The ready room on the Horizon Talon was thick with the weight of what they’d just faced. Officers shuffled in, their steps heavy as they took their seats around the table. Kade stood, arms crossed, taking in the room. They were all seasoned, disciplined professionals, but even she could see it. An unease in the stiff posture, the sideways glances, the muttered conversations. It was one thing to be prepared for battle; it was another to face creatures that shouldn’t even exist.

  Across the room, two Lieutenant Junior Grade officers were already losing their grip on that discipline. One of them, his eyes wide and wild, was pale, his hands gesturing wildly as he spoke to his counterpart.

  "There’s no way.. no way… any of that was real. It’s... impossible! There’s no such thing as magic or monsters. This is some kind of trick, right? A mass hallucination, or…"

  "Hallucination?" the other officer cut in, his voice tinged with anger and fear. "I watched one of those things tear Crewman Wills apart! We’re lucky half the crew isn’t dead! Magic is real now, and so are monsters!"

  The first officer scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief, while the second was nearly shouting. The argument was getting louder, and Kade’s patience wore thin.

  "Enough!" Kade’s voice was sharp, slicing through the ready room like a whip. The two junior officers froze, their eyes snapping to her. She stepped forward, fixing them both with a withering stare. "In case you missed the memo, blood and bodies on the deck say otherwise. So unless one of you’s got a better idea, I suggest you stop the bickering and deal that this is our reality now until we have better information."

  One officer swallowed hard, his mouth opening to protest, but Kade’s raised eyebrow shut him up before he could even start. She glanced at 2nd Lt. Mark Lawson as he slipped into the room quietly.

  Lawson stepped forward, his calm demeanor cutting through the tension. "Focus on what we can control, not what we can’t." His voice was steady and authoritative, and both junior officers nodded quietly, settling back into their seats with much less fervor.

  Kade gave them one last stern look, then smiled as she turned back toward the center of the room. "Good to see someone’s still got their head on straight," she said, more to herself than anyone else.

  Before the tension could build again, Quartermaster Devin Cole spoke up from the other end of the table, his voice carrying a note of practicality. "Look, whether it’s real, we’ve got a more pressing problem. Supplies. We’ve got enough to get back to port, sure, but we’re not exactly built for long-term survival out here, especially not with... whatever’s waiting out there."

  Kade nodded, grateful for the shift back to practical matters. She cast a glance toward Captain Voss, waiting for him to respond. The room quieted as all eyes turned to him.

  Voss stood at the head of the table, one hand gripping the back of his chair. His face was calm, almost too calm, though Kade could sense the strain just beneath the surface. He’d spent his entire career navigating reality, grounding his decisions in logic, experience, and the predictable rules of naval command. Magic and monsters shattered those rules, and though he hid it well, Kade knew the captain struggled to process everything.

  Still, Voss didn’t let it show in his voice. He straightened slightly as he addressed the room. "Cole’s right. We need to think about our long-term survival. We’ve reversed course, but we’re still days from port. There’s no telling what we might encounter between here and home."

  He paused for a moment, the silence in the room heavy with the weight of his words. Then added, "But before we plan too far ahead, let’s focus on what we can do right now. Let’s figure out how to keep this ship and crew in one piece. We’ll sort the rest as it comes."

  He took a slow breath and looked around the table. "Officers, it’s time we get our heads together. The crew needs us clear-eyed, ready to face whatever this is. Let’s start with logistics. Cole, give us a full breakdown of our supplies and what we need. Everyone else, be ready with reports. We’ve got a lot to cover."

  Kade watched as the officers straightened in their chairs, a quiet murmur of professionalism returning to the room as the meeting began in earnest. Voss might be struggling beneath the surface, but he still had his command, and the crew would follow him. Just like they always had.

  "Whenever you are ready, Cole. Kick us off." Voss said.

  Cole, usually the most jovial of the group, had none of his typical lightness now. His expression was serious, his focus entirely on the task at hand. He stood by the chart table, tapping his fingers against the edge as he gathered his thoughts.

