by DAN MONTY
Cobalt – an older man, maybe in his fifties, then turned his attention to a group of children, young mermaid toddlers that were desperately looking for a way out of the armoury. He squished his tail, swimming towards them and hovering over the group. A massive pylon was cracking over their heads and he swam down to meet the youngsters whose names were Ali, Jen, and Turook. Ali was sobbing, as Cobalt approached.
“TAKE MY HAND!” Cobalt insisted, and Ali complied as Cobalt ushered the youngsters out of the crumbling armoury; the foundations crumbling behind them as Cobalt lead the three young mermaids out of the structure.
*****
In the central tower of the underwater city, Teera paced her throne room as Picasso, the muscular man-turtle entered the room.
“Milady, we should prepare to evacuate! The shark-men have breached the city walls!” Picasso said. Teera shook her head, gliding across the floor in her flowing crimson robes and glancing out of the bubble window nearest to her.
“I will not abandon my people, Picasso! This city will not fall into the hands of these... monsters! They must not find the time stone!”
Picasso suddenly looked worried. The time stone had been found on the ocean floor years earlier, a glowing red stone that scientists had researched and found to possess power of quantum teleportation – the stones vibration allowed a gateway of sorts to open, allowing passage into another time. Squishy had researched it but the research was not yet complete. He did say however, that if the stone truly allowed the possessor to travel through time, it could prove dangerous in the wrong hands.
“The stone is here?” Picasso asked. Teera nodded.
“That is why we built the Atlantis. The ship can use the stone, our scientists can take the stone on the ship and complete the research, but if the shark-men get their hands on it – all hope will be lost!” Teera said.
She looked out of the bubble and saw Abigale fighting Ivan. Teera closed her eyes and sighed.
“I will not leave this city until Captain Channing has the stone on the Atlantis, and she is far away from here!” Teera said. Picasso nodded.
“Then we better ready her ship," Picasso said, the queen nodding in agreement.
“I will take the stone to the ship. You will gather the crew of the Atlantis, including her captain. I fear the city may be lost. We must move quickly!” Teera added.
Chapter Sixteen: The Fall of New Aquatica
Abigale stepped aside to avoid a vicious blow from Ivan, as the monstrous creature spun around in the water stabbing Abby in the arm. Abigale screamed as the pain of the rusted blade penetrating her bluish skin sent her backward.
“You are weak, captain! Your city is lost! YOU ARE BEATEN!” Ivan howled. Abigale backed off towards an elevator shaft. Ivan strode towards her as Abby realised the exterior elevator shaft would lead her up into the ship docks. She backed into the shaft as the door opened, and closed once she was inside. Ivan grinned a teeth-filled grin as Abigale made her quick escape. They would meet again, and Ivan had a city to take control of. He watched the elevator ascend high into the towers before swimming away to join the invading shark-men. The city belonged to them now.
Abigale got out of the elevator, her tail morphing into legs, as her skin transformed into her human appearance. Abby ran down the long corridor of the ship docks, almost running into Picasso.
“Abby! Captain! The queen! You have to get to the Atlantis! Teera will meet us on board!” Picasso said, and Abby ran into the large docking area where the Atlantis was raised and ready to be dropped into the open pool below. Abby climbed the staircase into the main hatch of the squid like ship.
The interior of the ship was remarkable. A series of tunnels lead to various sections. The ship itself was made up of a main bridge at the front within the squid like triangular head of the ship, an engineering section, a science research centre, a medical deck, and crew decks. The ship also had secret areas for research, escape pods, and exploration submersibles.
The ships interior was pristine and white with circular windows that looked out into the sea. The main bridge also featured walls lined with computer screens and a large, wide forward facing view screen.
