicopter becoming apparent contrasted against the horizon.

"Shut the fuck up Christian and focus on the mission", the chief pirate snubbed him, putting his Eiffellander phone out of hand and grabbing a rusting old bullhorn. This one hadn't been made in Eiffelland, so obviously it showed wear and tear sustained throughout the ages.

Time was of the essence. If they didn't act fast, the helicopters would get to them first.

"Waverider to Hyacinthe. You are being boarded. We are not interested in harming anyone. Do not resist boarding and you will be allowed to leave unharmed. Failure to comply will have con-"

The man stopped.

"The hell?"

The ship was slowing down. What on earth did that mean?

 

[Anonymous]

The second submarine kept committed to its course. Within a few moments, the submarine rammed into the cargo vessel, rupturing a giant gash in the hull. It came as a surprise to, what seemed like, some pirates trying to board the ship. The ship lurched to one side and a few sirens started ringing.

 

[Serenierre]

The Hyacinthe seemed to have blown up, as a loud explosion sound reverberated throughout the whole ship. Sirens started to ring on board. The Captain in a panic radioed Ardeche port, "Emergency! Eiffellander helicopters on our position. Pirates also present. And explosion on ship. This is mayday! We need help."

 

[Anonymous]

Every time you go away, you're always tryna fight; how bad I want you (bad I want you), bad I want you.

Twisting, puckering, they quivered in every exaggerated sense of seduction as he contorted and moved his sharp, plump, wet lips in perfect step to the beat and lyric of the song. The greased stained white t-shirt pulled slowly up, the soaking grip of his perspired body and the cotton resisting the ease, but both hands pulled fisted up the center of his torso, past a robustly flexed chest, and over his head where it remained.

I could try to fill the space with someone else tonight; but I don't want to (I don't want to), I don't want to.

The routine to impress could only be distracted by the endearing charm of his youthful reflex to save and protect the physical integrity of that glossy white pod; the democratically elected symbol of bougie consumerism, that fell from his right ear in brief independence at the textile's friction. That wide, sheepish smile that could only belong to a lad in his early-mid twenties, his ego hoped, was enough to smooth his half-confident retreat in to that lip syncing normalcy that cushioned his boredom across Europe. His private audience of one, sitting so many thousands of miles away, was radiating in blushing forgiveness at the embarrassment they felt for the guy. He only ever embarrassed himself for them, and they knew that, it cemented what they had.

Right now, you know I miss your body; so I won't kiss nobody until you come back home.

The palms of his hands slid down and over his body, his hips rolling in a grind to the increasing beat. His lips strained and contested out of the lack of understanding where his effort could confidently be placed. He relented, and disowned the semi-seriousness of his first efforts, instead accepting the comedic value that demanded to be adopted at the just earlier failure. Drawing his open lips into a widening grin as he silently worded the lyric, his palms held just at the top of his abdomen, and allowed the layered sweat and grease to glisten over the trembling flex and pulse of those muscles.

And I swear, the next time that I hold you; I won't let you go nowhere; you'll never be alone, I'll never let you go.

He pulled his hands upwards, and then slowly inwards. The span of his hands exposed in the expansion of their grip, giving those long fingers and big palms the needed moment to cup and to squeeze the manly bosom. One, two, he stepped forward, the roll of his hips pulling into a gentle thrusting that gave his game. He brought his hands together behind his head, and was ironic in his energetic thrusting that was sudden and lacking awareness of space. The person on the other end called out Mate, just as the guy caught the tablet made unstable from the vigor of the heterosexuality in his last movements. Honey, I got you.

Boy, the hoses, cracked the speaker below. The tablet was indelicately dismissed on the workstation as he darted to re-occupy his own little mission. Can you confirm - the hoses, instructed the captain a second, irritated time. Yasser, good, good, good.

The captain held the bridge of the freighter ship, ready to put out that call, this is the Jush.

 

[Rheinbund]

Captain Galico of the Busto decided to contact the Hyacinth again. The message he sent was: "From Eiffelloretalian point of view, you are in international waters. I repeat, you are in international waters. We are approaching to help, not to ambush. We will try to rescue you. We are calling in addittional help, and we are contacting your government." He hoped it was on time.

