Part Six: Betrayal
Barronnell waited until the couple were caught up in each other again, and sneaked away from behind the rock that he had used as cover since Virgil Tracy had crept out to the dell over an hour ago. He padded quickly past the guards who ignored him. After all, what could the court tailor ever do that would concern them? Barronnell smirked to himself as he went down the corridor to the secondary visitor's quarters. He reached one of the doors from the area where council guests were stationed, and rang a bell outside. The door opened. A man with all-black eyes and thin lips stood in the doorway, and asked in an irritable voice,
"What do you want, at this time of night?"
"Let me come in, Councillor." Barronnell shifted his eyes nervously, "I have important information." The man sighed and opened he door wider. He ushered Barronnell through quickly and closed the door quietly.
The man gestured for the tailor to sit down on one of the lower seats while he sat behind a large desk made of whalebone. He narrowed his black eyes and peered over steepled fingers.
"We do not enjoy having our time wasted. What is your name?"
"I, I am the court tailor, Barronnell. I know of your group's intentions, and I have information that can help the rebels." The tailor felt a twinge of worry before the man opposite nodded thoughtfully. He replied in an eager voice,
"Tell me what you have learned, quickly."
"I, I have been t, trying to find the true location of the Empress. She is not in hiding anywhere in the palace, and I of all people would know where she would be. She relies on me, you see…" Barronnell speeded up, unaware of his own arrogance, scared by the expression on the face of the thin-faced man. "…I happened to overhear the Ambassador with the Consort's brother. She told him that Hermes told her that the Empress is in the Eerie Caverns, with only one guard and her Terran Consort to protect her."
Barronnell waited nervously. The man said nothing for a moment; he just stared at Barronnell with his coal-eyes, as if trying to see through him. Then his lined face seemed to light up, and the look of scrutiny lifted. The man stood and leaned across the desk towards the tailor. He said, almost laughing,
"Do you make a habit of listening in on lovers?"
"O, only when they have i, information…" Barronnell stammered. The man did laugh then, and said mockingly,
"And what do you wish in return for all this hard work you have done?"
"I only want the Empress captured, so that the Prince c, can help us, as he promised…"
"Ah, yes. The Empress is missing, but no one outside the Palace knows at all.Not even the Councillors like me." The man sat back, "I hope that this information is correct, little tailor, or our friends will not allow you to continue, er…breathing"
"It is true. I heard it from her lips. She would not lie to him."
"But she may keep more from him that she could say later. I want you to keep an eye on her as we have monitored Hermes." The man shook his head as Barronnell started to protest. "I do not have to tell you keep this to yourself, but if anyone hears of this before we have the Empress in our hands, you will suffer."
"What about the Consort?"
"He is only a Terran. I am sure that we have no need for him, and with Hermes' betrayal exposed and the Empress in our hands, we will be able to eliminate him as soon as possible." He caught Barronnell's expression, "Why, is there a problem?"
"No. No, I hate him. I am g, glad to hear it." Barronnell grinned broadly and the man nodded, waving a hand at him,
"Then leave, tailor, before anyone else sees you here. Unless you have more information I do not wish to hear from you at all. Go away, now."
"Yes, r, right away." Barronnell stumbled to his feet and headed for the door. He banged into a vase on the way out and scrambled out through the door. The man chuckled. Soon, the Empress would be dead!
Scott woke feeling hungry and bruised. A warm body moved beside him. Shiana was huddled tightly into his side, and Scott tenderly brushed her face as it twitched at a bad dream. Beside her the little girl was sleeping even more quietly, and Scott gradually remembered the events of the previous night. His mind was still dulled by a drug that had been given to all of them to help them sleep. His eyes traced the dark cave. They had returned there, bloodied and staggering, shock taking hold of them. There was Lageau, his wound treated, and still asleep after blaming himself terribly for his sister's death. Shiana had been amazing, helping to care for little Fran who had finally gone to sleep sometime into the early hours. She had a steely side behind all the pouting and whining. The people with them in the cave had worked wonders, and Scott was not sure how long they had been sleeping here since then. The rocks in his back made him shift and Shiana murmured,
"Scott?"
"It's okay, Shiana." Scott said quietly. She huddled in more tightly and he smiled, putting his free arm around her. "We're all okay now."
"I want to go home." She said, not whining or snivelling, but looking him evenly in the eye. "I want to take Fran with us."
"That's a great idea." Scott smiled. They were not the only ones awake. Scott and Shiana fell silent as they heard two others talking in the tired silence of the cave, whispering although their voices carried faintly in the damp air.
"The Empress let this happen."
"Finn would still be with us if she had married the Prince sooner…"
"But she won't, will she"
"Because she's a spoilt little brat…"
"And we'll all be killed or starve. I want to join the rebels…"
"Yes, I heard that they would kill the Empress if they had the chance…"
"I heard that she was going to be married…"
"Not to the Prince…"
"No, just to some pretty boy who she found…"
The voices belonged to a man whom Scott had noticed hanging around with the late Finn, and to an older woman, who were lying at the edge of the little group. Scott sleepily noticed that the group was now only seven, not counting himself and Shiana. Lageau snored from his place near the glowing sphere. Shiana had heard everything and frowned, puzzled.
"Don't they understand?" she whispered to Scott. Scott winced. He just said,
"They miss Finn as well. Like Fran will when she wakes up."
"I never knew…that it was so dangerous…" Shiana rested her head in the crook of his neck, he inhaled the taste of her odd-scented hair, and she hugged Fran to her with one fragile arm while looking thoughtfully at nothing. Scott shut his eyes again, trying to shut out the desire to shake her, to make her see that it was so close. It had taken poor Finn's death to achieve it, but hope surged in him that very soon he could go home. The closest he had been to it so far was in that damn nightmare. While he was thinking of home he drifted slowly back to sleep, hearing Shiana's soft breath inside his ear.
"So this is where you two have been hiding!" Virgil's eyes flickered. That voice was familiar, yet…
"Aaah!" he choked as something wet and slimy hit him in the face, and jumped to get out of bed except that he was still on the swing-seat and ended up sprawled unceremoniously onto the sandy floor. There was a squeal and something heavy, blonde and long-limbed landed on top of him. "Gordon! Come back here right now!!"
Scott's mind swam up into reality again and he groaned. Shiana had moved and his right arm was now dead. He shifted, sitting up and gently easing her off his neck, he shook his arm to get the feeling back. As he did, he glanced round and saw that the others were waking up as well, and some were even about to share out what remained of the slugs for breakfast. His stomach lurched and he smiled ruefully. The cave was almost silent except for whispers, and he gently leaned to Shiana and touched her shoulder,
"Honey, you'll miss breakfast…" a sudden jolt of warning ran down his spine. He sat up quickly. Shiana blinked,
"What is it, Scott…?" he was glancing around for what was sending his senses reeling. Something was wrong, he could tell…at the edge of the cave there was a shadow that he didn't like. He caught Lageau's bleary eyes, then jumped to his feet and pulled the Empress after him.
"Run! We have to…" it was too late, he was nearly at one of the cave exits when…
"Stay where you are!" there was a scream. Scott heard Fran cry out beside Shiana and Lageau was there in an instant. Just then people charged into the little cave, bearing pikes. Shiana gasped and Scott tensed, checking all the exits. All of them seemed to be guarded by the intruders. The little group froze as ordered, and an armed woman stepped forwards and surveyed them commandingly. "We are sorry to disturb you, but we must search quickly. The Empress is missing from the palace following an attack from our mighty rebel forces…."
"Oh, no…" Scott looked at Lageau, but the blue-haired man was staring into space with an expression that worried Scott more. There were cheers from the group of civilians,
"The Empress was useless!"
"Good riddance!"
"Quiet!" the woman raised her pike, commanding their attention again. She continued, "We have received word from our intelligence that she is hiding in these very Caverns. She escaped with her Terran consort, just before her evil wedding was completed. Help us find her, and she will be forced to help you or die!"
Shiana whimpered. Scott swallowed hard; his mouth went dry as the whole group turned and looked at him. He thrust Shiana behind him, and to his relief Lageau came to life and also shielded her. The woman stepped towards him.
"You…" she sniffed, then smiled at him like a cat smiles at a mouse, "You are a Terran. Now how did you get here?"
"Guess I fell down a rabbit hole." Scott eyed the pike and her and she peered at Shiana,
"Whatever that is, I doubt it, my friend. Now who is the little runt hiding behind you?" she waited for him to move, and when he stayed there she pointed the blade at him and hissed, "Let me see, now!" Scott waited a few more seconds, and she prodded him in the chest with the blade. He tightened his jaw and edged slightly to one side. "That's better." The woman said. Shiana cowered and the woman cackled, "It's her! It's her!"
"Leave her alone." Scott growled. The woman laughed.
"Come here, Empress! What are you afraid of?" Lageau moved swiftly and was about to attack when a rebel with a pike moved to stab him. Scott yelled angrily,
"Don't move or they'll kill you!" Lageau met Scott's eyes, his face blank. Scott recognised the look; he'd seen it before on men during combat. Mainly on men who were about to…
"Time to leave, Shiana!" Scott gripped her arm. The woman spun, and Lageau gave a desperate yell. He snatched away the pike belonging to the nearest rebel and used it skilfully, wreaking havoc among the attackers. The rebel woman reeled and Scott, Shiana, and Fran, held in Shiana's weakening arms, ran towards the exit. The rebel woman shouted an order, running after them,
"Get after them! Get them now!"
Virgil and Helena chased after Gordon, who laughed until he skidded on a piece of torn sponge floor and fell forwards. Virgil stooped towards him and he shouted in mock fear, "Okay, okay! I surrender!"
"You're not getting off so lightly, little brother." Virgil grinned, hauling him up by his ear. Gordon looked pleadingly at Helena who was smiling widely, and Virgil looked over at the waterfall.
"Oh, come on!" Gordon struggled and Virgil dragged him over to the running water, "I didn't mean it!" Virgil stumbled and Gordon got free, and Virgil gasped as Gordon tripped him forwards. He landed headfirst in the pool. Coughing and spluttering, Virgil pulled his head out of the water. Gordon and Helena were in stitches, and Virgil glared at them both before finally laughing at himself too.
"Come and have breakfast, Virgil." Helena called. He squeezed out the water from the waistcoat and nodded at her and his brother.
"Be there in a minute."
"See you there, Virg!" looking pleased at goosing his big brother twice in two minutes, Gordon turned to make his way out of the dell and Helena whistled. Virgil started to laugh again. Gordon turned around, then as he squinted back he suddenly realised what they were laughing at.
"Guess you need to see Barronnell about some new pants, bro!" Gordon fled and they laughed until they were light-headed. Helena took the front of Virgil's coat and purred up at him,
"I am hungry, you know."
"You're always hungry, honey." He said. She pushed him into the waterfall and he pulled her after him.
"Stop getting me wet!" she shouted.
Scott charged down the corridor, taking little Fran from Shiana as he ran. He had no idea where to go this time, although he realised that they were heading for the shark cave, as they rounded another bend, and he saw the reflection of the tiny pearls set into the rock. There was no other way. He felt Shiana tugging his arm, slowing him.
"We don't have time for this…" He snapped.
"We can't go back there I can't go back there…" she babbled, he heard Fran sob against his arm and he grit his teeth and pulled Shiana closer with his free hand.
"Look at me, Shiana. Do you think I'm going to let them kill you? You have to come with me; it's the only way. Was there another way out of that pool?"
"S, sharks…"
"Empress." Scott met her eyes, and something in her expression changed. Her face was lined, her hands steadied. She drew a deep breath and said, more slowly,
"I followed a tunnel. A tunnel leading up, to the outside…"
"Then we have to go." He said grimly. Her Atlantic eyes widened,
"But you're a Terran, you'll drown…!"
"Look out!" Three rebels entered and Scott ran to the water. Shiana dived in and he dropped Fran in and followed. He blinked against the salt water, a little relieved to see Fran following Shiana, and he followed them both, swimming powerfully, seeing Shiana head right, under the rocks and down a dark tunnel. He went after her, his arms worked to keep up, and he seemed to swim for an age guided only by the faint flash of her silver robes. His eyes stung, and his heart pounded in his ears. Still they went up, and up, there was no end to it, and Scott dimly acknowledged that however hard he swam now he was not going to reach the end. He refused to believe this, and he fought the water that pressed into him, until finally his lungs gave in. His brain screamed in protest, he felt air escape from his lips. He stopped moving altogether, and the red mist covered his vision. He clenched a fist, once, and then hung there limply in the water. He could see the island paradise, and he was getting nearer to it and the pale beach rushing towards him and the gull a rapid shadow below.
Shiana burst through the pool's surface in the cave above. She grinned at Fran who grinned back. The cave was huge, and half of one side was open to the deep ocean, covered only by the thick membrane material. Shiana nodded at Fran,
"I think that we got away from those people, Fran. Now climb up and get a bubble from the cover, and you and Scott and I can escape." She glanced around as Fran climbed out. The little girl peered worriedly at the water and said,
"Where is Scott, Penny?"
"I, I don't know." Shiana glanced around more urgently; there was no sign of Scott anywhere. She looked down – he wasn't in the pool, he must still be in the tunnel! Shiana dove underneath, back to the tunnel. A dark shape saw her move.
Scott drifted closer still to the beach, and knew that nothing could turn him back. A little voice told him to relax and he did. Part of his mind muttered, "So, this is a near death experience…"
Shiana saw him, halfway down the tunnel. He was still, his blue eyes hardly moving, and the last few bubbles were escaping from his open mouth. Shiana swam quickly to him and did the only thing she could think of. She framed his face with her narrow hands and covered his mouth with her own.
Then a taste rushed down his throat. The sweetness filled his senses, he breathed, and the memory of its meaning made him open his eyes and look into a pair of big Atlantic grey pupils that were both scared and happy. The air reminded him how to move, although his head burned, he felt her hand on his shoulder and wearily kicked his legs in the direction he was shown. All thought concentrated on getting to where there was more air, and a pair of lips over his mouth fed him more, until, finally, there was bright light and a rush of delicious oxygen.
"Scott! You're alive! Scott, you're alive!" Shiana shouted, hugging him and showering him with kisses. He choked on the water that had reached his lungs and managed to smile, unable to talk. She helped him to the side where he finally gathered the strength to haul his body clear. A dark shape swam near, and drew close to Shiana. She made to get out after him and the dark shape grabbed her foot.
