Rhoda awakened early. She wasn’t sleeping well in the short time she’d been aboard Tyrant’s Revenge. Nobody trusted anybody on this ship. There had been three unexplained disappearances of crew since she infiltrated the crew as Captain King’s girlfriend. She offered to take over the lookout’s watch in the crow’s nest, and he was ever so eager to shirk his duty and take a nap. So she watched the sea and the start of a beautiful sunrise. Which was good, because she knew the trick into not being blinded by the sun. She pulled out a piece of obsidian glass and held it to her eye. Rhoda avoided looking where the sun was, but with the glass up, the bright light diminished enough that she could see anything beside it. Sure enough, she saw the shape of sales. This was the moment. Captain Raptor was planning a sunrise attack, coming from the Tyrant’s blindspot. She looked down, to the deck below. All quiet, so she descended the rope ladder, taking her time to not draw attention from the dozing helmsman.
Rhoda made her way to the infirmary, where #64 stood silent sentinel outside the small room that doubled as Amiko’s quarters. She smiled at #64 and whispered, “I think I got sunblind while taking watch, I need Amiko to check my eyes.”
She noticed something different about #64, the ninja’s eyes were no longer red, they glowed azure. Then the ninja turned its head to look left and right, then leaned toward her whispering, “Is it time to escape?”
“How did you know?”
“It was obvious you were up to something, but my orders didn’t say to stop anything but Amiko actually escaping. And last night, I no longer felt the requirement to obey the evil one.”
“Wow, I’m a lousy spy. We need to get Amiko to a launch, so I can get her off this ship when the attack begins.”
“This crew is too self absorbed to notice you. There are three more of my chipmates on board, let me get them ready and prepare a surprise, then meet you at the starboard side.”
With that, #64 was gone, he moved with speed and stealth down the hall and disappeared into the darkness. Rhoda crept into the infirmary and shook Amiko awake from her corner on the hard floor. She put her stubby paw over Amiko’s mouth to keep her quiet, then motioned that they needed to go. The pair made their way above deck and snuck their way around scattered crates and clutter. Now and then Rhoda would raise her head, looking over obstructions to make sure the coast was clear. They made it to the starboard side where the launch was kept next to the winch to bring it over the rail and lower it into the water. She pulled the canvas tarp off of it. Dillan the dilophosaurus popped up to surprise her from his hiding place in the boat.
“And where do you think you’re going?” he spat out, bits of green spittle flying from his mouth. Dillan flared out his flaps, making Amiko and Rhoda jump back a step out of fear of what happens next.
“Ah, the launch is ready for transporting the prisoner as the captain ordered.”
Dillan spun around to see #64 and three other ninjas. They came out of nowhere, the sneaky buggers. Dillan hawked a big wad of his venomous loogie into #64’s face. It landed right on his smug glowing eyes. But #64 didn’t flinch or go into the usual spastic fit clawing at his eyes or crying. #64 brought a hand up and wiped the phlegm away, while #37 worked a pair of nunchucks in showy fashion swing across the chest to the back to the chest to the back, catch from behind across the chest to the back over the shoulder catch from behind. It was hypnotic and Dillan was entranced. Then, #37 having brought the nunchuk to full speed brought it back around to the front and down over the top of DIllan’s head, knocking him out cold.
The ship rocked with impact, throwing everyone to their feet as Wreckless Abandon rammed into Tyrant’s Revenge. The ninjas helped Rhoda and Amiko back to their feet. #64 said,
“Quickly, get into the boat, we’ll lower it, then join you.” Crew were starting to come pouring out onto the deck, but an onslaught of arrows kept them from moving out. The ninjas used the moment to work the winch and lower the spy and the nurse into the water.
A frightening roar came from the direction of the captain’s quarters. Captain King was awake. If he came their way, they might not escape, the boat was still fastened by ropes to the winch.
Screams from that direction did not sound hopeful, and the arrow onslaught diminished. Crew rushed forward to their battle stations, which included toward the boat launch. The ninjas had to fight off a pair of slender gallimimus. #37 wrapped the nunchucks around one attacker’s neck, which only yanked the weapon from the ninja’s hand. #82 managed to beat the other sailor like a drum with a pair of fast moving escrima sticks performing the Heavenly Eight. #64 leaped up with a spinning roundhouse kick, catching the first gallimimus in the side of the head, knocking her out. The four ninjas leaped onto the support ropes to the launch boat and slid down them as an explosion rocked the ship.
