ABC News:
BlueSeas Coalition spokeswoman Oceania Sees reported that after less than a month on patrol, one of their new vessels the Whale Defender II succeeded in protecting a migrating Grey Whale from a marauding “Squidzilla” by destroying the squid with an underwater drone. She noted that whales have been traveling in pod-like convoys, perhaps in response to predation by Squidzillas, and appeared to seek out vessels such as the two Whale Defenders as traveling companions.
Squids
The squids gathered as news of the explosive death of the squid spread. Number 5 signaled, “me arms cut off when me-you sink hard shell. long long time arms grow back. long long time hard shells no hurt us. long-long time we catch whale. now No.104 killed by “funny fish” from hard shell. keep me-you from whale. how me-you eat. now me-you sink shell again. yes—no.” There was a long discussion about Number 5’s proposal—lights flashing, arms gesticulating—until a majority of the squids present agreed. Yes, they would have to take action again.
The attack would be launched on a moonless night again, against the Whale Defender II, the ship that had destroyed the gigantic squid recently along the California coastal migration route of Grey whales.
Aboard the Whale Defender II’s bridge, Chuck, the first mate, remarked to his captain, “John, it’s funny that since we nailed that one squid, there have been no other whale attacks by the squids. We pick them up on sonar, but they seem to be keeping their distance from us and the whales. It’s almost as if they are aware that we can destroy them.”
“I wouldn’t read too much into it, Chuck” said John. “They’re just overgrown calamari. As long as they don’t go after the whales, well that’s what we’re out here to prevent.”
“They don’t seem to be swimming at random. Look at the sonar tracks. There are always at least two squids trailing us way back. Like they’re tracking us. And we don’t know what really happened to the Sea Defender.”
“Like I said, don’t get carried away. You’ve been watching too many sci-fi monster movies. If it’ll make you happier, have two crew on watch at all times instead of one.”
It was very dark and after midnight with only a dim sliver of moon barely visible through the stratospheric mist-cloud, generated to reflect away sunlight and reverse global warming. The stars were never visible any more except from the orbiting space telescopes.
Squids began to converge on the Whale Defender from all quadrants of the deep, dark sea.
The sonar operator woke Chuck, “Better have a look, Chuck. We’re being surrounded by squids. Need to get the captain up?”
“Yeah. Better get two tin-tuna up and in their launch cradles. Don’t arm them till John gives the go-ahead.”
“You think we’re under attack?”
“I don’t know but let’s just be prepared .”
“John, glad you’re here. What do you think?”
“It’s very strange I think you’re doing the smart thing. Also better send out a radio message about what is going on.”
The squids continued to close and at a hundred yards, John gave the order to arm and launch the two armed drones. Two squids were blown to pieces, but the remainder continued to move closer.
“We got two, but that didn’t frighten the others away. They’re still moving in on us! Get on the radio. And get two more drones up here!”
“Mayday, Mayday. The Whale Defender II. We are under attack by squids. They are boarding. Threatening to capsize us. They are seizing crew. We are going.…” The transmission was cut off as the ship rolled over.
“Play it again. Unbelievable. First a message that gigantic squids were surrounding them, and then this,” said the captain of the Coast Guard Cutter W.H. Ryan the closest ship to the position of the ill-fated vessal. “Rouse all hands. Man the deck gun and distribute small arms to the crew. Turn on all deck lights. Keep a sharp watch and fire at will at anything that looks like a squid trying to board us.”
It took an hour, steaming at top speed, to arrive at location of the Whale Defender II. It was hours before dawn and all that could be seen with the search lights was scant floating debris. There was no sign of the ship. No bodies were recovered despite a search that commenced at dawn and lasted all day.
The cutter launched its undersea drone to search the depths. It finally located the sunken ship but there was no sign of enough damage to account for the ship’s sinking. And there were no human remains or signs of gigantic squids.
“Pieced together from the messages and the drone video, it looks like the squids just overwhelmed the crew and capsized the ship by sheer numbers and mass,” said the captain. “I don’t know what’s going on, but keep up sonar sweeps and if any squids begin to gather, we’ll go on high alert.”
Headlines:
The Daily Bugle: “Squidzillas Sink Hero Ship—Crew Eaten?”
New York Times: “Evidence That Blue Seas Ship Sunk By Gigantic Squids”
Environmental Times: “Squid Attack: Nature’s Warning to Us?”
Business Update: “Shipping and Cruise Line Stocks Sink In Wake of Squid Incident.”
CNN:
Blue Seas announced that in light of the sinking of the Whale Defender II yesterday it is recalling it’s other whale guardian, the Whale Defender I, until the circumstances and the meaning of the sinking can be clarified with the Coast Guard.
The Long and The Short of It 