Scott heard her squeal but he could barely move. He managed to half-sit even as Shiana splashed furiously, being pulled backwards, and more dark shapes cut through the water towards them. They leaped out and one of them rounded on Scott. The rebels had found them after all. Fran ran to Scott and he got unsteadily to his feet, seeing they were surrounded. He was finding it hard to breathe, and as Scott coughed up more water, the rebel woman strode towards him and swiped him across the back with the blunt end of her weapon. The pilot went down on the floor, still coughing. Shiana cried out in horror.
"Bring her up here." The woman ordered. Shiana was dragged out onto the rock floor of the cave. She glared at them, her grey eyes steely.
"What do you want, scum?" she hissed, refusing to appear scared. The woman stood over Shiana.
"We will take you to our base where you will sign an agreement to marry the Prince. If you refuse to sign it, you will die!"
"I will not be forced to do anything!" Shiana said defiantly. "Especially not by peasants like you!" The woman frowned,
"I think that we will. Maybe we will start changing your mind, firstly by getting rid of this stupid Terran." The woman peered at Scott; the pilot was regaining his strength and he looked back at her. Breathing hard, he said,
"Forget about me, Shiana. Just do what you want." The woman smiled delightedly. She crouched by the pilot, and put the pike beneath his heart.
"I can see why the Empress would prefer you. You certainly aren't bad for a Terran. It's such a shame." She raised it to strike him. Scott lurched upwards, knocking her over. He made a grab for the pike but she kicked him in the face with her hard foot and he fell to one side, kicking her legs from under her. She slipped and he made another desperate grab for the pike handle. He nearly managed it, getting hold of the blunt end and pulling it away from her. Scott pushed at it to shake her off, and Shiana shouted,
"Look out!" Scott let go and just fell clear of another rebel who had been about to stab him. He dropped down and sweep-kicked the man clean over. The man dropped the pike and Scott grabbed for it, but the man kicked it away and went to punch Scott. His blow connected and the pilot slid sideways, then dived under the other man's fists and hit him in the stomach. The man sagged, winded, and another man without a pike charged at Scott. Scott dodged like a bullfighter and kicked the man in the back. Shiana watched, wide-eyed as he made to pick up the pike and she was about to run towards him when a hard hand gripped her neck and she choked.
"Hold it, Consort!" the woman Scott had defeated barked. Raising the weapon, Scott flicked his eyes as Shiana gulped unhappily and the woman tightened the blade against her stomach. "Drop the blade or the Empress gets a very slow death!" Scott stopped dead. Shiana shook her head, tears in her eyes.
"Run, Scott…" she pleaded. Scott saw more rebels appearing out of the water, and looked at the pike in his hands. The woman smirked.
"You can't escape, pretty boy. Resign yourself and you will die more quickly."
"I don't want you to hurt the Empress." Scott replied. He dropped the pike onto the floor of the large cave. His blue eyes tried to reassure Shiana who was struggling to free her throat. The woman laughed,
"The Empress will not be harmed as long as she agrees to our wishes. I'm afraid that you get in the way of them. So, you have to die." She cast the Empress aside, "Kill him, now!" the other rebels closed in around him. Scott wondered briefly if he would have time to use the pike at all before they finished him off.
He was driven to his knees as a terrible scream filled the air. He covered his ears but it didn't seem to do any good, he felt his throbbing brain melt under pressure of the endless whine that filled his mind and he doubled over, aware of the others doing the same. Just as he thought that his eyeballs would pop next, the sound stopped and a vacuum of white noise replaced it. He opened his eyes and dared to look up.
The rebels were all crouched in agony, but they were recovering faster than he was. Shiana stood by the pool, her bedraggled clothes hanging from her swaying form and the faint cave light focussed on her alone. She raised her thin arms and made another unearthly scream. Scott pushed back from it wild-eyed, he pressed his fists into his ears in an attempt to deafen himself before she did it for him. Her voice became more musical, like a dolphin's click and a whale's song, and he stared, dazedly, trying to think straight. It was then that the familiar tingling of fear caressed his back.
"What is she doing?" one rebel man, the one Scott had winded, demanded. The rebel woman's face filled with fear. Then the man pointed shakily out at the almost translucent membrane. Scott blinked, following their gaze.
Out there in the dark ocean water, a huge pale eye was watching them.
Scott frowned as Shiana's voice hit a new pitch and the thing moved in a rush of tentacle shadows and he caught a glimpse of a huge beak before the whole cave started to judder, shaken by the strength of the beast outside. Scott covered his head with his arms as rocks started to fall from the ceiling, sending the rebels into panic. Several were hit and one dropped beside Scott with blood pouring from his skull. Scott saw the surviving rebels fleeing into the deep pool, even as Shiana sang a different key and the beast started to ease its attack. The rebel woman charged at the Empress, Scott scrambled over but he was too late. Shiana was knocked hard to the ground and the woman punched her in the face. Scott yanked her off the Empress and slammed her against the wall.
"Are you happy now?" He snarled into her face. The woman used her knee making him crumple, and she stumbled away. The cave started to shake even harder. Scott crawled to the Empress, and checked that she was still breathing. Rocks tumbled around them, he heard the rebel woman scream, she disappeared under a huge rock, which blocked his view of the membrane outside. A hand touched his aching shoulder.
"Fran! You're okay!" he hugged her to him tightly even as the cave continued to shake.
"Is Penny going to be all right?" Fran asked. He tried a grin, and said to her quickly,
"I hope so, Fran. Now, I want you to get into that pool, okay? I'll take Shiana with us." He saw Fran's eyes go worried, but she nodded solemnly. The beast outside was making the cave collapse, and Scott lurched out of the way with Shiana held limply across his shoulder just as more rocks tumbled down onto where he had been bare moments before. Fran ran towards the pool and dived in, and Scott was right behind her when most of the cave roof collapsed and landed right on top of him.
Virgil and Helena had almost finished breakfast with a sulking Troy, and a Phones who was teasing Gordon relentlessly about his little accident earlier that morning. Helena then regaled them with a story about skinny- dipping, which made Virgil's mouth drop open, and left Gordon with plenty of material for when they got home. Virgil was forced to counter with a story about how he and Scott managed to help Gordon avoid getting expelled after a tiny accident in a chemistry lab turned all the students bright green for a month.
"…But he wouldn't let us know just how much of him wasn't affected!"
Helena giggled and Virgil waited for Gordon's retort. Instead, Troy said,
"Ambassador, if you're not too busy I'd like to know when we can leave this place."
"Heh, er, I don't know, Captain…" Helena grinned, almost unaware that she was looking at Virgil instead. Troy said,
"Well you should! Stingray is important for Marine defence and I think that we should leave here soon and head back to Marineville."
"Don't you have another Stingray by now?" Gordon asked in surprise. Troy shifted awkwardly, catching Phones' eye.
"Er, we do. Of course we do. But Titan's a tricky guy and we're the best crew at dealing with him."
"Titan?" Virgil asked, intrigued. "What, that evil undersea ruler guy?"
"How do you know about that?" Troy demanded.
"Guilty." Helena admitted. Troy gave an exasperated sigh and flopped back in his chair. Virgil grinned.
"Well, so much for security."
"So when can we leave, Ambassador?" Troy said. Helena's face tightened.
"I'm sorry, I really can't say. Soon." She answered. She looked unhappy and Troy shook his head,
"I knew it! You are useless!" Virgil went to rise but Helena was faster,
"Stop being sore just because I wouldn't go out with you on that first night!" she snapped. Virgil froze halfway up and Gordon groaned. Marina got up from the table and swept gracefully out of the dining room. Gordon nodded to Phones and the two of them stood up as Virgil rounded on Troy,
"That's what this has all been about?" the pilot exclaimed. Then Gordon's watch went off.
Scott groaned. The rocks had broken something in his left hand, and his whole right arm was trapped under his aching chest. His whole body hurt but somehow, impossibly, he was still alive. He tried to shift, as his eyes accustomed to the faint light given by a few remaining sea creatures. As he did he found that he was stuck fast under a piece of rock, which didn't seem to have broken his legs. Not yet, anyway. A faint groan came from his right and he reached out to Shiana, making out her pale face and her eyes that almost gleamed in the dull light. She was twisted awkwardly but also seemed to be in one piece.
"Answer me, Shiana. Tell me, can you move?" Scott asked. She looked at him uncertainly,
"My, my arm hurts…"
"Can you move?" he repeated.
"N, no, and my leg hurts too, Scott…" she sounded ready to cry. Scott spoke quickly,
"If it hurts then you haven't injured your back. That's something. What can you see from there?"
"There's water. Scott, what happened?"
"You called something to get rid of those rebels. Guess it worked." He cursed as he tried to free his legs and felt the weight of rock starting to increase, "I don't know if it's still there…"
"Shiggeru came to save me." Shiana said, sounding far away. Scott winced,
"Oh, that was Shiggeru. Figures. Ow…" he forced his right hand up in the cramped space to see if the watch was undamaged. Shiana murmured weakly,
"Scott, I, I can't control him…He's going to keep attacking…I can't concentrate, Scott…" Shiana's eyes closed and she fainted back into unconsciousness.
"Shiana! Dammnit!" He peered around the cave. They were both trapped under the section of the ceiling that must have fallen just before he passed out. The pool gleamed faintly beside Shiana's body, the part he could see anyway. The gap of water looked big enough for Shiana to escape into. He remembered that Fran had escaped that way, and hoped that she was all right.
As he lifted his arm and spoke into the watch, he heard a faint rumbling from outside the part where they were trapped. He was relieved that the whole cave didn't seem to have collapsed yet, but he wasn't too sure how long that would last.
"Virgil! It's Scott!" Gordon shouted excitedly. Virgil gave Troy a warning look and moved beside Gordon.
"Scott?" he could see his brother in the tiny screen looking pale and covered in sweat. It was very dark wherever he was.
"Virgil, Gordon! Listen to me; we're in deep trouble here. There's been an accident. You've got to try and find where we've been trapped."
"Are you all right, Scott?" Virgil asked.
"Just get your butt over here, Virg. I'm stuck under some rock and Shiana's in a bad way. I think you can reach us if you can find an underwater tunnel, or a membrane-covered cave entrance. But there isn't much time."
"We're gonna need Stingray." Virgil said.
"There's more. We were being attacked when the Empress called up a big old sea-monster. That's pretty much what brought the house down. And I think it's still out there. You'd better be careful. Now can you track the signal okay?"
"Gordon, get John on the radio." Virgil said. Gordon gave the watch to Virgil and headed to the WASP quarters with Phones in tow. Helena leaned forwards on the table where she was sitting, her eyes watching Virgil curiously. Troy spoke to her,
"Listen, I didn't mean what I said, okay?"
"I think you should just say nothing from now on, Captain. Virgil's going to need help to rescue Scott. Maybe you could start proving your other reputation now."
"We have to see Hermes and get back to Stingray." Virgil said suddenly. The other two looked up and Troy got to his feet.
"What are we waiting for?" he exclaimed.
Scott filled them in on the rest of his predicament. The rock kept shaking, and he could imagine the creature outside clinging tightly to the outside of their shelter, its long tentacles drumming on the rocky exterior.
"We'll be on our way as soon as we can get to Stingray. Then we should be able to find that tunnel you were talking about." Virgil said.
"I sure hope so, Virg. That brute's huge, and until the Empress comes around I don't think it's gonna move away."
"How is she?" Virgil asked.
"I don't know, Virg. I can't get to her! Hey, maybe you should get Thunderbird Four down here as well…"
"Dad knows by now, so he'll get Alan to fly her over. Just sit tight, and sing out if there are any changes."
"Don't worry about that!" Scott tried to grin. Virgil turned away, nodded to someone off-screen, and said,
"I've gotta go, Scott. We're trying to reach Hermes so that we can get our diving suits back and reach Stingray. You need to conserve battery power on that thing, anyway."
"Guess so. "
"F-A-B." Virgil switched off, and Scott clenched his teeth, trying to free himself and get closer to the unconscious Shiana.
Hermes burst into the room looking furious. He rounded on Virgil, gripping the pilot's shoulders, and demanded,
"What do I hear? Shiggeru unleashed and the Empress is about to die?"
"The Empress called this thing. They were being attacked by rebels who were about to kill Scott." Virgil freed himself from the other man's grasp and folded his arms.
"And he has condemned her to death!" Hermes blustered.
"Oh, rot." Helena took charge, stepping between Virgil and Hermes. She said, "The Empress was hurt and the creature continued its attack, driving away the rebels, but it is still trying to break into the cave. The Empress will be crushed, and so will Scott, unless we can get Stingray there in time and get them out." Helena paused and Hermes put a hand to his head, looking older than they remembered and worried beyond belief. Helena nearly caught herself feeling sorry for him. Hermes looked up, his face hardening.
"So, you believe only you can save us…"
"There's no time for this, Hermes. Now are you going to accept our help or not? Do you want the Empress to die?" Helena had struck a nerve. Hermes glared,
"First show me how you know all this!"
Virgil showed him the watch with Scott's picture on it, and Hermes examined it and frowned until he was satisfied that Scott had told him everything. He handed it back to Virgil.
"Of course I don't want her dead! If she hadn't been trying to save that stupid brother of yours…!"
"Then let us go and get them out." Helena said, hastily. Hermes paused again, then nodded, finally.
"I had Barronnell look after your diving suits. I'll have them brought here at once, then you will be taken to Stingray."
"Thank you." Helena said. Hermes left the room without answering. Helena put a hand on Virgil's shoulder, and Virgil lifted the watch,
"We're on our way, Scott."
Scott waited in the cramped space, hating that there was nothing at all that he could do. It was touch and go that there was even a way into the cave, let alone a way out again. His legs were jammed fast under the rock and he still wondered how he had avoided death that way. The coolness of the air raised goose bumps on his arm. He heard the water rushing around outside. The water bubbled beside Shiana, and he tensed. Then a small face peeped up out of the water. He grinned,
"Fran!" she rushed out and hugged him, and he said, "I thought I told you to get away through the tunnel."
"It was blocked, Scott. And, Shiggeru's outside and he'll kill us!" She said tearfully. Scott tried not to groan out loud. He called Virgil to let him know.
Virgil, Gordon and the two WASPs climbed quickly back into their diving suits and hurried to the nearest point from where they could reach Stingray. Virgil walked quickly with Helena beside him and Hermes leading the way. When they reached the area, they prepared to leave for Stingray. Marina and Hermes went through and the others prepared their masks and breathing gear. Troy went through, and then Phones.
"Come on, Virgil!" Gordon said, diving through the membrane. Hermes looked at the pilot from outside the membrane, and in the exit room Helena reached up and kissed him.
