Volume 5B: Terror on the Seas

[tirepanted3]

Hi, everyone. I've been itching to get back to writing for the past few months, though it has been a bit tricky to find the time and the inspiration. I have a few ideas that I'm trying to coordinate, but some are more developed at this stage than others. I recently started work on two short stories (each which are currently planned to be 2-3 chapters), and have begun drafting a longer story, though that one may still not be ready for a while. Anyway, here is one of the shorter stories now. It is a spinoff that takes place immediately after the events of "Last Woman Standing" and follows a couple of supporting characters from the "Spacesuit" series. Hope you enjoy!





The ocean waves brushed against the large weathered cargo ship. The vessel was strong and sturdy, but it was not immune to the forces of gravity. It bobbed up and down, back and forth, as it cruised through the dark and salty waters.

Most of the women aboard the ship were used to the turbulence of the sea. They were hardened sailors, with stomachs long grown used to rough winds and choppy waters. The two dozen or so crewmembers had been selected for this voyage in large part due to their endurance and willingness to brave the dangers of a dark and vastly sprawling ocean.

However, there were two crewmembers on this voyage who had not volunteered for the job - not that they would let that on to their fellow shipmates. These two women were certainly dressed for the job, clad in the clothing of longshorewomen. But the outfits were not originally theirs, nor were the jobs they had been given.

So it was that they now sat on a pair of rickety wooden stools in the ship's galley, slowly peeling the skins off an assortment of carrots, cucumbers and potatoes.

"Kitchen work..." Lucinda muttered. "I graduated top of my class at Harvard... earned my business license when I was twenty-two... I've worked my ass off all my life. And now," she wrinkled her nose, "I'm stuck doing kitchen work."

Meredith smiled at her wife sympathetically. "It's not so bad," she said. "You're pretty good with that peeler."

"I'd like to peel the smile off the head chef's face," Lucinda groused. "Thinks she can stick us in here with a mountain of vegetables... I oughta..."

"Luce," Meredith said softly, "Please. Try to look on the bright side. We're free. We're out."

Lucinda glanced at Meredith, and couldn't help nodding. It was true - they were free. The last few weeks had been a haze, a blur of activity that included an arrest, a jailbreak, a revenge scheme, an escape, and an alliance with wanted criminal Dr. Julia Chen. Most tryingly, it had been one of the roughest periods that Meredith and Lucinda had ever faced in the years they'd been together. Their relationship had been tested like never before.

But now they were together again. In the past few hours, they had escaped the authorities, mugged a pair of longshorewomen for their clothes, and climbed aboard the cargo ship, which was currently en route to the Bahamas.

"It's certainly been a crazy time, hasn't it?" Lucinda mused. "Hard to believe how much has changed... so fast."

Meredith nodded. "But no matter what changes, one thing will always stay the same." She smiled at her wife. "I will always lov... uurrkk!"

She clutched her stomach in pain.

Lucinda looked shocked. "Honey, are you okay?"

Meredith nodded, wincing. "I'm... fine. Just a bit of seasickness." She took a deep breath. "I'm not used to this mode of travel."

Lucinda rubbed her shoulder sympathetically. "I understand... I did some ocean cruising myself back in the day... It takes some getting used to."

The door to the galley opened, and a portly woman in white cap and apron poked her head inside. "Less chatting, more peeling! The crew is getting hungry."

She exited and shut the door. Lucinda flipped her middle finger upward in the door's direction.

"Tyrant," she grumbled. "I would just love to toss her overboard..."

"I think we need a break," Meredith noted. "Say... five minutes? Ten minutes?"

Lucinda put down the potato she was peeling. "Sounds good. But where do you want to go? I'd rather not be wandering around the ship..."

Meredith had a playful look in her eye. "Maybe we don't need to leave the room," she mused. "I noticed a closet at the back of the galley... We could have some quiet time... Just you and me. Like the old days."

Lucinda brightened. "Now that you mentioned it... We have gone a few weeks without... er, getting personal."

She looked around. "But... I don't know if you'd be comfortable... on a rocky ship, in a cramped closet."

"I'll be perfectly comfortable," Meredith replied. "As long as I'm with you."

"Darling," Lucinda replied. "The next time we get intimate, I want it to be... special. This boat is good as a mode of transportation, but it's not special."

Meredith nodded, slowly. She looked a little disappointed.

"I promise," Lucinda assured her. "When we get to the Bahamas, you'll thank me."

Meredith grinned. "I can't wait."

The two women resumed their peeling activities, with a bit more vigor than before. After all, it seemed that everything was finally on the right track.

***********************

The hours passed more quickly following their conversation, and Meredith and Lucinda had soon concluded their work for the night. They headed off to their cabin to get some sleep.

Cabins were cramped on the cargo ship, with four women assigned to each room. But Meredith and Lucinda were lucky - or perhaps, extra unlucky - in that the cabin of the women they'd replaced was at the far stern of the ship, a small room that was only large enough for two cots. It appeared to be a former walk-in closet turned into a spare bedroom... but Meredith and Lucinda weren't willing to risk a complaint. For now, they had to keep a low profile.

The cots were lumpy and uncomfortable, but the women settled in all right. Outside, they could hear the waves brushing against the metal-plated sides of the ship.

"How's your seasickness?" Lucinda asked.

Meredith closed her eyes. "Better... I suppose I get used to it after a while."

Lucinda lay back on her cot. "Just think," she mused, "by the time the sun rises tomorrow, we'll be in the Bahamas. You... me... a gorgeous beach and all the mai tais we can drink."

Meredith nodded. "Sounds amazing."

As the minutes ticked by, the waters steadied to a gentle rocking. Both women were soon fast asleep.

************************

At the surface, the water appeared calm and peaceful, reflecting the serene night sky above.

But far below, in the cold and murky depths, all was not as it appeared.

Certainly the ocean was home to an abundance of fish and aquatic mammals. But the four figures currently swimming through the dark waters were most certainly not a usual sight.

They were all women - tall and athletically fit. Dressed from head to toe in black scuba gear - skintight neoprene wetsuits, diving masks, gloves, and flippers, with silver oxygen tanks strapped to their backs. They swam skillfully and in formation through the deep Atlantic waters.

The woman at the lead held up a hand, and her three fellow divers stopped. They calmly treaded water as she checked the device strapped to her wrist - a combination of depth gauge and compass.

Satisfied, she motioned upward with her hand. Her three cohorts understood.

Moving slowly, the four women quietly ascended until they reached the surface. Their heads bobbed up, nearly invisible against the dark sea.

The lead woman's calculations were correct - they had surfaced just beside the massive cargo ship. The vessel was cutting silently through the waters, and no one aboard could notice the four masked figures appearing at the water's surface beside it.

The lead woman nodded at one of her cohorts, who hoisted a grappling gun in her hand. She nicked it and fired. The muted sound was well-masked by the louder creaks and clanks coming from within the ship.

The grappling hook flew upward, securing itself to the railing on the side of the deck. Once checking that the rope was secure, the four women began to climb, one by one.

The deck of the ship was itself quite empty at this late hour - most of the crew was either asleep or working below. The captain and first mate were on the bridge. The only crewmember currently patrolling the starboard side of the ship was Pamela, tasked with alerting the captain if she spotted any problems on the horizon.

Pamela was a tall and well-toned woman, with light skin and dark blonde hair covered by a green woolen cap. She wore a white uniform sweater, black cargo pants, and thick-soled brown boots. Currently she was enjoying a late-night smoke, her eyes scanning the water below.