Meanwhile, one of the helicopters attacked the submarine that had just rammed the Hyacinthe with depth-charges. The other two helicopters first attacked the pirates who had not boarded the Hyacinthe yet, and then took up as many crew members of the Hyacinthe as possible.

One of the frigates called in for assistance went to the site where the strange item had been seen on the sea shore. Its helicopters threw out depth-charges.

In Trier, Minister Leverkühn contacted the Serenien ambassador to give information about the situation in the Retalian Sea.

 

[Anonymous]

The Hyacinthe shook violently as it bent over to one side from the impact of the submarine, causing the speedboats almost immediately to make a sharp turn to the side.

Christian, the vocal pirate, didn't have time to contemplate this sudden turn of events for too long however, as his brain was scattered across the Retalian waves from a burst of large-calibre machine gun fire.

"RUNNNN!", the head pirate, sitting next to his violated friend while covered in his friends, screamed, composing himself enough to speed the boat up to maximum speed into the opposite direction of the boat.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!", a bulky Nethian on one of the remaining boats uttered in anguish as a missile from another helicopter turned one of the other boats into a flaming ball of metal and oil. Releasing the safety on his heavy machine gun, he started spraying bullets towards the nearest helicopter, repeatedly screaming expletives.

 

[Hanseatic Republics]

“Sir, based on the movements of all the participants here... they know where we are.”
The captain paced a bit. They all noticed the pinging of the Eiffeloretalian sonar. They should not have even noticed them, the specs on this submarine had allowed them to run circles around a Touzenese Continental Navy Carrier Fleet, being able to sink multiples without being caught, including the flagship in war games. Either the Eiffeloretalian technology was world class, or there was someone compromised in the mission. Now the entire mission basis was a wreck. The target was rammed by an unknown entity. An international incident was rapidly developing. Who knows what happened to the second submarine that was supposed to be shadowing the mission.

“Surface us. Raise our flags, and contact headquarters.”



Headquarters:
“Yes, captain. We’ve seen the story develop from afar.”

“No, captain, the second submarine was behind you. So whatever hit that that ship was not ours. Mission is not a failure, but certainly did not go as planned... and yes, the second sub has surfaced and is returning home. We urge you to follow suit.”

“Yes, captain. Do what you feel is right.”



The captain of the boat addressed the crew, “ladies and gentlemen, according to headquarters everything has gone terribly wrong. We’re to return home. I’ve decided that we are to set course for the wreckage and attempt to rescue any survivors. If we are fired upon, fire back without prejudice. We are protected by our faith, and this is a display of true sisu.”

The submarine set course surfaced and with full flags on display. The communications officer began to contact the vessels in the area. —“On all open channels, this is the Free Navy Ship Viipuri. We have noticed you have a problem. Our proximity allows for assistance. How do you advise?”

 

[Rheinbund]

The Eiffellandian-built

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helicopters in use by the Eiffelloretalian Navy were resistant to machine gun fire. Only the paint of the type in action at this scene was not. The helicopter shot at by the Nethian took a lot of paint damage as a result. Its weapons were not damaged, however. It fired a missile at the boat from where the Nethian was shooting. Another helicopter went after the speedboat speeding away. The machine gunner of the helicopter pointed at the engine of the speedboat and fired. At least some of the pirates had to be captured alive in order to interrogate them.

Meanwhile, the Busto arrived at the scene, as well as the frigates called in for assistance. One of the frigates started to look for the submarine that hit the Hyacinthe. That vessel had to be found, so that the Eiffelloretalians could prove that it was not them who sank the Hyacinthe.

The crews on the Busto and the two frigates sent in for assistance saw the submarine emerge. They realised that it was the thing that had been lying on the sea floor. Captain Galico did not intend to trust the crew of the Viipuri, but he realised that he could not detain the submarine in this situation. The communications officer of the Busto aired: "To the Free Navy Ship Viipuri. Most of the crew of the Hyacinthe managed to get into the rescue boats. We ourselves are on the scene as well, we are picking up the people swimming and floating in the sea as we speak. We thank you for your offer, but we will be able to manage the situation."

Boats were lowered to the water surface from the Busto and one of the frigates to rescue the people in the water. The crews of both boats were professionals; they were very well capable to put the usual hatred towards Sereniens aside, rescue them out of the waters and give them the needed medical and non-medical care. The people from the Hyacinth were explained that they had the status of drowning persons, and that they would go home as soon as possible. They were also explained what exactly had happened: A submarine had rammed the Hyacinthe.