"Good luck, love…" she whispered. Virgil embraced her and kissed her back before turning and putting his mask on, diving out through as well. He quickly joined the others and Helena watched them all disappear into the darkness. She turned away, and saw Barronnell leaving the room. She frowned.
Scott had tried to make Fran go back into the water but the little girl was unwilling to leave them, and she pointed out that she couldn't get out, anyway. Scott had not heard Shiggeru make any more noise in the last hour or so, and he had drifted slowly into a doze that was punctuated only by the soft breathing of the two girls, and the lapping water. He was woken by the sound of rumbling, and then his watch buzzed. He moved his arm stiffly and said,
"What's up?"
"Nearly there, Scott. Hermes is with us, too. We've traced your signal to…" Virgil's voice trailed. Scott frowned.
"What is it?"
"It's…" Virgil couldn't finish. Scott went cold. Virgil never cut off like that, ever, and he had to wait another minute for his brother to reply. Virgil finally said, "There's some sort of squid right on top of where you're trapped."
"I told you…"
"It's huge, Scott! I mean big! Empire State, Thunderbird Three huge!" the panic in Virgil's voice was quickly controlled, but Scott was frozen by it. Scott asked, tightly,
"Can you see the membrane entrance?"
"Not sure yet." Virgil spoke off-camera to someone, and then he said, "We'll have to bring Stingray in closer. We're coming up with a plan. How are you trapped?"
"I'm stuck under a rock. Just my legs, I don't think they're broken, but I don't like the sound of that rumbling."
"Must be the beast. It's started moving again." Virgil talked to some one else again, and then he said, "We're going to try something. Stand by."
"F-A-B."
Helena waited in the exit room until Hermes returned from taking them to Stingray. Hermes looked worried, and she felt grimly satisfied. See how you like it, she thought.
"Where is that radio?" he demanded.
"Back in our quarters. We should go there and use it." Helena said. They walked back to the room, and as they did, Helena commented, "I noticed our tailor taking an interest in our plans, and following us there. Is that normal?"
"Barronnell?" Hermes looked at her as if she were crazy, "Of course he shouldn't have been there."
"Oh." She said innocently. They rounded a curving corner, a thick black eel passed above them. She glanced behind her, and was sure that she saw someone duck back around the bend. Hermes stopped. He followed her gaze.
"What are you implying, Ambassador?"
"That he might be more interested than he ought to be."
"Really." Hermes frowned. They both stepped closer. Helena dived forwards and yanked forwards a small struggling man, whom she lifted easily and shoved before Hermes. The older man gripped him by the collar.
"And what are you doing here, my little friend?"
"Who are you talking to, Scott?" Shiana murmured softly.
"My brother, honey. He's going to get us out of here."
"But how…you had a radio…" Shiana closed her eyes again even as the cave shook. Scott shouted in alarm,
"Hey!"
"It's working. The thing's noticed us." Virgil cried. Scott grinned.
"Good!"
"I'm handing the watch over to Gordon. He can't swim for long enough because of his back, so I'm gonna go with Troy and we're gonna find a way to get you out. Stand by."
"F-A-B."
"I still don't like this. I should be on board when Stingray attacks that thing." Troy said as he and Virgil and strapped on the fresh air tanks inside Stingray,
"Don't worry, Skipper." Phones said.
"Yeah, Troy, between us we'll handle Stingray…" Gordon grinned at Phones. Troy looked puzzled. Virgil finished fixing the tanks and checked them over, he said,
"Now remember, Gordon, we can't do anything unless you distract Shiggeru. We'll get in there and get Scott out. Be ready to pick us up." Marina walked to Troy, clearly ready to join them.
"No, Marina, you have to stay here. It's too dangerous." Troy said. She looked annoyed but Gordon said,
"We'll need you here, Marina." She looked silently at the aquanaut, and then she shook her head insistently.
"Troy's right, Marina." Virgil said. She shook her head again. "I'm sorry but we don't have time to argue." Virgil said bluntly, and Troy said,
"Er, yeah. You'll be safer here." They both headed for the airlock, with Marina staring sadly after them.
Troy and Virgil swam out of the airlock, and Virgil switched on his radio.
"Can you hear us, Phones?" He asked.
"Loud and clear, Cap'n."
"Hey, I'm the Captain around here." Troy said in an aggravated voice. Virgil was in no mood for Tempest's griping.
"Leave it, Tempest. Can you hear us, Gordon? How's Scott?"
"We can find his signal okay, Virgil. According to John, he's stuck about sixty feet away from you, inside the cave system. But Scott's just told me that the water's flooding in now. He thinks there may be a breach in the membrane itself."
"Then we need to locate that membrane fast." Virgil said, "You drive the beast away and we'll swim round and find it."
"Yeah, fire sting missiles!" Troy said. Gordon paused, then he said,
"We're going to try an attack. Get undercover."
"F-A-B." Troy and Virgil swam quickly to some cover and the super-sub whisked past in a flurry of bubbles.
"I hope that little brother of yours knows what he's doing, Tracy." Troy said darkly. Virgil peered over the side of the rock wall. He didn't answer, his eyes transfixed by the huge, squid-like creature. It was moving uneasily as Stingray drew closer like an underwater plane buzzing a monster. There was a flash and two missiles detonated next to it. The creature whipped out with its tentacles, heading straight for Stingray. Virgil shouted out, and Tempest too, but the submarine deftly out-ran the deadly suckers and skimmed out of reach. The beast had turned to watch it closely with its one enormous eye, which was easily the size of Thunderbird Four. Stingray swerved around again and brought Stingray in to fire another salvo of missiles. They didn't appear to harm the beast at all, but at this second affront the squid detached from the rock it had clasped to, and in a rapid puff it had nearly reached Stingray. The sub sped clear just in time.
"Now, Troy!" Virgil cried. They swam quickly and in a few minutes they were next to the section where Scott was trapped. Virgil spoke into the mike, "Gordon? Where is he now?"
"Hold it, Virg, just gotta shake off this baby!" the squid had gone after Stingray and they could barely see it. A few minutes later, Gordon spoke again,
"I think that we've got it clear, we're going to hide for a second. John says that Scott should be immediately next to you, thirty degrees across from your current position.
"So the cave entrance must be pretty close, huh?" Troy said. Virgil agreed,
"Must be around here somewhere. Keep your eyes peeled."
"Don't sweat it, Tracy." Troy's laconic tones answered. They swam along the rock wall, searching. They were just getting worried, when Troy gave a shout. "There it is!" along the where the beast had been there was a gap covered by a strip of the translucent, rubbery shield.
"Give me another check on Scott's position, Gordon."
"Check. He's twenty feet away."
"It's gotta be that cave. Thanks, Gordon. Tell Scott we're close by."
"F-A-B."
"Ready, Tracy?" Tempest swam closer and Virgil followed. They drew up to the surface of the membrane, which was about the span of three men across. The very edge of it, where it was fixed to the rock wall, was flapping a little in the current.
"Scott was right. It looks damaged." Virgil murmured. He glanced at Tempest, "But should we risk pushing through it?"
"Well, there isn't any other way…" Tempest said. Virgil pushed experimentally against the jelly-like covering. It gave way, and the tear at the side seemed to be holding. Virgil met Tempest's eye, and they were decided.
"Now or never." Virgil muttered. He and Troy carefully pushed through it one at a time, and emerged on the other side into a dark, rock-filled cave. Water was sloshing onto the floor.
"Scott?" Virgil took off the mask and shouted. His voice echoed dully. As he shuffled forwards, the end of his flipper nudged a figure on the floor. A woman looked up at him. She was trapped under a large rock, and grabbed his leg.
"Help me." She pleaded. Virgil stooped and looked up at Troy. They both worked to lift the rock from her body, then they released her, and as the woman leaned on Virgil's shoulder he could tell that she was hurt.
"She needs help." Virgil said, "But we have to find Scott too and get out of here. We need to know exactly where he is."
"Virgil!" Gordon shouted excitedly over the mike in Virgil's air mask, "Scott says that he can hear you! And John says that he's really close, too!"
"Take care of her. I'm going to find him." Virgil said gruffly. He passed the woman to Troy and stomped over to the pool. Across half of it was a slightly curved piece of rock, about six metres square. He splashed around to the pool itself.
"Scott!" he shouted again. "Scott can you hear me! Answer me!" he frowned, thinking he heard a voice, and something flickered rapidly in the water. He saw it move towards him, and then it leaped out. It was a little girl, very bedraggled, with huge eyes and a cut lip. She said in a surprisingly calm voice,
"You're looking for Scott?"
"That's right. Who are you?"
"Scott's under there, and so is, is Penny…" The little girl chewed her bloodied lip and frowned thoughtfully. Virgil didn't notice, and said to her eagerly,
"Show me where."
Troy tended to the woman who wasn't as badly hurt as she first appeared. She asked him,
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, we're here to rescue a man who got himself stuck down here, and your Empress. How do you feel now?" Troy grinned. The woman was attractive in a stern sort of way, he thought. The woman smiled with interest.
"I feel much better now, thank you. Where is he now?"
"His brother's gone to rescue him from under that rock."
"You mean he is still alive?" she asked, looking surprised. Troy nodded,
"That's right. We should have him out in a couple of…"
"And the Empress? She is alive as well?"
"I, I think so. Hey, why were you here, anyway…ow!" the woman shoved Troy backwards and limped quickly to the membrane, leaping out through it. Troy groaned. He spoke into his mike, "Tracy, better hurry it up. That woman was a rebel and she's just escaped!"
Virgil swam into the pool following Fran. The water was cloudy with dust from the fallen rocks, but he managed to see her well enough and they emerged within a couple of minutes in a small gap in part of the pool's surface that had been covered by a large slab of rock. Water was rising all around him; he shone a light-bar into the cramped space.
"Scott!" Virgil splashed forwards quickly and Scott grinned blearily at him. He looked bruised, and one of his eyes was bloodshot.
"Hey, Virg…" he grunted. "She's hurt…" Virgil then noticed Shiana lying unconscious on the floor near the entrance. He checked her over quickly,
"The Empress is all right, Scott. But she's gonna need medical attention; she's busted her arm up pretty bad. I'll call Troy over."
"Tracy, better hurry it up. That woman was a rebel and she's just escaped!" Troy told him over the mike. Virgil scowled,
"Great work, Troy. Get in here and help me to get the Empress clear. She's wounded."
"What about your brother?"
"He's trapped fast by the rock. We may need extra equipment to get him out." Virgil turned to Scott, "How do you feel?"
"I hate being rescued on an empty stomach." Scott said, grinning despite his discomfort. He moved his arms to adjust his position, "I think I've broken my wrist…"
"That's the Empress?" Fran said suddenly. Scott nodded,
"That's right, honey. She's the Empress. I'm sorry we had to lie to you." He looked genuinely sorry and Fran nodded, her waif-like features looking thoughtful as she considered this news.
"Could you go and get the other guy out there for me?" Virgil asked, unstrapping the first aid kit from the pack of equipment he had brought from Stingray. Fran nodded again and ducked back into the water. Virgil stooped to the Empress and started to do what he could for her.
"Where's Shiggeru?" Scott inquired.
"Oh, Gordon's keeping it busy. Let's hope we can get out of here before it comes back! It's like something from a Japanese horror movie."
"Shiana seems to have a link with it. She called it here with her voice."
"Yeah, you said. You think it's some sort of telepathic link?" Virgil asked. Scott seemed brighter already, his brother's presence lifting his mood.
"Maybe. When she was knocked out it went nuts. She wasn't kidding that she was well protected. But she used some sort of high-frequency voice control on it first…"
"Hey there!" Troy climbed out, and lifted his breath mask, "So, you're in a mess, huh?" Virgil looked at Scott who just laughed.
"Guess so, Tempest, any suggestions…?"
"Messing with an underwater princess is never worth it in my book." Tempest said. Virgil shook his head,
"Better not let Marina hear you say that." Scott chuckled. Troy actually laughed too and then he and Virgil worked to get the Empress out of the cave.
"Gordon, are you around?" Virgil asked.
"Ready. The monster's gone, so we'll mosey on back and pick her up."
"F-A-B." Virgil nodded to Troy and they took the faintly moaning Shiana out through the gap that led to the water. "See you in a minute, Scott. We're gonna try and get you out when Thunderbird Four gets here."
"Thanks." Scott murmured. He watched them vanish back into the dark water. Virgil had left his light-bar in the cave, which simply made it easier for Scott to see the water slowly rising up and over the rocky bank of the pool, and fill the narrow space where he was trapped.
They pulled Shiana gently through the cave entrance, Fran came with them at Scott's insistence, and Troy called Stingray,
"Where are you now, Phones?"
"Two minutes away, Skipper." Phones answered. "And Gordon says that Thunderbird Two should be overhead in about three minutes with Thunderbird Four."
"Hear that?" Troy said. Virgil answered,
"It's great news all right. Let's hope nothing else goes wrong. We've got to shift that rock before that cave fills with water." He looked at the membrane. More of it was starting to go, allowing yet more seawater to flow into the cave.
"He'll be okay, Virgil." Troy said.
Scott caught himself drifting off as his arms became wet again. The battering he'd endured over the last few hours was taking its toll, and his legs had started to go numb. He lifted his watch, fighting a strange fog that threatened to fill his vision.
"Gordon, how long will this take?"
"Scott! Er, Alan's just arrived with Thunderbird Four. TinTin's going to pilot it down here. It's got the rescue equipment and the extra air in it, we'll have you out of there in no time!"
"Thanks, Gordon. I just keep…" Scott blinked. The water rushed insistently past his eyes, he realised that it had risen nearly a foot since he'd come round again. "Hurry, I think…I'm gonna…"
"Scott! You have to stay awake! Scott!" Gordon yelled.
Virgil had heard the end of the conversation as he helped The Empress in the small sickbay on Stingray. He ran into the bridge, followed by Fran, leaving her with Marina.
"Scott?"
"He fell unconscious." Gordon said, "I can't raise him."
"Gordon, TinTin says she's here now." Phones told them. Virgil turned round quickly and headed back to the airlock,
"I'll go and meet her. We have to get that rock moved fast. Come on, Troy."
"Thinks it up all by himself, don't he." Troy muttered as Virgil left. Virgil heard Gordon call back.
"Just don't mess up the rescue, Troy." Troy ran off the bridge.
"Humph!"
Scott coughed on the salt water. Salt water? He had a sudden sense of déjà vu, and groaned. This wasn't good at all. He lifted his arm, and shook it. The watch was only just working; he spoke into it and got a fuzzy picture of TinTin. He frowned, his tired mind was unable to make sense of her appearance and he shut his eyes again.
