~
A delegation of mermaids formed inside a bright blue bubble. This one was much bigger than any Tuck had seen since arriving yesterday. The entrance was, like the other rooms, at the bottom of the bubble. The air pocket they were in filled the top and included the spongy surface used for seating. In the midst of the bubble was a pool the mermaids came up from. As more mermaids entered the pool was filled with whispers and curious glances. The intensity of the their light grew which Tuck was grateful for. The darkness had dulled his senses making him slow and a little annoyed. The professor was there; clutching some misshapen debris. Avers and Pepla sat on the far side of the room; their backs turned to him. Postulis and Hermenes were there. Postulis played with Pepla’s hair adding another braid.
Had she killed again? Was it one of those Nething flying machines?
Citra slithered towards him through the water. “They want to speak with you.” He nodded. Citra motioned to the others wading in the middle of the pool. One of them spoke.
“Citra says you’re in need of help. Is this true?”
Tuck was more than a little curious about these creatures. This one was smaller than Citra, but just as pretty. Her face looked younger and rounder. She had the same peculiar tentacles emanating a soft orange glow.
“We’re lost,” was all he said.
“Undoubtedly so. Where would you be found?”
“Huh?”
The creature turned to the others behind her. Their whispers grew quicker. One of them poked her head up from the huddle, giggled, and returned to whispering. Finally, they quieted down. Another mermaid, similar looking except with a crimson glow, moved in front of the first.
“I am Pom.” Sinking lower in the water she gave an odd bow. “It seems you’ve stumbled upon our home and we aren’t quite sure what to do with you. We want to help you if, for nothing else, to be on your way. Don’t worry. You’re no burden to us.” She drew closer to Tuck. “Tell me stranger, what it is you are looking for?”
“You should speak to them,” Tuck tossed his head up gesturing towards Hermenes and Postulis.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile that filled her face.
Pom led the group to the true Amazonian women. Whatever delegation they were on before had definitely failed. Their only trouble now was returning home to warn the queen that Nething was prepared to invade.
He watched as they deliberated. Little waves from the pool reflected an array of colors on the watery walls surrounding him. The horde of women…mermaids…focused their attention on Hermenes who did most of the speaking. Citra was still there, by his side, but said nothing. She too watched the deliberation. Occasionally, one or two of them would poke their heads out to look at him or to the other side of the room at Avers and Pepla then duck back into the swarm of voices.
With the abundance of light he examined his hands. They were rough and callused; the proper hands for a soldier even a Battle Asset Assessor. Sometime between leaving his mecha and coming here they had been cleaned. Perhaps it was all the water. He ran his fingers through his hair then noticed the little tattoos dotting his hands. There was T-U-C-K and P-U-P on his finger, three stars on the back of his palm and a long wavy ribbon running up his entire arm connecting an intricate scene which formed a sleeve. The same ribbon wound around his back through two more stars before it swirled around his other arm, but it looked like the graphic was incomplete. The date 18May2352 sat alone beneath an empty area on his left forearm.
What happened back then?
One of the mermaids approached him and Citra breaking his stream of thought, “We’ve made a decision.”
Citra floated towards the group placing herself in the middle. They were too far away for Tuck to hear, but soon enough the mermaids scattered. Some must have been caretakers for Avers and Pepla, Hermenes and Postulis and the professor.
“You’ll be glad to hear our decision,” Citra said disrupting his thoughts from the professor.
“Why is that?”
“There’s hope for your country yet.”
“It’s not my country.”
“Perhaps you’re right. The women say you are on a mission to secure an alliance. Nething is a terrible smoke filled world. Her people are worse than her air. And her air is thicker than my water.” As she smiled her eyes moved up to look at the water above. “They would be of little help to you.” She then looked at Tuck closely. The lights on her body increased intensity.
“Can you see me better now, fish.”
She reached for his hand, but he withdrew quickly.
“I have a friend who may be able to help you. He lives a very long ways away, but if you can speak with him…”
“Does he have an army at his disposal?”
“Not quite, but he is influential. He is a government man who keeps close ties to princes and generals.”
“Why would he be willing to help a nation of beleaguered women he’s never heard of?”
“Perhaps he owes me a favor.”
“Perhaps he does. Then let’s not waste any time. Take us to him.”
“That, I believe, will be the biggest obstacle. You see, Cassidy, resides in Talion. Talion is many miles across the sea.”
“Must be a good friend.”
“We’ll figure it out Tuck. We’re already at work on the problem. And don’t think that he’s never heard of Amazonia.”
She led him back to her quarters leaving him alone inside the bubble at the bottom of the lake.
The Miserable Planet #3 Page 2