“Looks like I’m up.” Renee told them and drifted right up to the thing half her own height. She lifted her arm and willed her bracelet to tell her what it is she was looking at. Fast image flashes passed through her consciousness and if not for her adept and pliable mind it would have been a garbled mess to anyone else. “Right call, Olly. It is a trap for anyone who fucks up… and only a woman can bypass this lock.”
The others tried to keep up with her thoughts as she created a catalytic serum only someone with her background could understand. She only would get a single shot. One is all she needed.
A needle punctured the larval creature’s skull directly in a hole made specifically for using biology as the lock’s key. She pumped the creation over and it began to move and change shape into a beautiful and colorful fish. It then swung its fins and the gate opened up beneath their feet slowly enough that it didn’t startle them. They began to fall, only slower this time. “It wanted me to add the need for a fetus to develop in a womb. So I created an elaborate mix of hormones and amitotic fluid. Seems Steph is right. Water is life and if the key is to make life grow, it was a spot-on educated guess.”
Falling for another ten steady minutes, being knocked around a time or two by strong currents. They landed within sight of the inner gate.
This time it was a complex puzzle. Oliver’s specialty. The trap would trigger if it wasn’t solved in an hour. Oliver finished it in three seconds. All two thousand individual pieces. He put together a large sea lion-like mammal.
“Show off!” Steven chuckled.
“BELOW! COMING IN FAST!!!” Breena shouted in voice and mind.
Incoming was the biggest, meanest and most scarred eel ever seen. It had been nearby when the gate opened and prey, even the morels they were for a five kilometer long eel was still prey. Darkness flared white hot before any defense was mustered. An electrical discharge of mind boggling proportions infused more than ten kilometers of deadly energy.
It’s wide maw parted enough to take them whole.
Renee was blinded the worst as she was looking right at it. Oliver and the Hunters weren’t hit by the brunt, but her slip of concentration allowed the crushing depths to squeeze in on the three under her protection. Before they were crushed, Oliver erected an instant barrier just as Breena and Steven made a thrust with their spears which blew painful holes in the eel’s sensitive lips while Stone made a X motion as he chopped and sent a slicing wave right in its gigantic eye.
It was still too big and fast to dodge, but it gave Oliver enough time to infuse his cutlass and unleashed a great slicing arc that parted the monstrosity more than halfway down its entire length.
It passed to either side of them like great, meaty walls that saturated the clean water with crimson blood. Its passing also created turbulent waters that would have spun them had Oliver not been so fast reacting. As it moved Renee said audibly “Olly, I can’t see anything. The stars are blinding. Too bright.”
“Then momentarily disengage your retinas.”
She concentrated and the Valek absorbed into her body to sever the nerves. “Thanks for the idea… done…. Better. Everything is black again.” She relaxed after using her bracelet to help do the painless surgery.
“Like Mrs. Void said earlier. We need to get out of here. This huge thing will attract everything not including the blood, but where is up from down now?” Breena said.
“Follow the carcass.” Stone pointed out that the great creature was going in a different direction. Getting pulled down. Down meant down, as in gravity’s pull.
“Then everyone better hold on. I’m going to make my armor make fins to make us move fast, but It’ll make noise. If we can make it four klicks down we’ll reach the city.” Oliver transformed a portion to either ankle, using the material used in making the flippers, two turbines began spinning fast. The devices were patterned after seeing his Pride doing it for flying. He angled and let the suit’s modification drive them deeper into the near unknown.
A Kinetic blast from Oliver blew up a smaller eel who was foolish enough to pursue, but they all held on. After a few minutes, Renee fixed her eyes and said it was manageable, but nowhere near normal.
Eventually came a most welcome sight. Faint light in the oppressive depths grew brighter and brighter as a barrier covered city appeared. There were eels aplenty, but smaller and over a ways was the grand feast that made the five of them unimportant. The need for enhanced vision made them disengage when it was unneeded. There were many ports, large enough for ships twice as large as the Dorgenox.
As they came within reach another AI of a woman in flowing clothes to mimic a waterfall smiled. “Follow me you five. Best to not be around when the really big ones come for her.” She pointed to the carcass falling on the barrier that easily held it and the water back.
Following the AI was wise because the barrier would not let them through except by the portals designated during the times when the city is submerged. A bubble surrounded them all in reaching the nearest dock and then they were scanned. A little drone came speeding around a smaller pyramid dwelling to some to an abrupt stop over the pale AI’s feminine shoulder. Jutting like a nose upon the marble size contraption was a needle. The AI said “You three humans need to be injected so you do not suffer hypoxia. The atmosphere is similar to the surface and I doubt you’d prefer a week stuck inside a decompression chamber for that time. Without it you will decompress too quickly as soon as Oliver Void relinquishes the barrier keeping you alive.”
“Go ahead.” Breena said as she put away her lance and laid a hand upon the pommel of her nimble rapier. The needle bypassed the robust barrier to inject her first. Directly in the heart for maximum effect to circulate the concentrated chemicals. Then Stone and Steven were administered a dose.
“You may lift the pressure barrier, Master.” He did so. Carefully. The deep blue light diminishing around them.
