by Jeremy Dwyer
When this was completed, Second Lieutenant Vy’Jaden’Rokano reversed the same switch so that the mechanism retracted the loading tube into the ship and closed the panel in the cargo hold.
“Tank number one filled, captain,” Second Lieutenant Vy’Jaden’Rokano said.
Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin indicated this by making a notation on the survey map that he had copied into his own tablet computer, so as to indicate which water came from which ocean on the world map.
“Move us into position for the next, second lieutenant,” Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin said.
“Yes, sir,” Vy’Jaden’Rokano said, and he began maneuvering the cargo shuttle to the next ocean indicated on the map of the northern hemisphere.
All the while, Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin watched the instrument panel that was monitoring solar intensity. He feared the worst, and started to recall the dream that his wife had. He connected this with his understanding of astrophysics and space travel – which went much deeper than that of his second lieutenant.
These suns were not in a state of partial solar eclipse – that requires, by definition, a lunar or other massive body. These suns were about to collapse and become either black holes or supernovas. They would do far better to complete half of the mission – gaining only the waters in the northern hemisphere – and escaping with that much rather than gathering all of it and being destroyed, with nothing to show, not even their lives.
The mission went on for hours upon hours, taking them four (4) complete days, gaining them the waters of the four (4) northernmost oceans: Atrejan Ocean, Lujladia Ocean, Ikkith Tar Ocean and Elanatin Ocean. They did not actually know the names or powers of these waters, but they would leave the chemistry to the researchers on Votteus.
All the while, Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin monitored the solar readings, as well as other instruments on board the ship.
~~~
On the surface, Commander Doriv’Natix grew frustrated with the lack of communication.
“We may have lost the cargo shuttle, troops. We’ll have to complete the mission ourselves,” Commander Doriv’Natix said.
“Commander, we can repair one (1) of those sailing ships and get out to sea,” one (1) of the scouts said.
“That’s the most rational plan. Let’s get to it, and find the most seaworthy craft,” Commander Doriv’Natix said.
He and his troops – who had all reached the surface by this point – walked inland and assessed the seaworthiness of the damaged sailing ships.
Much to their dismay, however, the ships – hundreds of them – had been severely damaged and would take skill to repair far beyond what any of them had.
“Nobody ever said it would be easy. But it’s possible,” Commander Doriv’Natix said, and he got to work with the troops and began replacing pieces of ships with pieces from other ships, and hauling one (1) of them out toward the coast by using pulleys taken from the sail riggings.
~~~
Aboard the cargo shuttle, Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin started making calculations and calming himself down. He never shared his concerns, but he became less convinced that the solar collapse would happen in a matter of hours or days and more that it would be a matter of months. The process was probabilistic, so there was no certainty, but there were no obvious solar fluctuations in any given sun. He wanted to complete the mission and gain the waters of all of the oceans, and thought that it just might be possible after all.
“Second Lieutenant, resume the survey program,” Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin said.
“Yes, sir,” Second Lieutenant Vy’Jaden’Rokano said and he programmed the control panel of the cargo shuttle to continue the suspended survey program.
The cargo shuttle returned to its previous altitude of fifteen thousand (15000) feet and resumed its spiral path around Thalariveth. After another three (3) days, they finished scanning the lower band of the northern hemisphere and mapped out the next four (4) oceans: Zovvin Ocean, Kazofen Ocean, Medathero Ocean and Dead Waters Ocean. The waters from these were obtained in another five (5) days of travel and liquid loading operations.
While Second Lieutenant Vy’Jaden’Rokano conducted the liquid loading operations, Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin made additional attempts to contact the ground support team. He spoke into the communications device and said: “This is Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin on shuttle two nine seven (297). We are presently conducting survey and liquid loading operations.”
~~~
One (1) of the scouts on the island heard a voice over the communication device. “This is Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin on shuttle two nine seven (297). We are presently conducting survey and liquid loading operations,” the voice said.
“Commander, we have the shuttle on the communicator,” the scout said.
Commander Doriv’Natix approached quickly and took the communication device and spoke into it, saying:
“Shuttle two nine seven (297), this is Commander Doriv’Natix of company seventeen fifty four (1754). Do you copy?”
~~~
“This is Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin of shuttle two nine seven (297), we copy. We have now acquired and loaded the waters of eight (8) oceans,” the captain said.
~~~
“Good to hear, captain. We thought you were lost and were planning to complete resource acquisitions without you,” Commander Doriv’Natix said.
~~~
“Continue with your contingency plan, commander, in the event that we cannot return. Collect what water you can and leave. This planetary system may not be entirely safe – the solar conditions are unreliable. They’re stable now, but could collapse at any time. You may only have one hundred (100) or two hundred (200) safe days remaining,” Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin said.
~~~
“Copy that, captain. Contact us again if – and when – your mission is completed, and we’ll all leave. We’re just here for ground support,” Commander Doriv’Natix said, closing the communication device.
