There, resting awkwardly on the ocean floor, was a shipping container. Not torn or rusted like others they usually recovered. It was intact and without any major damage. She leaned in, reading the structural shadows. “Crane teams, prepare for lift,” she said.
The mechanical claws extended and latched onto the container. The crew moved with perfect coordination, but as the lift began, the Solara jerked violently. The crane groaned under pressure. Katherine grabbed the rail.
This was strange. They were on a highly-equipped towing vessel that could easily pull out massive objects from the water. But somehow, this one container was making the machines struggle. The crew tried again and with much effort and a few nervous faces, they eventually managed to lift the mysterious container out of the water.
The cables strained visibly as the crane’s gears whined under the unexpected weight. Katherine watched the tension meters spike higher than she’d ever seen. “Easy,” she called out, her voice calm but sharp. Saltwater streamed from the edges of the rising container, glistening like sweat under pressure. Every inch upward felt earned.