Atlantic I
The South Atlantic had become a battlefield again. Kimberly Anne's Revenge had been absent from these waters for many months and her sudden return had caught WWEE and GJ shipping by surprise.
In a matter of a few months Ron and his crew had sunk tonnage in quantities unseen since the end of the Great War.
Their exploits were greeted with jubilation among salvagers all along the coast of Africa south of the equator and many African families saw their fortunes change for the better in the otherwise lean times following the war.
Of course, not everyone was as fortunate. WWEE and Global Justice stock plummeted as profits dwindled.
Shipping firms in competition with WWEE and Global Justice were secretly pleased as they picked up contract after contract in the wake of Ron's raids. Lloyds of London refused to insure WWEE and GJ cargoes and ships any longer.
Taking greater and greater risks in order to attack the shipping of his enemies, Ron drove his men on in his relentless quest to fill the hole in his heart with acts of vengeance.
The Sea Hag, the western supply ship, had met up around the equator and taken in loads of contraband and loot to sell in Casablanca.
Ron's hunger was far from sated, however and once again he turned his attentions to the south.
By now his crew was approaching almost total exhaustion and Ron himself was coming closer and closer to the breaking point.
"This isn't raiding any more. This is a feeding frenzy. Seriously." Edward said to Dementz as they tended the deck gun under the light of a full moon just off the coast of Ascension.
"Genau. But we have been successful. Even if the Captain sells the plunder zrough zat Brozerson fellow in Casablanca we are making much profit."
"That's seriously not my point. We must go away from here soon. Every time becomes a closer and closer call."
Dementz nodded quietly and passed a flask of schnapps to the blonde Pole.
"Look, we must tell the Captain. He will not do it on his own accord. You know I speak seriously now, Dementz. You are a submariner like the Captain, you and Felix should talk to him, he will listen!"
"I know, I know. It's just zat he is Der Kapitän. A German mariner does not question his Captain unless he is a Bolshevik or a mutineer and I am neither." Dementz sighed unhappily.
"Mutiny? Seriously! Why do you think that of me?" Edward was quite hurt at the implication.
"Well, you are an anarchist."
"Ah, you misunderstand my seriousness, Dementz. I will not betray the Captain, I am seriously reliable guy. I am Ed with the Motor, nie?" He took a swig from the flask and passed it back to Dementz. "Will you at least talk to Renton on the matter?"
"Ja, ja. I will."
Dementz talked to Felix early in the morning, just after Felix woke up and just before Dementz was about to go off his shift.
The second in command of Kimberly Anne's Revenge only nodded. He shared the opinion of the others but he was not at all happy with taking on the task.
To his surprise he found Ron on the platform.
"I say, Captain, are you up and about already?"
"No, I haven't gone to sleep yet."
Felix took a deep breath, bracing himself for the task at hand.
"Captain, I think it's time to end the hunting season for this time."
Ron turned to look Felix in the eyes.
"What do you mean? We're doing great. See? Captain Ron is all about the smiles!"
Ron's smile was more like a grin and it was far from merry. His eyes were to far wide open and the smile too wide and sore. The hands holding the binoculars where shaking, unable to stop.
"Look, Felix there's nothing to worry about, we've still got..."
"Got what, Ron?" Felix interrupted. "We're completely out of torpedoes. Hell, we're using the torpedo bay as a cargo hold and Lipsky is sleeping on loot like a god damn dragon! Dementz is down to his last dozen shells or so! Listen to me Captain, we can't go on much longer."
Ron's grin disappeared and his brown eyes flared with barely restrained, irrational anger.
"Lieutenant Renton, I don't think I care much for your tone of voice. Remember who you're talking to."
"I thought I was talking to my friend, Ron Stoppable, Captain. But if I'm mistaken I bloody well apologize, Sir!"
Without another word Felix climbed down the hatch, sad and frustrated, leaving Ron on the platform.
He sat down by the tiny table on the bridge and looked at a small pile of papers that Wade had left there during the night. The radio operator himself had fallen asleep by his equipment and sat snoring in front of the radio set.
After a several minutes the clang of the hatch closing was heard and Ron climbed down to join Felix.
"Look...Felix." he started, swaying slightly from lack of sleep. "I'm sorry. I just...I didn't mean it the way it came out."
Felix put the papers down and turned to face his Captain and friend.
"Ron, we're all tired. When was the last time you slept?"
"I don't know. Maybe two or three days ago. Maybe a little bit more than that. I'm fine, I really am."
"See? You're not fine. That's why I forgive you. Because we're friends and because I know we're all tired. No blame. OK?"
He held out his hand and Ron shook it, grasping it like a drowning man holds on to a line he's been thrown.
"No blame, Felix." Ron's smile was warm, almost shy this time. "What have you got for me there?"
Felix was just as eager as Ron to change the subject away from their distressing confrontation and handed over the papers.
"Seems Wade has brought us bad news, Ron."
Ron eyed the intercepted messages Wade had picked up and jotted down.
"Are these correct?"
"He's never been wrong before."
"Armada de la República Argentina , Marinha do Brasil . Not so bad, we could dodge them forever if we had to but the bloody Royal Navy?"
"Told you it was bad news."
Despite the poor lighting inside the sub, Felix could see Ron's tanned face turning a shade or two paler. Not even the desperate vindictiveness of Captain Ron Stoppable could deny the enormous power of the RN.
Now that almost godlike destructive power, was bearing down on the hunting grounds of Kimberly Anne's Revenge to put an end to the raiding.
"Lt. Renton?"
"Aye Captain?"
"Get us out of here if you please."
"Aye Captain."
Ron staggered to his cabin and the waiting bunk when Felix spoke again.
"Ron?"
"Yes, Felix?"
"Thank you."