“Carry on, men, just in case. The hard part’s not over, yet,” Commander Doriv’Natix then said to his troops.
Together they managed to cobble together a thirty-five (35) foot long vessel that appeared to be seaworthy, but it would have to be tested.
Commander Doriv’Natix was no shipbuilder, and didn’t consider this mission to be the best use of his troops, nor did he think that they were properly equipped for the goals. They could handle combat, rescue, assassination, sabotage and espionage, but large scale resource acquisition and repairing ships required a different approach and different training. Admiral Quin’Va’Pitar was frugal, he thought, in terms of provisioning missions, and this time it might cost him. He hoped that Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin was incorrect about just how much it would cost. However, he would never give up, and so he and his troops hauled the small ship out onto the water and tested it.
“It floats, but there’s no breeze to sail by,” Commander Doriv’Natix said.
“I was looking at the other ships, commander. I think they do more than sail,” one (1) of the scouts said.
~~~
Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin continued monitoring the solar conditions and updated his own calculations. He was more confident now and gave his orders, saying: “Second Lieutenant, resume the survey program and complete the scan.”
Second Lieutenant Vy’Jaden’Rokano returned the cargo shuttle to fifteen thousand (15000) feet of altitude and resumed the survey program to scan the planet’s southern hemisphere over the next four (4) days, mapping out the coasts of the remaining five (5) oceans. After another six (6) days of liquid loading operations, the thirteen (13) designated tanks had been filled to their goal capacity of twenty thousand (20000) gallons of as many different ocean waters.
During this process, Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin had been observing all of the instruments on board the ship and noticed an elevation in some of the thermal readings. At first it seemed to fluctu
ate and then it seemed to hold steady at a number that made him ill at ease.
“All ocean waters have been acquired, Captain. Does that fulfill all mission objectives?” Second Lieutenant Vy’Jaden’Rokano asked, expecting an affirmative.
“Not yet, Second Lieutenant. We need to inspect these tanks. The instruments indicate a thermal emission, and it’s enough to mislead the heat seeker,” Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin turned to the second lieutenant and said.
The burnpath travel method depended on a reliable heat seeker to follow the path created by the trailblazer. If the heat seeker was to be distracted in any direction by a heat source that was more radiant, the ship would veer off into that other heat source. They and the ship would get incinerated if it were a sun – unless they could deactivate the heat seeker in a split second. If the heat source was internal to the ship, however, the ship would fold into itself and be destroyed in less than a split second. Both the captain and the second lieutenant knew that vulnerability.
“This is water, is it not, captain?” Second Lieutenant Vy’Jaden’Rokano asked.
“It is not water, Second Lieutenant. It looks like water. It flows like water. It may even taste like water, but it is something altogether different. That’s why they want it,” Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin said.
The captain and the second lieutenant began inspecting the tanks and looking for the cause of the elevated thermal readings.
“There is significant leaking from this tank, captain. Even into the floor,” Second Lieutenant Vy’Jaden’Rokano said.
Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin looked around the indicated tank, then looked at the instruments on the ship’s control panel and said: “This is corrosion. The ship’s hull integrity will soon be compromised, so we have to set down and perform repairs immediately.”
The captain and second lieutenant then took to the cargo shuttle’s control panels, reviewed the planetary survey data and located a small landmass nearby – a tiny island with a level area – and set the cargo shuttle down gently.
“Look at these readings! There are short circuits in several systems – we’re already on secondary backups on some because the damage is so extensive. We’re not going anywhere for a while, second lieutenant,” Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin said after the ship landed.
CHAPTER 38: Descent into the Perils of the Catacombs
After sailing east over the Zovvin Ocean, My Soul to Sin arrived on the western coast of the Road of Kovoxotu land bridge. Once there, the crew lowered the boarding ramp and walked onto the shore of the mountainous region under the twilight sky.
“Drink up…might be our last taste of anything but our own blood,” Murtagh said as he drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from his vial.
“You don’t sound too optimistic,” Quanda said, while drinking anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his own vial.
“That ship was bad luck, and the bad luck might just follow us,” Murtagh said.
“I see bad luck in the sky, and it was there before we got on that ship,” Quanda said.
“Bad luck? Who do you expect to find down there? We know how to fight,” Giacomo asked as he drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from his own vial.
“Do you think someone else is looking for these things?” Dagr asked as he drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from his own vial.
“The spirit didn’t mention anything about anyone else, but I guess it goes without saying. Somebody must be looking for them – and finding them and lighting them – if that story is true,” Netuno said as he drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from his own vial.
“And it might just be our bad luck from that cursed ship to run into them,” Murtagh said.
“I’ll look ahead,” Netuno said. He used his powers from the water to look off into the distance and around the mountains and into caves. He saw various possible entrances and started probing deeper, looking for a cave that ran deep down. He did not, however, see any signs of a black onyx candle.