 

[Serenierre]

Word of the strange events in the Retalian Sea was quick to reach Villesen. As soon as the Premier's Office was informed, Premier Martinique's chief secretary quickly called one of the aides who was with her in Lars. The last message from the ship to be transmitted indicated that Eiffello-retalian marines were en-route to board the Hyacinth.

Chaos. Pandemonium. Could peace prevail?

 

[Hanseatic Republics]

“Captain, the Busto is telling us our assistance is not required.”
The captain was not very happy to have his offer of aid rebuked. The carnage of this scene was beyond belief. The captain, Jarkko Aaltonen paced a bit. He could not entire put all the pieces together. Certainly this mission had been compromised. Aaltonen spoke to his XO, “Why were so many actors involved here? Are we compromised? No... what is on the Hyacinthe? What is she carrying that is so important?” Aaltonen’s XO was a stern woman, Karita Hakala. She rebutted, “I do not see why else the Eiffelloretalian Navy would be handling this operation with such brute force. They have now fired upon four vessels without these vessels actually doing anything but setting a collision course for the Hyacinthe. While their intent may have been malicious, they have done nothing wrong. Now they are dying for being simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m sure nobody would have expected that submarine collision except that submarine. Surely that submarine is so far damaged it would not have been able to get away, and then the Eiffelloretalian Navy drops depth charges, no doubt they will have killed sailors on the Hyacinthe that have fallen over board, and may be contributing even more damage to the Hyacinthe.”

Aaltonen nodded, “Either the Eiffelloretalian Navy is trying to take something on the Hyacinthe, or there is a gross level of incompetence as they are trying to clean up a mess. I’m sure you know my gut feeling Hakala. What do you think?”

Hakala paused studying Aaltonen’s posture as they both stood on the bridge of the Viipuri as if it were a Shakespearean drama. “I believe if understand you well enough Aaltonen, and I will tell you I never wished to know you so well, but if I were Captain Jarkko Aaltonen I will tell the Busto to... ‘go to hell.’ If I were Jarkko Aaltonen.”

Aaltonen smiled. “Communications, tell them we’re coming straight for them. Our assistance is required as this incident is in international waters, and there is a gross amount of civilian suffering.” The communications officer immediately began to speak to the Busto.

This is a dramatic personal relations opportunity for the Pohjanmaan people. A fennic peoples misunderstood and often ignored by the rest of Europe. It would be in bad form to allow this crisis to not have their input. Aaltonen spoke with a degree of joy in his voice, “Helm, 1/4th speed, set a course for the Hyacinthe. We’re going to try to come to everyone’s aid and analyze the wreckage. We need to know what’s on the Hyacinthe, and we need to know that if it’s so valuable that the Busto will fire upon us for it.”

 

[Rheinbund]

"Well, your help is not needed, but if you insist on helping, you are free to help," the communications officer of the Busto messaged to the Viipurni.

 

[Serenierre]

As Eiffellander boats came their way, the sailors from the destroyed and slowly sinking cargo ship swam away. They would not trust the Eiffellander boats. Only the dead bodies were being picked up the boats that had been sent by the navy and only a few injured sailors had taken the offer from them. The more nationalistically oriented had chosen to stay in their life jackets. Also, a number of lifeboats from the Hyacinthe, too, were on hand.

But the menacing presence of Eiffellander helicopters remained, as it shot without respite on some boats. In the distance there was also a Pohjanmaan submarine and the sailors started to wave towards it to come rescue them from the Eiffellander ambush.The captain of the downed ship shot one of his emergency flairs for the submarine, as well.

 

[Rheinbund]

Another message was sent to the Viipurni: "The people from the Hyacinthe apparently refuse to be saved by us. We reconsider the situation. Your help is urgently needed. Save as many people from the Hyacinthe as possible."

Meanwhile, as many sonar images of the Hyacinthe were made as possible. A submarine from the Eiffelloretalian Navy was on its way to investigate the site as well. The Eiffelloretalians were only interested in the wreck itself; not in its contents. It was needed to prove afterwards what the cause of the collision was. Also the submarine was looked for.

THree of the pirate boats had been sunk. The fourth had been hit in the engine. The Eiffelloretalian Navy was arresting the people inside those boats.