Thus she had her back turned to the four scuba-clad figures who silently moved, flippers in hand, to a shadowy alcove on the deck.

Pamela finished her cigarette and flicked it over the railing, letting it splash in the water below. She rubbed her hands to keep them warm. It was a cold night, and the cigarettes could only do so much.

Pamela glanced at her watch, but it appeared to have stopped. "Damn it... the salesman swore this one was waterproof."

Shaking her head in annoyance, she turned and resumed her walk along the deck. There couldn't be more than a few hours till sunrise, anyway.

Pamela always appreciated the sunrise. It was why she'd volunteered for the night job. The darkness could be cold and quiet, but the moment the sun's first rays began peeking over the horizon never failed to raise her spirits. It was a beautiful sight, no matter how many times she witnessed it.

Unfortunately for her, she would not get to witness it the next morning.

As Pamela rounded the corner, she felt a gloved hand clamp over her mouth. She had just enough time to register the neoprene feel and the seafoam scent before another hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her roughly into the darkened alcove.

The sounds of punching could be heard... Or at least, they would be, if there was anyone around to hear them. But the deck was empty, so any muffled squeals for help fell on deaf ears.

Soon, the alcove grew silent again. Then, only a few sounds emanated from the darkness. The rustle of clothing being removed... followed by the tearing of duct tape... and the sharp tugs of binding rope.

And whispering noises from the uninvited quartet of women.

"Kristen," the leader said quietly. She had removed her diver's mask, revealing her white skin and close-cropped reddish-brown hair. "You're closest to this woman in size. Get dressed, quickly."

Kristen nodded. She was indeed a similar size to Pamela, though she had dark skin and frizzy black hair. "Copy that, Veronica."

Veronica then turned to the other two women, currently in the process of binding and gagging the unfortunate shipwoman, who was down to her green underwire bra and lavender hiphuggers "Siobhan, Dinah. Make sure those ropes are tight. I do not want any escapes."

Siobhan rolled her eyes. "That only happened one time." She was an angular-faced woman, with light skin and a ponytail of blonde hair.

"And that was because you gave us flimsy ropes," Dinah added. She was the shortest of the quartet, though still taller than the average woman, with tan skin and a bowl cut of brown hair.

Veronica glowered. "Do not give me back-talk. Do your jobs."

Then she turned back to Kristen, who was currently in the process of changing into Pamela's clothes. "Quick, quick. We can't waste any time."

"I know, I know." Kristen reached for the boots and began lacing them up. "I'm almost dressed."

*********************

Footsteps sounded up the rickety ladder from the ship's hold. Although slickened with seawater, the ladder still had the strength to support the dozens of women who ascended and descended it each day.

Viola emerged onto the deck, her dark eyes squinting in the moonlight. She was tall and fit, with tanned skin and magenta-dyed hair. Like most crewmembers, she wore a white uniform sweater, black cargo pants, and thick brown boots, though her clothes were a bit more worn due to her frequent physical labor. She had two glasses in one hand and a bottle of whiskey tucked under the other arm.

"Pamela?" she called out, moving across the deck. "The sea breeze smells especially strong. Figure this is a good night for a drink."

She glanced around as she turned the corner. "Pam, babe? Where are you?"

In the shadows below the bridge, she could see a the silhouette of a woman, beckoning discreetly.

A smile played on Viola's lips as she approached. "Feeling playful tonight, Pam? That's so unlike you..."

As she neared the alcove and the moonlight dissipated the shadows, her smile disappeared. The woman before her was a tall blonde dressed in a scuba outfit.

"What...?" A confused look crossed Viola's face. "Who are you? Wh... Uuuurrkkk..."

She gasped for air as Kristen locked an arm around her neck from behind.

"In a few minutes," Kristen whispered, as she dragged the struggling, scrabbling Viola into the shadows, "she'll be the owner of your clothes."

Kristen's prediction was accurate. Within a few minutes, Siobhan had shed her scuba suit and was donning Viola's clothes and shoes.

Nearby, Kristen and Dinah were lowering the unconscious Viola into a seated position beside Pamela. The magenta-haired woman, stripped to her puce plunge bra and tangerine boyshorts, was now tied up and gagged.

Once that was done, Dinah scooped the whiskey bottle up from the ground where it had fallen in the struggle. "Still unbroken," she observed with pleasure. "We'll drink well tonight, me hearties!" She chuckled.

Veronica eyed her in annoyance. "There will be no talk of alcohol now. We're still on the job."

Dinah kept silent, but made a sour face as the leader turned to the disguised Kristen and Siobhan.

"You two know what to do. Get moving."

Nodding, the two women stepped out of the alcove and headed for the bridge.

********************

The bridge was quiet on this night, as calm as the seas surrounding the cargo ship. Nevertheless, the room's two occupants stared alertly out the window at the waters ahead.

"What's our estimated time, Quinn?" the ship's captain asked. She was a tall and imposing woman with dark skin and a narrow braid of black hair that reached mid-back. She wore a white cotton shirt beneath a navy-blue long-sleeved jacket, black pants and polished black shoes, and a peaked white cap with a gold anchor insignia.

The first mate checked the gauges. "Should be there by sunup, Captain." She was a trim but wiry woman with fair skin and close-cropped blonde hair. She wore a thick olive sweater and blue slacks, a dark grey woolen cap, and light brown ankle boots.

Captain Danica Thornton nodded. "Good. Keep a steady course... I'm off to check on the crew below deck."

As she headed for the bridge door, it swung open from the outside, and two women in cabin uniforms walked in.

The captain looked at them in surprise. "What's the situation? Is there trouble?"

Kristen and Siobhan glanced at each other and smiled. Then they returned their gaze to the captain.

"Why yes, madam... A whole heap of trouble, in fact." A sly smile played on Siobhan's lips.

Captain Thornton's expression changed to one of suspicion. "Who the hell are you two? I've never seen you on my ship before..."

"That makes sense," Kirsten continued. "Since we're not part of your crew."

The captain swiftly reached for a switch on the wall that would sound a klaxon alarm - but Siobhan was faster, lashing out and knocking the woman off-balance. She then dealt the captain a kick, sending the woman crashing into her first mate.

With an "Ughhnnhh..." both crewmembers fell to the floor - where they were easy prey to a pair of Kristen's signature neck chops.

Siobhan opened the door to the cabin and beckoned her cohorts onto the bridge. "Coast is clear," she whispered.

Veronica grinned as she entered the central room of the ship, eyeing the two unconscious women on the floor. "Good work, ladies."

She turned to Dinah. "Come now, let's get into their uniforms."

Dinah brightened. "Can I wear the captain's clothes?"

She reached for the unconscious figure of Captain Thornton, but Veronica slapped her hand away.

"I'll be the captain," she said sternly.

Dinah crossed her arms. "That's not fair... How come you always get to steal the best uniform?"

"Because I'm in charge," Veronica replied with an air of finality. "Now hurry up and get dressed."

*********************

Despite Dinah's grumblings, she was quick to dress in the clothing of the first mate. Meanwhile, Veronica garbed herself in the uniform and cap of the ship's erstwhile commander.

Siobhan and Kristen busied themselves binding and gagging the real crewwomen with brown ropes and white tape and dragging them into a nearby closet. Danica was left in her seafoam green padded bra and salmon hiphuggers, while Quinn had been stripped to an aquamarine T-shirt bra and bright red bikini panties.

"Red at night, sailor's delight," Kristen mused.

