* * * * *
"29 Apr. 1923 (cont.):
I had to gone to bed, last night, thinking our troubles were almost behind us. Dr. McGee had shown, to me, what he had uncovered during his necropsy of the flying squid that had bitten Captain Murgatroyd.* You see, Dr. McGee had once been stationed at an Hawaiian cavalry outpost on Oahu, where he often had to double as a veterinarian for the horses. Between that, and annual physicals for Keith Ulu's pet kea, he had found it advisable to keep himself updated on all branches of zoology, when off-duty."
"He had invited me to take a look under his microscope. So, I did. And, naturally, I was astounded."
" 'A seahorse?!' I had exclaimed."
"He nodded: 'At first glance, it resembles a larval Hippocampus zosterae. But, when one takes a closer look at the eyes and tail, one sees a different story, entirely."
"I took a second look. And, I immediately saw what he meant. At the tip of the prehensile tail was some kind of barb. While the eyes..."
" 'Its eyes,...!' I repeated aloud, trying to give voice to my astonishment."
"He nodded again: '...placed directly in front of its head. Binocular vision and a scorpion-like stinger! I don't know what the naval doctors at Midway are going to make of it. But, they'll have plenty of duplicate specimens to choose from. Because, all the other intact flying squids had them, too!"
"He was right. Each of the other specimens bore the same resemblance to medieval illustrations I now recalled seeing of a mythological, snake-like creature called 'the seps.' I went to bed, shortly after that. When I awoke? I found a pair of Mauser Gewehr 98's pointed right at my head!"
"The men wielding these rifles were both wearing what looked like Imperial German naval uniforms. Except they had been dyed completely black. And, the older of the pair appeared to be the immediate superior of the other."
" 'Raus!' he ordered me."
"Without even being allowed to put on a bathrobe, I was subsequently marched at gunpoint to the crew's mess. Where I found the rest of the expedition under similar circumstances."
"When I had been pushed to the ground in the only remaining vacancy, the man who appeared to be the commanding officer of these brigands stepped forth."
" 'Guten morgen, mein herren!' he commenced: "Ich bein Herr Kapitan Erich von Hauptmann of Das Unterseeboot Teufelfisch. Formerly, a commerce raider mit Der Kaiserliche Marine out of Tsingtao and the Marianas. Now, self-employed. For the most part! Ist das nicht so, Josef?"
"The rest of us gaped in shock as Herr Svensen rose to his feet, grinning, and walked nonchalantly over to stand by Von Hauptmann's side!"
" 'Mein herren? Meet Herr Josef Ulrich Schmidt of Schleswig-Holstein. Formerly, an undercover agent of Der Kaiserliche Heer Militarnachrichtendienst. He has been secretly keeping me up to date on your salvage operations. And, last night, he notified me of your plans to cease those operations ahead of schedule. I am afraid I cannot permit that.' "
"And, why should that matter to you, Herr Kapitan?" I demanded (finally finding my voice).
"He smiled at me: 'Because, mein fellow Deutschlander, I have been retained by a certain Warlord Chen Ying to secure the Hsia Jie-ji for him! He has been most grateful for the American tommy-guns I have been supplying him, these past two years. But, with the Hsia Jie-ji in his possession, he would be able to rally many more ex-Imperial Chinese troops to his cause. Which, right now, includes wiping out that troublesome coalition of Nationalists and Communists.' "
"The rest of our fellow captives were, of course, completely baffled by most of what he had said. But, Professor Phillips and I looked at each other in complete startlement. Only now realizing that I was not the only one who had been going through his private papers."
"Suddenly, however, the CLINTON began rocking back and forth, as if from great turbulence in the water. At the same time, frantic shouting came from the direction of the starboard bow."
" 'Herr Kapitan! Herr Kapitan! Alarm! Alarm!' "
"Von Hauptmann immediately raced in that direction, to find out what was going on. A minute later, he, too, began shouting frantically in German."
"He began shouting for his U-boat to turn one hundred eighty degrees, and begin firing her bow-facing cannon."
tbc
Giantess World
Chapter End Notes:
*Necropsy: veterinary equivalent of an autopsy.
Teufelfische: literally, "devilfish." A nickname once applied, quite frequently, to manta rays, gray whales, and octopi.
Kaiserliche Marine: Imperial German Navy during WWI.
Schleswig-Holstein: former name for a German border region, just south of Denmark.
Kaiserliche Heer Militarnachrichtendienst: Imperial German Army Intelligence (during WWI).
Teufelfische: literally, "devilfish." A nickname once applied, quite frequently, to manta rays, gray whales, and octopi.
Kaiserliche Marine: Imperial German Navy during WWI.
Schleswig-Holstein: former name for a German border region, just south of Denmark.
Kaiserliche Heer Militarnachrichtendienst: Imperial German Army Intelligence (during WWI).