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He stayed steady at the controls. “It’s under control,” he said. Sophie stepped closer. “It’s getting worse,” she said quietly. “It’s not just noise anymore.” He didn’t answer straight away. Instead, he focused on the gauges again. Another dip came, followed by a recovery—but it wasn’t clean or smooth. He exhaled slowly. “I’ll manage it,” he said. The engine stuttered again, sharper than before. The boat gave a small shudder beneath his feet. “What was that?” someone called out.