Siobhan shut the closet door. "You can play later, Kris... Let them rest for now."

Veronica eyed her reflection in a small cabin mirror, adjusting her uniform to give it the most professional look.

Then she turned to her team. "So far, so good, ladies. For all intents and purposes, we have commandeered this vessel."

Dinah clapped her hands. "We're the best pirates ever!"

Siobhan eyed her strangely. "Why do you keep calling us pirates? That's such an outmoded term..."

Dinah shrugged. "That's what we are, isn't it? We steal ships, kidnap crews. Don't need an eyepatch or a plank to be a pirate..."

"We'll argue semantics later," Veronica interjected. "For now, we need to concentrate on ensuring that the crew on this ship gets a very... good night's rest."

Her associates grinned at one another. Siobhan reached into her pouch. "I've got the sleeping-gas bombs right here. They should keep everyone on the ship dozing for three hours at least."

"More than enough time," Veronica purred. "Disperse them into the ventilation system and detonate them." She glanced at her watch. "Within ten minutes, all the workers on this ship will be fast asleep."

******************

Indeed, it took just north of eight minutes for the gas bombs to take effect. Once in the vent system, the knockout gas spread quickly throughout the ship, and its effects were nothing if not effective.

It helped, to some extent, that many of the crewmembers were currently in their beds, making them easy prey for the soporific gas. But even those wandering past the cabins experienced the effect - first a slight dizziness, than a numbness of the limbs, followed by an unconscious collapse to the floor as the bombs did their work.

It was only in one area below decks where the gas did not sufficiently carry - the small walk-in closet that served as an impromptu bedroom. The room had not been fitted with proper ventilation, with the air instead coming from a partly cracked portal in the upper corner.

Meredith and Lucinda were asleep in this room - but the sounds above them were growing louder.

Meredith stirred, and opened one eye. Immediately, she felt nauseous - the sea life still did not agree with her. But as she regained her senses, she noticed that something else didn't feel right.

Sounds, coming from above deck. Women talking... laughing. And not fun laughter, but cruel, calculating laughter - not too different from that of Dr. Chen.

Meredith glanced at Lucinda, who was still asleep. Should I wake her? Maybe it's nothing...

But Meredith had a bad feeling - one that went beyond her general seasickness.

********************

Veronica spoke clearly and calmly into her radio. "The ship is under control. Prepare to surface."

"Yes, ma'am," came the response.

Veronica shut the radio and stepped out onto the deck, joining her henchwomen at the railing. They watched and waited for a full minute.

Then, the water near the ship began to bubble, then slowly part. A large, gleaming black submarine - about twice the length of the ship itself - rose up and out of the water. Despite the heavy machinery it used in operation, the craft was incredibly silent, with merely a whisper as the hatch atop it slid open.

Two... four... now eight women emerged from the hatch. All were dressed in scuba gear, though they had traded their flippers in for sensible waterproof shoes.

One of the women held up a remote and tapped a few keys. A ramp extended from the submarine to the ship's deck, and the scuba-clad women crossed over.

"All right, girls," Veronica said authoritatively. "You know the drill. Search the ship, make sure everyone is fast asleep. Secure the crew and procure the cargo." She glanced at the bridge. "Let's hope our intel was right this time."

"If it was ascertained illegally, how can it be wrong?" Siobhan deadpanned.

The women moved across the deck and headed for the ladder to the lower levels.

**********************

"Luci... Luci, wake up..."

"Hmmm...?" Lucinda groggily opened her eyes. Her wife was leaning over her, an agitated look on her face.

"Wha... what time is it?" Lucinda grumbled. "Are we still on the boat?"

"Luci, please... keep your voice down..." Meredith glanced nervously at the door. "I think we're in trouble."

"What... trouble?" Despite her tired state, Lucinda was slowly forcing herself to get up.

Meredith beckoned her to the doorway, keeping her voice low. "Look."

Both women peered through a crack in the door. Down the hall, they could see women... Dressed from head to toe in shiny black scuba gear. Stepping from one room to another, carrying ropes and duct tape with them.

"Bind and gag all the crewmembers tightly," one of the women said. "They're all coming with us... Hurry up now."

Lucinda and Meredith exchanged a glance.

"Who the hell are these bitches?" Lucinda asked in annoyance.

"I don't know," Meredith replied. "But... they look mean. And dangerous."

Across the hall, one of the scuba-clad women exited one of the bedrooms, carrying a bound-and-gagged crewmember over her shoulder.

"They're... kidnapping the crew?" Lucinda hissed. "Who do they think they are? And why is no one fighting back?"

Meredith sniffed the air. "Smell that? It's mostly dissipated by now, but... I think I detect a faint whiff of sleeping gas. Looks like we may have been the only ones unaffected."

Lucinda clenched her fists. "Good for us," she muttered. "Unlucky for them. I'm going to kick their asses from here to the South Pacific..."

Meredith put a hand on her shoulder. "Luci, wait... There could be dozens of them... And they probably have guns. The two of us don't stand a chance."

"So what's your plan?" Lucinda replied. "Sit quiet and let ourselves be captured and tied up with the rest?"

Meredith glanced out the doorway again. "Wait... I think a couple of them are coming this way."

Indeed, two of the infiltrators were now walking towards the far end of the hall, where the small makeshift bedroom was situated.

Meredith glanced at Lucinda. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Lucinda cracked her knuckles and grinned. "Darling, do you even have to ask?"

The two scuba-clad women were advancing slowly down the hall, glancing into each closet door as they passed to check for any hidden occupants. They had shed their oxygen tanks, as they were on the surface, but retained their black neoprene wetsuits, gloves, and goggles. Both women were tall and well-toned, and each had a gun strapped to her left thigh.

The women finally reached the small room at the end of the hall. The door was slightly ajar. Pushing it open, they could see a single woman lying on the bed. She appeared to be motionless... unconscious.

The two scuba-geared women exchanged a grin, and stepped into the closet, ready to tie this woman up and take her along.

Abruptly, Lucinda, who had been hiding behind the door, now swiftly closed it.

Meredith immediately sat up in bed and smiled at the two startled pirates.

"Surprise, ladies."

Like many hatches on the ship, the closet door was composed of reinforced steel, the better for it to hold under pressure. It also inadvertently served to soundproof the room from any outside ears. Thus, the kicks and punches emanating from within the small room were effectively muted.

After about twenty seconds of muffled beating, grunting, and seaworthy profanity, the closet room grew silent once again. Across the remainder of the ship, the other pirate women continued to work diligently at their assigned tasks, unaware that two of their own had been ambushed.

Several more minutes ticked on, and at last the closet door creaked open. Lucinda poked her head out.

"Coast is clear," she whispered.

She stepped out into the hallway, closely followed by Meredith. Both women were now fully zipped up in skintight black scuba suits, their hair tucked beneath the hoods.

"I can't believe this," Meredith whispered. "Pirates... aboard this ship. Trouble just follows us everywhere."

"It's not that bad." Lucinda eyed her wife's figure-hugging suit appreciatively. "That outfit looks amazing on you."

Meredith smiled warmly. "You like what you see?" she purred seductively, sliding her hands along her hips and thrusting her breasts outward.

Then she winced in pain and rubbed her back. "Ouch... This outfit was not designed for sexy poses."

Lucinda chuckled. "You look gorgeous even without posing."

The women's musings were interrupted by the sound of footsteps down the hall.

"Someone's coming!" Meredith whispered. She lowered the goggles over her eyes.

