“Central Command, we have got eyes on the target.”
The words of the pilot caused a sudden tense rivet, in those inside the Osprey and back in Central Command alike. There it was up ahead; the cargo ship they were looking for, no doubt to be had. The storm showed no sign of passing over anytime soon but the rain was easing up just enough at the moment for the pilots to catch sight of the vessel, aided by the constant flicker of lightning. The ship was unmoving and looked totally lifeless, just sitting in the ocean like a great sea beast surfaced and adrift. It sat at a slight angle, most likely it was caught in a large reef or a rock cluster beneath the surface.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/KxSHiq9.jpg[/img][/center]

“Pilot,” Commamder Damirón’s tone was demanding but level, “do you see anything of immediate note?”

“The ship is dead in the water,” the pilot replied, “I can see a few lights but only here and there across the deck. It looks like all the cargo containers are still aboard.”

“Can you see any immediate signs of an attack?”

“No, sir, if there were any fires the rain put them out and it is too dark to spot any general disorder from a long distance.”

“Understood. Nemesis Team,” the Commander’s voice raised, “prepare to rappel down onto the ship and begin investigation. Be advised you can spare [i]no more than just over an hour down there.[/i] A response to the distress call has been organized but as luck would have it this storm is keeping the Navy and Air Force at bay for now but that window does not look to last. Between that and the need for refueling be swift.”

“Two minutes estimate.” the copilot of the Osprey said.

The Osprey drew in closer to the daunting ship, the pilots leveling it out a comfortable one hundred feet with a gentle descent as they slowly drew in close to the ships’ afterdeck. The bridge was the tallest point on the ship and as the Osprey got closer both men in the cockpit could see a ladder leading down from the roof onto the topmost walkway. 

“Opening rear hatch,” the lead pilot looked habitually over his shoulder in spite of the radio, “prepare to rappel down.”

There was a mechanical whirring followed by the slow lowering of the rear door. Despite the [url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=27xLQCXJ1E8&pp=ygUYQi0yMiBvc3ByZXkgZW5naW5lIHNvdW5k]audible humming buzz of the V-22’s engines[/url] [url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0V0SKiiFZMs&pp=ygUfU3Rvcm0gd2luZCBhbmQgdGh1bmRlciBhbmQgcmFpbg%3D%3D]the storm made itself known over the sound of the craft.[/url] The wind whistled like the low keening of a phantom as the rain poured and thunder grumbled in the clouds above, announced by the sharp flashes in the skies as if Zeus himself were casting spears of lightning across the heavens. Rain spewed in through the rear opening, speckling the V-22’s metal floor and walls. Hanging over the doorway were three rungs prepped with cables for rappelling down allowing Nemesis Team to go down in two groups of three. They would come straight down on top of the bridge’s rooftop though they would have to be mindful of slipping, of course only the rawest rookies would release hold of the ropes before securing their footing.

“Safeties off, cameras on.” the Commander ordered as the pilot gave the go-ahead to rappel down. This was it, Minerva Force’s first mission off to a stormy and eerie beginning.