Abigale followed Picasso into a door that was labelled ‘Science.’ The door slid across and Abby ground herself in a large open lab that reminded her of some of Hans Strucker’s research areas back on the island of Santa Maria. Queen Teera was in the middle of the lab, lifting a three-foot glowing red crystal into a cage like housing protruding from the central table with the help from a scientist in a white uniform. Blue rays of electrical energy shot out of the crystal within the housing, causing the red crystal to glow.
“What is that?” Abigale asked Teera, and Teera sighed, backing away from the crystal in its housing.
“The time crystal. We found it on the ocean floor about two years ago. This stone, Abigale... is why you must leave now. The stone has powerful properties of time travel, the full quantum mechanics of which we are yet to be fully understood – but if the shark-men get their hands on it, it could be dangerous. It generates a power that will fully power this ship, but it’s capable of time travel as well. It has been in my care since we first found it, and now... I pass the task of caring for this crystal onto you-” Teera said.
Abigale admired the crystal as a rumble shocked the ship, nearly throwing them off their feet.
“The shark-men have taken the city! I have assembled your crew, they are all on the bridge with Fisher. I am sorry I kept this from you, Abby. It was not my intention. You must get the ship as far away from here as you can. Explore the oceans beyond the depths, and seek out the secrets of the crystal. This is your path now,” Teera said.
Abby and Picasso watched as she turned to leave, Abigale stepping forward.
“Wait... you’re not coming with us?” Abigale asked, and Teera stopped walking, turning back to face her.
“I am not. This is where my path ends, captain. You must lead our survivors to a new world. I will buy you as much time as I can. This was always the plan. Now GO!” Teera said.
Abigale ran over to the queen, locking her in an embrace as tears fell from their eyes.
“Go with God, Abigale Channing. Do not look back,” Teera said, turning away and leaving the ship.
*****
Ivan the Terrible gathered his shark soldiers and marched through the underwater city, making their way towards the central tower. They slaughtered their way through mermaid guards, biting and cutting through any and all that stood in their way.
Teera returned to her throne room, looking out of the bubble windows, watching with satisfaction as the massive ship Atlantis glided out of the dock of the underwater shipyard, its lights illuninating the way as the giant submersible rose out of the city and shot out into the great depths beyond, blasting impressive blue light from its dorsal engines. Ivan entered the throne room, in time to see the great ship blasting out of the city. He approached the queen as she drew an elegant golden sword.
“What have you done, Teera?” Ivan asked. Teera smiled.
“You may have taken my city, Ivan but its people are far from your grasp!” Teera said, stepping towards him. She slashed out with her sword, cutting the cartilage of his face, leaving a long bloody cut down the left side of his face. Ivan took the cut, stabbing it with a clawed hand, and studying his blood. He laughed.
“I will find them in time your majesty. Your efforts are pointless,” he said, seizing her by the throat and strangling her. The bones in her neck cracked as her eyes turned bloodshot and her face went pale. Ivan pulled her face close to his.
“Your reign is over, queen! And I will hunt them all across the seven seas!” he said, snapping the queen’s neck, the sword falling from her hands. Ivan tossed Teera's lifeless body to the floor.
Ivan sighed, looking out at the ship which was now a speck in the gloom of the distant ocean.
“You can run, Captain Channing... but you cannot hide forever!” Ivan said, moving towar
ds the throne of Queen Teera and sitting in it, blood oozing from the slice cut in his face.
*****
The Atlantis cut through the dark ocean, speeding over mountains of coral, and through schools of fish.
On the main bridge, Captain Abigale Channing stepped onto the bridge wearing a navy blue uniform, a large golden ‘A' emblazoned across the chest. She marched over to a sleek, black reclining chair and sat down, looking towards the forward view screen and out at the ocean depths racing towards her.