  "We’ve got enough non-perishables to last us for the 30 days we planned for," he began, his voice steady. "We’re five days into the journey, so there’s plenty of food to get us back to New London if we turn around now. That’s the good news."

  He paused, glancing around the room to make sure they were following. Kade could feel the other shoe getting ready to drop with what was coming next, and she saw the shift in Cole’s expression as he moved on to the more pressing concerns.

  "Water’s not an immediate issue," he continued. "We’ve got about forty-five days’ worth of potable water on board, assuming we ration properly. So if we stay on course or even have to deviate drastically, we should be fine for a while."

  Then came the part Kade had been expecting.

  "But medical supplies," Cole said, "that’s where we’re going to run into trouble. We hadn't stocked the Talon for combat; our supplies addressed only minor injuries and basic illnesses. What we’ve got left after the fight on deck won’t last us if we have more serious injuries down the line. In fact, with the casualties we’ve already taken, I’d say we’ll burn through our stockpile fast."

  Kade nodded to herself. It wasn’t a surprise. Most of the injuries sustained during the battle were anything but minor. The blood still staining the deck made that painfully clear.

  Cole took a breath, continuing, "If we don’t restock soon, we’re going to be in a situation where we can’t treat the crew properly. I don’t need to tell you what that could mean if we face more... well, whatever’s out there."

  Kade caught Captain Voss’s gaze as Cole finished. Voss stood at the head of the table, his hand resting on the back of a chair, his expression as serious as the situation demanded. He gave Cole a brief nod of acknowledgment.

  "Thank you, Quartermaster," Voss said, his voice firm. He paused for a moment, letting the gravity of the report sink in. Then he looked around the room, meeting the eyes of each officer in turn. "We know what we need, so let’s figure out where we can find it. Suggestions?"

  Kade didn’t hesitate. "We’re likely the only seaworthy vessel in the area, sir. With technology down, anything that was automated or dependent on modern systems is probably dead in the water." She said, "This is a key shipping lane, so there are bound to be vessels nearby. Not only supplies, but survivors too. We’re days out, and there’s no telling what’s happened to those ships or the people on board. Our mission isn’t just about keeping ourselves afloat. We need to help anyone we can."

  "Yes, that is a good point, Lieutenant. If this situation is global, as we suspect, then thousands of vessels on the sea are adrift with little hope," Voss responded.

  There was a brief pause as the room absorbed their words. Kade could see the shift in the expressions of her fellow officers. There was no arguing with her logic. These moments were what their training had prepared them for.

  A junior officer at the far end of the table cleared his throat and spoke up, his voice steady but tinged with uncertainty. "Before everything stopped working, we had a general cargo ship on the AIS, about twenty-five nautical miles out. Radar put it in the same range. If it's still there, we could reach it in five or six hours."

  He glanced around, the weight of the speculation hanging in the air, before continuing. "There was also a Large Volume Container Ship... maybe a day’s sail back toward New London. We had it on satellite tracking, but... well, we don’t have eyes on it now."

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "If we're lucky, all those vessels just stopped like we did. Yes, the storm picked up right after, but we still had our sails out. Those ships will be mostly adrift." Kade said, "We should be able to get close enough to the general cargo ship's position for a visual. The LVCS may be a bit more difficult, but given the massive size of that type of ship, there is an excellent chance we'd be able to find it."

  "I agree. One thing is for sure, the more time that passes, the less likely we'll be able to find additional ships based on our last AIS information," Captain Voss said.

  "The general cargo ship," Cole began, "is our best bet for supplies, at least in the short term. It’s likely to have a variety of goods. Nothing that would require heavy equipment to access."

  Kade could sense the mood of the officers around her shift slightly as they processed the information. The general cargo ship was the easier option, but she knew Cole wouldn’t stop there. He was too thorough.

  He continued, "Now, the Large Volume Container Ship it’s another story. That thing’s carrying thousands of containers, but we’d have no way to get to most of them without cranes or other equipment. Sure, it’s loaded with goods, but cracking open containers would be a huge undertaking. If we’re lucky, there might be some on deck we can access, but even then..." He shook his head. "We’d be looking at a much more complicated situation."

