Dead Zones. A Phenomenon that occurs within the Oceans and Seas where the oxygen in the water reaches a point that causes Hypoxia. In some this means and forces changes in aquatic life. And in Extreme scenarios such as what the Red Sash crew saw in front of them, It fails to support life. Leaving them dead and abandoned.
Raven explained this to the Crew, folding her arms once she was done. "Weird as Shit…" Calliope said, leaning over the edge with her legs dangling over the side.
"So thats why it felt so weird down there…" Kirk said, rubbing the side of his neck.
"Dead. Just like the world will be one day…" Raven said deftly at the attempt at humor.
"Thats pretty cool…I Wonder if the water feels different…" He said as he extended a hand down to the water and splashed it around, feeling his body and eyes droop from the water's effects.
"Dummy take your hand out of the water!" Jeanne said, pulling on Leroys arm.
"So do those clouds got anything to do with it?" Kale asked with a stern look, gaze shifted up to the dark clouds.
"A Dead Zone, Storm Clouds that constantly Persist with a thick fog throughout…I've heard of only one place thats like this…" Raven crosses her as her eyes squint. "The Bleak Stretch."
"The Bleak Stretch?!" Jeanne said in an exacerbated tone. "The hell is that?!"
"The Bleak Stretch is said to be a length of sea that is filled with the Dead. Ships go missing here, due to the storms interfering with Log Poses. Some have even said to have seen the souls of the deceased wandering the waters in ghastly visages of their former selves."
"Sounds pretty cool to me." Raven said with a smile
"What does it also have a Triangle?" Leroy asked with a snide remark. The stories of 'Haunted Triangles' across the sea were oddly common tall tales. "Maybe. The Bleak Stretch has been attempted to be mapped. And some have been successful. According to the maps; The stretch is bordered by 'Normal' ocean, with another angle bordering another. It could be a triangle, an oddly shaped rectangle or other."
"Enough about that." Kirk said with his hands on his hips. "Is there a way around this thing? How ever much I want to map it out, I'd rather us not end up a statistic" He gestured with a flick of his wrist.
"There should be a way around. But it could take days depending on the weather." Raven thought. Kirk let out a sigh as he raised his wrist to look at the log pose, only for his eyes to widen "Oh no! No no no!"
He became frantic as he rushed over to the wheel and sat down, pushing and flicking buttons to set and raise the anchors, only for thunder to rush through the air! Thick waves began to rock the boat!
"Uhhh Kirk!" Noir said as he looked over the Edge. "We're not moving!"
"Shit!" Raven said, looking over the edge. "It must be the Methane waters! I didn't think they'd be this close to the entrance!"
"The hell does that mean!" Calliope asked frantically as she too watched as the Ember began to sink! "Wait…It must mean the ship doesn't have enough buoyancy!"
She quickly dashed over to where Kirk was, and flicked two switches, two large water wheel paddles coming out "Push the pedal!" Cali said with a point to the ground. There was one pedal used for adding speed by the propeller under the water.
Shoving his foot down, a whir could be heard from the paddles beginning to spin and push away! But the waves were pushing them the opposite way! Kirk leaned to the side and grabbed the handle for a smaller wheel that controlled the mast, trying to catch wind and push them the way they needed to go!
"Should I use the thruster?!" Kirk asked. "In weather like this?! The gas for the thruster wouldn't be usable and the pilot light could go out! Our best chance is to Just go for it!"
"Leroy!" Kirk shouted back to Leroy, who was rushing around and looking at what he could possibly do, keeping an eye out. "What?!"
"What should we do?" Kirk bit his lip. He knew the answer. But he needed to hear it too. "Let go into the Bleak! I'm sure we can handle what evers in there!" He shouted as he put a hand on the navigator's shoulder. "Aye Aye…"
Quickly, Kirk leaned back, and put the mast into position with the wind and spun the wheel to be in position with the waves! Quickly pushing them into the stretch of Dead Sea!
Within minutes, they were out of the storm. The clouds above let in light, although in a dreary mood. Thin but large veil of clouds above blocking the sun, casting grey around.
Leroy shook his head hard to rid it of water. Kirk giving a groan at the Log Pose lacking any solid position. "Keep those paddles on." Cali said with a loose point. If there is more of that Methane stuff out here like Raven said. We need to stay constantly moving…"
It was another few hours of Kirk keenly watching the Horizon and the Seas. It was hard to navigate with not even the secondary compass on the panel not pointing in a solid direction. He couldn't even use the stars but made a bare of direction based on the now setting sun to be going north.
Dezzi's ears twitched, Causing them to stand up from wringing their hoodie out again as they were wearing another. "Do you guys hear that?" Leroy looked up from his book. "Just barely…"
"It sounds like…Music?"