Ocean Pulse Chapter 2

 

Chapter 2: Currents of Adjustment

Troy woke to the hum of the ship’s engines vibrating softly through the metal floor beneath his bunk. It was his second day aboard the Neptune Star, and the reality of his new life at sea was beginning to set in. The novelty of his first day, the excitement of boarding and finding his way around, had given way to the realization that he was just one small part of a massive machine—one of many, with a lot to prove.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes as the faint morning light filtered through the porthole. The horizon stretched endlessly outside, the line between sea and sky blurring in a grayish hue. He showered before heading to the mess hall for a quick breakfast. It was still early, and the ship’s hallways were quiet except for the constant drone of the engines below. The ship moved steadily through the waters, bound for its next destination. After his breakfast, he rested and quickly wen to the changing room puling on his overalls and headed to the engine room.

By the time Troy arrived in the engine room, the day’s shift was already underway. He scanned the massive room, filled with the rhythmic thrum of machinery. Pipes snaked across the walls, gauges blinked with steady precision, and the air was thick with the scent of oil and metal. His supervising officer, Chief Engineer Roman, was already barking orders to the other cadets, his voice booming over the noise.

"Troy!" Roman called, spotting him the moment he stepped through the door. "You will assist third engineer. Don’t mess it up."

"Yes, sir!" Troy answered with a quick nod, his voice lost amid the cacophony of engines.

He moved quickly to his assigned station, running through the checklist Third engineer Darwin had given him that day. It wasn’t particularly difficult work, but it required precision—something Troy was still getting used to in the fast-paced environment. He focused on the gauges, checking pressure levels, making notes, and trying to keep his mind clear of distractions. The engine room was a whole new world, its own ecosystem of noise and power, and he knew it was his job to stay sharp and prove himself.

By midday, the heat in the engine room had become stifling, and Troy was drenched in sweat. He took a quick break, stepping outside onto the deck to catch some air. The breeze hit his face, cool and refreshing compared to the oppressive warmth below. He leaned against the railing, looking out over the endless ocean. The sky had cleared, and the sun reflected off the waves in brilliant flashes of light. For a moment, he allowed himself to simply breathe, the stress of the engine room temporarily forgotten.

As he stood there, lost in thought, he heard footsteps approaching behind him.

"Getting the hang of things, Cadet?"

Troy turned to see Jules standing a few feet away, arms crossed and a small grin on his face. The AB had a way of appearing out of nowhere, his quiet presence contrasting with the noisy environment of the ship. Jules was dressed in his usual work clothes, his sleeves rolled up to reveal forearms covered in smudges of dirt and grease.

"Sort of," Troy admitted, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "Still trying to keep up."

Jules chuckled and walked over to lean against the railing beside him. "Engine room can be a tough place. It’s all noise and heat down there. Not like the deck crew—we’ve got the ocean to look at, keeps us sane."

Troy smiled at that, though the weight of his responsibilities still hung heavy on his shoulders. "Yeah, I thought I was ready for it, but it’s… intense."

"It’ll get easier," Jules said, his voice calm and sure. "You just need to find your rhythm. Don’t try to rush it."

Troy glanced at him, appreciating the reassurance but still feeling a bit out of place. "It’s just a lot to take in."

Jules nodded, the breeze ruffling his dark hair. "We all felt that way once. Doesn’t matter how many ships you’ve been on or how many miles you’ve logged. That first week is always rough."

The silence between them stretched, but it was comfortable. Troy glanced at the ocean, the waves rising and falling with a hypnotic rhythm. For a moment, the tension in his chest loosened, and he found himself relaxing for the first time since boarding.

"So, what brought you here, Jules?" Troy asked after a while. "How’d you end up on the Neptune Star?"

Jules shrugged; his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Same reason as most of us, I guess. The money. The freedom. Been at sea for a while now, hopping from one ship to the next. This one just happened to be the right gig at the right time."

Troy nodded, though he sensed there was more to Jules's story than that. "You’ve been on ships a long time?"

"Yeah," Jules replied, though his tone didn’t invite further questions. "Long enough."

Another silence settled between them, but this time Troy felt the weight of it. Jules wasn’t the kind of guy to open up easily—he’d already gathered that much. There was a certain distance in the way he spoke, as if he was used to keeping people at arm's length.

"Well," Jules said after a moment, pushing himself off the railing. "Better get back to it. Don’t let the engine room chew you up too soon, Cadet."

Troy grinned, feeling a bit lighter. "I’ll try."

Jules gave him a nod before turning and walking away, leaving Troy alone once more with the sea and his thoughts.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of routine checks and small tasks. By the time the evening rolled around, Troy was exhausted, both mentally and physically. He grabbed a quick dinner in the mess hall before retreating to his cabin, collapsing onto his bunk with a deep sigh. His muscles ached, his mind raced with the events of the day, but there was also a sense of quiet satisfaction. He’d survived another day, made fewer mistakes, and even managed to have a decent conversation with Jules.

As he lay there in the dim light of his cabin, Troy couldn’t help but think about the AB’s words. Find your rhythm. Maybe that was the key to surviving this voyage—to learning how to navigate the challenges of ship life. He would need to take it one day at a time, stay focused, and find his place among the crew.

And maybe, just maybe, he’d find a friend in Jules along the way.