She stood quietly, sipping coffee as the waves shimmered beneath her. For a rare moment, there was peace. No radio static. No rescue calls. Just the lull of water and the slow breath of the ship. These quiet mornings didn’t last—but Katherine had learned to savor them when they came.
After finishing her coffee, she made her way to the wheelhouse, passing nodding crew members readying for the day. Inside, screens blinked quietly. She began checking overnight reports, readings, and sonar scans. Routine work—until a sudden spike caught her attention. The coastal buoys had logged major underwater tremors—too strong to ignore.