Three of the ninjas managed to slide down into the row boat, but #64’s grip was still slick with Dillan snot and the ninja was shaken free and fell into the water. #37 cried, “No!” as they watched #64 flail and then begin to sink. The Tyrant’s Revenge tilted and threatened to fall over onto the small craft. Rhoda leapt into the water after #64 without hesitation. She craned her long neck forward to where she saw #64 go in and caught sight of the sinking ninja. She pushed forward and clamped her teeth on #64’s black uniform, and spun around back toward the surface.
Soon they cut small boat free and they managed to haul #64 and Rhoda back in without tipping the craft. The ninjas rowed in unison to get away from the sinking vessel and make their way to Wreckless Abandon, now pulled free of the sinking ship. Something was wrong, there was roaring and screaming on the deck high above and ahead of them. Then Rhoda saw the reminder of her time as a spy. Captain King backed up to the starboard rail, Rhoda’s sisters long necks distinguishable as they rained kicks and punches. Even Rhonda was armed, and she never fought,
The wretched tyrannosaur snapped at her sisters, concerning Rhoda that he might get them with that terrible bite of his. Then something caught his eye and he glanced toward his own ship. Right then, a loud cannon fired and the disgusting brute pitched over the railing into the dark water between them and the ship. Rhoda didn’t mind watching him flail and disappear under the waves, she had no intention of making a second dive that day.
The Bronto sisters on deck turned and rushed away after watching their foe pay the kraken's due. Rhoda knew something was wrong because they didn’t even notice them approaching their vessel. For a moment, Rhoda wasn’t sure how they would get aboard, nobody was paying attention. Then she saw Juan’s head poke over the rail, he didn’t look good, his head fin was bent at a funny angle. He called over some sailors and in short order, had Rhoda, Amiko and the four ninjas with them back on board Wreckless Abandon.
Amiko rushed over to Juan, “You are hurt badly, I am a nurse. Let me help you.”
Juan waved her off, “Forget about me, I need you at the captain’s side, he’s hurt bad. You ninjas, Rhoda secure the ship, don’t let anyone on board.” He grabbed Amiko’s wrist with his one good arm and limped as fast as he could to where the others gathered on the mid-deck.
Doc Stella the stegosaurus was already there by Captain Raptor’s side, saying “There, there.”
She looked up at the crowd, “I need sponge! Stat!”
It looked bleak, the bilge rats, sensing impending demise gathered around the feet of the crew.
Bartleby, the leader of the rodent gang began their dirge, “Squeak…..Squeak…..Squeak…..Squeak…..Squeak”
“Where are those band aids!”
Stella leaned down, her huge plates on her back shifting with the movement, and kissed the injured raptor on his head, which was too horrific to describe, let alone look at, which is what the onlookers were doing.
“Squeak..Squeak..Squeak..Squeak...Squeak”
Juan shoved his way through the crowd, “Cera! Get this lot back to work. Set sail for Ninja Island, top speed!”
“Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!”
Amiko broke free of Juan’s grip and moved to Captain Raptor’s side, “I’m a nurse, I can save him.”
Doc Stella looked at the human newcomer and there was a tense silence. The Doc moved over, shouting, “Clear!”
All the crew backed off and went to their duties as Juan ordered. Amiko turned back to Juan,
“There was a spitting dinosaur on our boat. Bring him, I can make medicine from it.”
There was a puff of smoke and Sora appeared holding her katana’s blade to Dillan’s throat. He still looked groggy from getting kicked in the head. Sora addressed them, “We heard you needed this scum. Shall I disembowel him for you>?”
Dillan’s eyes widened at that, he didn’t know what it meant, but it sounded permanent and unpleasant. Shock filled Amiko when she heard the dark tone in Sora’s voice, they hadn’t even had a chance to hug. Amiko said, “No. We need him to spit in a cup or bowl, so I can prepare an anesthetic. We need to get this patient inside.”
Juan stayed in the leadership groove and said, “Take him to the captain’s quarters.” The group lifted him up with care and brought him inside. Amiko and Doc Stella worked for hours, taking breaks to treat the other wounded. Juan got his arm into a sling and popsicle sticks to hold straighten his fin, but he was the last as he kept the crew occupied on repairs and returning to Ninja Island. If the captain lived, Juan sensed the people there had better medicine.