Arc 3 Chapter 16
Izzy was asleep under a tree in one of the underground domes she had arrived at the day prior, she had recently defeated the Octo-Samurai and grabbed the zapfish from the power station. Soon rumbling could be heard waking the inkling girl as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What's all that noise?" she asked herself. She got up and turned toward the source of the rumbling and around the corner past the ledge of the landmass she was on. She could see multiple octozeppelins move toward her.
"What's going on!" she exclaimed watching the octozeppelins get into formation. The octozepeelins hovered next to each and were readying for the assault on inkopolis and eventually Octo Valley. One last Octozeppelin hovered over the others which was 3 times bigger than the rest and had a large gondola underneath where the crew commanded the fleet of octozeppelins. This was the command octozeppelin which was being piloted by the scar-faced elite that had lost a piece of her tentacle to Sergeant Maxie back on the saltspray rig.
The major got on the microphone and soon gave an announcement. "This is Major Octsana! All octozeppelins in formation, prepare for the assault on Inkopolis. Octavio has ordered us to reclaim the surface and take back what rightfully belongs to us! The inklings will soon know the wrath of the octarians and will regret ever driving us underground. Everyone to your stations!" commanded the elite in the command octozeppelin.
Izzy watched the top of the dome open up revealing a tunnel that lead up to the surface of the canyon where the octozeppelins would fly out and storm the unexpected city. "Oh No! They're going to attack Inkopolis! I gotta do something!" shouted Izzy. She placed her hand on her headset. "Agent 2! Sheldon! Come in!... Agent 2! Please answer!" exclaimed Izzy but got no response.
She looked back at the octozeppelins which were starting to ascend and she had to do something fast. She spotted an ink dispenser for a ride rail and shot it. The ink rail shot up toward the octozeppelins and Izzy hopped on. "I hope I can stop them in time!" she said.
Meantime, on the command octozeppelin the major was watching the octozeppelins start to ascend up the large opening above. Soon a large octarian sporting sunglasses and a black beret on its tentacle walked behind the major with her arms crossed behind her back. "Ma'am," saluted the octarian. The elite turned around and faced the tall octarian.
"Yes, what is it Octocommander?" she asked.
"My octotroopers and paratroopers are ready and prepped for the attack. We are awaiting any further orders before we get to the surface," said the octocommander.
"As of now the orders still stand. Just ensure those tentacles make it out of the octozeppelins and cover fire for them if we should run into any resistance along the way. As far as I know, the inkling naval forces are going to be blockading the valley while we head for their vulnerable city," sneered the major.
"Yes ma'am I will head to my post and take care of any threats to the octozeppelins," saluted the octocommander as he walked away.
The elite turned around and watched the octozeppelins lift up but something soon caught her eye. Something was headed toward the first octozeppelin and continued watching the figure riding up a rail of ink. "Whta is that?" asked the major to herself.
Izzy was riding up the ink rail toward a platform with another dispenser and shot it. Another ride rail shot out, leading closer to the octozeppelins. As she got closer she spotted some octocopters hovering around the octozeppelins but this time that had jets attached to their rotor helmets making them faster as they spotted Izzy. Izzy shot at them but they quickly evaded Izzy's ink with the rocket boosters attached to them. "Oh, Carp! I can't hit them!" she shouted before one lobbed a splat bomb at her. Izzy jumped over it and back on the riderail.
"Inkling! Splat her before she reaches the fleet!" shouted one of the jet octocopters.
Izzy focused on the jet-propelled octocopter and splatted it before it dodged the shot. Izzy shot at more jet octocopters with a couple of shots before finally splatting them. She finally made it to another platform near one the octozeppelins. She squid jumped and landed on top of the first one. Soon a hatch opened up and octotroopers hopped up in an attempt to stop the inkling agent.
"Get the inkling!" one shouted.
Izzy covered the top of the zeppelin with ink. Jumping out and dodging any of the octotrooper attacks until she splatted all of them. She soon spotted a large tentacle erecting out of the top of the hatch where the octotroopers came out of and shot at it. It spewed purple ink and the zeppelin started to descend down to the bottom of the dome.
