At the helm of a black-hulled frigate, Captain Blackwake stood with his eyes fixed on the horizon. The sea stretched endlessly around him, and today he waited for one ship in particular, a cruise liner scheduled to pass directly across their course. Reports claimed it carried a passenger valuable enough to warrant breaking routine, the kind of quarry that justified Dominion's attention.
Neither he nor the spies could say what the passenger held, only that the contents demanded investigation. That was reason enough to suspend their usual hunting of shipments and set their sights on this prize.
In addition, there was an Elite ranked trainer he had been ordered to bring in to help with mining his site. She was expected to be on the ship, which made the timing convenient.
"Target in sight, Captain!"
"Full speed ahead and prepare to board!"
Engines roared as the black frigate surged forward, cutting across the waves with a wake that foamed white behind it. The crew moved quickly, tightening harnesses, checking guns, and hauling grappling gear into place. Hatches along the deck slid open as gunmen took position, their weapons trained on the S.S. Wave while Pokémon with ranged attacks readied beside them.
The liner loomed larger with every second, its white hull rising from the sea like a floating tower. Rows of windows gleamed in the sunlight, balconies lined with tables and deck chairs still occupied by passengers who had no idea what was bearing down on them.
Compared to the cruise liner, the frigate was smaller, but it was built for violence. Its black hull drank the light and its sharp angles made it look more like a weapon than a ship. Radar masts stuck out like spines, and every line of its frame presented speed and aggression.
The real danger was not the frigate. It was the man at its helm, Blackwake, a Champion ranked trainer, and the monster that swam in its wake. His Gyarados cut through the sea just beneath the surface, its dark bulk stretching along the hull until the shadow it cast made the frigate look larger than it was. From a distance, ship and beast blended together, a single shape that rolled over the water like a storm about to break.
"Boarding teams to stations!" Blackwake barked.
His men rushed to the launch bays, rifles slung across their backs and sidearms strapped tight. Alongside them, Poké Balls snapped open. Crobat screeched as it took to the air, Gyarados thrashed in the water alongside the hull, and Pokémon lumbered into position. Guns and Pokémon together made up Blackwake's bite.
"This is Captain Blackwake of the Leviathan's Maw. I will only say this once. Surrender, or I'll open a hole in your hull," he declared over the radio on the S.S. Wave's frequency.
The threat hung in the air, made real by the rolling shadow below that never left the frigate's side. Passengers crowded the railings, some watching as if it were entertainment, others running in panic.
The response from the cruise liner was immediate as Elite ranked Pokémon darted from the ship. Beautifly, Dustox, Pelipper, and Swellow took to the sky, circling overhead. Linoone, Mightyena, and Blaziken sprinted across the water's surface. Marill, Sharpedo, Whiscash, and Crawdaunt dived below into the depths. All of them belonged to the Elite ranked trainers hired by the cruise to protect the ship.
Blackwake's crew released their Expert ranked Pokémon to meet the defenders in the open sea. The difference in strength and ability was stark, but the pirate crew joined in, firing from the frigate and bombarding both the ship and the Pokémon battling in the water, equalizing the fight.
The clash sent waves crashing, threatening to topple the cruise liner. The Leviathan's Maw, however, remained steady. The swells subsided as soon as they crossed into the waters commanded by the Champion ranked Gyarados.
The battle raged on as the stronger side pressed their advantage. Numbers alone were not enough to overwhelm a few coordinated teams of Elite ranked Pokémon, and one by one the pirates' Pokémon fell.
Unlike a battle on land, only Water and Flying types could keep their footing, able to hover, swim, or form defensive lines with Protect barriers. The pirates' Pokémon had no such coordination. They scrambled to keep up as one powerful attack after another shattered their rhythm.
The audience aboard the liner cheered as the defenders began to take control. It looked as if they might actually survive a pirate attack out at sea.
Then the waters near the frigate shook as Captain Blackwake's Pokémon finally entered the fight. Gyarados, Wailord, Sharpedo, and Kingdra surged forward, unleashing Surf, Hydro Pump, and Water Pulse where the defenders stood. From above, Honchkrow dove out of the skies, abandoning its role as a scout, while Toxicroak stayed planted at Blackwake's side.