“Recover you guys. Being hit by my turbines wasn’t easy to get thrashed around in my wake.”
“Thanks.” Steven said as he and the others dropped down to catch their breaths and look around.
Still up, Oliver had a pressing concern for the past three weeks. “What is your name?”
The pale woman gave a demure curtsey. “I am called Aquerril.” It would have been more believable she was real if his hearing had picked up the sound of clothes rubbing on skin.
“Aquerril, please tell me the status of Jenniviq and Vladamin.”
“I’m sorry, Master. Sorry I have no good news. They were destroyed after the Corrupted One, often called Subject One, forced them to display parts one and three of the sequence. They were destroyed after a human Vladamin overheard was called and spoke with an individual called Collin Chandler who ordered their spheres shattered.”
“So Chandler is responsible for this conspiracy. What of Ice and Fire?”
“Fire’s custodian, Laxus, was forced to defend himself when the Corrupted One tried teleporting inside the geode. The rejection was successful long before my counterpart was in any danger.”
“How did they get the pieces of the puzzle?”
“Your orders to Vladimin were for us to tell all who asked…”
“Then tell the rest right now to only speak freely to myself or Renee or anyone near our immediate persons. No more will I allow this person to take what doesn’t belong to him. Tell me about this ‘Corrupted One’.”
“He is unaware the one he calls ‘Father’ has made him dependant to survive. The custodian of Terra, Jenniviq, managed to scan him before she was destroyed. Three times he was administered a toxic suppressant for Keptl infestation and lied to by being told it was to fix his face. He is a corrupted composite of human parts put together from multiple hosts for combining the best human attributes. Speed, strength, endurance, Psionic potential and even heightened neural activity. Enough mental fortitude to be able to withstand the effects of our individual pieces left from our mistresses. His mind is capable of survival, b
ut has limited mentality.”
“Limited? How so.”
“Neural deterioration will kill him within six months unless the Keptl infestation is allowed free reign to make repairs to his physiology. It is likely unaware that those with the Corrupted One know of the deterioration. If he gets the remaining three pieces, it will kill him within hours… if he gathers them before his mind degrades that is. But with your command he shall not gain them.”
Better information than I dreamed of learning. He thought privately. “Can you pinpoint his exact location?”
“Not at this time, Master.” She sadly smiled. “His location is shielded from even our long range scans. The only time we are aware of the Corrupted One’s presence is when he reveals himself.”
“Then can you link your sensors to me whenever you detect him?”
“At my heart I can… If it is your will.”
“It is. I’ve got some ideas I need to do to your systems too anyway.” He glanced at the others watching, those unable to recover so fast. “Would it be possible to make the city surface?”
“Of course, but must be done manually. Automated surfacing is damaged.”
Five minutes of rest was enough to get everyone ready and they followed Aquerril many kilometers to the heart of the castle. The style of buildings were the same pyramid, but were somehow made of actual water wet to the touch. Thousands of majestic waterfalls sprayed everywhere with lights coloring them lovely colors. They passed one of four nurseries as three armed pyramids stood around an open one near exactly as found on Havannah. If not for the roaring falls and fountains, the silence would be disconcerting.
Water sculptures showed the style of dress between men and women. They were more flowing, like waves upon the water and bit more conservative. Not by much though. They still highlighted the life giving curves of a woman and the fierce musculature of men, often the sculptures cloaked the men in scale armor and women in low cut dresses.
On they walked, sometimes looking up over the soft blue dome to see four great eels had come for a fresh meal sitting wide open for them. Meat ripped off by hundreds of tons, making the smaller ones flee from the greater cannibals. Thankfully the city shield were plenty strong enough to resist the ferocious nature of the massive predators.
Lights inside the watery city gave it an ethereal feel. Relaxing and gentle. Like a mother’s warmth and comfort. It wasn’t hard to see this city was clearly feminine dominated. Water was life and women gave life. It was no wonder this city was easily three times larger than the other two visited previously.
In the long walk Renee asked “Aquerril?”
“Yes, Mistress?”
“Where is the nearest bathroom?”
“You wish to use the lavatories?” Renee nodded. The AI then made the group blink as she split into two identical, individual images of herself that moved differently enough to not be a copy. The one on the right raised an arm. “This way.”
“Thanks. I have to pee too.” Breena said in confidence and went with her.
The men though continued following the other, heading straight to the grand azure castle made of water itself. They were thankful the ground at least was solid cobbled stone as well as held dirt for a wide variety of unattended foliage. Growing wild all around. Remarkably healthy to boot.
This time the castle was wide open so Oliver didn’t need Renee to help open a nano-wall. Inside was even more elaborate fountains and artistry that put the first two found cities to shame.
They followed the AI over to a dais where sat a throne with many cushions likely for the Water Queen Shalek’s Pride of Ligers to lounge around. She said “Stand within this square and I’ll transfer you to my station.”
Following instructions weren’t hard and in a quick blue flash they left the lovely hall and entered a guarded watery room. Inside were many colorful fish swimming through the walls. The floor too. Straight ahead was the familiar and large control sphere. In front of it though was a single seat made of contoured turquoise metal.