The major witnessed what had happened and pounded the control panel. She bared her fangs and quickly grabbed the microphone. "STOP THAT INKSTAIN AT ALL COST! ALL OCTARIANS FOCUS ON THAT LITTLE PEST!" she shouted over the intercom. The octocommander from before hopped on a stool-like platform and placed what looked like a minigun over its mouth. It lifted up on top of the command octozeppelin and aimed at the agent.
Izzy squid jumped to another platform and watched the octozeppelin crash down and explode into an enormous burst of octarian ink. "Whoa! That was AWESOME!" she yelled as she jumped up. octarian ink shot past her as she turned and looked. Another octozeppelin was headed toward her and she spotted another riderail dispenser. She shot it and she rode it toward the next platform which would take her to the second zeppelin.
She made it to the second zeppelin and squid jumped on top of it. Like before octotroopers poured out of the hatch on top of the zeppelin and attacked Izzy. A few of them had shields in front of them and Izzy had to utilize a splat bomb to take them out. Once she did, she shot at the tentacle popping out of the hatch and the second octozepplein descended like the first one.
The major was fuming watching the second octozepplin fall and feared if the inkling kept it up, their fleet would be defeated and the operations put to an end. "SEND OUT THE JET OCTOSTRIKERS! NOW!" she shouted. The hatch at the back of the gondola of the command octozeppelin opened and three jet-propelled octostrikers flew out and headed toward Izzy.
She jumped down on another platform and spotted the jet-powered octostrikers headed toward her. "Oh no, Octostrikers!" she shouted. "I hope Marie and Sheldon are keeping tabs on what's going on, I don't know how much more I do this, I'm starting to run low on ink," said Izzy.
One of the octostrikers fired a missile toward Izzy and struck the platform knocking her off as she grabbed a hold of the ledge. She pulled herself up and shot at another dispenser and rode the ink rail to its next location. The octostrikers launched more missiles at Izzy missing her as she jumped over one just in time before getting to the next platform. One of the octosrikers hovered over the riderail in an attempt to stop her. Izzy shot at the octostriker but it easily evaded her using it's jets and Izzy passed it up to the next platform. The third octozeppelin was moving in on Izzy as the octostrikers came in from the other side. Izzy got ready to squid jump.
"Oh no you don't squid!" shouted one of the octostrikers as it launched a missile at Izzy. Izzy squid formed and jumped but the blast knocked her projection off and she tumbled in mid flight. She luckily landed on top of the zeppelin but hard as she got knocked around from the landing. She laid motionless on her stomach on top of the octozeppelin as more octotroopers and the octostrikers moved in on her.
"Your time is up inkstain! Give up while you can!" sneered a twintacle as it approached Izzy from the crowd of octotroopers.
She started to pick herself up and saw that she was surrounded by the octarians. It seemed her winning streak has finally come to an end.
Back in Octo Valley, the lieutenant was lying on a bed in the infirmary. She had gotten shot from the octo rebels that infiltrated and raided the research facility the early morning prior. It had been hours since she was treated for her wounds. An octoling walked in as the lieutenant slowly opened her eyes. "Where...am I?" the lieutenant asked.
She turned to a figure standing beside her and saw that it was Ruby the head researcher. "Ruby?" she asked.
"Yes, and I'm glad you're slowly recovering. Any longer and you wouldn't be here talking to me. That was quite a rescue mission back there at the labs. I'm just glad you made it," said the octoling in the lab coat.
"How're the others? What about the rebels?" she asked as she attempted to sit up. She clinched in pain but Ruby stopped her and helped her lay back down. "Everyone's fine, don't force yourself to get up. You still have much time to recover from the wounds," said Ruby. "As for the rebels, they've been taken into custody. The leader was treated after you were taken away. The other rebels are being interrogated, they've informed us about the attack on Inkopolis. We're getting our octozepplin fleet prepped and ready to intercept them and stop the attack before they start a war," said Ruby.
"(sigh) I should thank you, I'm so sorry that I've been harsh toward you lately. It's just that..." started the lieutenant.