“I see a few ways in – there’s one (1) cave that runs real deep. But I don’t see any of these black onyx candles. It may be well hidden,” Netuno said.
“Or gone already,” Murtagh said.
“Or not there at all. We’re going to have to scan the area carefully. Still, this could take a while,” Quanda said.
“Why are we even doing this? Can’t we just let somebody else find the lousy candles – that’s the guy lighting them – and then just kill him?” Giacomo asked.
“You tell me where to look for him and that’s exactly what we’ll do. But the same idea could work here, and this is where to find one (1) of those luminaries,” Netuno said.
“Supposedly,” Murtagh said.
“I don’t know whether to believe in that spirit or not, but the ship did show up like the spirit said,” Dagr said.
“Giving us that ship was no friendly gesture,” Murtagh said.
“It got us here. Let’s get closer,” Netuno said and he started walking a road along the mountainside, headed toward a cave, illuminating the way by his powers of light. Were it not for him, the others would have been unable to see the rough terrain beneath their feet to walk safely. They followed him carefully, watching the light that he shone on the ground.
“I’d like to get paid for my time. We’re still in business, you know?” Murtagh said.
“If we all die in the darkness, the pay won’t matter,” Netuno said.
After walking for over three (3) hours they made their way into the cave that Netuno had spotted and began traversing its depths.
“I don’t like this. Walking in here is like asking for more bad luck,” Murtagh said.
“I can see to walk, but fighting anything is going to be hard,” Giacomo said.
Quanda looked at the cave walls and floor and inspected their structure closely using the powers that the Kazofen waters gave to him. “I don’t see any onyx deposits,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s something that is naturally occurring here,” Netuno said.
“I think the luminary was hidden here, to protect it,” Dagr said.
“We’ve got to protect ourselves,” Murtagh said.
“Just follow me,” Netuno said and he continued walking into the depths of the cave and illuminating the way.
~~~
Nov’Talod sailed west across the Kazofen Ocean until reaching the eastern coast of the Road of Kovoxotu land bridge. He converted the ship to an airship and used it to cross a low lying passage through the mountains of the land bridge and returned to sea level in the Zovvin Ocean.
After touching down on the water, Nov’Talod converted the airship back to a sailing ship and set his course to sail west over the Zovvin Ocean.
Another ship quickly approached – a much larger vessel – and Nov’Talod tried to discern the appearance of the crew and their exact bearings.
~~~
On board the Obliteration, the ghost of Captain Tychon and his crew saw a small ship sailing west from the coast of the Road of Kovoxotu land bridge.
“I see only one (1) man on that ship, so we’ll have to draw lots for who gets his skull and bones,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said.
“Is it worth it, captain?” one (1) of his ghost crew asked.
“Why? Are you in a hurry? We’ve got nowhere to go. It’s only the game that matters,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said.
“How should we take him, captain?” one (1) of the ghost crew asked.
“It’s a small ship. Just ram it!” the ghost of Captain Tychon said.
The Obliteration rammed the smaller ship and severely damaged its hull.
~~~
Nov’Talod was knocked backwards as the large ship rammed his ship, but he quickly drank anew of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean from his vial. He could see that he was either dealing with pirates planning to board him or imbeciles who did not know how to sail. Either way, he wasn’t afraid so much as annoye
d that his ship was severely damaged.
~~~
The ghost of Captain Tychon became material and lowered a boarding ramp onto the damaged ship. He then walked across it, stepping onto the deck of the smaller vessel.
“You know why I boarded you? Because all the world’s a boring place, so it’s a pirate’s death for me,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said to the lone man on the deck of the smaller, damaged ship.
“If you’re bored, you should consider meditation,” Nov’Talod said.
“I’ve had centuries to meditate, yet little came of it, as the world passed me by. Meditation was boring, you see,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said.
“For a defective mind, of course it is,” Nov’Talod said.
“Some of us just want more out of existence than sitting and doing nothing like a corpse. Instead, I decided to collect things...things like bones and skulls. They’re quite well suited for games, and games are most definitely not boring. We play tournaments with the remains of those we kill, and score points for driving the skulls to the goals. You would think, being the captain, that I always won, but that would be boring. So, no, I presently do not hold the championship title. Yet, I plan to hold it again, so practice is a must. Your skull, sir, and your larger bones – the femurs – are what I want most. The rotten fleshy parts will have to be stripped off, of course, and I do look forward to hearing your screams. They won’t last, however, which is too bad,” the ghost of Captain Tychon said. Then, he became immaterial but remained visible and walked directly through Nov’Talod and to the other side.
Nov’Talod turned around and now knew that he was dealing with a spirit rather than an illusion. He saw that the ghost had become material again and was preparing to impale him with a splintered piece of wood from the damaged ship.