A dark storm line rose from the south while the two boats crossed the low-island passage. Mei Qiao saw it first and changed course toward a sheltered inlet. Han checked the chart against the clouds.
At first the line looked like a low bank of cloud. Then it spread across the sky, darkening the water beneath it. The wind shifted and pulled at the loose canvas. Mei smelled the rain before it reached the deck.
“Secure the cargo,” she called. “We turn before the gust reaches our stern.”
Han checked the current markers and traced the inlet on her chart. The northward push would carry the boats toward the reef if they delayed. She gave Mei the wider turn, then ordered the second captain to keep distance rather than follow too close.
The crew worked through the first gust. One rope snapped against a post. Yan caught it and tied it down while a deckhand moved the loose crate away from the rail. Sato took Meili below, and Bai covered the research case.
“The current is pushing north,” she said. “We need to turn before the wind reaches the stern.”
Mei gave the crew the order. Passengers tied down the cargo and moved away from the open deck. Sato took Meili below, while Bai secured the research case in the dry space.