"It's fine, as long as you're ok and the rebels are stopped...that's all that matters right now. Shoot, maybe we could head to the bar after this is all over with," said Ruby giving a chuckle. The lieutenant smiled and shook her head. "I would enjoy that, I could use a cold kelp ale, especially right now," said the lieutenant.
"Well, I wanted to check on you before I headed back to the lab," said Ruby.
The lieutenant remained quiet for a moment then turned back to the octoling. "What about the research?" she asked which stunned the octoling wondering why she would ask.
"What about it?" she replied.
"What more have you found out?" the lieutenant asked.
The octoling stared at her for a moment trying to contemplate how to explain what she and her team found but decided to hold off on it. "I'll let you know after you made a full recovery, It's going to be a little hard to explain unless you see it yourself," said the octoling researcher.
The lieutenant raised her eyebrow and just decided not to ask any more questions as she wanted to rest. Ruby soon walked out of the room and was met by an octoling doctor.
"Ruby? I thought you were at the research facility," said the doctor.
"No, I came to check on the lieutenant, how much longer will you think until she makes a full recovery?" asked Ruby.
"Well if it weren't for the tampered ink they shot at her, she would've recovered in no time but I'm banking on it being another day or two until she can leave the infirmary," replied the doctor.
"Those damn rebels, they won't be happy until they control everything, (sigh) I'm just glad she made it," said Ruby in slight irritation.
"Well, she's lucky. You all are but she's strong so she'll pull through without any hesitation," said the doctor.
"I'm glad to hear that. I gotta run back to labs, I'll come back here tonight and check on her," said Ruby.
"You have a good one," said the doctor as he walked away.
Ruby left for the labs grateful to hear that the lieutenant would pull through. When she got back her team were sitting at their stations analyzing the data on the DNA samples from the human fossils. "Find out anything else?" she asked.
"Nothing else so far, I'm still a little shaken up from our hostage situation. How's the lieutenant?" asked one of the researchers.
"The doctor said she ought to make a full recovery in another day or two, other than that she's still the same lieutenant," said Ruby.
The researcher smiled glad to hear the news. She turned back to the computer screen to examine the data that was gathered. Ruby returned to her desk and pulled out a flask with no one looking and took a swig. She places the flask back in the desk drawer and plopped down. "What a week its been," she said with exhaustion. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to try and recompose her thoughts. After a moment one of the researchers walked in, a male octoling in a lab coat. "Ruby, are you ok?" he asked.
Ruby woke up and looked at the octoling. "Yeah I'm fine, what is it?" she asked as she rubbed her eye.
"Well, ma'am, we've run through the data multiple times and sources confirm about the DNA sample from the fossils," said the male researcher.
"Just get to the point," said Ruby.
"Well, like before the DNA strand proves positive to be oceanic-based though the fossils still retain their human structure. I don't know what to make of it, we're still baffled by these findings," said the male octoling.
"Oceanic-based? But that can't be, If they share the same DNA with the human that stayed with the inklings then...this doesn't make any sense," said the confused Ruby.
"Ma'am if I may interject, yes the DNA matches with the human that stayed with the inklings and tests prove there is an oceanic-based strand if not code on the same DNA, could that mean the human is..." said the male octoling.
"I think it's too early to tell, their's so many pieces of the puzzle missing. I can't confirm if your conclusion is correct or not," said Ruby.
"Well, for now, we'll just chalk this up as a theory until something else changes," said the male octoling. "I'll just let you get back to your nap," said the octoling as he walked out of her office.
"(deep sigh) I wish we knew more... for now I just need a break," said Ruby as she laid her head on the desk.
A green-headed inkling was laying in bed even though it was getting late in the morning. He rolled over looking like he was having trouble sleeping. He was soon woken up by another figure. "Get up," called the figure. The inkling mumbled and rolled over away from the figure. "GET UP!" shouted the figure in a displeased tone.
"WAAAHHH! I'm awake, I'm awake!" the inkling shouted as he bolted up.
"Get dressed and report to duty!" shouted an inkling female who had her arms crossed and a displeased look on her face. The inkling turned back to her seeing she wore a parka, boots and sported a beret on her head. Her tentacles were a cyan-color and drooped down to her waist.