"Any contact with him, TinTin?" Virgil asked. She was still in Thunderbird Four. The return to familiar systems was already easing a nagging migraine. As Virgil and Troy swam back to the cave mouth, TinTin replied, sounding worried.
"He came around for a moment, Virgil. But then he passed out again, and he's nearly underwater!"
Virgil charged into the cave. He carried the spare air tanks and part of a special lifting unit that TinTin had brought with her. Troy carried the other part. They splashed through the now waterlogged cave and he followed Virgil's instructions on how to set up the unit on the rock where Scott was trapped. Then Virgil swam quickly to where Scott was, ready to give his brother oxygen and to guide Troy on lifting the rock. He found the entrance and swam up.
Scott murmured. He was trying to avoid the gull, which was battering at his head with its wet wings, slapping at his face. He couldn't get it away from it; then he felt it peck at his face. The tentacles of scarlet water were pulling him under now, away from the gull, and he pulled uselessly against it. Something closed over his mouth and he fought it, opening his eyes to see what it was…He inhaled in shock. A figure in a black mask was looking at him from a pair of worried brown eyes, and he was forcing something over his face…a hoarse sound filled his ears. Scott realised it was his own breathing.
"…'Sy Scott, you're gonna be okay now. Can you hear me?" The voice was deep and familiar. Scott blinked. He gripped the arm of the person in front of him with the hand that didn't hurt. The person seemed to smile at him through the large clear mask in the suit. "You gave me quite a scare, Scott."
"Liar." Scott rasped. Virgil put a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder, and crouched by him in the deep water.
"Listen, Scott, Troy's out in the cave with the lifting gear. We're going to get that rock off your legs. Are you sure nothing's broken?"
"I was sure, but now anything's possible. I can't feel 'em at all now…" Scott tried not to wince. Virgil spoke to Troy.
"You get that?"
"Yeah, Tracy." Troy answered, "It's all set up now."
"Okay. Stand by to activate the lift."
"Okay." Virgil gripped Scott's hands tightly; his brother was suspended by the water from just above his knees. "Scott, I'm gonna haul you clear the second there's enough room."
"Good." Scott grinned, "Try not to break my other hand, though, won't you."
"We'll try not to break your legs, too." Virgil answered, "Ready, Troy?"
"Sure, Tracy."
"Start lifting – now!"
Helena and Hermes had both questioned the little tailor and decided that he could be allowed to go free this time. Barronnell scurried away and Helena folded her arms.
"Why have we let him go?"
"I'm having him followed, my dear. He should go and report the operation to his little friends at any time, and he will lead us to them."
"Good. Well, I'm going to go and listen to the rescue. I hope they're okay. At least they don't have to worry about rebels, now."
Outside in Stingray and Thunderbird Four, the aquanauts were waiting anxiously. TinTin sat in the cabin, listening intently to Troy and Virgil as they carefully inched Scott to safety. She saw that the membrane was steadily tearing away. Their constant use of it was starting to tell. Just then, Gordon gave a shout,
"Shiggeru's back!" he cried. "It looks mad!" Virgil wondered briefly what a mad squid looked like.
"It must be after the Empress. Get out of there, Gordon! Try and draw it away." Scott said. Scott was recovering, Virgil noted with amusement, as his older brother took charge again almost without meaning to.
"But how will we get you…?"
"Don't argue, Gordon, just beat it!" Scott shouted.
"F-A-B." Gordon answered. Stingray left the area quickly, and fired at the beast. Enraged, it chased after them, leaving Thunderbird Four waiting near the cave mouth.
Virgil pulled Scott gradually away from under the rock as it started to ease its hold. Scott grit his teeth, determined not to complain as the feeling returned grudgingly to his numbed legs, and he said,
"Well, at least nothing else can go wrong…"
"We're in trouble, Virgil!" TinTin's voice cried over the radio, "There are people heading for you and they're armed!"
"Oh, perfect." Virgil muttered, "Don't panic. Sit tight. TinTin?"
"Yes, Virgil?" she sounded on the edge of panic. Virgil said,
"Can't you ram them? Try to scare them away with Thunderbird Four."
"I think they're too close to the rocks!" TinTin cried. Virgil looked at Scott, and Scott yelled,
"Get me out of here!"
"Is he free yet?" Troy demanded. Scott and Virgil both answered,
"Nearly…"
"Two more inches." Virgil added. The rock edged upwards, and finally, as the cave finished filling with water, Scott was free.
"We've done it!" Virgil cried.
"They're outside!" Troy yelled.
"TinTin, when I give the word I want you to fire as close to them as you can." Scott ordered grimly. Virgil looked at him, and Scott grimaced, "It's the only way we've got any chance…"
"Can you move?"
"I'll try." With that, Scott started to swim towards the way out, but his legs were clearly too numbed to move him very fast. Virgil dived after him; they both forced their way through the gap and out into the pool.
"Get ready to fire, TinTin." Scott said.
"Ready, Scott." She answered. They emerged into the soaking cave. Scott staggered, and Virgil supported him. They met Troy,
"They're nearly here!"
"Get to the exit." Scott grunted. Virgil helped him around the rocks and they half swam, half stumbled through the rising water. Rebels were waiting outside the gooey membrane. Virgil saw that it was about to give way. He nodded. No more time.
"Fire!" Scott barked.
Helena was listening in growing horror. She heard Scott shout the order to fire, and then there was silence. Virgil was still in the cave. What if TinTin hit the membrane? What if it destroyed the cave? She hugged herself tightly, and listened closely to their voices.
"Come on, Virgil…" she breathed. Hermes muttered,
"But what about the Empress?"
TinTin watched the missiles shoot through the dark water and explode a few feet from the nearest group of rebels. She'd angled them so that they exploded as a warning, just beyond the rebels and the cave. The rebels darted away from the cave exit and she shouted excitedly,
"I've done it, Scott! Come over now!"
"Well done, TinTin!" Scott cried.
"What are we waiting for!" Virgil said, "Let's get the heck out of here!"
The trio pushed their way through the membrane and were finally all clear of the cave. Scott and Virgil swam with Troy just ahead, Virgil pulling Scott with him, Scott using only his arms as they pushed through the water. As they left the entrance and swam into the darkness beyond, more rebels swooped in on them. Virgil forced his body to work harder; he could see the lights of Thunderbird Four ahead.
"We can make it! We don't have much further!" he encouraged Scott, who had managed to kick his legs at last, but he knew it would all be too late. The rebels were swimming far too quickly and at any second they would be upon them.
"No…" TinTin murmured. There was no question of simply firing now that the three of them were outside the tunnel; there was too little room and no time. No time…
"Virgil!" she cried out. Just then several rebels approached Thunderbird Four and started to attack the glass screen of the cabin. "Virgil, keep away! They're on the hull!"
Gordon wiped sweat from his brow as it poured down his back and neck. He and Phones were working hard but the creature was tireless. Stingray was fast, but the creature was much faster. It seemed to catch them, and they thought they were racing away when Stingray's turbines stopped altogether.
"It's got us!" Gordon cried, "Now what do we do?"
In the medical bay on Stingray, Shiana heard a voice speak softly in her mind. She blinked as the voice said,
"Wake up. Scott is in danger."
"Scott…?" Shiana sat up and saw the solemn girl looking at her silently. "Did you say…who are you?" when the girl didn't answer, Shiana opened her mouth to demand what she meant, and then Fran jumped up and down beside her.
"Shiggeru's going to kill us!" she cried to Shiana. Shiana stumbled out of the medical room and tottered towards the bridge, being led by Fran. Smiling now, Marina got up and followed. Shiana entered the bridge, but Phones and Gordon were far too busy battling the massive sea monster to notice her. Marina ran in front of her and switched on the exterior speakers.
Scott exchanged helpless glances with Virgil and Troy cursed. They were surrounded.
"I've got an idea." Troy said. He pulled a device strapped to the belt of his diving suit and held it out. "Virgil, you've got one too…"
"This is never gonna work." Virgil muttered. He found one all the same. "This thing is only any use against sharks."
"Nothing to lose, Virg!" Scott said. He found a similar device and the three men held them out as the rebels reached them.
"Now!" Troy cried. They fired the devices three ways and the nearest eight rebels all reeled at the shark repellent.
"Hah! Taste Terran electricity pulse ya rebel creeps!" Troy shouted. Scott and Virgil turned their heads to stare at him and Troy said, "What?"
"Look, there's more of them!" Scott shouted. He could feel his strength going, the panic keeping him alert, but his body had had enough. TinTin was shouting something in his ear, something about more rebels attacking her, which didn't surprise him one bit. The device drifted from his hands, he blinked unsteadily. Virgil fired the device again. Illuminated by Thunderbird Four's powerful beam, it was easy to see the dark shapes of more sea people all-eager to destroy the Empress or any other Terrans who were in the way. Virgil swallowed, feeling fear against his stomach wall. He kept firing the device, and so did Troy. Then Scott gasped in surprise.
"What the…" Someone was fighting their way through the rebel ranks and reached them in the red-tentacled water. "Lageau!" he shouted. There was no time to give thanks that the man was alive. Instead they shielded each other, but even then more rebels were appearing. As Lageau fought bravely to protect Scott from a concerted attack, led by the woman from the caves, another rebel woman dove at Virgil with a pike, and left a trail of blood in the bright water.
Helena had heard Virgil's surprised yell over the radio, then Scott's furious voice and Troy swearing. She picked up the radio and cried into it, "Virgil! Are you okay?" Hermes started pacing the floor, arms behind his back and shaking his head. Then they were all deafened by an almighty scream.
Virgil was vaguely aware of Scott shouting something but it all seemed quite distant and sound echoed hollowly. Just then, he heard a voice that brought him back to Scott's face and he smiled. He murmured, "Helena…" The rebels were all over them. Lageau was trying but even he couldn't keep them away now. Then a terrible scream sent them all reeling. Scott and the others floated unconscious in the bloody water, and the rebels were stunned.
Shiana stood on the bridge, and her voice became a more gentle pitch. Gordon and Phones recovered from their initial shock and stared at her.
"You…you…"
"Where is Scott?" Shiana demanded between her connections with the sea monster. "We must help him."
"Back at the cave…" Phones said, scratching his head. The Empress let out another ear-splitting wail, and the beast around them released Stingray.
"Go there!" she said softly. Gordon looked at Phones, who nodded, and they both turned to the ocean and pushed Stingray quickly back to where Scott had been rescued.
Lageau recovered in time to see the other three men hanging barely conscious in the water. The rebels were also recovering and were about to move in again. Lageau prepared himself to fight to the death, when a huge shadow fell across the bright light, and weaved swiftly towards the first wave of rebels. Fear mixed with wonder, he breathed,
"Shiggeru…" The rebels scattered in terror. Then the others woke, looking dazed. They spotted the beast as well. Scott grabbed the bleeding man and he was shouting something. Then another larger craft closed in, slipping past the thick tentacles and approaching quickly. In behind the glass were two men and the slight figure of the Empress who was smiling broadly. Scott and the other man swam quickly towards it with the injured one between them and Lageau followed. As all four of them piled quickly into the airlock, the woman from before was suddenly next to them, and Scott saw her. As the hatch closed after them Scott hit her before she could react, and she fell out cold to the floor. Then there was silence.
Scott ignored the unconscious body of the rebel woman and stooped to Virgil's side. The woman's pike had gone through his shoulder, stopped a little by the material of his wetsuit. Virgil had gone deathly cold and his eyes were closed. Troy swore again and helped Scott to get his brother out of the airlock and into the small medical bay.
"Virgil, you're gonna be okay, answer me, Virgil…" Scott was muttering, as between them they got his brother onto the bed and took off the wetsuit. Troy winced. Virgil's shoulder was dripping thick red, and the puncture showed white bone. Scott felt a wave of dizziness overcome him and leaned on the bed with his good arm. Troy quickly wrapped a compress around Virgil's shoulder, while the pilot's blood covered his hands. Virgil murmured,
"Helena…? Stay…Helena…" Stingray was moving, and Scott lurched on one side. He grimaced,
"Where's Shiana?" as if in answer the door opened and Marina and Shiana came through. Shiana hugged him tightly and he hugged her back, kissing the top of her head. She blinked up at him through tear-filled eyes.
"You…" before she could finish her strength gave out and she slumped against him. Scott gently lifted her onto the other spare bed in the medical room and covered her with a blanket. Lageau had been watching all this quietly until Scott swayed again and the soldier took his arm firmly and made him sit down. Scott allowed himself a moment to relax, but worry kept him awake and looking at Virgil as the others took care of him.
*
Helena was waiting by the entrance when Stingray and Thunderbird Four slid in under a membrane gap in the floor. Hermes was on the radio instructing them where to rise, and they did, through a membrane-covered floor section in the hall. She ran over as the crew of both craft climbed out.
Lageau appeared first with the Empress carried easily in his arms. Scott followed, and he looked slightly odd, pale and bruised all over, and there was something wrong with his arm. As he shuffled from the hatch at the top of Stingray he caught Helena's eye and managed a smile. Several servants and doctors raced over and took the Empress from Lageau as Scott turned to her. She gripped his arm, he looked at her with his water-blue eyes and he said, "Helena, huh? Virgil was asking for you…"
"Oh, Scott is he…is Virgil…" she was furious at her own fear, at the inability she suddenly had to ask about someone she cared so much for. Virgil's dark-haired brother shook his head, seeming to gather his strength,
"He'll live." He told her. Helena smiled tightly, and then Scott was led away by their medical people. Troy and Phones came out of the hatch next, carrying a deeply unconscious Virgil between them. Helena saw the bloody wound on his shoulder where the top of his wetsuit had been peeled away to reveal a hastily bandaged wound. She rushed to his side,
"The rebels did this?"
"Yeah. The one who did it tried to get Scott too, but she failed. She's tied up in there now." Troy motioned with his head, then tried to look reassuring, "Virgil's going to be okay, Ambassador."
"Good." Helena said with considerable feeling. Then Troy and Phones handed Virgil over to the doctors, and Marina walked past her. Helena was about to go with them when Hermes caught her,
"They have one of them aboard. A leader. We must question her." He smiled, and looked smugly triumphant, "Thanks to the Consort we shall uncover the real traitors in this Council."
"I'm glad to hear it." She said impatiently. "Now, if you don't mind…"
"Oh, of course, er, yes...run along…" Hermes said absently. His eyes lit up as the rebel woman was pulled from inside Stingray. Helena felt giddy with joy; she forgot about Hermes and ran after the doctors who had taken Virgil. They were all safe. Everything would be all right now.
