08-08-2021, 02:13 AM
Tenebric Ocean
Southeast of the Netlcoātl Islands
Xoxay, the captain of the Imperial Far Trader II, was cautiously optimistic.
He was leading a small convoy of Xiomeran merchant marine ships on their scheduled run to Auria, and they had just left the port at Citlamina. For all of their ranting about Xiomeran oppressors, Xoxay mused, the islanders had still been quick enough to take their quetzals in exchange for docking, ship maintenance and refueling. The port at Citlamina had been an excellent waystation on their runs to Auria. Up to now, those runs had been unhindered, despite the babbling about a blockade by some self-righteous countries. Xoxay was hoping for the same on this run, but there had been reports that Huenyan ships had been sighted to the south. He would proceed on his route, and keep his fingers crossed.
---
About an hour south, in the Nereus Sea, a small number of Huenyan ships was indeed waiting. They had been termed a task force, to hide the fact that they represented the majority of the ships the Huenyan navy could actually put to sea at the moment.
Admiral Techilō, formerly of the Xiomeran Imperial Navy prior to her joining the other side during the war, was not accustomed to lacking anything at all. Huenya's new navy, compared to her former service, was perpetually short of just about everything - ships, fuel, weapons, ammo, supplies. The supply crunch was beginning to lift slowly, thanks to the kick in the pants that Huenyan rebuilding had received from Laeral. But it was still painful.
The Admiral, however, could take comfort and pride in the ships under her command. Aboard her battleship, the Temakixtiani (Liberator), she was able to see her task force arrayed around her in a standing position. The blue, white and gold Huenyan flag flying on each of the ships snapped proudly in the wind. The ships looked to be in top condition, thanks to a recent refitting at an Eirian port prior to their taking up position. Looking at the task force, one wouldn't have known that they represented a newly emerging democracy taking its first precarious steps into the world. They were as ready as they could be for what might be coming.
They wouldn't have long to wait. The Admiral's musing was interrupted by an urgent shout from the rear of the bridge. "Admiral, there is a set of vessels approaching. Thirty minutes out from our position and moving south. Their AIS data identifies them as Imperial merchant marine vessels. They are on course for Auria."
Techilō quickly reset her thoughts to potential combat mode. "Any sign of Imperial Navy ships?"
"No, Admiral. They appear to be unescorted at this time. No sign of Imperial subs either."
"Sound general quarters. Prepare to intercept incoming vessels," the Admiral ordered. With her command, the crews aboard her ships sprang into action. Klaxons began to sound aboard each ship, and crewmembers began rushing to battle stations. Techilō drummed the arm of her command chair with her right fingers impatiently.
Soon enough, they could see the incoming vessels on the horizon. Imperial cargo and transport ships. Techilō knew that the ships were likely armed. While they had nothing aboard that could stand up to a military vessel, things could still get ugly fast if the merchant ships decided to try to force their way through. Techilō decided that warning them off would be smarter than trying to board or intercept them. "Raise the lead ship," she ordered. She was handed a transmitter. "Approaching vessels, this is Admiral Techilō, commanding Task Force One of the Huenyan Federation Navy. We are enforcing the blockade on ships traveling to Auria, as part of the Lapointe Agreement. Stop your approach and turn around."
Upon receiving the transmission, Xoxay snorted and ordered someone to hand him a transmitter of his own. "Admiral Techilō, this is Xoxay, captain of the Imperial Far Trader II, leading Convoy 1165 on behalf of the Xiomeran Overseas Shipping Consortium. We are a designated trade convoy of civilian vessels traveling in international waters and practicing international commerce. We do not recognize your authority to interfere with our right to do so. Move your vessels aside."
Techilō looked at her transmitter, a stunned look on her face. "Let's try this again, Captain. We are enforcing an internationally agreed upon blockade on behalf of the legitimate government of Auria. You may not pass through. Turn your ships around or you will be boarded."
On his own ship, Xoxay's face turned red. "Admiral, let me try this again. I do not recognize your title, your navy, or even your fake country. Therefore, I certainly do not recognize your authority to order us not to proceed to our destination. And we will do so."
"I see," Techilō replied calmly. She turned to her XO. "Fire a warning shot across their bow."
"Admiral?" the XO said, surprised. Techilō repeated her order, one eyebrow raised. Her order was quickly relayed to the gunners manning the front turrets of the big battleship.
Xoxay leaned back in his chair, his confidence nowhere near as high as his bluffing remarks to Techilō had been. He was hoping the Huenyans would back down.
A sudden echoing boom caused Xoxay to almost fall out of his chair. The big guns of the Temakixtiani had fired, sending a giant plume of water cascading into the air in front of Xoxay's ship. As the merchant captain watched the water rain down on his bridge windows, the Admiral's voice came across the radio again. "You may not recognize me, or my command, or my authority, but I am confident that you recognize that the guns on my ship are very much real," Techilō said coldly. "Turn around or your ships will be boarded and seized. This is your last warning."
Xoxay shakily grabbed for the transmitter. "You fired at civilian vessels! Are you insane?"
"It was clearly a warning shot, don't be such a baby," Techilō said calmly. "If I had wanted to hit you, you'd be gone. Now, are you going to turn around, or are you going to make this unnecessarily messy?"
"This is not over," Xoxay grated. "When we get back to Huitzitaca, we will inform the Imperial authorities of your outrageous actions. You will regret this."
After several long and nerve-wracking moments, the convoy began to turn around. Techilō sighed, unclenching her hand from the railing. That's one convoy. How many more will they be? And how long before the Imperial Navy decides to escort them?
