Joining Ryu a few days later in the bridge, Jun was sleeping in the cabin. The Owl was at home steering his ship, navigating it through the churning waters of the open ocean before him.
"Looks like some storm cells forming, from the radar and reports it's not heading on our direction." Ryu looked over the printout.
Ryu smirked touching the marine varnished timber of his ship. " The ISO built a fantastic fishing trawler for me. It's a dream, everything is like it was designed by DR Nambu himself. Its really Kamo's work, and I'm in love with it."
A more modern ship with up dated facilities and cleaner engine efficiency. It wasn't a huge ship, but bigger than a traditional fishing trawler, and used clean energy in its motors.
The net methods he used didn't involve, trailing the ocean floor. He was concerned about it since Dr Nambu had worked so hard to maintain the marine environment. Kamo had taken an interest in the project and was providing the Owl with funding to trial new methods. It was ground breaking and set a positive future for the fishing industry.
It was during their discussion that Ryu enlightened him on a few personal aspects of his life.
"When did you know?" He asked, more curious.
"I worked it out one day after I met Hideji." A lopsided grin spread across his chubby cheeks.
"Hideji." Ken folded his arms, staring at his friend. "A guy?"
"Yeah… I discovered why I'm hopeless with women nothing worked for me there. I'm not into women that's why. It all made sense one day." He slowly watched Ken's reaction.
"I didn't see it, just thought… well… mmmm." Ken confessed. "Where is Hideji?"
"He's part of the design team for my trawler and he's smart, fun, we are…umm…well when I'm home… we're living together now been a few months." Ryu blushed. "I'm in love."
Ken slapped him hard on the back, grinning wildly. "I'm happy for you brother. We'll come and visit the two of you when we get back to shore. Introduce us… does Jun know?"
"Well she worked it out really." Ryu warmed up, seeing his brother's acceptance. "We talked about it a few days ago, she's happy for me."
Ryu raised a brow, throwing a curve ball his way.
"You and Jun." He asked out of the blue. "Are you two dating?"
"Ahhh… no." He answered bewildered." Why do you ask?"
Ryu snorted. "Coulda fooled me…"
"We're closer friends these days, spend a lot of time together…" He floundered. "Of course, I love her in a plutonic friend way, she's a wonderful girl-"
"Huh." Ryu's mocked him with a wry grin. " It didn't look like 'Just friends' yesterday morning near the bow."
Ryu went back to manning his ship, silence fell for a few minutes while he checked weather patterns and other instruments.
"I know it's hard for you." The Owl, clasped a brotherly hand on his shoulder. "The war with cancer shook the hell out of you, worse than Katse, Gel Sadra and Egobossler put together. Shook all of us to the core wondering if..." Stopping in mid thought pain crossed his face, as he went back to running his trawler. Adjusting settings and receiving reports from the engine room.
Cancer- his enemy inside, who attacked him from within, through tiny cell mutations forming deadly cysts, and was still lurking in the shadows. Waiting for its chance to bring him to his knees and early grave if it won.
"She's Joe's girl, how could you even be suggesting I'd step in, because we spent time together- they always work it out eventually, and then I'll be putting her in a position to have to choose-"
"Why don't you let her decide for herself who she wants to be with." He calmly pointed out. "Fight for her."
Those words were a stab in the guts like a long knife, reminding him of his solo life. I'd die for her, but I won't break her heart and steal her dreams like Joe did. He thought sadly.
"Joes been gone for a year. He had his chance, and broke it off. Who knows what he's up too now." The Owl shook his head, frowning. "Joe's got his own issues, and I figured settling down with a wife and kids… well wasn't a fit for him. I saw it coming, but figured it would be years from now with Jun and a few kids, then he'd leave and buy a trailer. Go racing again be more a nomad, or somethin'."
Ryu's cheerful manner, morphed to a more serious tone as he checked his instruments.
"He was a loner. But she…" His words pitted out, thinking of her passed out drunk, not herself, after Joe had left, and the mess he left behind him.
Ryu's concern caught his attention, drawing him out of his thoughts.
"We need to tie a few things down, the weather is turning, and unexpected storm forming, and we can't avoid it." Calling his first mate up to the bridge. Ken's natural response was ready himself for action. Turning his focus to more important matters.
On high alert, he walked out onto the platform beside the bridge, the distant horizon looked like an artist had scribbled back charcoal across the blue sky.
He'd see storms like this, and had flown through one in his fighter jet in the war against Galactor. It brought down his fighter with a lightning strike, almost got him killed.
Worse, the storm reminded him of the one Rumi's plane went down in. It formed out of nothing and they flew into it.
"Skipper." Ryu's first mate Akimitsu arrived on the bridge, a tall skinny old man, wrinkled and brown like a paper bag. His former helmsman respected him.
"We can take shelter if we go further out to sea." He advised. "We can miss it if we-"
The radio kicked into life the voice of a desperate man sounded over the line.
"Mayday… mayday." He said. "We are caught in the storm, our yacht 'The Sleeping giant.' is taking on water, I have a wife and three kids. Please someone.
"This is the "White Shadow'." Ryu responded. "Send me your coordinates."
Cursing his mate punched them in. "Too close to the rocks, they're in trouble alright, and in the middle of it."
"We are responding to your call, hang in there, get to lifeboats as soon as you can, keep your radio with you." Ryu ordered.
The law of the ocean, no one ignores a distress a call. Ryu didn't hesitate.
Sending the failing yachts coordinates to the mainland for rescue centre, the recording of the distress call and their own response.
"We're going on a rescue mission- 'The White Shadow' can handle the weather. Tell the crew to buckle up for a rough ride ahead."
He admired Ryu's confidence and knowledge of his trawler, and trusted it with his life. The man had uncanny gut instincts in the rhythm of the ocean and flying warships.
"Skipper, I'm onto it." Akimitsu replied, acting briskly with thirty plus years of experience at sea. "All hands on deck. Now…"
He sounded the alarm, alerting crews on rest breaks.
The once pristine clear skies turned steel grey as darker clouds loomed before them indicating worse weather ahead of them. The water responded to the commands of the winds lifting its peaks to greet its call as swell rose and the ship was hit by a few erratic waves warning it of impending danger.
Ryu turned the ship around heading directly into the churning ocean of stormfront following the beacon.