*
Barronnell waited until the couple were caught up in each other again, and sneaked away from behind the rock that he had used as cover since Virgil Tracy had crept out to the dell over an hour ago. He padded quickly past the guards who ignored him. After all, what could the court tailor ever do that would concern them? Barronnell smirked to himself as he went down the corridor to the secondary visitor's quarters. He reached one of the doors from the area where council guests were stationed, and rang a bell outside. The door opened. A man with all-black eyes and thin lips stood in the doorway, and asked in an irritable voice,
"What do you want, at this time of night?"
"Let me come in, Councillor." Barronnell shifted his eyes nervously, "I have important information." The man sighed and opened he door wider. He ushered Barronnell through quickly and closed the door quietly.
The man gestured for the tailor to sit down on one of the lower seats while he sat behind a large desk made of whalebone. He narrowed his black eyes and peered over steepled fingers.
"We do not enjoy having our time wasted. What is your name?"
"I, I am the court tailor, Barronnell. I know of your group's intentions, and I have information that can help the rebels." The tailor felt a twinge of worry before the man opposite nodded thoughtfully. He replied in an eager voice,
"Tell me what you have learned, quickly."
"I, I have been t, trying to find the true location of the Empress. She is not in hiding anywhere in the palace, and I of all people would know where she would be. She relies on me, you see…" Barronnell speeded up, unaware of his own arrogance, scared by the expression on the face of the thin-faced man. "…I happened to overhear the Ambassador with the Consort's brother. She told him that Hermes told her that the Empress is in the Eerie Caverns, with only one guard and her Terran Consort to protect her."
Barronnell waited nervously. The man said nothing for a moment; he just stared at Barronnell with his coal-eyes, as if trying to see through him. Then his lined face seemed to light up, and the look of scrutiny lifted. The man stood and leaned across the desk towards the tailor. He said, almost laughing,
"Do you make a habit of listening in on lovers?"
"O, only when they have i, information…" Barronnell stammered. The man did laugh then, and said mockingly,
"And what do you wish in return for all this hard work you have done?"
"I only want the Empress captured, so that the Prince c, can help us, as he promised…"
"Ah, yes. The Empress is missing, but no one outside the Palace knows at all.Not even the Councillors like me." The man sat back, "I hope that this information is correct, little tailor, or our friends will not allow you to continue, er…breathing"
"It is true. I heard it from her lips. She would not lie to him."
"But she may keep more from him that she could say later. I want you to keep an eye on her as we have monitored Hermes." The man shook his head as Barronnell started to protest. "I do not have to tell you keep this to yourself, but if anyone hears of this before we have the Empress in our hands, you will suffer."
"What about the Consort?"
"He is only a Terran. I am sure that we have no need for him, and with Hermes' betrayal exposed and the Empress in our hands, we will be able to eliminate him as soon as possible." He caught Barronnell's expression, "Why, is there a problem?"
"No. No, I hate him. I am g, glad to hear it." Barronnell grinned broadly and the man nodded, waving a hand at him,
"Then leave, tailor, before anyone else sees you here. Unless you have more information I do not wish to hear from you at all. Go away, now."
"Yes, r, right away." Barronnell stumbled to his feet and headed for the door. He banged into a vase on the way out and scrambled out through the door. The man chuckled. Soon, the Empress would be dead!
Scott woke feeling hungry and bruised. A warm body moved beside him. Shiana was huddled tightly into his side, and Scott tenderly brushed her face as it twitched at a bad dream. Beside her the little girl was sleeping even more quietly, and Scott gradually remembered the events of the previous night. His mind was still dulled by a drug that had been given to all of them to help them sleep. His eyes traced the dark cave. They had returned there, bloodied and staggering, shock taking hold of them. There was Lageau, his wound treated, and still asleep after blaming himself terribly for his sister's death. Shiana had been amazing, helping to care for little Fran who had finally gone to sleep sometime into the early hours. She had a steely side behind all the pouting and whining. The people with them in the cave had worked wonders, and Scott was not sure how long they had been sleeping here since then. The rocks in his back made him shift and Shiana murmured,
"Scott?"
"It's okay, Shiana." Scott said quietly. She huddled in more tightly and he smiled, putting his free arm around her. "We're all okay now."
"I want to go home." She said, not whining or snivelling, but looking him evenly in the eye. "I want to take Fran with us."
"That's a great idea." Scott smiled. They were not the only ones awake. Scott and Shiana fell silent as they heard two others talking in the tired silence of the cave, whispering although their voices carried faintly in the damp air.
"The Empress let this happen."
"Finn would still be with us if she had married the Prince sooner…"
"But she won't, will she"
"Because she's a spoilt little brat…"
"And we'll all be killed or starve. I want to join the rebels…"
"Yes, I heard that they would kill the Empress if they had the chance…"
"I heard that she was going to be married…"
"Not to the Prince…"
"No, just to some pretty boy who she found…"
The voices belonged to a man whom Scott had noticed hanging around with the late Finn, and to an older woman, who were lying at the edge of the little group. Scott sleepily noticed that the group was now only seven, not counting himself and Shiana. Lageau snored from his place near the glowing sphere. Shiana had heard everything and frowned, puzzled.
"Don't they understand?" she whispered to Scott. Scott winced. He just said,
"They miss Finn as well. Like Fran will when she wakes up."
"I never knew…that it was so dangerous…" Shiana rested her head in the crook of his neck, he inhaled the taste of her odd-scented hair, and she hugged Fran to her with one fragile arm while looking thoughtfully at nothing. Scott shut his eyes again, trying to shut out the desire to shake her, to make her see that it was so close. It had taken poor Finn's death to achieve it, but hope surged in him that very soon he could go home. The closest he had been to it so far was in that damn nightmare. While he was thinking of home he drifted slowly back to sleep, hearing Shiana's soft breath inside his ear.
"So this is where you two have been hiding!" Virgil's eyes flickered. That voice was familiar, yet…
"Aaah!" he choked as something wet and slimy hit him in the face, and jumped to get out of bed except that he was still on the swing-seat and ended up sprawled unceremoniously onto the sandy floor. There was a squeal and something heavy, blonde and long-limbed landed on top of him. "Gordon! Come back here right now!!"
Scott's mind swam up into reality again and he groaned. Shiana had moved and his right arm was now dead. He shifted, sitting up and gently easing her off his neck, he shook his arm to get the feeling back. As he did, he glanced round and saw that the others were waking up as well, and some were even about to share out what remained of the slugs for breakfast. His stomach lurched and he smiled ruefully. The cave was almost silent except for whispers, and he gently leaned to Shiana and touched her shoulder,
"Honey, you'll miss breakfast…" a sudden jolt of warning ran down his spine. He sat up quickly. Shiana blinked,
"What is it, Scott…?" he was glancing around for what was sending his senses reeling. Something was wrong, he could tell…at the edge of the cave there was a shadow that he didn't like. He caught Lageau's bleary eyes, then jumped to his feet and pulled the Empress after him.
"Run! We have to…" it was too late, he was nearly at one of the cave exits when…
"Stay where you are!" there was a scream. Scott heard Fran cry out beside Shiana and Lageau was there in an instant. Just then people charged into the little cave, bearing pikes. Shiana gasped and Scott tensed, checking all the exits. All of them seemed to be guarded by the intruders. The little group froze as ordered, and an armed woman stepped forwards and surveyed them commandingly. "We are sorry to disturb you, but we must search quickly. The Empress is missing from the palace following an attack from our mighty rebel forces…."
"Oh, no…" Scott looked at Lageau, but the blue-haired man was staring into space with an expression that worried Scott more. There were cheers from the group of civilians,
"The Empress was useless!"
"Good riddance!"
"Quiet!" the woman raised her pike, commanding their attention again. She continued, "We have received word from our intelligence that she is hiding in these very Caverns. She escaped with her Terran consort, just before her evil wedding was completed. Help us find her, and she will be forced to help you or die!"
Shiana whimpered. Scott swallowed hard; his mouth went dry as the whole group turned and looked at him. He thrust Shiana behind him, and to his relief Lageau came to life and also shielded her. The woman stepped towards him.
"You…" she sniffed, then smiled at him like a cat smiles at a mouse, "You are a Terran. Now how did you get here?"
"Guess I fell down a rabbit hole." Scott eyed the pike and her and she peered at Shiana,
"Whatever that is, I doubt it, my friend. Now who is the little runt hiding behind you?" she waited for him to move, and when he stayed there she pointed the blade at him and hissed, "Let me see, now!" Scott waited a few more seconds, and she prodded him in the chest with the blade. He tightened his jaw and edged slightly to one side. "That's better." The woman said. Shiana cowered and the woman cackled, "It's her! It's her!"
"Leave her alone." Scott growled. The woman laughed.
"Come here, Empress! What are you afraid of?" Lageau moved swiftly and was about to attack when a rebel with a pike moved to stab him. Scott yelled angrily,
"Don't move or they'll kill you!" Lageau met Scott's eyes, his face blank. Scott recognised the look; he'd seen it before on men during combat. Mainly on men who were about to…
"Time to leave, Shiana!" Scott gripped her arm. The woman spun, and Lageau gave a desperate yell. He snatched away the pike belonging to the nearest rebel and used it skilfully, wreaking havoc among the attackers. The rebel woman reeled and Scott, Shiana, and Fran, held in Shiana's weakening arms, ran towards the exit. The rebel woman shouted an order, running after them,
"Get after them! Get them now!"
Virgil and Helena chased after Gordon, who laughed until he skidded on a piece of torn sponge floor and fell forwards. Virgil stooped towards him and he shouted in mock fear, "Okay, okay! I surrender!"
"You're not getting off so lightly, little brother." Virgil grinned, hauling him up by his ear. Gordon looked pleadingly at Helena who was smiling widely, and Virgil looked over at the waterfall.
"Oh, come on!" Gordon struggled and Virgil dragged him over to the running water, "I didn't mean it!" Virgil stumbled and Gordon got free, and Virgil gasped as Gordon tripped him forwards. He landed headfirst in the pool. Coughing and spluttering, Virgil pulled his head out of the water. Gordon and Helena were in stitches, and Virgil glared at them both before finally laughing at himself too.
"Come and have breakfast, Virgil." Helena called. He squeezed out the water from the waistcoat and nodded at her and his brother.
"Be there in a minute."
"See you there, Virg!" looking pleased at goosing his big brother twice in two minutes, Gordon turned to make his way out of the dell and Helena whistled. Virgil started to laugh again. Gordon turned around, then as he squinted back he suddenly realised what they were laughing at.
"Guess you need to see Barronnell about some new pants, bro!" Gordon fled and they laughed until they were light-headed. Helena took the front of Virgil's coat and purred up at him,
"I am hungry, you know."
"You're always hungry, honey." He said. She pushed him into the waterfall and he pulled her after him.
"Stop getting me wet!" she shouted.
Scott charged down the corridor, taking little Fran from Shiana as he ran. He had no idea where to go this time, although he realised that they were heading for the shark cave, as they rounded another bend, and he saw the reflection of the tiny pearls set into the rock. There was no other way. He felt Shiana tugging his arm, slowing him.
"We don't have time for this…" He snapped.
"We can't go back there I can't go back there…" she babbled, he heard Fran sob against his arm and he grit his teeth and pulled Shiana closer with his free hand.
"Look at me, Shiana. Do you think I'm going to let them kill you? You have to come with me; it's the only way. Was there another way out of that pool?"
"S, sharks…"
"Empress." Scott met her eyes, and something in her expression changed. Her face was lined, her hands steadied. She drew a deep breath and said, more slowly,
"I followed a tunnel. A tunnel leading up, to the outside…"
"Then we have to go." He said grimly. Her Atlantic eyes widened,
"But you're a Terran, you'll drown…!"
"Look out!" Three rebels entered and Scott ran to the water. Shiana dived in and he dropped Fran in and followed. He blinked against the salt water, a little relieved to see Fran following Shiana, and he followed them both, swimming powerfully, seeing Shiana head right, under the rocks and down a dark tunnel. He went after her, his arms worked to keep up, and he seemed to swim for an age guided only by the faint flash of her silver robes. His eyes stung, and his heart pounded in his ears. Still they went up, and up, there was no end to it, and Scott dimly acknowledged that however hard he swam now he was not going to reach the end. He refused to believe this, and he fought the water that pressed into him, until finally his lungs gave in. His brain screamed in protest, he felt air escape from his lips. He stopped moving altogether, and the red mist covered his vision. He clenched a fist, once, and then hung there limply in the water. He could see the island paradise, and he was getting nearer to it and the pale beach rushing towards him and the gull a rapid shadow below.
Shiana burst through the pool's surface in the cave above. She grinned at Fran who grinned back. The cave was huge, and half of one side was open to the deep ocean, covered only by the thick membrane material. Shiana nodded at Fran,
"I think that we got away from those people, Fran. Now climb up and get a bubble from the cover, and you and Scott and I can escape." She glanced around as Fran climbed out. The little girl peered worriedly at the water and said,
"Where is Scott, Penny?"
"I, I don't know." Shiana glanced around more urgently; there was no sign of Scott anywhere. She looked down – he wasn't in the pool, he must still be in the tunnel! Shiana dove underneath, back to the tunnel. A dark shape saw her move.
Scott drifted closer still to the beach, and knew that nothing could turn him back. A little voice told him to relax and he did. Part of his mind muttered, "So, this is a near death experience…"
Shiana saw him, halfway down the tunnel. He was still, his blue eyes hardly moving, and the last few bubbles were escaping from his open mouth. Shiana swam quickly to him and did the only thing she could think of. She framed his face with her narrow hands and covered his mouth with her own.
Then a taste rushed down his throat. The sweetness filled his senses, he breathed, and the memory of its meaning made him open his eyes and look into a pair of big Atlantic grey pupils that were both scared and happy. The air reminded him how to move, although his head burned, he felt her hand on his shoulder and wearily kicked his legs in the direction he was shown. All thought concentrated on getting to where there was more air, and a pair of lips over his mouth fed him more, until, finally, there was bright light and a rush of delicious oxygen.
"Scott! You're alive! Scott, you're alive!" Shiana shouted, hugging him and showering him with kisses. He choked on the water that had reached his lungs and managed to smile, unable to talk. She helped him to the side where he finally gathered the strength to haul his body clear. A dark shape swam near, and drew close to Shiana. She made to get out after him and the dark shape grabbed her foot.