  Captain Voss stood at the head of the table, his face calm but focused. He glanced briefly at Kade before turning his attention back to Cole. "So, we’re looking at a decision between practicality and volume."

  Cole nodded. "That’s about right, sir. The general cargo ship’s accessible, and we’d likely find what we need. The LVCS is a gamble. It could be a treasure trove, but getting to it would be a different kind of challenge."

  "We’ll go for the cargo ship first. It’s the best option, given what we know." Voss said, after a brief pause.

  "Let’s figure out the details of the approach and be prepared for anything."

  "Do we know how many crew these ships carry?" Lawson asked.

  "Despite their massive size, LVCS don't require a large crew, as most systems are automated. In some cases, they'll have fewer crew than a general cargo ship. I don't recognize either of the ship names, so let's estimate thirty crew each," Cole responded.

  "While I'd like to hope that everyone on these ships is glad to see us, it's my job to plan for everyone we encounter being hostile. I've got enough men to take each ship, but given the size and lack of intel, we'll be at a disadvantage." Lawson said.

  "Generally, we'd send a Junior Officer with the boarding party, but this is largely a training crew. Kade, do you have any objections to joining the boarding party? I know it's not part of the XO's duties, but I think you'll be the best choice," Voss said.

  Kade thought for a moment. She had already been trying to figure out a way to get attached to the boarding party, but she didn't want to sound too eager. "No, Captain. I think you're on the right track. While trying to get past this crisis, let's not take any more risks than needed."

  Turning to Lawson, she continued, "The Marines will own the show. I'll be there to direct traffic and tell you what buttons not to push."

  "Glad to have you on the team, Ma'am," Lawson responded.

  "Good, it's settled then," Voss said. "Does anyone have any other business before we end this meeting?"

  For a moment, no one moved. Kade’s mind was still sharp with the logistics they had just discussed, but something nagged at the corner of her vision. A small, flashing icon she had been ignoring since the battle had ended. She’d wanted to investigate it the moment it appeared, but the crisis had taken priority, and she’d shoved the thought aside. Now, it hovered persistently, a silent reminder that the world had changed.

  Across the room, Quartermaster Cole leaned back in his chair, a glint of humor breaking the tension. "Just one thing, Captain," he said, his tone light but carrying an edge of curiosity. "Is it just me, or can everyone else access their status log and character sheet? Because mine says I’ve got a dexterity score of 3. Frankly, that seems a little low for someone in charge of logistics." He gave his belly a small pat, chuckling. "Maybe it’s because I could stand to lose a few pounds. More flexibility, I guess."

  There were a few restrained smiles around the room, the moment offering a bit of levity. Even Kade felt the corners of her mouth twitch at Cole’s remark, but her thoughts quickly shifted back to the strange icon in her vision. The idea of having a 'character sheet' was absurd, but the more she thought about it, the more curious she became.

  Captain Voss, though, remained grounded, his expression thoughtful as he nodded. "I suppose if anyone was still unwilling to accept this situation as real, these screens offer some solid proof."

  Focusing on the icon, several messages greeted Kade.

  Level up! Congratulations, you are now level one. Go forth and defend the realms, mighty hunter. Warning: Current level-zero protocols prevent class choice and ability point assignment until level five. Actions taken between levels one and five will contribute to the available class selection.

  Level one, that didn't sound so great. Not to mention that the level-zero filter was restricting any actual advancement, she thought. It was unclear what the level-zero filter was, but it was clear that she would need to reach level five before anything remarkable happened. The skill messages were much more intriguing.

  +8 Sailing | Congratulations! You're slightly less likely to sink now, Sailor. Good job! Because of the Simulation error, you have been awarded seven additional skill points due to knowledge gained before the reboot.

  +5 Leadership | Congratulations! You have increased your leadership skills; now your crew might listen to you… maybe. Because of the Simulation error, you have been awarded four additional skill points due to knowledge gained before the reboot.