Lucinda did the same. "Grab the two sleeping beauties... We'll pretend they're a couple of crewmembers we've captured."

The two "sleeping beauties" were of course the prior owners of the now-stolen scuba suits. They were lying on the floor of the cramped room, bound and gagged with the white rope and grey duct tape they had intended to use on Meredith and Lucinda. One of the women had tan skin and silky black hair; she was left in a purple bikini bra and white panties. The other woman had alabaster skin and short red hair; she wore a green waterproof bra and blue hiphuggers.

Lucinda picked up the dark-haired captive and slung the woman over her shoulder. Meredith followed suit with the redhead.

As they began stepping down the hall, the source of the footsteps was revealed as one of the other scuba-geared women.

"Hurry up... Time's wasting... You know that Veronica gets impatient!" The woman was clearly fooled by the disguises; Meredith and Lucinda both sighed inwardly.

Reaching the deck, the two imposters could see several other intruders milling about. Some carried bound-and-gagged women; others carried metal crates and barrels. Most were now proceeding to the ramp leading to the submarine.

Veronica, standing just beside the ramp, stopped one of the barrel-lugging women. "Let me see that."

She used a crowbar to pry open the lid. Immediately, her eyes began to glitter. "Magnificent."

The barrel was filled nearly to the brim with precious stones and metals - diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and pearls, as well as gold and silver rings, bracelets, necklaces, and assorted jewels and finery.

Veronica replaced the lid. "Our research paid off," she declared to the women around her. "This ship was smuggling some of the most valuable cargo on the open sea... And now it's ours... Along with the crew."

The women laughed and cheered.

Meredith and Lucinda exchanged a glance. It was now clear why their ship had been targeted.

"Get a move on," Veronica urged the other women. "We need to get everything aboard and head back to base."

The pirate women nodded obligingly and resumed their work with gusto. Meredith and Lucinda did their best to blend in and follow along.

Soon, all the pirates and captives were aboard the submarine. The ship was now an empty vessel, quietly afloat in the open sea.

But not for long. Siobhan and Kristen had left a small package in the forward hold. As the submarine pulled away from the cargo ship and prepared to dip beneath the waves, Veronica pressed a stud on her remote.

The explosion blew a gaping hole in the side of the ship. It capsized, and slowly began sinking into the dark and murky depths.

Veronica descended and shut the hatch. The vessel submerged and began propelling forward through the midnight waters.

Meredith and Lucinda glanced out the rear porthole of the sub and watched the ship's wreckage sink further to the ocean floor.

"So..." Meredith whispered slowly. "We're stuck on an underwater vessel... surrounded by over a dozen dangerous criminal women... with no other means of transport or communication with the outside world."

Lucinda nodded. "That's... the gist of it, yeah."

Meredith glanced uneasily at her wife. "Please tell me you have a plan."

"Of course I have a plan," Lucinda said, trying to sound reassuring. "Just... just give me some time to figure out what it is..."

*******************

Large as the submarine was, it appeared even larger on the inside thanks to innovative use of economized space. The entire vessel could comfortably hold up to fifty people. It was split into two levels, with the upper level used by the pirates for seating and working and the lower level used to store their "loot" - both the vast riches and the captive women.

Currently, there were six barrels of priceless coins and jewels stored in the lower decks, along with twenty captive women, all bound and gagged. These women were mostly members of the cargo ship that was now so much sea wreckage - although two of them were of course the two unlucky pirates that Meredith and Lucinda had replaced.

Kristen, Siobhan, and Dinah had finished securing the captives to the bulkheads and now stood to admire their work.

"An impressive haul," Siobhan mused. "I daresay we haven't netted this many prisoners in months."

Kristen licked her lips. "They are gorgeous... Do I get to keep one?"

Siobhan sighed. "Keep it in your pants, Kris... We need them in good shape if we're going to net a good ransom."

"They're in great shape," Dinah noted. "Look at these two by the end - total knockouts."

Siobhan glanced at the two she was speaking of. In the dim lighting, it was hard to see their faces, but it was easy to see they were only dressed in their underwear.

"Must be two of the women whose clothes we stole," she noted.

She was technically incorrect - these two women had had their scuba suits stolen by Meredith and Lucinda. They were awake now and none too happy about their predicament.

"Mmmppphhhh!" one of the women growled. Roughly translated, it meant, We're not from that cargo ship!

"Grrrmmpphhh!" the other added, which meant, We've been replaced by impostors!

Dinah smiled. "They're so cute when they're angry."

"Okay, enough teasing," Siobhan sighed. "Leave them be. We've got work to do up top."

She headed for the ladder, Kristen and Dinah following.

Then Kristen paused. "Wait just a minute." She glanced back at the two struggling captives.

"Shiv... didn't you say the sleeping gas would work for three hours?"

Siobhan nodded. "Yes, certainly... Why do you..."

Her eyes widened as she realized what her friend was implying. "Then... how are these two awake?"

The three women raced back to the two captives. Kristen shined her flashlight at them. "What's going on?"

"Hey, I recognize these two," Dinah said. "It's Francine and Naomi... What the hell?"

Kristen removed the gags. "Girls, what happened?"

Naomi coughed before speaking. "These two women on the ship... They ambushed us."

"Tied us up and stole our diving suits," Francine added, cheeks flushed with rage.

Dinah glanced up at Siobhan. "What does this mean?"

Siobhan's eyes narrowed as she felt the gun at her hip. "It means," she said slowly, "that we have a couple of imposters in our midst."

*********************

Doreen tore another sheet of paper out of the yellow notepad. She crumpled it into a ball.

"Down to the buzzer," she murmured from her desk. "The crowd is silent. She shoots..."

She tossed the paper ball at the nearby wastebasket. It bounced off the wall and dropped inside.

"...she scores."

She tore out another page and crumpled it again. "But now the game is forced into overtime," she continued. "Can our gorgeous basketball champion make it? She shoots..."

"Please keep it down," Lorelei said from the adjoining desk.

She currently had her eyes trained on a panel of computers, and was watching them intently.

Doreen sighed. "Sorry, Lore. I'm just getting kind of bored. We've been here over two hours... and still nothing."

"Here" was a small office building that housed a branch of the US Coast Guard. The building had lots of computers triangulating positions of various boats and ships in the local Atlantic, as well as a pleasant view of the ocean from its large picture window, but was otherwise unremarkable at this time of night.

"Are you sure this isn't just a waste of time?" Doreen pressed. "Don't get me wrong - I love this uniform, but other than that, not a lot of interest tonight."

The uniform she referred to was the one she now wore. It consisted of a navy blue jacket and matching skirt, white shirt, dark blue garrison cap, and sensible black shoes.

"Patience, Dory," Lorelei replied. She was dressed in an identical uniform, though with a couple more lapels on the jacket. "A lot of this job is just sitting around and waiting. But it'll all be worth it."

The office door opened, and Verna entered, carrying two steaming cups of coffee in hand. She was dressed in a similar uniform to her two friends, albeit with blue pants instead of a skirt. "Thank goodness the machine down the hall works," she said with a smile.

Doreen held out a hand. "Ooh, yeah. I'll take one of those."

Verna handed her one of the cups, then glanced at Lorelei. "Any updates yet?"

Lorelei shook her head. "Still monitoring. That's what we FBI agents do best."

The three women were indeed FBI agents, although their success rate at their jobs had been spotty as of late. A couple of recent failures had demoted them in the eyes of their comrades, and they were looking for a way to rebound. An inside tip had inspired Lorelei - she had heard stories of "pirates" roaming the East Atlantic, plundering ships and kidnapping crews.