"What time is it?" asked the inkling as he rubbed his eyes.
"It's time for you to get ready for physical training! Now get up and get dressed! The rest of the troops will be waiting for you outside the barracks! Now move grunt!" she barked.
The inkling groaned and got out of bed. He changed into his PT clothes and ran out of the barracks. "Private Flash! get in line before I shove a boot up your squid butt!" shouted the female from before.
"Yes, Captain!" he saluted as he got in line and fell to attention.
Flash was regretting joining the Inkopolis Defense Force. He was used to sleeping in, playing video games, and hanging out at the square with his friends. Yesterday evening Flash went to the IDF recruiting office and signed up to join. They asked about his turf war experience and his age and other requirements. He lied about his age like he said he would in order to join as inklings didn't carry any kind of identification. He was verified and put in the system for enlistment. Flash was thinking he could better himself and prove to Izzy he was willing to do what it took to show her what kind hero he could be and impress her.
Flash had zoned out and fell asleep in line as the captain noticed this and walked over to him. "Private Flash! Earth to Private Flash!" she shouted as she waved her hand in his face. She bared her teeth and slapped him to his senses. "Wake up! You're not at home anymore private!" she shouted angrily. "Now wake your ass up and stand at attention before I run you down this base until you're reduced to a puddle!" she said in a commanding tone.
"Yes, Captain!" he saluted.
"Good, now everyone listen up and pay attention. The IDF naval fleet will be departing and placing a blockade around the octoling territory. We are to stay back and prepare for any orders if the octolings are to retaliate. We will be the invasion force and storm the octarian territory should they attack us. We have not yet declared war until the inkling council calls it, until then we are on standby for further orders," shouted the captain.
"I hope Izzy will be alright. I know Ben and Jazz didn't want me to join the IDF but I wanna protect them and Izzy," Flash thought to himself.
"Alright everyone! we will begin PT as of now. so limber and shape up! You squishy squids will be whipped into shape. This isn't the turf war games," said the captain.
The inkling formation got ready for exercising. They did pull-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, and jogged across the area to keep in better shape but one inkling was lagging behind and finally fell out. He laid on the ground on his back panting from the training as the captain walked over and loomed over his body. "What's the matter private? Can't handle it, maybe a pathetic squid like you should've just stuck to being a turf stage cleaner. I won't tolerate a slacker in the ranks. Now get up and fall back in!" she commanded.
He fought to stand up and limped back to formation. He stood at attention tuckered out from the exercising as the captain stood in front of the large group of inklings. "All right you squids! Head to the mess hall and grab a bite. Afterward, at approximately 1000 hours (10:00 AM) report to the live-fire range so you can be trained to use a weapon. You're all dismissed," said the captain but shooting a glare at Flash before walking away.
"What's her problem?" replied Flash.
"That's the captain for you," said a pink-haired male inkling who walked behind Flash.
"Huh, who are you?" asked Flash as he turned around.
"Name's Kirk, nice to meet you...uh," started the pink-headed inkling.
"Flash, uh, nice to meet you too," said Flash as they shook hands.
"You gotta understand Flash, we're on the verge of war and we gotta stay on top of each other. This isn't your average turf war games where we can just have fun and get respawned if we get splattered. The captain is just keeping us in line because she doesn't want to see us get killed," said Kirk.
"Well, she doesn't have to be so jaded. It seems like she has it out for me," said Flash.
"Maybe she likes you, man," said Kirk as he elbowed Flash.
"What!" shouted Flash as he jerked back.
"Just squiddin' ya' but no she had to be strict and she doesn't tolerate people who don't fall in line. You'll get the hang of it, let's head to the mess hall before we lose some downtime," suggested Kirk.
"well, you lead the way, I don't know where the mess hall is," said Flash.
The two of them headed to the mess hall to grab a bite to eat. The two of them got into a conversation about their lives before they joined IDF. "So why'd you join?" asked Kirk.
"Uh, well...because of a...girl," said Flash rubbing his arm.
"A sweetheart huh, wanna impress her do ya?" replied Kirk.