Scott heard her squeal but he could barely move. He managed to half-sit even as Shiana splashed furiously, being pulled backwards, and more dark shapes cut through the water towards them. They leaped out and one of them rounded on Scott. The rebels had found them after all. Fran ran to Scott and he got unsteadily to his feet, seeing they were surrounded. He was finding it hard to breathe, and as Scott coughed up more water, the rebel woman strode towards him and swiped him across the back with the blunt end of her weapon. The pilot went down on the floor, still coughing. Shiana cried out in horror.
"Bring her up here." The woman ordered. Shiana was dragged out onto the rock floor of the cave. She glared at them, her grey eyes steely.
"What do you want, scum?" she hissed, refusing to appear scared. The woman stood over Shiana.
"We will take you to our base where you will sign an agreement to marry the Prince. If you refuse to sign it, you will die!"
"I will not be forced to do anything!" Shiana said defiantly. "Especially not by peasants like you!" The woman frowned,
"I think that we will. Maybe we will start changing your mind, firstly by getting rid of this stupid Terran." The woman peered at Scott; the pilot was regaining his strength and he looked back at her. Breathing hard, he said,
"Forget about me, Shiana. Just do what you want." The woman smiled delightedly. She crouched by the pilot, and put the pike beneath his heart.
"I can see why the Empress would prefer you. You certainly aren't bad for a Terran. It's such a shame." She raised it to strike him. Scott lurched upwards, knocking her over. He made a grab for the pike but she kicked him in the face with her hard foot and he fell to one side, kicking her legs from under her. She slipped and he made another desperate grab for the pike handle. He nearly managed it, getting hold of the blunt end and pulling it away from her. Scott pushed at it to shake her off, and Shiana shouted,
"Look out!" Scott let go and just fell clear of another rebel who had been about to stab him. He dropped down and sweep-kicked the man clean over. The man dropped the pike and Scott grabbed for it, but the man kicked it away and went to punch Scott. His blow connected and the pilot slid sideways, then dived under the other man's fists and hit him in the stomach. The man sagged, winded, and another man without a pike charged at Scott. Scott dodged like a bullfighter and kicked the man in the back. Shiana watched, wide-eyed as he made to pick up the pike and she was about to run towards him when a hard hand gripped her neck and she choked.
"Hold it, Consort!" the woman Scott had defeated barked. Raising the weapon, Scott flicked his eyes as Shiana gulped unhappily and the woman tightened the blade against her stomach. "Drop the blade or the Empress gets a very slow death!" Scott stopped dead. Shiana shook her head, tears in her eyes.
"Run, Scott…" she pleaded. Scott saw more rebels appearing out of the water, and looked at the pike in his hands. The woman smirked.
"You can't escape, pretty boy. Resign yourself and you will die more quickly."
"I don't want you to hurt the Empress." Scott replied. He dropped the pike onto the floor of the large cave. His blue eyes tried to reassure Shiana who was struggling to free her throat. The woman laughed,
"The Empress will not be harmed as long as she agrees to our wishes. I'm afraid that you get in the way of them. So, you have to die." She cast the Empress aside, "Kill him, now!" the other rebels closed in around him. Scott wondered briefly if he would have time to use the pike at all before they finished him off.
He was driven to his knees as a terrible scream filled the air. He covered his ears but it didn't seem to do any good, he felt his throbbing brain melt under pressure of the endless whine that filled his mind and he doubled over, aware of the others doing the same. Just as he thought that his eyeballs would pop next, the sound stopped and a vacuum of white noise replaced it. He opened his eyes and dared to look up.
The rebels were all crouched in agony, but they were recovering faster than he was. Shiana stood by the pool, her bedraggled clothes hanging from her swaying form and the faint cave light focussed on her alone. She raised her thin arms and made another unearthly scream. Scott pushed back from it wild-eyed, he pressed his fists into his ears in an attempt to deafen himself before she did it for him. Her voice became more musical, like a dolphin's click and a whale's song, and he stared, dazedly, trying to think straight. It was then that the familiar tingling of fear caressed his back.
"What is she doing?" one rebel man, the one Scott had winded, demanded. The rebel woman's face filled with fear. Then the man pointed shakily out at the almost translucent membrane. Scott blinked, following their gaze.
Out there in the dark ocean water, a huge pale eye was watching them.
Scott frowned as Shiana's voice hit a new pitch and the thing moved in a rush of tentacle shadows and he caught a glimpse of a huge beak before the whole cave started to judder, shaken by the strength of the beast outside. Scott covered his head with his arms as rocks started to fall from the ceiling, sending the rebels into panic. Several were hit and one dropped beside Scott with blood pouring from his skull. Scott saw the surviving rebels fleeing into the deep pool, even as Shiana sang a different key and the beast started to ease its attack. The rebel woman charged at the Empress, Scott scrambled over but he was too late. Shiana was knocked hard to the ground and the woman punched her in the face. Scott yanked her off the Empress and slammed her against the wall.
"Are you happy now?" He snarled into her face. The woman used her knee making him crumple, and she stumbled away. The cave started to shake even harder. Scott crawled to the Empress, and checked that she was still breathing. Rocks tumbled around them, he heard the rebel woman scream, she disappeared under a huge rock, which blocked his view of the membrane outside. A hand touched his aching shoulder.
"Fran! You're okay!" he hugged her to him tightly even as the cave continued to shake.
"Is Penny going to be all right?" Fran asked. He tried a grin, and said to her quickly,
"I hope so, Fran. Now, I want you to get into that pool, okay? I'll take Shiana with us." He saw Fran's eyes go worried, but she nodded solemnly. The beast outside was making the cave collapse, and Scott lurched out of the way with Shiana held limply across his shoulder just as more rocks tumbled down onto where he had been bare moments before. Fran ran towards the pool and dived in, and Scott was right behind her when most of the cave roof collapsed and landed right on top of him.
Virgil and Helena had almost finished breakfast with a sulking Troy, and a Phones who was teasing Gordon relentlessly about his little accident earlier that morning. Helena then regaled them with a story about skinny- dipping, which made Virgil's mouth drop open, and left Gordon with plenty of material for when they got home. Virgil was forced to counter with a story about how he and Scott managed to help Gordon avoid getting expelled after a tiny accident in a chemistry lab turned all the students bright green for a month.
"…But he wouldn't let us know just how much of him wasn't affected!"
Helena giggled and Virgil waited for Gordon's retort. Instead, Troy said,
"Ambassador, if you're not too busy I'd like to know when we can leave this place."
"Heh, er, I don't know, Captain…" Helena grinned, almost unaware that she was looking at Virgil instead. Troy said,
"Well you should! Stingray is important for Marine defence and I think that we should leave here soon and head back to Marineville."
"Don't you have another Stingray by now?" Gordon asked in surprise. Troy shifted awkwardly, catching Phones' eye.
"Er, we do. Of course we do. But Titan's a tricky guy and we're the best crew at dealing with him."
"Titan?" Virgil asked, intrigued. "What, that evil undersea ruler guy?"
"How do you know about that?" Troy demanded.
"Guilty." Helena admitted. Troy gave an exasperated sigh and flopped back in his chair. Virgil grinned.
"Well, so much for security."
"So when can we leave, Ambassador?" Troy said. Helena's face tightened.
"I'm sorry, I really can't say. Soon." She answered. She looked unhappy and Troy shook his head,
"I knew it! You are useless!" Virgil went to rise but Helena was faster,
"Stop being sore just because I wouldn't go out with you on that first night!" she snapped. Virgil froze halfway up and Gordon groaned. Marina got up from the table and swept gracefully out of the dining room. Gordon nodded to Phones and the two of them stood up as Virgil rounded on Troy,
"That's what this has all been about?" the pilot exclaimed. Then Gordon's watch went off.
Scott groaned. The rocks had broken something in his left hand, and his whole right arm was trapped under his aching chest. His whole body hurt but somehow, impossibly, he was still alive. He tried to shift, as his eyes accustomed to the faint light given by a few remaining sea creatures. As he did he found that he was stuck fast under a piece of rock, which didn't seem to have broken his legs. Not yet, anyway. A faint groan came from his right and he reached out to Shiana, making out her pale face and her eyes that almost gleamed in the dull light. She was twisted awkwardly but also seemed to be in one piece.
"Answer me, Shiana. Tell me, can you move?" Scott asked. She looked at him uncertainly,
"My, my arm hurts…"
"Can you move?" he repeated.
"N, no, and my leg hurts too, Scott…" she sounded ready to cry. Scott spoke quickly,
"If it hurts then you haven't injured your back. That's something. What can you see from there?"
"There's water. Scott, what happened?"
"You called something to get rid of those rebels. Guess it worked." He cursed as he tried to free his legs and felt the weight of rock starting to increase, "I don't know if it's still there…"
"Shiggeru came to save me." Shiana said, sounding far away. Scott winced,
"Oh, that was Shiggeru. Figures. Ow…" he forced his right hand up in the cramped space to see if the watch was undamaged. Shiana murmured weakly,
"Scott, I, I can't control him…He's going to keep attacking…I can't concentrate, Scott…" Shiana's eyes closed and she fainted back into unconsciousness.
"Shiana! Dammnit!" He peered around the cave. They were both trapped under the section of the ceiling that must have fallen just before he passed out. The pool gleamed faintly beside Shiana's body, the part he could see anyway. The gap of water looked big enough for Shiana to escape into. He remembered that Fran had escaped that way, and hoped that she was all right.
As he lifted his arm and spoke into the watch, he heard a faint rumbling from outside the part where they were trapped. He was relieved that the whole cave didn't seem to have collapsed yet, but he wasn't too sure how long that would last.
"Virgil! It's Scott!" Gordon shouted excitedly. Virgil gave Troy a warning look and moved beside Gordon.
"Scott?" he could see his brother in the tiny screen looking pale and covered in sweat. It was very dark wherever he was.
"Virgil, Gordon! Listen to me; we're in deep trouble here. There's been an accident. You've got to try and find where we've been trapped."
"Are you all right, Scott?" Virgil asked.
"Just get your butt over here, Virg. I'm stuck under some rock and Shiana's in a bad way. I think you can reach us if you can find an underwater tunnel, or a membrane-covered cave entrance. But there isn't much time."
"We're gonna need Stingray." Virgil said.
"There's more. We were being attacked when the Empress called up a big old sea-monster. That's pretty much what brought the house down. And I think it's still out there. You'd better be careful. Now can you track the signal okay?"
"Gordon, get John on the radio." Virgil said. Gordon gave the watch to Virgil and headed to the WASP quarters with Phones in tow. Helena leaned forwards on the table where she was sitting, her eyes watching Virgil curiously. Troy spoke to her,
"Listen, I didn't mean what I said, okay?"
"I think you should just say nothing from now on, Captain. Virgil's going to need help to rescue Scott. Maybe you could start proving your other reputation now."
"We have to see Hermes and get back to Stingray." Virgil said suddenly. The other two looked up and Troy got to his feet.
"What are we waiting for?" he exclaimed.
Scott filled them in on the rest of his predicament. The rock kept shaking, and he could imagine the creature outside clinging tightly to the outside of their shelter, its long tentacles drumming on the rocky exterior.
"We'll be on our way as soon as we can get to Stingray. Then we should be able to find that tunnel you were talking about." Virgil said.
"I sure hope so, Virg. That brute's huge, and until the Empress comes around I don't think it's gonna move away."
"How is she?" Virgil asked.
"I don't know, Virg. I can't get to her! Hey, maybe you should get Thunderbird Four down here as well…"
"Dad knows by now, so he'll get Alan to fly her over. Just sit tight, and sing out if there are any changes."
"Don't worry about that!" Scott tried to grin. Virgil turned away, nodded to someone off-screen, and said,
"I've gotta go, Scott. We're trying to reach Hermes so that we can get our diving suits back and reach Stingray. You need to conserve battery power on that thing, anyway."
"Guess so. "
"F-A-B." Virgil switched off, and Scott clenched his teeth, trying to free himself and get closer to the unconscious Shiana.
Hermes burst into the room looking furious. He rounded on Virgil, gripping the pilot's shoulders, and demanded,
"What do I hear? Shiggeru unleashed and the Empress is about to die?"
"The Empress called this thing. They were being attacked by rebels who were about to kill Scott." Virgil freed himself from the other man's grasp and folded his arms.
"And he has condemned her to death!" Hermes blustered.
"Oh, rot." Helena took charge, stepping between Virgil and Hermes. She said, "The Empress was hurt and the creature continued its attack, driving away the rebels, but it is still trying to break into the cave. The Empress will be crushed, and so will Scott, unless we can get Stingray there in time and get them out." Helena paused and Hermes put a hand to his head, looking older than they remembered and worried beyond belief. Helena nearly caught herself feeling sorry for him. Hermes looked up, his face hardening.
"So, you believe only you can save us…"
"There's no time for this, Hermes. Now are you going to accept our help or not? Do you want the Empress to die?" Helena had struck a nerve. Hermes glared,
"First show me how you know all this!"
Virgil showed him the watch with Scott's picture on it, and Hermes examined it and frowned until he was satisfied that Scott had told him everything. He handed it back to Virgil.
"Of course I don't want her dead! If she hadn't been trying to save that stupid brother of yours…!"
"Then let us go and get them out." Helena said, hastily. Hermes paused again, then nodded, finally.
"I had Barronnell look after your diving suits. I'll have them brought here at once, then you will be taken to Stingray."
"Thank you." Helena said. Hermes left the room without answering. Helena put a hand on Virgil's shoulder, and Virgil lifted the watch,
"We're on our way, Scott."
Scott waited in the cramped space, hating that there was nothing at all that he could do. It was touch and go that there was even a way into the cave, let alone a way out again. His legs were jammed fast under the rock and he still wondered how he had avoided death that way. The coolness of the air raised goose bumps on his arm. He heard the water rushing around outside. The water bubbled beside Shiana, and he tensed. Then a small face peeped up out of the water. He grinned,
"Fran!" she rushed out and hugged him, and he said, "I thought I told you to get away through the tunnel."
"It was blocked, Scott. And, Shiggeru's outside and he'll kill us!" She said tearfully. Scott tried not to groan out loud. He called Virgil to let him know.
Virgil, Gordon and the two WASPs climbed quickly back into their diving suits and hurried to the nearest point from where they could reach Stingray. Virgil walked quickly with Helena beside him and Hermes leading the way. When they reached the area, they prepared to leave for Stingray. Marina and Hermes went through and the others prepared their masks and breathing gear. Troy went through, and then Phones.
"Come on, Virgil!" Gordon said, diving through the membrane. Hermes looked at the pilot from outside the membrane, and in the exit room Helena reached up and kissed him.