Armed with this info, Lorelei and her two closest friends had infiltrated this minor Coast Guard building in order to cross-reference the office's tech with their own federal resources, as a way of tracing and pinpointing the location of the pirates. They had disguised themselves as officers so as not to arouse suspicion from any passing boats.

"Monitoring is what we do second-best," Verna corrected her leader as she stepped to the other side of the room. She opened the door to the office supply closet and peeked inside. "What we do best is... right in here."

She was speaking of the occupants of the supply closet - three unconscious women, bound and gagged with black duct tape and seated side-by-side on the tiled floor. The real Coast Guard officers who had been assigned to work the night shift... and had received more than they'd bargained for.

The first woman was on the taller side, with light skin and braided ginger hair. She wore a pink wireless bra and vanilla hiphuggers. The second woman was about the same height, with dark skin and crew-cut black hair. She had a teal sports bra and orange tanga panties. Rounding out the trio was a slightly shorter woman with porcelain skin and sideswept shoulder-length blonde hair. She was left in a mint-green T-shirt bra and lavender boyshorts.

"Mugging civilians for their clothes," Verna mused. "That's what FBI agents do best."

"Let them sleep, Verna," Lorelei said, not lifting her eyes from the monitor. "Chloroforming and stripping those women might not be particularly professional, but if this hunch works, it will be worth it."

Verna chuckled. "Somehow, I'm not sure they'll agree." She gave one last glance at the three captives before shutting the closet door.

"Those women will be fine," Lorelei replied. "They'll wake up with headaches, but they won't be the first. It's just part of the job... theirs and ours."

Verna took a sip of coffee. "Wow, you've changed your tune. You used to feel sorry for women when you stole their clothes."

"I still do," Lorelei replied. "But the world's getting tougher, and we need to toughen up with it. The three of us have already been mugged for our uniforms twice."

Doreen raised her hand. "Actually, I've only been mugged once," she said proudly.

Verna glared at her. "Well, good for you, Little Miss Perfect."

"Guess I'm just lucky." Doreen gave a coy grin. "Luckier than you, at any rate."

Lorelei held up a hand. "Girls, hush."

Doreen rolled her eyes, fully expecting a lecture. "We're not fighting, Lore. I'm just saying that..."

"No, look." Lorelei pointed at the monitor. "Heat signal on the monitor - sudden flash out in middle of the ocean, about thirty miles north."

Verna squinted over Lorelei's shoulder. "What's it mean?"

"It means there's been an explosion somewhere on the open sea." Lorelei's voice had a note of encouragement. "And our research indicates these pirates have a habit of blowing up the ships they target after robbing them blind."

Verna and Doreen exchanged a glance.

"I've got the coordinates." Lorelei stood up from her chair. "It shouldn't be difficult to track any other vessel moving from that vicinity... provided we move quickly."

"You sure this is enough intel?" Verna asked.

"It's all the intel we've got," Lorelei responded. "Come on, there's a speedboat moored to the docks... Let's hop in and go searching."

She headed for the door. With a shrug, Verna followed.

Doreen approached the door as well, then paused and looked back. She crumpled up one last paper ball.

"Final shot," she muttered. "This one's for all the gold... She shoots..."

The paper ball sailed through the air. It hit the rim of the wastebasket and dropped inside.

"...she scores!" Doreen grinned. "The crowd goes wild!"

Verna poked her head back into the office and grabbed Doreen's arm. "Quit clowning around. Let's go."

"I was just keeping in practice," Doreen protested as she followed her friends down the hall.

"If we ever have to infiltrate a WNBA game, you'll have plenty of time to practice," Lorelei replied. "Tonight, we've got a slightly more dangerous job ahead of us..."

*******************

The submarine cut through the dark depths of the Atlantic for what felt like an eternity. During this time, Meredith and Lucinda kept near the rear compartment of the vessel, trying to stay out of the way of the other pirates.

Finally, a craggy, mountainous rock loomed ahead. It appeared to be a natural underwater formation - but as the submarine approached, concealed doors slid open, allowing the vessel to flow into a well-lit, human-made tunnel.

Meredith watched as the cavern doors slid shut behind the submarine, which continued deeper into the tunnel. She turned to Lucinda, a concerned look on her face.

"We're going to die, aren't we?" she whispered.

Lucinda squeezed her hand. "Don't say that, darling. We've been in tough situations before... Our lives have been turned upside-down. But we're still here. We'll find a way out of this... somehow."

Meredith sighed as she gazed out the porthole. "I want to stay hopeful, but... we've been so lucky up to this point. How long can our luck hold out?" She glanced back at her wife. "Maybe our problems are finally coming back to finish us. We've outrun the police for so long... but now we've been caught by people even more evil than we are." She sighed. "There's almost a tragic irony to it all."

Lucinda looked Meredith in the eye. "Honey, don't talk like that. We're not evil. We just... operate outside the law."

Meredith sighed again. "Call it what you want, but... we've done a lot of bad things. Just a few hours ago, we tied up Prema and Moira and threw them into a river. And now... now we're paying the price for our crimes."

Lucinda was about to respond further when she felt a rumbling shake the vessel. The sub was beginning to surface.

It rose from the water now, to emerge in a large cavern - deep inside the underwater mountain. Through their porthole, Meredith and Lucinda could see dozens of uniformed women standing on the ground of the cavern, watching the vessel as it approached the edge of the water. Most of these women carried guns.

Meredith swallowed. "What do we do?"

"Stay calm," Lucinda replied. "As far as anyone knows, we're just two more members of the team. No one suspects we're imposters."

At that moment, the radio on the submarine crackled to life. "Attention all personnel." It was Veronica's voice. "It has come to my attention that two of our crewwomen have been replaced by imposters. All those on the ship, please remain where you are until we can find these imposters and deal with them."

Meredith looked at Lucinda, now clearly horrified. "Darling, they're on to us..."

"I know, I know." Lucinda's mind was racing. "There has to be something we can do..."

"We are allowing our transport team aboard the vessel to carry the gold and jewels into the vault," Veronica's voice continued. "Everyone else, please gather in the forward hold for interrogation."

Lucinda glanced around. The two women appeared to be alone in the rear hold. Her eye fell on a nearby storeroom - the room which contained several of the gold-and-jewel-filled barrels the pirates had collected from the cargo ship.

Lucinda opened the storeroom door and glanced at some of the barrels. Then she turned back to Meredith, eyes twinkling. "I have an idea."

********************

Minutes later, several of the pirate officers entered the submarine. The women were dressed in standard identical uniforms - dark blue jackets over white cotton shirts, dark blue pants and black gloves and boots.

The transporting team bypassed the submarine crew and headed straight for the storeroom where the barrels were kept. Each woman hoisted one barrel and carried it up and out of the submarine, deeper into the cavern where the vault room was situated.

The vault room was wide and spacious, albeit by this point largely full with wealth amassed over several years of plundering. Gold, silver, diamonds, opals, pearls, even valuable pottery and statuettes - treasures of all shapes and sizes filled the room.

One by one, the henchwomen entered the vault, depositing their barrel of loot wherever they could find a vacant spot. Then they exited the room, returning to the site of the submarine.

Two of the henchwomen lagged behind their peers - in part due to the apparent increased weight of their barrels. They stumbled into the vault room after their coworkers had exited.

"Oof," Maya grumbled. "This thing weighs a ton." She was the taller of the duo, with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and tanned skin.