Southeast of the Netlcoātl Islands
Xoxay, the captain of the Imperial Far Trader II, was cautiously optimistic.
He was leading a small convoy of Xiomeran merchant marine ships on their scheduled run to Auria, and they had just left the port at Citlamina. For all of their ranting about Xiomeran oppressors, Xoxay mused, the islanders had still been quick enough to take their quetzals in exchange for docking, ship maintenance and refueling. The port at Citlamina had been an excellent waystation on their runs to Auria. Up to now, those runs had been unhindered, despite the babbling about a blockade by some self-righteous countries. Xoxay was hoping for the same on this run, but there had been reports that Huenyan ships had been sighted to the south. He would proceed on his route, and keep his fingers crossed.
---
About an hour south, in the Nereus Sea, a small number of Huenyan ships was indeed waiting. They had been termed a task force, to hide the fact that they represented the majority of the ships the Huenyan navy could actually put to sea at the moment.
Admiral Techilō, formerly of the Xiomeran Imperial Navy prior to her joining the other side during the war, was not accustomed to lacking anything at all. Huenya's new navy, compared to her former service, was perpetually short of just about everything - ships, fuel, weapons, ammo, supplies. The supply crunch was beginning to lift slowly, thanks to the kick in the pants that Huenyan rebuilding had received from Laeral. But it was still painful.
The Admiral, however, could take comfort and pride in the ships under her command. Aboard her battleship, the Temakixtiani (Liberator), she was able to see her task force arrayed around her in a standing position. The blue, white and gold Huenyan flag flying on each of the ships snapped proudly in the wind. The ships looked to be in top condition, thanks to a recent refitting at an Eirian port prior to their taking up position. Looking at the task force, one wouldn't have known that they represented a newly emerging democracy taking its first precarious steps into the world. They were as ready as they could be for what might be coming.
They wouldn't have long to wait. The Admiral's musing was interrupted by an urgent shout from the rear of the bridge. "Admiral, there is a set of vessels approaching. Thirty minutes out from our position and moving south. Their AIS data identifies them as Imperial merchant marine vessels. They are on course for Auria."
Techilō quickly reset her thoughts to potential combat mode. "Any sign of Imperial Navy ships?"
"No, Admiral. They appear to be unescorted at this time. No sign of Imperial subs either."
"Sound general quarters. Prepare to intercept incoming vessels," the Admiral ordered. With her command, the crews aboard her ships sprang into action. Klaxons began to sound aboard each ship, and crewmembers began rushing to battle stations. Techilō drummed the arm of her command chair with her right fingers impatiently.
Soon enough, they could see the incoming vessels on the horizon. Imperial cargo and transport ships. Techilō knew that the ships were likely armed. While they had nothing aboard that could stand up to a military vessel, things could still get ugly fast if the merchant ships decided to try to force their way through. Techilō decided that warning them off would be smarter than trying to board or intercept them. "Raise the lead ship," she ordered. She was handed a transmitter. "Approaching vessels, this is Admiral Techilō, commanding Task Force One of the Huenyan Federation Navy. We are enforcing the blockade on ships traveling to Auria, as part of the Lapointe Agreement. Stop your approach and turn around."
Upon receiving the transmission, Xoxay snorted and ordered someone to hand him a transmitter of his own. "Admiral Techilō, this is Xoxay, captain of the Imperial Far Trader II, leading Convoy 1165 on behalf of the Xiomeran Overseas Shipping Consortium. We are a designated trade convoy of civilian vessels traveling in international waters and practicing international commerce. We do not recognize your authority to interfere with our right to do so. Move your vessels aside."
Techilō looked at her transmitter, a stunned look on her face. "Let's try this again, Captain. We are enforcing an internationally agreed upon blockade on behalf of the legitimate government of Auria. You may not pass through. Turn your ships around or you will be boarded."
On his own ship, Xoxay's face turned red. "Admiral, let me try this again. I do not recognize your title, your navy, or even your fake country. Therefore, I certainly do not recognize your authority to order us not to proceed to our destination. And we will do so."
"I see," Techilō replied calmly. She turned to her XO. "Fire a warning shot across their bow."
"Admiral?" the XO said, surprised. Techilō repeated her order, one eyebrow raised. Her order was quickly relayed to the gunners manning the front turrets of the big battleship.
Xoxay leaned back in his chair, his confidence nowhere near as high as his bluffing remarks to Techilō had been. He was hoping the Huenyans would back down.
A sudden echoing boom caused Xoxay to almost fall out of his chair. The big guns of the Temakixtiani had fired, sending a giant plume of water cascading into the air in front of Xoxay's ship. As the merchant captain watched the water rain down on his bridge windows, the Admiral's voice came across the radio again. "You may not recognize me, or my command, or my authority, but I am confident that you recognize that the guns on my ship are very much real," Techilō said coldly. "Turn around or your ships will be boarded and seized. This is your last warning."
Xoxay shakily grabbed for the transmitter. "You fired at civilian vessels! Are you insane?"
"It was clearly a warning shot, don't be such a baby," Techilō said calmly. "If I had wanted to hit you, you'd be gone. Now, are you going to turn around, or are you going to make this unnecessarily messy?"
"This is not over," Xoxay grated. "When we get back to Huitzitaca, we will inform the Imperial authorities of your outrageous actions. You will regret this."
After several long and nerve-wracking moments, the convoy began to turn around. Techilō sighed, unclenching her hand from the railing. That's one convoy. How many more will they be? And how long before the Imperial Navy decides to escort them?
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