Chapter 14: Spun From Defiance
Hal Jordan's investigation of the fleeing ships, turned up a disturbing trend. The assault vessels bore no markings, save for the traditional purple and red flag bearing the skull and crossed bones. These attacks were becoming commonplace on the high seas. Nearly every port of a newly developing country, had stories of secret, well organized, terrorist types who harassed and robbed wayfaring ships.
Scene: The Greek Port of Achilles.
Jenna Dathos was busted down to second officer, serving on small American Naval vessels along the coast of Greece. Their missions were primarily supply runs between the myriad of Mediterranean isles. Some thought it to be a cushy job, but Jenna wanted responsibility and adventure.
She was lucky that her powerful Aunt, Senator Mariah Pocious had kept her from being Court Marshaled or busted to Naval cook in the middle of nowhere. The brass had decided to return the command of the USS Kansas City to Captain Fitzpatrick. Their judgement was that Jenna was too young for such a powerful command. They felt that the Asian Pacific incident should've been handled better.
Jenna often said that anyone could armchair quarterback her decision making, but deep down she still had some doubts that perhaps she could've handled the situation better, maybe with more experience...her thoughts were interrupted by a call from her current Captain, Geno Starkos, stating that suspicious vessels had been seen nosing around the Greek port of Achilles.
"Morning Little Jenna," Starkos greeted his young charge. She'd come to view Starkos as a surrogate grandfather, given that he'd been sailing around Greece for forty years. Jenna still held her rank of Lt. Commander, but out here in the sticks, that rank didn't mean much.
She mostly filled out paperwork, and tracked supplies, fuel, and such by her government issue laptop. "Morning, Captain." She smiled pleasantly. The other men ogled young Jenna, who opted to wear a Naval Blue camouflage halter top, and Naval issue shorts. Her long tan legs glistened in the bright Mediterranean sun.
"Back to work, scoundrels!" Starkos barked at the gawking young men that served under his command. The other officers, sergeants, and privates all quickly resumed their daily duties without so much as a wolf whistle at Jenna. They were well trained, but for one reason or another ended up serving in the Greek Isle boonies. "They're good people, Jenna, a bit lazy and self serving though!" He critiqued loudly. Jenna snickered.
It had been over six weeks since the Asian Pacific incident and Jenna's subsequent reassignment. Captain Starkos instinctively knew that Jenna didn't belong with the rabble that served under him. She was tough, and driven, not easily satisfied with just doing her job. He guided her into his ship's conference room.
"Jenna, these incidents we've been talking about around the Port of Achilles are no coincidence." Starkos began without preamble. "The word in the shipping lanes is that we're being scoped out by pirates." He stopped to let that idea register with Jenna, who was busily tying her raven black hair in a ponytail.
"Are you serious, Captain?" Jenna halted her movement. "Deadly serious, my friend. Not your Hollywood aargh type of Pirates. These scum are high tech, ruthless, greedy, bloodthirsty thieves, who won't let anything stand in the way of their nefarious goals."
"Does the Port Authority know?" Jenna inquired logically. "Sure. But given the amount of international red tape all of these local bureaucrats wade through, most won't bother to do much about it." Starkos continued. "They only react, when the pirates do something bold, brazen, and obvious."
"Like attempt to hijack cargo ships...even when they're guarded by an American Naval destroyer." She remarked cynically. "Exactly!" Starkos grinned as his wrinkled, sunburnt skin, receded from his lips. "When you fired on one of their own, you became an instant target for vengeance."
Jenna was getting angry. "You think they followed me specifically to Greece?" She asked skeptically. "Followed you? No. I do think that they spread the word amongst their own that you arrived here, though." Starkos replied. "How would they even know...unless..." Jenna's dark thoughts took over.
"Unless they have some people on the inside." She finished her thought. "In the US Navy? Pirate accomplices?" Starkos nodded gravely. "Aye. Someone knows that you're here." Starkos added with certainty. "I'd better tell my Aunt Mariah. She has connections." Jenna decided.
"That's a good idea, my friend." Starkos agreed. "Still, she'll be dragged through the same red tape as all the rest." Jenna was getting fired up. She felt an unusually strong adrenaline surge coarse through her veins. "I'd better not ever see them, or so help me, there'll be hell to pay!" She snapped.
Starkos laughed. "I believe you would best them, little one! They've a right to fear you!" Jenna smirked as the Captain dismissed her and returned to the bridge. Later that night, when Jenna was off duty, she ventured into the seedier side of the Greek Port of Achilles.
She passed by the 'Admiral's Club', a strip bar where all the young Naval personnel hung out, and walked warily along the wharf, eyeing everyone suspiciously. Jenna carried a small sidearm for her protection, but hoped that she wouldn't have to use it.