In front of her sat two navigators in identical uniforms, only the ‘A' was silver. Only the captain’s uniform bared a golden A, which of course stood for Atlantis. The high-tech vessel was truly a sight to behold – the two navigators sitting at consoles that were lit up with touch screen switches and dials. To her left, scientists studied the world outside the ship – monitoring life signs and weather fluctuations. To her right, three other uniformed lieutenants monitored engines, depth, ocean mapping, and charting. The ship was fast, able to travel speeds as fast as 160 knots, or 295 kilometres an hour. Even in the world of man, no such vessel had ever existed. The ship boasted state-of-the-art technology, the majority of which had been developed based on schematics created by the late Hans Strucker. She utilized powerful engine power which was enhanced by the power of the mysterious red time crystal.
The navigator’s names were Mr Jonathan Cho, an Asian American merman who had piloted mantaships for years, and was considered the best submersible pilot in the city, and Fisher Gree, now a Lieutenant commander, and the man who had saved Abby’s life. They monitored their control stations as they navigated the ship through the ocean depths.
“Mr Cho? Current speed?” Abigale asked. Mr Cho nodded.
“One thirty knots, captain. We are almost at full power. The ship is handling beautifully! I think the crystal has given us a boost, sir," he added.
“Good. Take us to full power! Let’s see what she can do,” Captain Channing instructed. Cho nodded again.
“Aye Captain, maintaining course at maximum velocity,” Mr Cho replied, moving forward on the stick and increasing the ships speed.
In the science decks below, Squishy, the octopus head lead scientist noticed the time crystal begin to glow brighter – the red crystal emitting blinding rays of light. Squishy flipped a switch on the panel which provided instant communication with the bridge.
“CAPTAIN, there seems to be more power emitting from the crystal... ” Squishy said.
On the bridge, Captain Channing looked towards the view screen, as a bright, shimmering emission of energy rushed towards the ship.
“Helm! What am I looking at?” Abigale hollered, and Cho studied his console.
“I can’t slow the ship down, captain! Whatever it is it’s coming right for us!” Cho said. Abigale rose from her seat, the science team stepping towards her. Rose Anders, the lead bridge scientist spoke up.
“CAPTAIN, it seems to be some kind of... gateway. It’s pulling us in!” Rose insisted.
The massive wall of light enveloped the ship, sucking it inside. Inside the ship, everything slowed down as the ship seemed to pass through a tunnel of light. Abby tried to raise her hands, but it seemed to take forever as every movement seemed to slow down to a slow motion blur. A cup of coffee slowly fell from the arm of her chair, the liquid seeming frozen as it slowly fell to the floor in slow motion droplets that hit the floor one by one.
Then, everything sped up as regular speed of time kicked in and the ship passed through the end of the tunnel of light.
“Full stop!” Captain Channing ordered, as the bridge crew of the ship fell silent, looking around to be certain everyone was alright.
Abigale looked at the view screen grateful to see they were still underwater. Scientists whispered as they glared at their consoles. A cleaner ran into the bridge to wipe up the spilled coffee, while another officer poured her a new one from a thermos. Abby glared at the whispering scientists.
“On my ship, we share ideas and concerns, we don’t keep them secret. What is it, Rose?” The captain asked.
“Captain, the beam of light... it seems to have been as I theorized. I believe it was some kind of gateway, probably created by the time crystal, sir,” Rose replied. Abigale walked over to her, looking at her computer screens.
“How do you know?” Abigale asked, and Rose sighed.
“Because, if my data is correct... and I believe it is, we are no longer in the year 2026. According to our readout display... we have jumped thirty years... into the future. It’s the year 2056, captain," Rose stammered.
“What??” Abigale asked in shock. Rose nodded her head.
“Just as I said, captain. We have travelled forward in time. Thirty years into our future,” Rose insisted.
Abigale returned to her chair and fell into it. It dawned on her that it did not matter how or why they had shot through time. Abigale wondered what the world had become... and perhaps more importantly - would they ever get back?
TO BE CONCLUDED IN THE FINAL BOOK
OF “THE DEPTHS TRILOGY"
“BEYOND THE DEPTHS" coming soon.
Coming soon