61 THE TINIEST WARRIORS

CHAPTER 61 THE TINIEST WARRIORS Ocean water was pouring through the gash in the station's outer wall. Such severe damage would sink most vessels, but not the Juggernaut. It was able to stay afloat because of its four engines. If the animals could stop the engines, the station would go under. But even the mightiest sea creatures were afraid of those huge spinning propeller blades. However, the Ancient Shark had planned for this. Reinforcements were on their way, and these creatures were so incredibly small that there was no risk of them being cut to pieces. The Ancient Shark's call to action had traveled by word of mouth from large animals, like whales, to medium-sized animals, like squid, to small animals, like shrimps, down to the tiniest of all ocean animals: zooplankton. What zooplankton lacked in size they made up for in numbers. Billions of them were coming to help. They floated on currents and clung to other creatures and wiggled their little limbs to move through the water, and they gradually made their way to the mining station. Many zooplanktons emitted a soft blue

glow, and as their tiny glowing bodies gathered together, they became a glowing haze. More zooplanktons joined, and the glowing haze became a glowing cloud, which became a glowing storm. It was sunset when Roz noticed that the sea was aglow, and she knew the ocean's tiniest warriors had arrived. A steady flow of animals glided below the station, whisking the zooplanktons toward their targets. The tiny creatures packed together so tightly that they formed a glowing slime, which began oozing into the engines. The propellers seemed unstoppable, but the zooplanktons kept coming. A never-ending stream of glowing sludge forced itself into the engines, whirling around the propellers, gumming them up, slowing them down, bringing them closer to the breaking point.