"Good luck, love…" she whispered. Virgil embraced her and kissed her back before turning and putting his mask on, diving out through as well. He quickly joined the others and Helena watched them all disappear into the darkness. She turned away, and saw Barronnell leaving the room. She frowned.
Scott had tried to make Fran go back into the water but the little girl was unwilling to leave them, and she pointed out that she couldn't get out, anyway. Scott had not heard Shiggeru make any more noise in the last hour or so, and he had drifted slowly into a doze that was punctuated only by the soft breathing of the two girls, and the lapping water. He was woken by the sound of rumbling, and then his watch buzzed. He moved his arm stiffly and said,
"What's up?"
"Nearly there, Scott. Hermes is with us, too. We've traced your signal to…" Virgil's voice trailed. Scott frowned.
"What is it?"
"It's…" Virgil couldn't finish. Scott went cold. Virgil never cut off like that, ever, and he had to wait another minute for his brother to reply. Virgil finally said, "There's some sort of squid right on top of where you're trapped."
"I told you…"
"It's huge, Scott! I mean big! Empire State, Thunderbird Three huge!" the panic in Virgil's voice was quickly controlled, but Scott was frozen by it. Scott asked, tightly,
"Can you see the membrane entrance?"
"Not sure yet." Virgil spoke off-camera to someone, and then he said, "We'll have to bring Stingray in closer. We're coming up with a plan. How are you trapped?"
"I'm stuck under a rock. Just my legs, I don't think they're broken, but I don't like the sound of that rumbling."
"Must be the beast. It's started moving again." Virgil talked to some one else again, and then he said, "We're going to try something. Stand by."
"F-A-B."
Helena waited in the exit room until Hermes returned from taking them to Stingray. Hermes looked worried, and she felt grimly satisfied. See how you like it, she thought.
"Where is that radio?" he demanded.
"Back in our quarters. We should go there and use it." Helena said. They walked back to the room, and as they did, Helena commented, "I noticed our tailor taking an interest in our plans, and following us there. Is that normal?"
"Barronnell?" Hermes looked at her as if she were crazy, "Of course he shouldn't have been there."
"Oh." She said innocently. They rounded a curving corner, a thick black eel passed above them. She glanced behind her, and was sure that she saw someone duck back around the bend. Hermes stopped. He followed her gaze.
"What are you implying, Ambassador?"
"That he might be more interested than he ought to be."
"Really." Hermes frowned. They both stepped closer. Helena dived forwards and yanked forwards a small struggling man, whom she lifted easily and shoved before Hermes. The older man gripped him by the collar.
"And what are you doing here, my little friend?"
"Who are you talking to, Scott?" Shiana murmured softly.
"My brother, honey. He's going to get us out of here."
"But how…you had a radio…" Shiana closed her eyes again even as the cave shook. Scott shouted in alarm,
"Hey!"
"It's working. The thing's noticed us." Virgil cried. Scott grinned.
"Good!"
"I'm handing the watch over to Gordon. He can't swim for long enough because of his back, so I'm gonna go with Troy and we're gonna find a way to get you out. Stand by."
"F-A-B."
"I still don't like this. I should be on board when Stingray attacks that thing." Troy said as he and Virgil and strapped on the fresh air tanks inside Stingray,
"Don't worry, Skipper." Phones said.
"Yeah, Troy, between us we'll handle Stingray…" Gordon grinned at Phones. Troy looked puzzled. Virgil finished fixing the tanks and checked them over, he said,
"Now remember, Gordon, we can't do anything unless you distract Shiggeru. We'll get in there and get Scott out. Be ready to pick us up." Marina walked to Troy, clearly ready to join them.
"No, Marina, you have to stay here. It's too dangerous." Troy said. She looked annoyed but Gordon said,
"We'll need you here, Marina." She looked silently at the aquanaut, and then she shook her head insistently.
"Troy's right, Marina." Virgil said. She shook her head again. "I'm sorry but we don't have time to argue." Virgil said bluntly, and Troy said,
"Er, yeah. You'll be safer here." They both headed for the airlock, with Marina staring sadly after them.
Troy and Virgil swam out of the airlock, and Virgil switched on his radio.
"Can you hear us, Phones?" He asked.
"Loud and clear, Cap'n."
"Hey, I'm the Captain around here." Troy said in an aggravated voice. Virgil was in no mood for Tempest's griping.
"Leave it, Tempest. Can you hear us, Gordon? How's Scott?"
"We can find his signal okay, Virgil. According to John, he's stuck about sixty feet away from you, inside the cave system. But Scott's just told me that the water's flooding in now. He thinks there may be a breach in the membrane itself."
"Then we need to locate that membrane fast." Virgil said, "You drive the beast away and we'll swim round and find it."
"Yeah, fire sting missiles!" Troy said. Gordon paused, then he said,
"We're going to try an attack. Get undercover."
"F-A-B." Troy and Virgil swam quickly to some cover and the super-sub whisked past in a flurry of bubbles.
"I hope that little brother of yours knows what he's doing, Tracy." Troy said darkly. Virgil peered over the side of the rock wall. He didn't answer, his eyes transfixed by the huge, squid-like creature. It was moving uneasily as Stingray drew closer like an underwater plane buzzing a monster. There was a flash and two missiles detonated next to it. The creature whipped out with its tentacles, heading straight for Stingray. Virgil shouted out, and Tempest too, but the submarine deftly out-ran the deadly suckers and skimmed out of reach. The beast had turned to watch it closely with its one enormous eye, which was easily the size of Thunderbird Four. Stingray swerved around again and brought Stingray in to fire another salvo of missiles. They didn't appear to harm the beast at all, but at this second affront the squid detached from the rock it had clasped to, and in a rapid puff it had nearly reached Stingray. The sub sped clear just in time.
"Now, Troy!" Virgil cried. They swam quickly and in a few minutes they were next to the section where Scott was trapped. Virgil spoke into the mike, "Gordon? Where is he now?"
"Hold it, Virg, just gotta shake off this baby!" the squid had gone after Stingray and they could barely see it. A few minutes later, Gordon spoke again,
"I think that we've got it clear, we're going to hide for a second. John says that Scott should be immediately next to you, thirty degrees across from your current position.
"So the cave entrance must be pretty close, huh?" Troy said. Virgil agreed,
"Must be around here somewhere. Keep your eyes peeled."
"Don't sweat it, Tracy." Troy's laconic tones answered. They swam along the rock wall, searching. They were just getting worried, when Troy gave a shout. "There it is!" along the where the beast had been there was a gap covered by a strip of the translucent, rubbery shield.
"Give me another check on Scott's position, Gordon."
"Check. He's twenty feet away."
"It's gotta be that cave. Thanks, Gordon. Tell Scott we're close by."
"F-A-B."
"Ready, Tracy?" Tempest swam closer and Virgil followed. They drew up to the surface of the membrane, which was about the span of three men across. The very edge of it, where it was fixed to the rock wall, was flapping a little in the current.
"Scott was right. It looks damaged." Virgil murmured. He glanced at Tempest, "But should we risk pushing through it?"
"Well, there isn't any other way…" Tempest said. Virgil pushed experimentally against the jelly-like covering. It gave way, and the tear at the side seemed to be holding. Virgil met Tempest's eye, and they were decided.
"Now or never." Virgil muttered. He and Troy carefully pushed through it one at a time, and emerged on the other side into a dark, rock-filled cave. Water was sloshing onto the floor.
"Scott?" Virgil took off the mask and shouted. His voice echoed dully. As he shuffled forwards, the end of his flipper nudged a figure on the floor. A woman looked up at him. She was trapped under a large rock, and grabbed his leg.
"Help me." She pleaded. Virgil stooped and looked up at Troy. They both worked to lift the rock from her body, then they released her, and as the woman leaned on Virgil's shoulder he could tell that she was hurt.
"She needs help." Virgil said, "But we have to find Scott too and get out of here. We need to know exactly where he is."
"Virgil!" Gordon shouted excitedly over the mike in Virgil's air mask, "Scott says that he can hear you! And John says that he's really close, too!"
"Take care of her. I'm going to find him." Virgil said gruffly. He passed the woman to Troy and stomped over to the pool. Across half of it was a slightly curved piece of rock, about six metres square. He splashed around to the pool itself.
"Scott!" he shouted again. "Scott can you hear me! Answer me!" he frowned, thinking he heard a voice, and something flickered rapidly in the water. He saw it move towards him, and then it leaped out. It was a little girl, very bedraggled, with huge eyes and a cut lip. She said in a surprisingly calm voice,
"You're looking for Scott?"
"That's right. Who are you?"
"Scott's under there, and so is, is Penny…" The little girl chewed her bloodied lip and frowned thoughtfully. Virgil didn't notice, and said to her eagerly,
"Show me where."
Troy tended to the woman who wasn't as badly hurt as she first appeared. She asked him,
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, we're here to rescue a man who got himself stuck down here, and your Empress. How do you feel now?" Troy grinned. The woman was attractive in a stern sort of way, he thought. The woman smiled with interest.
"I feel much better now, thank you. Where is he now?"
"His brother's gone to rescue him from under that rock."
"You mean he is still alive?" she asked, looking surprised. Troy nodded,
"That's right. We should have him out in a couple of…"
"And the Empress? She is alive as well?"
"I, I think so. Hey, why were you here, anyway…ow!" the woman shoved Troy backwards and limped quickly to the membrane, leaping out through it. Troy groaned. He spoke into his mike, "Tracy, better hurry it up. That woman was a rebel and she's just escaped!"
Virgil swam into the pool following Fran. The water was cloudy with dust from the fallen rocks, but he managed to see her well enough and they emerged within a couple of minutes in a small gap in part of the pool's surface that had been covered by a large slab of rock. Water was rising all around him; he shone a light-bar into the cramped space.
"Scott!" Virgil splashed forwards quickly and Scott grinned blearily at him. He looked bruised, and one of his eyes was bloodshot.
"Hey, Virg…" he grunted. "She's hurt…" Virgil then noticed Shiana lying unconscious on the floor near the entrance. He checked her over quickly,
"The Empress is all right, Scott. But she's gonna need medical attention; she's busted her arm up pretty bad. I'll call Troy over."
"Tracy, better hurry it up. That woman was a rebel and she's just escaped!" Troy told him over the mike. Virgil scowled,
"Great work, Troy. Get in here and help me to get the Empress clear. She's wounded."
"What about your brother?"
"He's trapped fast by the rock. We may need extra equipment to get him out." Virgil turned to Scott, "How do you feel?"
"I hate being rescued on an empty stomach." Scott said, grinning despite his discomfort. He moved his arms to adjust his position, "I think I've broken my wrist…"
"That's the Empress?" Fran said suddenly. Scott nodded,
"That's right, honey. She's the Empress. I'm sorry we had to lie to you." He looked genuinely sorry and Fran nodded, her waif-like features looking thoughtful as she considered this news.
"Could you go and get the other guy out there for me?" Virgil asked, unstrapping the first aid kit from the pack of equipment he had brought from Stingray. Fran nodded again and ducked back into the water. Virgil stooped to the Empress and started to do what he could for her.
"Where's Shiggeru?" Scott inquired.
"Oh, Gordon's keeping it busy. Let's hope we can get out of here before it comes back! It's like something from a Japanese horror movie."
"Shiana seems to have a link with it. She called it here with her voice."
"Yeah, you said. You think it's some sort of telepathic link?" Virgil asked. Scott seemed brighter already, his brother's presence lifting his mood.
"Maybe. When she was knocked out it went nuts. She wasn't kidding that she was well protected. But she used some sort of high-frequency voice control on it first…"
"Hey there!" Troy climbed out, and lifted his breath mask, "So, you're in a mess, huh?" Virgil looked at Scott who just laughed.
"Guess so, Tempest, any suggestions…?"
"Messing with an underwater princess is never worth it in my book." Tempest said. Virgil shook his head,
"Better not let Marina hear you say that." Scott chuckled. Troy actually laughed too and then he and Virgil worked to get the Empress out of the cave.
"Gordon, are you around?" Virgil asked.
"Ready. The monster's gone, so we'll mosey on back and pick her up."
"F-A-B." Virgil nodded to Troy and they took the faintly moaning Shiana out through the gap that led to the water. "See you in a minute, Scott. We're gonna try and get you out when Thunderbird Four gets here."
"Thanks." Scott murmured. He watched them vanish back into the dark water. Virgil had left his light-bar in the cave, which simply made it easier for Scott to see the water slowly rising up and over the rocky bank of the pool, and fill the narrow space where he was trapped.
They pulled Shiana gently through the cave entrance, Fran came with them at Scott's insistence, and Troy called Stingray,
"Where are you now, Phones?"
"Two minutes away, Skipper." Phones answered. "And Gordon says that Thunderbird Two should be overhead in about three minutes with Thunderbird Four."
"Hear that?" Troy said. Virgil answered,
"It's great news all right. Let's hope nothing else goes wrong. We've got to shift that rock before that cave fills with water." He looked at the membrane. More of it was starting to go, allowing yet more seawater to flow into the cave.
"He'll be okay, Virgil." Troy said.
Scott caught himself drifting off as his arms became wet again. The battering he'd endured over the last few hours was taking its toll, and his legs had started to go numb. He lifted his watch, fighting a strange fog that threatened to fill his vision.
"Gordon, how long will this take?"
"Scott! Er, Alan's just arrived with Thunderbird Four. TinTin's going to pilot it down here. It's got the rescue equipment and the extra air in it, we'll have you out of there in no time!"
"Thanks, Gordon. I just keep…" Scott blinked. The water rushed insistently past his eyes, he realised that it had risen nearly a foot since he'd come round again. "Hurry, I think…I'm gonna…"
"Scott! You have to stay awake! Scott!" Gordon yelled.
Virgil had heard the end of the conversation as he helped The Empress in the small sickbay on Stingray. He ran into the bridge, followed by Fran, leaving her with Marina.
"Scott?"
"He fell unconscious." Gordon said, "I can't raise him."
"Gordon, TinTin says she's here now." Phones told them. Virgil turned round quickly and headed back to the airlock,
"I'll go and meet her. We have to get that rock moved fast. Come on, Troy."
"Thinks it up all by himself, don't he." Troy muttered as Virgil left. Virgil heard Gordon call back.
"Just don't mess up the rescue, Troy." Troy ran off the bridge.
"Humph!"
Scott coughed on the salt water. Salt water? He had a sudden sense of déjà vu, and groaned. This wasn't good at all. He lifted his arm, and shook it. The watch was only just working; he spoke into it and got a fuzzy picture of TinTin. He frowned, his tired mind was unable to make sense of her appearance and he shut his eyes again.