As Jenna neared the last bar on the strip, called the Golden Ax, a few creepy characters took notice of the attractive young Naval officer. She was dressed in a common one piece bathing suit, its bottom covered by a sensible flowered skirt, her hair had been released from its tight bun, cascading down her bare back.
She was aware that the creeps were watching her, but showed no fear. After all, Jenna did graduate at the top of her martial arts class back at West Point, and possessed several black belts and trophies to prove her worth. At the end of the strip, she noticed a group of sailors that appeared to be African or Middle Eastern, hanging around in the shadows. They seemed suspicious. Jenna checked it out.
They could be into smuggling, drugs, or literally anything illicit that you can transport over the sea. Jenna mused as she circled in closer to them. She put one hand on her sidearm, clicking off its safety. "Good evening, boys. Out for a moonlight stroll, are we?" Jenna sneered as she aggressively approached them.
"What's it to you, missy?" One nasty looking light skinned goon said in a heavy South African accent. "We ain't done nothin." A second darker skinned man said. "See that it stays that way." Jenna threatened as she slowed her approach. "Who are you the bloody police?" A third dark skin man asked.
"Something like that." Jenna circled them, noting that two more creeps had ventured out of the shadows behind them. Five against one, this could be fun, Jenna's youthful exuberance surfaced. Please, make a move, she silently wished, as she came around to their left side and faced them.
"Hey, what are you playin' at?" The dark skinned guy asked. "We got rights to be here." Jenna nodded. "Did I say that you didn't?" she challenged. Jenna figured that she couldn't goad them into anything at the moment. She had the advantage of surprise. No one had ever seen her on the wharf before.
The goons didn't quite know what to make of her. Two of the creeps prowled out behind Jenna. They started to close in on her. In seconds, the barrel of her standard issue Naval pistol faced them. She'd aimed the pistol at the nearest goon's head behind her, without taking her eyes off of the rogues in front of her. "I wouldn't!" Jenna snarled as the two guys behind her froze in their tracks.
With an equally swift move, Jenna whipped out a long barreled silver pistol from the elastic waistband on her swimsuit with her left hand, and cocked it, aiming it at the dark skinned creep's face. Jenna always carried a spare gun, and its cold hard steel felt reassuring against her warm, humid skin.
"I don't want there to be any misunderstandings, of course." Jenna narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice in a calm threatening manner. "We wouldn't want that, now would we?" She baited. "No, bloody hell, no way, we've got no weapons, y'know." The dark skinned guy backpedaled a bit.
"Good. Keep it that way." Jenna spun in place slowly tracing the heads of all the goons with both guns. "I think that hard working, fine young gentlemen like yourselves ought to go home and get some rest." She snarled, waving the guns at them suggestively. "Yeah, that's the ticket." A light skinned creep began, as he turned away from Jenna. "Boys, aren't we tired? We have a lot o'work to do tomorrow."
"Yeah, bloody well right." Another brown skinned rogue said from behind them. "A good night's rest will do us all a world o'good." The dark skinned guy snapped his fingers, and the goons peeled away one by one, each taking a different direction. "G'night miss." He added as Jenna kept a watchful eye on him and his cohorts. Jenna waited for them to leave before investigating the remainder of the wharf.
Jenna examined every ship in the Port of Achilles over the next few nights, but had still come up empty. I know those pirates are here somewhere, she silently encouraged herself. I've got to find them, and determine what they're up to. As luck would have it, The Paramore, an Australian cargo ship had just pulled into a Port of Achilles slip. They had a number of expensive items on board.
Scene: On board the Paramore.
Jenna had spoken with Captain Murray, and his First Officer, Scott Ryan, both Americans, who sailed the Paramore. They offered her a tour of the ship, and for a small fee, the ship's cargo itinerary. There were plenty of inventory items that could be sold on the black market for some big money.
The Paramore was a very tempting target for pirates, terrorists, or any criminal organization worth it's salt. Jenna decided that this was her opportunity to lay a trap for any wrongdoers. She informed the Captain of her plans, after clarifying that this wasn't an official American Naval operation.
Jenna was freelancing, and disguised herself as a member of the Paramore's crew. Captain Murray gave her a detailed list of the crew and its duties, complete with shift times, approved lunches and breaks, and the Paramore's fairly aggressive work schedule, for a nominal fee of course.
Jenna was all set. All she had to do now is wait for a robbery attempt. Her confidence was so high, that she toyed with the idea of telling Captain Starkos that she'll be taking a few days off this week. The pieces were all in place. Now, would Jenna's efforts be rewarded?