"Same here," Darcy agreed. "What do they pack these things with? Concrete?" She was slightly shorter and fair-skinned, with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes.

Both women set the barrels down in the corner of the room. Maya exhaled in satisfaction. "Finally! I thought my arms were about to fall off."

Darcy nodded. "I'm out of breath... Let's take a moment to relax." So saying, she leaned against the barrel in exhaustion.

Then without warning, she gave a start, jumping away from the barrel.

"What's wrong?" Maya asked in surprise.

Darcy pointed at the barrel. "It moved," she said, a slight shake in her voice. "I felt... something move."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Dar, I've told you to stop watching those horror movies. They make your imagination run wild..."

"I'm serious," Darcy retorted. "Something's alive in there. It might be a crab, or a squid, or..."

Maya sighed. "Okay, okay. No need to panic. I'll take care of it."

She approached the barrel and knocked twice on the lid. "Yoo-hoo... whatever's in there," she said in a sing-song voice. "My friend would appreciate it if you could stop freaking her out."

Darcy groaned. "Real helpful."

"You've been working long hours," Maya laughed, turning back to her friend. "Just get some rest and everything will be fine."

At that moment, a creaking noise came from within both metal barrels.

Maya and Darcy watched in surprise as the lids of the barrels popped open - and two women, dressed from head to toe in scuba gear, jumped out.

"I agree," Lucinda grinned, cracking her knuckles.

Meredith nodded. "Time for you ladies to get some rest."

The door to the vault room - composed of thick steel - had closed, thus affording the women inside some privacy. It was a benefit Lucinda and Meredith much appreciated, allowing them to invite the two henchwomen to a much-needed nap without fear of unwelcome visitors.

A few WHACKs and THUDs later, Maya dropped unconscious to the ground. Darcy fell beside her.

Lucinda dusted her hands in approval. "I think this plan is paying dividends."

"Looks like it," Meredith agreed. "But... we're still just two women, in a building filled with dozens of dangerous armed thieves and plunderers. How long can we keep this up?"

Lucinda shrugged. "Afraid I haven't thought that far ahead," she admitted. "But right now, we've got some new disguises, and they should buy us a bit of time. Let's get dressed."

Swiftly, the two slumbering henchwomen were divested of their jackets, shirts, boots, and pants. These Meredith and Lucinda swiftly donned, with each approving of the fit.

"Feeling better?" Lucinda asked, buttoning up the jacket.

Meredith nodded, lacing up the boots. "I think I am. Call me naïve, but... maybe we can get through this."

"We can get through anything," Lucinda grinned.

Then she glanced down at the unconscious henchwomen. Maya had been reduced to a black bandeau bra and matching tanga panties. Darcy was left in a lavender sports bra and neon green butt-lifters.

"Do we have something to tie them up with?" Lucinda asked. "In our hurry, I think I left the duct tape back on the sub."

Meredith glanced around the vault room. Her eye fell on some expensive-looking red silk curtains and cashmere scarves hanging on one wall.

"Those are gorgeous," she noted. "Think they'll do the job?"

Lucinda brightened. "Worth a shot."

Although Lucinda and Meredith had bound and gagged several unconscious and underwear-clad women over the last few weeks, none of their victims had ever received such a luxurious bondage treatment. Maya and Darcy were bound hand and foot with silk curtains, and gagged with cashmere scarves that knotted at the nape of their necks. Both women were then concealed inside the two barrels that Meredith and Lucinda had sprang from.

"Enjoy your lovely new fabrics, girls," Lucinda chuckled as she and Meredith closed the lids.

Then she turned to her wife. "Come on... let's get out there and make our way to the exit. Maybe we can find a little boat or something and get out of here before anyone gets suspicious."

Meredith nodded. "Let me just finish lacing up my boots."

As she did so, Lucinda's gaze drifted to the gleaming baubles and jewels piled before them.

"So gorgeous... just beautiful," she sighed. "Look at all this wealth... Don't you remember when we had money to spend?"

Lucinda nodded. "I certainly do... But those days are gone."

"Maybe they don't have to be." Lucinda gestured at a pile of gold and silver accessories. "A few of these riches would set us along for years. We'd still be on the run, but we wouldn't lack for cash."

Meredith glanced at the vast piles around her. "Fair point..."

Lucinda held up a large gold necklace, bedecked with shimmering green emeralds. "You'd look amazing with this."

Meredith smiled. "Okay... But let's move fast."

Quickly, the two women began scooping up handfuls of coins and jewelry and stuffing them into their pockets.

Meredith was impressed by the levels of wealth that the pirates had accumulated. In all her years of power and privilege, she had never seen anything like it.

Lucinda was similarly thrilled - perhaps even more so. Dollar signs danced in her eyes - their future would be set for years to come.

Finally, their pockets bulging with glimmering opulence, the two women exited the vault room.

With their disguises on, no one paid them any heed. Several guards milled about, but many more were still on the submarine - presumably interrogating the crew to seek out any imposters. Of course, Meredith and Lucinda were one step ahead of that interrogation.

"I see an exit up ahead," Lucinda whispered. "If we're lucky, there may be some sort of transport we can steal and get out of here."

Meredith nodded and quickened her pace. "We'll make it to the Bahamas yet."

The door drew closer, closer still. Meredith allowed herself to breathe. This was going far more easily than she'd feared it would...

At once, her thoughts were interrupted by a tinny, clanking sound - the sound of a gold coin hitting a stone floor.

Stopping suddenly, she whirled and looked down. Her pocket - the one she had hastily stuffed with glorious riches - had developed a hole. And several small coins and pearls were slipping down through her pants leg onto the floor.

Her eyes met Lucinda's in horror. Other guards were now turning to stare at them.

One of them pointed at the two women. "Thieves!" she cried.

"Stop them!" yelled another.

Before Meredith or Lucinda could think to react, a dozen angry armed women had trained their guns on them.

"Damn it," Lucinda whispered. She raised her hands in surrender. Meredith did the same.

Within moments, Veronica had exited the nearby submarine and walked over to the shore. "What's the commotion?" she asked, before glancing at the two captured women. "Ah! I see we've found our two imposters."

She approached Meredith and Lucinda, a cruel smile on her face. "Thought you could infiltrate our ranks... Steal our treasures, did you? Not so easy." She smirked. "We run a very tight operation here. And anyone who tries to jeopardize that operation... winds up dead."

Lucinda put on her bravest face, glaring at the woman. "We're not afraid of you," she said stoically.

Without warning, Veronica punched her hard in the stomach. Lucinda exhaled sharply and involuntarily. She had never been struck so hard, so fast. She sank to the floor, gasping.

A horrified Meredith opened her mouth, but Veronica trained her steely gaze on her.

"Speak only when given express permission," she said. "I'm not interested in back-talk, particularly from thieving gutter trash like you."

She eyed Lucinda suspiciously. "Your face... seems familiar. Have I seen you somewhere? On television, perhaps?"

Meredith kept silent, too scared to speak.

Veronica drew her gun from its holster. "Speak now, before I get impatient."

Meredith gulped. "I'm... My name is Meredith Ashton... I am... I was the CEO of Dennison Drilling..."

"Ah, yes," Veronica's eyes lit up. "I recall seeing you on the news. The two married businesswomen, toppled by corruption and scandal."

She glanced over Meredith in confusion. "What are you doing here? Last I heard, you had escaped from police custody. How did you wind up out in the middle of the Atlantic?"