They surged forward and struck at the Elite ranked Pokémon, escalating the clash and driving waves high enough to slam against the liner's hull, threatening to topple it. Even the Leviathan's Maw swayed with the force of the battle now that its defender had taken the field.
The passengers screamed and rushed back inside for shelter. The violent rocking of the ship left them with no sense of safety, and in the chaos, some were thrown overboard.
Finally, after a few more violent bursts of water, the battle subsided with the outcome clear. Captain Blackwake's Pokémon stood victorious.
"I warned you, but you wouldn't listen," Captain Blackwake's voice boomed from the frigate. "Gyarados, take out their propellers."
The sea roared as Gyarados surged beneath the liner, its massive body slamming into the stern. With a savage Crunch, it tore through the rudder and propellers, leaving the ship dead in the water, stranded in the open sea.
With practiced ease, the pirates fired grappling hooks onto the railings and hauled themselves aboard, their Pokémon at their side. Passengers screamed as the raiders tore through them, stripping the compliant of everything they owned and cutting down those who tried to resist.
The Elites who fought, along with the liner's captain and helm crew, met the same fate. They died for daring to stand against Captain Blackwake.
As for the Elites who still had Pokémon at their side, the pirates didn't dare to be insistent against them. They knew their place and avoided the powerful like the plague. They might have won the battle out at sea, but a battle in the ship was an entirely different matter. Maybe their captain would win in a fight, but not before they were torn to shreds between them.
To handle these powerful trainers, the captain had to meet them personally and negotiate proper recompense for sparing the ship and everyone aboard. This meant their valuables were searched for resources that mattered, especially those easy to sell on the black market.
Most of the trainers knew their place and accepted the terms easily. As long as they, their loved ones, and their sentimental belongings remained untouched, they cooperated with their captor.
"Captain, we found something!" one of his men shouted.
He came running over, carrying a space bag. It looked no larger than a regular backpack, but inside it held enough weapons, ammunition, and raw materials to arm a small army.
"Where did you get this?" the captain asked.
"It was stashed in the toilet bowl in one of the rooms, Captain. I didn't find an owner."
"Hm… They must have fled. Doesn't matter. Focus on finding our dear miner. She should be among the passengers."
"Yes, Captain."
"That won't be necessary," said a lovely yet commanding voice as she approached the captain.
"And who might you be?" the captain asked warily.
"Sable Mercer," she replied simply.
"Welcome aboard," he replied with a smile.
There was no way any passenger other than their target could know the name they needed to find.
"I hope you don't mind. I'll be bringing my aide with me," she said confidently, snapping her fingers behind her.
A young man carrying a few bags of luggage quickly followed. He wore baggy clothes and glasses and carried an air of inexperience. He was handsome, with shaggy blonde hair, but that was about the most he had going for him.
"Anything to help you dig out the resources in the underwater caves," the captain said, then shouted to his men, "We're done here! Pack up and get back to the ship!"
The pirates carried their spoils back to the Leviathan's Maw, with the captain, Sable, and Alex following along. Once everyone was on board, the frigate sailed away, escorted by the captain's Pokémon.
Alex looked back at the cruise liner, feeling a twinge of guilt. He could have made sure there were no casualties, but he considered finding their base a higher priority. It was likely full of resources for Team Dominion, and the more he managed to secure for himself, the less power they would have to fight back against the League.
The ship sailed through the open sea, heading south toward more dangerous waters. Their journey continued until no other ships or islands appeared on the horizon, and then the ship suddenly stopped. The crew scrambled to the bow, preparing for something.
"What's going on?" Sable asked Alex.
They were in their private cabin, though privacy cannot be expected on a pirate ship; any conversation could be overheard or spied upon.
"I think I know how they've been managing to evade pursuit," he replied.
Outside, at the front of the ship, the crew lowered a pair of anchors attached to a single handle. They tossed it over the bow, where Gyarados seized it in its jaws before plunging into the depths. The ship groaned under the strain, then slowly sank, dragged into the dark embrace of the ocean.
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