"Well, we had a turf war match together and seeing my ex and losing the match to her. I snapped at her and she hasn't talked to me since. I wanted to tell her I was sorry but..." started Flash as he downed his head.
"But what?" asked Kirk.
"I saw her go into Ammo Knights with another inkling," said Flash.
"So, just tell her you're sorry and let her know how you feel. Win her back man," said Kirk as he smacked Flash in the back.
"You think I can but what about..." started Flash.
"dude, don't worry about that guy she was with. Just let her know and win her over. Well, whenever you get a chance," said Kirk.
"You're right! I'm going to win her back, I don't care about that guy I saw her go into the store with. I'll show her what good of a squid I can be!" shouted Flash as he pumped his fist and pulled out his chest.
"Now you're talking dude!" shouted Kirk.
"Man I needed that confidence, I'm glad I met you Kirk. I hope we can be teammates out in the field if we get deployed," said Flash.
"No sweat dude, I'm glad to be of assistance," said Kirk as he rubbed the back of his head.
After a moment a figure walked behind them at the table with their hands on their hips. "Well, maybe you two could assist each other getting to the LIVE FIRE RANGE! You're downtime is up, now move out you pathetic squids!" shouted the captain clearly agitated at the two of them.
They jumped out of their seats and saluted the captain. "YES, MA'AM!" they shouted together.
The two of them rushed out of the mess hall and to the range. The captain had an irritated look on her face and shook her head. "idiots," she sneered.
Back in octo canyon, Izzy was surrounded by the octarian rebels. It seemed she was done until she slowly sat up and clutched her weapon. "Give it up inkstain! We have you surrounded!" shouted the twintacle. She looked around in fright, fearing this was the end of her. "Izzy, Izzy!" shouted Sheldon on the radio. "Sheldon! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" she shouted in irritation.
"Busy! But never mind that! Use the new special I gave you!" he ordered.
Izzy looked at her squidwatch and saw it glowing from all the octarians she splatted before. A new Icon showed up on it that resembled a missile launcher.
"OK!" she shouted as she smacked the watch and two giant missile launchers appeared in her arms. She flipped them up and shot em' up in the air. The missiles came back down on the octarians that were too shocked to move by what had just happened. The octotroopers, twintacle, and the jet octostriker were splatted by the barrage. All was left was large puddles of yellow ink left behind by the missiles and Izzy put up the missile launchers.
"Those were tenta missiles! AWESOME!" shouted Izzy as she fist-pumped in the air.
"Talk about last second! Yeah, I managed to swap over your special from splashdown to the tenta missiles. I see you've been busy, keep up the good...IZZY WATCH OUT!" shouted Sheldon as Izzy heard something approach from the air. She jumped out of the way as a large familiar figure landed where she was at. Izzy looked up to the figure and was jaw-dropped on who it was.
"Not bad squid, you've proven to be a worthy adversary but your little victories have come to an end!" exclaimed the towering figure.
"Octo-Samurai?!" shouted Izzy in disbelief. "But I defeated you back at the power station, I saw your ghost fly away," said Izzy still in shock.
"You thought you would end me like that? No, I've come back to reclaim my honor and put an end to your reign of terror, little squid," said the octo-samurai.
He held up his giant roller and slammed it down toward before she jumped out of the way in time. Izzy was unsure how she would beat the octo-samurai if he wasn't defeated back at the power station. She was in fear of her life and decided to retreat to the next octozeppelin. "Running away? I don't think so!" shouted the octo-samurai as he held up the roller and it transformed into the octocycler. He drove toward Izzy on top of the octozeppelin and she spotted the tentacle hanging out of the top. She shot at the tentacle and it burst into ink. It descended like the other two and as the octo-samurai closed in on her she jumped to a nearby platform so she wouldn't get run over by the octocycler.
"You're not getting away that easy!" shouted the octo-samurai. The octozeppelin he was standing one was falling and he ran up and jumped to the platform Izzy was on. She shot a dispenser on the platform and rode the ink rail up into the air away from the octo-samurai. The octo-samurai smirked watching the agent get away. He spotted an approaching jet octostriker and grabbed its legs. "Follow her!" he ordered the startled octostriker. The octostriker used its booster to carry the heavy octarian up toward Izzy who was skidding on the ink rail to her next destination.