“Where is my fishing pole when I need it?” Steven said with a mild whimsy.
“Guys, shut your eyes for a few moments and turn your back. Whatever you do, don’t look.” The Hunters did without question. “Aquerril, please show me part two.”
“Very well.”
The clean and flawless sphere lit from within and the Solarian language began flashing like a hologram, searing the fragmented parts right into his mind, shaping the entire puzzle a little more. It was far too incomplete to piece together. Still, he had to use the seat to keep standing and pinched the bridge of his nose because gaining the information didn’t get any easier. He kept working the tension out and said “Open your eyes again, Brothers.”
Eventually Oliver asked “How do I go about raising the city?”
“Take the seat and link your Valek to the city’s systems. Cast a search for the buoyant systems and tell it what to do.”
The seat was remarkably comfortable and on the right armrest was the round recess no larger than a coin. Using the brain-hack function, he made a sucker connect and immediately Oliver’s mind was filled with millions upon millions of systems the city used. Some of the automated ones were malfunctioning. Repairing programs were barely holding to compensate for others that had failed long ago. Being a city, it wasn’t meant to be submerged for over twenty five thousand years, especially at these extreme depths. Power reserves were holding steady thanks to collectors that absorbed extra power from the electric eels countless skirmishes.
Eventually he sorted through the complex Solarian circular language to locate the buoyancy regulators to find Aquerril’s words true that only manual firing was left and repairs were unable to reach the millions of bladders spread out underneath the city. If she had blown the dozen within her power it would destabilize the city and send it crashing the last eighty kilometers to the core. Total destruction would result.
The city would be lost.
Manually though Oliver knew the physics of buoyancy and activated all of the bladders of air to fill with the compressed oxygen inside the water all around. When they filled he drew up the shields under the city so the bladders could make contact with the water and the compression of the sea released the extra air that bubbled up against the barrier he curved. Rising bubbles pressed against the underside and began raising the entire city steadily.
A shudder shook the city and Stone said “How long will it take, Brother?”
“Six hours and I need to stay connected to monitor the ascent the whole time. Can’t go anywhere unless you want the city to come in upside down. You two go find the ladies and explore. Start recording if you haven’t already. Document everything before others come in.”
“You going to put it by Dorgen Isle?”
“No, the city is far too large.” He said, eyes unfocused and staring at nothing which was a little disconcerting for the Hunters. “Surfacing will create too much water displacement that will result in a tidal wave near a kilometer high that won’t dissipate for a hundred all around. I’ll have to slow the city and alter the shape of the barrier into a cone tip rather than a smooth lens. But not till we reach six hundred meters, where the water pressure won’t make the barrier buckle. I have to be careful and the only way I can be sure I don’t kill anyone is if I surface far from everyone already on Mereddia. This city is too big to take chances.”
“Raising an entire city is unheard of, but we’ll take your word for it. You just do your best.” Stone said. “Aquerril, please send us back down and guide us back to the women.”
“They have entered the great hall, but it shall be done.”
Five hours and thirty three minutes later everyone had returned to the reinforced room where Oliver still sat. He lengthened the tip of the barrier to part the water more efficiently and slowed the bubble release underneath to raise the city one meter every second. Holographic displays showed late afternoon sunlight illuminating the water all around. It was memorable for
an ascent when several eels and giant marine life were hit by the city early on and pushed aside, but the feeling to leave the crushing depths was a blessing.
For space faring people, the fear of being crushed by water pressure was more of a concern than a hull breach in outer space. Death would be instantaneous in space. Being crushed by an entire ocean sitting on top of them was much more feared.
On the visuals the surface was breached, parting the ocean to allow the city up on top. Even going slow, it was still like the water had exploded. Out belched the city of water that had at least seen sunlight for the first time in twenty five millennia. And the city was more breathtaking in sunlight.
The watery dwellings shone in sunshine.
The sucker detached from the armrest and Oliver closed his eyes for the first time in hours and leaned his head back on the headrest. “I need to sleep.”
“Master, I detect thirteen incoming human ships. If you do not want me to shoot them down, I must destroy all advanced technology.” Said the AI.
“Do it except in this room. I’m going to rest.” He leaned the comfortable seat back and in the time it took to settle he was out cold.
“Strange, he never tires so early in a day.” Noticed the Huntress.
“He’s mentally exhausted.” Said Renee who brushed the tips of her fingers over his ruggedly square jaw. “He couldn’t look away from what he was doing this whole time. He made constant minor adjustments to keep the city from flipping because of the bubbles. Little by little, it wore him out.”
For the next week Jake Dorgen and the crew stayed in the majestic city, staking claim under the imperial historical laws for preservation. Laws the Mereddian police had to abide by. Especially with the Pirate King in command.
Renee spent most of her time as the liaison between the AI and her father due to Oliver’s command to protect the remaining spheres. Oliver though was hardly around as he was busy working on another project on the River Skipper. Giving it an FTL drive as advanced as the one put on the Flare and Sun Spots. Now that he had all the materials, he knew how to do it.
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