  +8 Ocean Craft | Congratulations! You are getting the hang of keeping this ship in one piece. Because of the Simulation error, you have been awarded seven additional skill points due to knowledge gained before the reboot.

  +6 Ocean Navigation | Congratulations! You are now less likely to get everyone lost at sea. Because of the Simulation error, you have been awarded five additional skill points due to knowledge gained before the reboot.

  +1 Sword Combat | Congratulations! You are now a bit sharper with that sword. Keep it up!

  Kade raised an eyebrow, leaning against the edge of the table. "Out of curiosity," she asked, her tone dry but calm, "is anyone else’s system messages sarcastic? Because mine seems to have an attitude."

  2nd Lt. Lawson, standing nearby, let out a short laugh. "Not nearly as snarky as you are, XO."

  Kade smirked but said nothing, letting the moment pass as the room settled into its professional air. Despite their strange new reality, the camaraderie between the officers was still intact. Whatever this "system" was, it didn’t change who they were at their core. At least, that is what she thought until she saw her character sheet.

  Name: Sarah Kade

  Class: Commoner

  Level: 1

  Health: 180/180

  Mana: 120/120

  Stats

  Strength: 4

  Dexterity: 6

  Intelligence: 6

  Constitution: 5

  Charisma: 4

  Abilities

  None

  Skills

  Sailing: 8

  Ocean Craft: 8

  Ocean Navigation: 6

  Leadership: 5

  Sword Combat: 1

  *Due to Simulation error, skills gained after the error but before the reboot will be assessed upon first use of the skill post reboot*

  "Does everyone else have the commoner status for their class, or should I feel insulted?"

  "No, mine is the same," Lawson said. "I've got a bunch of combat-related skills that make sense, well, as much as any of this makes sense. I know I've learned other things over my career, but the ones I have listed here are certain things I've done since this all started. I'm guessing we'll get these bonus points as we use skills we already had, but this simulation doesn't give them to us free from the start."

  "It says that right at the bottom of the character sheet. What was your intelligence score?" Kade joked at Lawson.

  "Har har, but point taken," Lawson said.

  Kade scanned the numbers and attributes on her character sheet; brow furrowed in mild irritation. The layout was clear enough, but what was the meaning behind half of the information? That was another matter. Mana? She turned the word over in her mind, remembering enough from games to know it typically had to do with spell casting. But that seemed ridiculous. Did it mean she could cast spells now? And what about skills versus abilities? The distinction wasn’t obvious, and the entire sheet seemed oddly… vague. It was almost as if whoever had set this up expected everyone to know the details already.

  It was as though a dozen questions cropped up for every answer the sheet provided, each more frustrating than the last. Her eyes drifted to her "Strength" stat. She had a four for strength, but what did that actually mean? She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to focus, and tried to push the distraction aside.

  Before her mind could wander too far down the list of unknowns, the captain’s voice broke through, pulling her back to the room.

  "Get an inventory of skills and stats of the people under your command." Captain Voss’s tone was calm but carried a trace of humor, his eyes sweeping the table with a look that was half bemusement, half resolve. He gave a faint smile. "Might make finding the right person for the job a little easier in the future, and that’s usually half of an officer’s job, anyway." He let out a chuckle. "The other half, of course, is telling crew members what not to touch."

  A few of the officers exchanged glances, a shared understanding passing between them. Kade caught herself smiling, the captain’s words bringing a small lift to the atmosphere.

  Captain Voss continued, "That’ll be enough for now. As mentioned, we’ll be reaching the cargo ship in about five to six hours. That should be around dusk. Standard rotation applies, and I want everyone to ensure the crew gets some downtime. They’ll need time to process, and so will we. No surprises in the meantime."

  The officers nodded and stood to leave, the familiar rhythm of orders and structure reasserting itself. Kade glanced once more at the character sheet icon in her peripheral vision. Her curiosity renewed, but for now, she turned her attention fully back to the task at hand.

  [Simulation Notice]

  Chapter complete.

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