Izzy turned and saw the octo-samurai holding on to an octostriker as they pursued her. "Oh carp!" she shouted as she saw them gaining on her. She saw another platform ahead and the command octozeppelin head toward her. Onboard the big octozeppelin indside its gondola was the major. "Move in on that blasted squid!" she ordered the zeppelin crew. On top was the octocommander getting ready to shot at the agent when she was in range of his splattling gun.
Izzy hoped on the platform as the octo-samurai jumped off the octostriker and landed on the platform with Izzy. "Time to splat this insignificant squid!" sneered the Octarian. He swung his roller down on Izzy as she jumped up and kicked the octo-samurai in the face knocking him off the platform. She turned behind her and shot another dispenser and rode the ink rail toward the approaching command octozeppelin. Meantime, she didn't know that the octarian was holding on to the bottom of the platform and boosted himself up.
Izzy rode the ride rail as it spun around the command octozeppelin. three more zeppelins were below it and Izzy came up with a plan to finish off the fleet for good. She rode the rail around the command octozeppelin until she was spotted by the octocommander who lined a shot on her. It wound up it's splattling that was fed into its mouth and shot a barrage of ink at the little agent girl. "Quit moving inkstain!" shouted the octocommander.
Izzy dodged the fire as she was toward the end of the rail. At the end was another floating dispenser but as she jumped off the ink rail the octocommander struck Izzy with its splattling gun. "Gotcha' squid!" it scoffed. Izzy fell but luckliy landed on the fin of the zeppelin. The octocommander turned and aimed it's weapon at the inkling girl. She got up and squid formed before the octocommander lined a shot on her. Izzy weaved past the ink fire and hatily made her way toward the octarian. The octocommander was frantically firing at the squid until it ran out of ink. The splattling quit spinning and just clicked. The tentacles's eyes popped out causing its sunglasses to fly off realizing it had ran out of ammo.
Izzy changed back to her other form and aimed her hero shot at the octarian. She looked back at the nervous octarian and smirked. "Out of ink?... I'm not!" shouted Izzy as she pulled the trigger. "Oh, shi..." started the octocommander as he splatted off the stool and burst into ink.
Izzy was relieved to see she had defeated the octocommander and continued heading down the top of the octozeppelin when all of a sudden the octo-samurai jumped in front of her outta nowhere. "We have unfinished business inkstain," sneered the octo-samurai. Izzy gulped and lept backward away from the towering octarian and prepared for another battle with him. She aimed her hero shot at him while he held up his giant roller. It was the final fight between the two cephalopods.
At the metro station's hub, deep underground. Cassie, Cuttlefish, and Cleo had entered the directory minutes earlier. Inside the directory was a large map of different stations that made the network of the underground metro. There were multiple rooms inside the directory as Cleo had walked into one of them which appeared to be a locker room. Cassie and Cuttlefish continued to look around the area while Cleo was changing in the other room. "So what do we captain?" asked Cassie.
"I'm not so sure about this place lass. I have a bad feeling in my tentacles about this," commented Cuttlefish.
"Well, I hope we're wrong about Cleo. I hope she can help us figure out what this company is doing down here," she replied.
The door to the locker opened and Cleo stepped out in a different outfit. Cassie and Cuttlefish turned and looked at Cleo who was adjusting her new suit. "What?" she asked the two.
"What on earth are you wearing?" asked a baffled Cassie.
"It's called null armor. It was issued to me after a month I worked for the company," said Cleo. The black shiny armor was comprised of a torso cover, shoulder pads, and arm covers. The chest piece of the armor had the Namabo logo on it as well as the new boots she was wearing.
What for?" asked Cassie.
"I'm not sure, but it looks cool and it's comfortable. Well, I guess it's time to continue. We'll keep going through the directory to the other rooms. Maybe we can find out more," said Cleo as she walked off.
Cassie looked at Cuttlefish who wasn't sure how to make of things. "Hmm..." he pondered.