"Any contact with him, TinTin?" Virgil asked. She was still in Thunderbird Four. The return to familiar systems was already easing a nagging migraine. As Virgil and Troy swam back to the cave mouth, TinTin replied, sounding worried.
"He came around for a moment, Virgil. But then he passed out again, and he's nearly underwater!"
Virgil charged into the cave. He carried the spare air tanks and part of a special lifting unit that TinTin had brought with her. Troy carried the other part. They splashed through the now waterlogged cave and he followed Virgil's instructions on how to set up the unit on the rock where Scott was trapped. Then Virgil swam quickly to where Scott was, ready to give his brother oxygen and to guide Troy on lifting the rock. He found the entrance and swam up.
Scott murmured. He was trying to avoid the gull, which was battering at his head with its wet wings, slapping at his face. He couldn't get it away from it; then he felt it peck at his face. The tentacles of scarlet water were pulling him under now, away from the gull, and he pulled uselessly against it. Something closed over his mouth and he fought it, opening his eyes to see what it was…He inhaled in shock. A figure in a black mask was looking at him from a pair of worried brown eyes, and he was forcing something over his face…a hoarse sound filled his ears. Scott realised it was his own breathing.
"…'Sy Scott, you're gonna be okay now. Can you hear me?" The voice was deep and familiar. Scott blinked. He gripped the arm of the person in front of him with the hand that didn't hurt. The person seemed to smile at him through the large clear mask in the suit. "You gave me quite a scare, Scott."
"Liar." Scott rasped. Virgil put a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder, and crouched by him in the deep water.
"Listen, Scott, Troy's out in the cave with the lifting gear. We're going to get that rock off your legs. Are you sure nothing's broken?"
"I was sure, but now anything's possible. I can't feel 'em at all now…" Scott tried not to wince. Virgil spoke to Troy.
"You get that?"
"Yeah, Tracy." Troy answered, "It's all set up now."
"Okay. Stand by to activate the lift."
"Okay." Virgil gripped Scott's hands tightly; his brother was suspended by the water from just above his knees. "Scott, I'm gonna haul you clear the second there's enough room."
"Good." Scott grinned, "Try not to break my other hand, though, won't you."
"We'll try not to break your legs, too." Virgil answered, "Ready, Troy?"
"Sure, Tracy."
"Start lifting – now!"
Helena and Hermes had both questioned the little tailor and decided that he could be allowed to go free this time. Barronnell scurried away and Helena folded her arms.
"Why have we let him go?"
"I'm having him followed, my dear. He should go and report the operation to his little friends at any time, and he will lead us to them."
"Good. Well, I'm going to go and listen to the rescue. I hope they're okay. At least they don't have to worry about rebels, now."
Outside in Stingray and Thunderbird Four, the aquanauts were waiting anxiously. TinTin sat in the cabin, listening intently to Troy and Virgil as they carefully inched Scott to safety. She saw that the membrane was steadily tearing away. Their constant use of it was starting to tell. Just then, Gordon gave a shout,
"Shiggeru's back!" he cried. "It looks mad!" Virgil wondered briefly what a mad squid looked like.
"It must be after the Empress. Get out of there, Gordon! Try and draw it away." Scott said. Scott was recovering, Virgil noted with amusement, as his older brother took charge again almost without meaning to.
"But how will we get you…?"
"Don't argue, Gordon, just beat it!" Scott shouted.
"F-A-B." Gordon answered. Stingray left the area quickly, and fired at the beast. Enraged, it chased after them, leaving Thunderbird Four waiting near the cave mouth.
Virgil pulled Scott gradually away from under the rock as it started to ease its hold. Scott grit his teeth, determined not to complain as the feeling returned grudgingly to his numbed legs, and he said,
"Well, at least nothing else can go wrong…"
"We're in trouble, Virgil!" TinTin's voice cried over the radio, "There are people heading for you and they're armed!"
"Oh, perfect." Virgil muttered, "Don't panic. Sit tight. TinTin?"
"Yes, Virgil?" she sounded on the edge of panic. Virgil said,
"Can't you ram them? Try to scare them away with Thunderbird Four."
"I think they're too close to the rocks!" TinTin cried. Virgil looked at Scott, and Scott yelled,
"Get me out of here!"
"Is he free yet?" Troy demanded. Scott and Virgil both answered,
"Nearly…"
"Two more inches." Virgil added. The rock edged upwards, and finally, as the cave finished filling with water, Scott was free.
"We've done it!" Virgil cried.
"They're outside!" Troy yelled.
"TinTin, when I give the word I want you to fire as close to them as you can." Scott ordered grimly. Virgil looked at him, and Scott grimaced, "It's the only way we've got any chance…"
"Can you move?"
"I'll try." With that, Scott started to swim towards the way out, but his legs were clearly too numbed to move him very fast. Virgil dived after him; they both forced their way through the gap and out into the pool.
"Get ready to fire, TinTin." Scott said.
"Ready, Scott." She answered. They emerged into the soaking cave. Scott staggered, and Virgil supported him. They met Troy,
"They're nearly here!"
"Get to the exit." Scott grunted. Virgil helped him around the rocks and they half swam, half stumbled through the rising water. Rebels were waiting outside the gooey membrane. Virgil saw that it was about to give way. He nodded. No more time.
"Fire!" Scott barked.
Helena was listening in growing horror. She heard Scott shout the order to fire, and then there was silence. Virgil was still in the cave. What if TinTin hit the membrane? What if it destroyed the cave? She hugged herself tightly, and listened closely to their voices.
"Come on, Virgil…" she breathed. Hermes muttered,
"But what about the Empress?"
TinTin watched the missiles shoot through the dark water and explode a few feet from the nearest group of rebels. She'd angled them so that they exploded as a warning, just beyond the rebels and the cave. The rebels darted away from the cave exit and she shouted excitedly,
"I've done it, Scott! Come over now!"
"Well done, TinTin!" Scott cried.
"What are we waiting for!" Virgil said, "Let's get the heck out of here!"
The trio pushed their way through the membrane and were finally all clear of the cave. Scott and Virgil swam with Troy just ahead, Virgil pulling Scott with him, Scott using only his arms as they pushed through the water. As they left the entrance and swam into the darkness beyond, more rebels swooped in on them. Virgil forced his body to work harder; he could see the lights of Thunderbird Four ahead.
"We can make it! We don't have much further!" he encouraged Scott, who had managed to kick his legs at last, but he knew it would all be too late. The rebels were swimming far too quickly and at any second they would be upon them.
"No…" TinTin murmured. There was no question of simply firing now that the three of them were outside the tunnel; there was too little room and no time. No time…
"Virgil!" she cried out. Just then several rebels approached Thunderbird Four and started to attack the glass screen of the cabin. "Virgil, keep away! They're on the hull!"
Gordon wiped sweat from his brow as it poured down his back and neck. He and Phones were working hard but the creature was tireless. Stingray was fast, but the creature was much faster. It seemed to catch them, and they thought they were racing away when Stingray's turbines stopped altogether.
"It's got us!" Gordon cried, "Now what do we do?"
In the medical bay on Stingray, Shiana heard a voice speak softly in her mind. She blinked as the voice said,
"Wake up. Scott is in danger."
"Scott…?" Shiana sat up and saw the solemn girl looking at her silently. "Did you say…who are you?" when the girl didn't answer, Shiana opened her mouth to demand what she meant, and then Fran jumped up and down beside her.
"Shiggeru's going to kill us!" she cried to Shiana. Shiana stumbled out of the medical room and tottered towards the bridge, being led by Fran. Smiling now, Marina got up and followed. Shiana entered the bridge, but Phones and Gordon were far too busy battling the massive sea monster to notice her. Marina ran in front of her and switched on the exterior speakers.
Scott exchanged helpless glances with Virgil and Troy cursed. They were surrounded.
"I've got an idea." Troy said. He pulled a device strapped to the belt of his diving suit and held it out. "Virgil, you've got one too…"
"This is never gonna work." Virgil muttered. He found one all the same. "This thing is only any use against sharks."
"Nothing to lose, Virg!" Scott said. He found a similar device and the three men held them out as the rebels reached them.
"Now!" Troy cried. They fired the devices three ways and the nearest eight rebels all reeled at the shark repellent.
"Hah! Taste Terran electricity pulse ya rebel creeps!" Troy shouted. Scott and Virgil turned their heads to stare at him and Troy said, "What?"
"Look, there's more of them!" Scott shouted. He could feel his strength going, the panic keeping him alert, but his body had had enough. TinTin was shouting something in his ear, something about more rebels attacking her, which didn't surprise him one bit. The device drifted from his hands, he blinked unsteadily. Virgil fired the device again. Illuminated by Thunderbird Four's powerful beam, it was easy to see the dark shapes of more sea people all-eager to destroy the Empress or any other Terrans who were in the way. Virgil swallowed, feeling fear against his stomach wall. He kept firing the device, and so did Troy. Then Scott gasped in surprise.
"What the…" Someone was fighting their way through the rebel ranks and reached them in the red-tentacled water. "Lageau!" he shouted. There was no time to give thanks that the man was alive. Instead they shielded each other, but even then more rebels were appearing. As Lageau fought bravely to protect Scott from a concerted attack, led by the woman from the caves, another rebel woman dove at Virgil with a pike, and left a trail of blood in the bright water.
Helena had heard Virgil's surprised yell over the radio, then Scott's furious voice and Troy swearing. She picked up the radio and cried into it, "Virgil! Are you okay?" Hermes started pacing the floor, arms behind his back and shaking his head. Then they were all deafened by an almighty scream.
Virgil was vaguely aware of Scott shouting something but it all seemed quite distant and sound echoed hollowly. Just then, he heard a voice that brought him back to Scott's face and he smiled. He murmured, "Helena…" The rebels were all over them. Lageau was trying but even he couldn't keep them away now. Then a terrible scream sent them all reeling. Scott and the others floated unconscious in the bloody water, and the rebels were stunned.
Shiana stood on the bridge, and her voice became a more gentle pitch. Gordon and Phones recovered from their initial shock and stared at her.
"You…you…"
"Where is Scott?" Shiana demanded between her connections with the sea monster. "We must help him."
"Back at the cave…" Phones said, scratching his head. The Empress let out another ear-splitting wail, and the beast around them released Stingray.
"Go there!" she said softly. Gordon looked at Phones, who nodded, and they both turned to the ocean and pushed Stingray quickly back to where Scott had been rescued.
Lageau recovered in time to see the other three men hanging barely conscious in the water. The rebels were also recovering and were about to move in again. Lageau prepared himself to fight to the death, when a huge shadow fell across the bright light, and weaved swiftly towards the first wave of rebels. Fear mixed with wonder, he breathed,
"Shiggeru…" The rebels scattered in terror. Then the others woke, looking dazed. They spotted the beast as well. Scott grabbed the bleeding man and he was shouting something. Then another larger craft closed in, slipping past the thick tentacles and approaching quickly. In behind the glass were two men and the slight figure of the Empress who was smiling broadly. Scott and the other man swam quickly towards it with the injured one between them and Lageau followed. As all four of them piled quickly into the airlock, the woman from before was suddenly next to them, and Scott saw her. As the hatch closed after them Scott hit her before she could react, and she fell out cold to the floor. Then there was silence.
Scott ignored the unconscious body of the rebel woman and stooped to Virgil's side. The woman's pike had gone through his shoulder, stopped a little by the material of his wetsuit. Virgil had gone deathly cold and his eyes were closed. Troy swore again and helped Scott to get his brother out of the airlock and into the small medical bay.
"Virgil, you're gonna be okay, answer me, Virgil…" Scott was muttering, as between them they got his brother onto the bed and took off the wetsuit. Troy winced. Virgil's shoulder was dripping thick red, and the puncture showed white bone. Scott felt a wave of dizziness overcome him and leaned on the bed with his good arm. Troy quickly wrapped a compress around Virgil's shoulder, while the pilot's blood covered his hands. Virgil murmured,
"Helena…? Stay…Helena…" Stingray was moving, and Scott lurched on one side. He grimaced,
"Where's Shiana?" as if in answer the door opened and Marina and Shiana came through. Shiana hugged him tightly and he hugged her back, kissing the top of her head. She blinked up at him through tear-filled eyes.
"You…" before she could finish her strength gave out and she slumped against him. Scott gently lifted her onto the other spare bed in the medical room and covered her with a blanket. Lageau had been watching all this quietly until Scott swayed again and the soldier took his arm firmly and made him sit down. Scott allowed himself a moment to relax, but worry kept him awake and looking at Virgil as the others took care of him.
*
Helena was waiting by the entrance when Stingray and Thunderbird Four slid in under a membrane gap in the floor. Hermes was on the radio instructing them where to rise, and they did, through a membrane-covered floor section in the hall. She ran over as the crew of both craft climbed out.
Lageau appeared first with the Empress carried easily in his arms. Scott followed, and he looked slightly odd, pale and bruised all over, and there was something wrong with his arm. As he shuffled from the hatch at the top of Stingray he caught Helena's eye and managed a smile. Several servants and doctors raced over and took the Empress from Lageau as Scott turned to her. She gripped his arm, he looked at her with his water-blue eyes and he said, "Helena, huh? Virgil was asking for you…"
"Oh, Scott is he…is Virgil…" she was furious at her own fear, at the inability she suddenly had to ask about someone she cared so much for. Virgil's dark-haired brother shook his head, seeming to gather his strength,
"He'll live." He told her. Helena smiled tightly, and then Scott was led away by their medical people. Troy and Phones came out of the hatch next, carrying a deeply unconscious Virgil between them. Helena saw the bloody wound on his shoulder where the top of his wetsuit had been peeled away to reveal a hastily bandaged wound. She rushed to his side,
"The rebels did this?"
"Yeah. The one who did it tried to get Scott too, but she failed. She's tied up in there now." Troy motioned with his head, then tried to look reassuring, "Virgil's going to be okay, Ambassador."
"Good." Helena said with considerable feeling. Then Troy and Phones handed Virgil over to the doctors, and Marina walked past her. Helena was about to go with them when Hermes caught her,
"They have one of them aboard. A leader. We must question her." He smiled, and looked smugly triumphant, "Thanks to the Consort we shall uncover the real traitors in this Council."
"I'm glad to hear it." She said impatiently. "Now, if you don't mind…"
"Oh, of course, er, yes...run along…" Hermes said absently. His eyes lit up as the rebel woman was pulled from inside Stingray. Helena felt giddy with joy; she forgot about Hermes and ran after the doctors who had taken Virgil. They were all safe. Everything would be all right now.
*