Meredith swallowed. "I... We didn't mean to intrude on your property. We just got her by accident. Here, you can take your treasures... We can just leave..."

"Not so fast," Veronica smirked. "If you two are - were - the heads of Dennison, I expect you're quite rich. Even if you're on the run from the law. Am I right?"

"Well, I wouldn't say..." Meredith was interrupted as Veronica put the gun to her head.

"We have some money in a private bank account," Meredith blurted out. "We were planning to escape and use that cash to fund our way to freedom."

"Mer, don't tell her that!" Lucinda tried getting to her feet. "It's our money, we - urgh!" Veronica kicked her, knocking her to the floor again.

"I don't like your wife," Veronica told a still-shaking Meredith. She gestured to Siobhan and Kristen. "Take the dark-haired one to the confinement room. Let Domina take care of her."

Siobhan and Kristen each grabbed one of Lucinda's arms. They hoisted her up and began dragging her back through the cavern's inner doors.

"Who's... who's Domina?" Meredith asked, a bit fearful of the answer.

"Don't worry about that," Veronica replied, a chilling gleam in her eye. "So long as you cooperate, you and your lovely wife will exit safe and sound." She gestured to a couple of guards. "Now, follow me to my office. We will remove every penny from your private bank account, and transfer it to my even more private account." She chuckled.

Something about this woman unsettled Meredith... perhaps even more so than Dr. Chen did. But she nodded. "Okay... you can have our money. Just... just let us go."

"But of course, darling," Veronica smirked.

She led Meredith into one of the chambers and down the hall, the cryptic smile never leaving her face.

It'll be okay, Meredith thought to herself. Just cooperate... It'll all be okay.

But try as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling that her and Lucinda's luck had finally run out.

[FeMilImpos]

Very nice start!!!

[esercito sconfitto]

definitely, this is something new. And also well plotted.

Fast actions, cinematographic pace, and with spectacular special effects, cargo ships blowing up and sinking, scuba squad , submarines emerging in a sea of fire... and pirates ! female pirates boarding ships and kidnapping young women! and shining treasures!

the future has been reached ! and it's not a sea for old men!

not to mention...a lot of boots. And debooting ...many thanks!

[tirepanted3]

FeMilImpos: Thanks!

Esercito: This is a bit faster and more action-driven than some of my other stories, in part because it's a smaller story in an unconventional environment. Setting a story at sea has intrigued me for a while, and I'm glad to take the chance.

Certainly the pirates are female. Men have dominated the piracy world for far too long.

Glad you like the boots. I was trying to be accurate, and women at sea are more likely to wear boots than women on land. But of course it's an added bonus for USB scenes.

[meditions142]

Interesting and fun story that is for sure!

Loved the description of sentry Pamela. Walking her patrol only to be grabbed and pulled out of sight. Then we hear but don't see her being knocked out. They were a bit rough on Pamela by the sound of it.

Also, like the idea of the mass gassing. Always a great concept. Love the description of the effect on the women "first a slight dizziness, than a numbness of the limbs, followed by an unconscious collapse to the floor as the bombs did their work." Love thinking of the sexy crew members succumbing to the gas!

[tirepanted3]

Thanks, Meditions! I didn't even think of Pamela as a sentry when I was writing that scene, but I suppose she fits the description, being on patrol for suspicious activity and all. And I can never resist the allure of a good offscreen knockout.

The mass gassing was a good way to get a group knockout scene. I wasn't sure I'd spent enough time to justify it, since it was a plot-relevant series of knockouts (albeit not uniform-stealing related), so I'm happy it worked for you.

[Trackman281]

Allow me to start off by saying that I'm actually quite surprised that it's the spin off featuring Lucinda and Meredith to come out first, as I recall your previous story ended with multiple hints and future spin offs. Now I know you probably have many of them cooking as we speak, I was just a little surprised that this one came first. But either way, I can't wait to see where these two end up next.

Amazing opening and a good continuation of the previous arc, plus I don't know why, but I liked that really quick kind of history lesson with the events leading up to where they are now, I think it was subtle way to remind the reader what had happened, without out right forcing it in. Nicely done there.

Oooohhh these women are certainly braver than me, I genuinely suffer from Thalassophobia, so the thought of swimming deep down in the pitch black with anything just lurking in the deep.....Yeah, stuff that haha.

Loved the takedown of Pamela, to be honest this entire scene felt like I was watching one of those military series of where the spec ops move swiftly and silently taking down the crew. Absolutely amazing!

Once again I loved this scene with Viola here, and if I'm being truthful as well, I especially enjoyed the little jab there made by Kristen as she dragged Viola into the shadows, well played sir, well played indeed.

Good gravy it's just USB scene after USB scene it's amazing! See this is one trend that I've always noticed with your stories. You always seem to start all your stories with three or four scenes very story driven, which is then followed by multiple USB scenes. Not only that but you managed to make entire scenes dedicated solely to one USB scene at a time. To me you have found a truly perfect balance, you always manage to find the line between story telling and USB scenes, it's amazing! Not only that but, because you dedicate whole scenes to just one USB scene at a time, you really make the scenes feel personal and add extra layers of detail. For instance, in just that one solemn scene with Viola. Not only do we now know a bit about her life, her habbits, her love life and her underwear. Yeah we will never see her again and that's perfectly, but because you went that extra mile, you managed to really make us see who Vila was......Before she was taken down by the awesome Kristen........Please know that this wasn't me just finding a long way to say nice work, no, no, I meant everything what I said, you just to always make know when I'm reading one of YOUR stories....if this makes sense, it's great, it's unique and it's individual to you.

And of course, we finish up here with a nice gas bomb sequence, I know a certain someone who will enjoy this scene. I haven't actually read through the other comments as I don't want any spoilers, so this certain someone might have already seen it.

I'm pretty sure this next scene is going to be my favourite USB scene in this story. I loved the takedowns, I loved the ideas of these two "infiltrators" getting the table turned on them like this. I love the whole idea of scuba henchwomen getting replaced and overall it really was my favourite scene in this story. Expertly done, what a treat! I loved the aftermath as well of Francine and Naomi frantically trying to alert there colleagues that they've been replaced. Also, well done for Kristen for realising the error about the sleeping gas and how they found out about Lucinda and Meredith on their sub. That's a mistake many of henchwomen would have made, but she seems to be a cut above the rest. I guess here is where things get messy.

I see our FBI ladies are still up to their usual antics, which of course is very awesome to see, however Verna is right, I'm not sure the three bound, gagged and stripped coast guards would agree. ............Hhhmm am I just being blind or have coast never been used in a USB story before? If not then once again, the Alpha himself raises the bar once more. Yes I still call you Alpha because when it comes to all things USB and uniform ideas as a whole, your already miles ahead.

The USB scene featuring Maya and Darcy was amazing, I loved the whole banter about horror movies just before Meredith and Lucinda leapt out from the barrel, I love it when stuff like that happens, and of I do say so, I'm really enjoying this whole underwater base as a whole, it seems like a traditional scenario of where infiltrators sneak into enemy secret base, steal uniforms and so on and so on. But what really sold it for me was the interactions between Lucinda and Meredith themselves. It's always nice to take some time and have the main characters stop for a minute or two and just share some one on one time together, it breaks the scenes up nicely and offers some nice dialogue of them both reminiscing and getting ready for their future together, it's a lovely part of the story and I really enjoyed this moment.

Yep here we go..........A typical TP story.......Ending on a cliff hanger........Hahahaha, you rascal, I want MORE!