The two caught up with Cleo ahead and Cassie tapped her shoulder. "Cleo, do you know of anyone else that's working for Kamabo, well besides your sister and your octoling boyfriend?" she asked.
"As far as I know, No. Why do you ask?" replied Cleo.
"Oh, nothing, just wondering," said Cassie.
Cleo continued as Cassie stayed behind her with Cuttlefish bringing up the rear suspicious of where they were going. They approached another door with the Namabo logo on it and stepped inside. The room was totally dark until the lights came on startling Cassie and Cuttlefish. "Where are we?" asked Cassie.
"This is supposed to be the introduction room. This is as far as I got inside. C.Q. Cumber guided me down here for my interview," answered Cleo.
"Interview?" replied Cassie.
"Yeah, before I could be employed I had to ask a series of questions," said Cleo.
"Huh...I wonder why?" wondered Cassie.
The group stumbled through the dark room trying to hunt for a light switch. Cassie patted the wall and flicked a switch as the lights came on and so did a projector. The grouped stared at the projector as a screen appeared against the wall. The video was being projected followed by the Namabo logo. The group decided to sit down and watch, wondering what was going on.
After a few moments, the screen was followed by the voice of an older human which the inklings couldn't understand but only watched the video as it continued.
"Mankind had been wiped out by rising sea levels due to the earth's climate rapidly changing. The war over land and resources soon followed dubbed the resource wars which cost the lives of billions of people and finished off mankind that didn't escape on board the ark polaris that had been constructed for our salvation and escape from the destruction of our home. We are humanity's best hope to repopulate and reestablish civilization back on earth once the sea levels fall back down exposing the land that was once submerged. Once we land back down and disembark off the Ark Polaris, we are to start mankind back over and hopefully establish peace among the remains of humanity, said the human voice.
"I can't understand what the voice on the video is saying, it doesn't sound like inkling or octarian," said Cassie who was confused as what the human was saying.
"I'm not sure either lass, maybe the young whippersnapper would know," said Cuttlefish.
Cleo, do you know what's going on?" asked Cassie.
"I don't know, this is a first for me, I don't understand it either," said Cleo.
The video continued as the three continued to watch.
"How is this possible you might add. Here at the Kamabo company we have constructed cryostasis pods to place humanity in frozen suspension for years to come until the earth's sea levels lower," said the human voice.
The video showed a picture of a cryostasis pod and the three recognized it as the one Blake was found in. "Captain isn't that the pod Blake was in when you found him and when he came out of it back at the shellendorf institute?" asked Cassie as she pointed at the video of the pod.
"You're right lass! But I wish I could understand what it is saying," said Cuttlefish.
"It's gotta be human, I wish Blake were here to translate for us but if that's the pod he came out of then what could this mean?" asked Cassie.
"Quiet you two, let's continue watching and maybe we'll get some answers," said Cleo.
The three focused back on the video again.
"Another project besides the Ark Polaris was created before the construction of the spacecraft, was the underground domes for habitation when mankind establishes civilization back on earth. The domes would provide a temporary environment or should I say a plan B for mankind for us to grow and thrive. These domes were designed to simulate the world we once knew with inner walls lined with monitors and a power source to make the domes sustainable. Each person would be given a specific job and title. Them and their families would be rationed off food and reside in the domes for a period of time during our repopulation of the earth," said the human voice.
"Wait a minute, that diagram...that looks like the octarian underground domes. That means the humans built the underground domes," said Cassie as she saw an image of a human family then the diagram of the domes. "You mean to tell me the humans built those domes, do the octarians know about this?" asked Cassie.
"I...don't know, I'm not sure if Xavier knows," said Cleo.
"Xavier?" asked Cassie.
"He's the octoling boyfriend I was telling you about," said Cleo.
"I vaguely remember seeing strange writing inside the underground domes long ago during the great turf war with Octavio," said Cuttlefish.
"Then I can only assume the domes were constructed by the humans, but why?" asked Cassie.
They turned back to video again trying to put the pieces together with Blake's pod, the underground domes, and the company Kamabo.