Seriously though. I do genuinely want more. I want to know a lot more about Domina, I want to know the fates of both Meredith and Lucinda, AND I want to know how the FBI agents will feature into this too and whether or not we can expect anymore surprise appearances from any of your other characters.

All in all this was heck of a way to kick off the weekend. Now I know it's been days....Weeks.....Months, it's been months.......Since I've been active in the story section, but I am BACK now, and I promise I really will NOT take this long to read, review and enjoy all of your upcoming chapters.

This story of your truly amazing, because even though yes I do suffer from Thalassophobia, I love oceanic tales, which scuba henchwomen, pirates, underwater bases and stuff like that (when I was a kid, I used to love reading about mythological sea monsters and ghost ships). This story of your reminds as to why your really one a top tier level writer, your writing style as a whole is just amazing. Your attention to detail always makes me smile, I can genuinely see both the love and the pride you put into each and every single scene, you seem to always go the extra mile and add those little "attention to detail" snippets that really makes you a cut above the rest. A wonderful story from a wonderful writer. Amazing work as always!

[tirepanted3]

Trackman - I was actually a bit hesitant to set a full story around Meredith and Lucinda, since they are somewhat villainous characters with vague moral compasses, and I wasn't sure how readers would respond. But as mentioned in the past, I really enjoy writing and exploring the villains in my stories, showing that they're more than just plain evil, so I felt it was worthwhile. I have a couple of other short stories planned (and maybe a longer story... we'll see...), it all depends on my schedule.

One reason I felt that Meredith and Lucinda were deserving of their own story spotlight was because of how much they've been through over the course of the series, more changes and new situations than most other characters. It was a good time to pause and reflect on what had came before, and of course preview what may come after.

I was also fascinated by the idea of an underwater gang of scuba-clad villainesses who operated beneath the water. Though I do not myself have a phobia of deep water, I wanted to use the deep and dark waters as a way of showing how cold and efficient these women are. This carried through with their muggings of Pamela and Viola - smooth and calculated (though not without the occasional bit of banter or wisecrack; these women are only human, after all ).

It continues to be a challenge to balance an ongoing narrative with USB scenes that feel natural and justified within the fabric of the story, and I'm glad it resonated. I think the USB scenes are more fun when there is variety to them (especially when there are multiple USB scenes in a row), and one way of variety - apart from the different knockout techniques and underwear styles - is to give the women involved a dollop of character and personality, even if it's just for one scene. (Speaking of which, this might not be the last time we see Viola... but that's all I'll say for now.)

I know what you mean about the gas bombing; it was indeed popular with a certain reader.

Glad you liked the Francine/Naomi scene. In a sign that this is a relatively short story, Meredith and Lucinda have their covers blown almost immediately. Too bad, but as I hope the story demonstrates, they certainly show initiative and don't go down without a fight.

I think Coast Guard uniforms have been used in a couple of other stories and scenes, but they are indeed quite rare. The addition of the FBI agents was a way of rehabilitating them after some of their ethically grey actions in recent stories - but perhaps stripping and tying up some innocent Coast Guard workers isn't the most admirable of moves.

The interactions between Meredith and Lucinda were a main selling point of the story for me. I really enjoy writing these two and exploring the fraught complexities of their relationship. They may not be good people, but they certainly care for one another.

Yes, I can't help with the cliffhangers. Rest assured, there will be more, and your questions will be answered. I have unfortunately fallen behind on writing for a variety of reasons, but I hope to have Part 2 of this story posted later this week.

Thanks for returning to the Stories section, and for your kind thoughts!

[Trackman281]

Trackman - I was actually a bit hesitant to set a full story around Meredith and Lucinda, since they are somewhat villainous characters with vague moral compasses, and I wasn't sure how readers would respond

That's fair enough and I see why you'd think this, as I myself have been in the same boat too (no pun intended, or is it?) but I really enjoy these types of stories of where sometimes you just need to focus on some of the other characters who don't really get much of the spotlight let them have their moments. It's personally something that I like, so yeah as I say. I really enjoying this arc.

Though I do not myself have a phobia of deep water, I wanted to use the deep and dark waters as a way of showing how cold and efficient these women are.

Haha, while this is very true indeed and I can see why you chose this and how awesome it is, it still doesn't change the fact that, they are still braver than I. Although it is somewhat funny as I was never born with Thalassophobia, no, no. I actually used to love going deep sea diving, I thought it was great. But let me say that 3 years ago while I was on a deep sea dive with someone (never go alone for safety reasons), let's just say........."Something"........Happened to me down their in the deep black and eerrr, thankfully the partner I was with managed to help me......But ever since that "experience" down there, I've been terrified on the deep dark parts of the ocean. Now don't get me wrong, I can still swim in pools, in deep lakes, in deep rivers and hell I can even still swim in the blue parts of the ocean. It's just when I get too close to the really deep black part of the ocean, that's when my phobia kicks in, so there's not a snowballs chance in hell I'll ever go that deep ever again.

I know what you mean about the gas bombing; it was indeed popular with a certain reader.

I noticed after I done my review haha. As I said, I couldn't read the other comments before hand, purely because I did not want any spoilers, but I see the certain reader did appreciate that scene.

Yes, I can't help with the cliffhangers. Rest assured, there will be more, and your questions will be answered. I have unfortunately fallen behind on writing for a variety of reasons, but I hope to have Part 2 of this story posted later this week.

Oh I've noticed, I've noticed, you are your cliffhangers you cheeky monkey, but I love it all the same. Please don't stress yourself and worry about falling behind, I mean heck look at me and realize that it's all cool! But as promised, now that I am genuinely back in the story section fully, you really can expect to me a heck of a lot quicker with my reviews, because I have missed your stories and this chapter reminded of much I enjoy them.

[tirepanted3]

Haha, while this is very true indeed and I can see why you chose this and how awesome it is, it still doesn't change the fact that, they are still braver than I. Although it is somewhat funny as I was never born with Thalassophobia, no, no. I actually used to love going deep sea diving, I thought it was great. But let me say that 3 years ago while I was on a deep sea dive with someone (never go alone for safety reasons), let's just say........."Something"........Happened to me down their in the deep black and eerrr, thankfully the partner I was with managed to help me......But ever since that "experience" down there, I've been terrified on the deep dark parts of the ocean. Now don't get me wrong, I can still swim in pools, in deep lakes, in deep rivers and hell I can even still swim in the blue parts of the ocean. It's just when I get too close to the really deep black part of the ocean, that's when my phobia kicks in, so there's not a snowballs chance in hell I'll ever go that deep ever again.

That's perfectly understandable. Mind you, I hope this story didn't drudge up any old concerns. I don't really know much about diving myself, I just found the concept interesting to use for the purposes of the story.

Oh I've noticed, I've noticed, you are your cliffhangers you cheeky monkey, but I love it all the same. Please don't stress yourself and worry about falling behind, I mean heck look at me and realize that it's all cool! But as promised, now that I am genuinely back in the story section fully, you really can expect to me a heck of a lot quicker with my reviews, because I have missed your stories and this chapter reminded of much I enjoy them.

I know, it's not like I have any official "deadlines" but I do like to keep pace with my stories when I can. Glad you're back in the Stories section (I've missed your stories these last few months as well).

Alos, just a note, this is actually the second short story I've done recently. The first was "Strange Bedfellows" (https://www.uniformstealingboard.com/vi ... =51&t=6539). Not sure if you've read the full thing, but that was another attempt at elevating some secondary characters to explore and develop them on their own.