"Kamabo will ensure the survival of humanity once we re-establish civilization. The company has gone beyond its limits to tests the circumstances of our future by creating the AI tartar and the X-1 serum. Tartar had been programmed to ensure that mankind's survival is successful and to pass down our knowledge to the future generations to come. The serum was a failsafe should the sea levels not lower soon enough and bring forth impending environmental change on the planet. The serum would allow us to adapt to the new world that we would inhabit using oceanic-based DNA that we have extracted from multiple species. Why do this you may ask? Well, we the scientists of Kamabo have been concerned that the earth after the floods would bring unpredictable environmental change or that the sea levels may not drop for years to come. The Ark Polaris will not able to sustain humanity for a long period of time so we had to think ahead and plan a solution if that would come," continued the human voice.
During the video the three of them saw different sea life that was shown. The sea life looked somewhat familiar but they couldn't place their tentacles on it. Seeing the DNA spliced into a serum that would alter humanity and were confused at what they were watching.
"Those creatures were the ones I saw in that book back in that house before we came down here. I also saw the DNA strands in the video and remembered seeing a display of DNA codes back the shellendorf institute," said Cassie.
"Book?" asked Cleo.
"Yeah, it was in that dirty abandoned house. It had diagrams of these creatures in them that I've never seen before but unfortunately I couldn't read it," said Cassie.
Cleo froze in thought and turned back to the video and pondered. She remembered Xavier saying something about the octarians studying human technology and fossils. He was once an engineer in the octarian army and dug up old ancient remains of the life before the flood wiped out mankind. She thought maybe he knew something about this.
Cassie looked at Cleo with curiosity and concern seeing her in deep thought. "Cleo," said Cassie as Cleo snapped out of it and turned to the agent.
"Sorry just thinking is all," said Cleo as the three of them turned to the video still playing.
The video went through more sequences of the re-establishment of humans back on earth until the screen turned to a man dressed in a lab coat. Cassie recognized the human as the one in the picture on the wall with the cat they knew as Judd. "That human, I saw him in a picture in the house. I assumed that book belonged to him but what caught my eye was Judd was in the picture with him," said Cassie.
"Judd!? The turf match judge?" replied a surprised Cleo. "Impossible," replied Cleo in disbelief.
"Yeah! He was in the photo with the human," said Cassie. The video caught all of their attention again with the human in the lab coat picking up Judd to confirm Cassie's case.
"Judd," replied a stunned Cleo seeing the human pickup the large cat.
The human in the lab gave a closure to the video before waving as well as Judd at the camera before the video shut off.
The three looked at each other in utter confusion. "Just how old is Judd, exactly?" asked Cassie still trying to understand what she had watched.
"Lass, I'm not to sure. Like Blake, Ammoses found him in a pod. He doesn't recall anything before that like Blake couldn't recall his memories before he was that thing," said Cuttlefish.
"So, Judd doesn't remember either. That's unfortunate, I was hoping Judd might have had some answers," said Cassie.
"So that human we saw in the video. You said he was in a picture back at that house and you think that book belonged to him?" asked Cleo.
"Yeah, I think so," said Cassie.
"By the way, I assume he was narrating that video and by that lab coat, he was wearing. He must of been like some kind of scientist or something. I don't think C.Q. Cumber would know anything about this, but we could ask when we meet him again," said Cleo.
"Well this place was built by humans and so were the octo-domes. There's so many things missing, none of it makes any sense," said Cassie.
"If you two are done, I'm ready to get out of here. I'm not liking where this is heading to and this place just gives me the heebie-jeebies. Let's head back to the metro, I'm ready for another nap," said Cuttlefish.
Cuttlefish left the room while Cassie and Cleo stood back. "Sheesh, what an old squid. I don't know how you could put up with him," said Cleo.
"It's not easy, believe me but he's my captain. That I can say," said Cassie.
"Well, I feel ya'. We can ask C.Q. Cumber if he knows anything about this but he's usually not the conversation type. He's just focused on the task at hand and slithers away before you could ever talk with him. He seems a little reserved, maybe somethings bothering him," said Cleo.
"We won't know until we ask," said Cassie.
The two of them soon left and followed Cuttlefish back to the metro to get answers from the sea pig as they waited for the subway to arrive.