Chapter eight: Tepid Waters

Onboard the Aquilae

The bedroom had been the only private place on board the ship, with the exceptions of the head and the engine room - all the way up to the point in the storm that an eighty-foot freak wave had snapped the mast in two. Aeron sighed and sloshed his way through shin-deep water to the bedroom's port bulkhead. The bedroom door was nailed there, in what had been a desperate effort to patch one of the Aquilae's three one-foot wide holes. The ship had shuddered under the freak wave's impact, which had actually done two things: besides snapping the mast, it had forced water into the engine room through the diesel's exhaust pipe. It hadn't been enough to cause lasting damage, but it had been enough that the engine had sputtered and died. With the engine dead they could no longer keep the bow into the waves, which had made capsizing a terrifyingly real possibility.

So, Lucca had dashed to the engine room while Aeron and the sure-footed thief, Zidane, went topside to cut the lines and free the mast. Before they could get to it, they'd been beset by yet another freak accident: the next wave had indeed caught them broadside, and swung the fallen mast from its own rigging like an eighty-foot long battering ram, smashing a hole in the bedroom's port bulkhead. Between that wave and the next, Aeron and Zidane had cut the forestays. Unfortunately that had only swung the mast further aft, and sent it crashing through the port bulkhead of the cabin. They'd cut the mainstays as quickly as they could, but the mast had struck once more before disappearing into the storm, crushing a section of the armor surrounding the engine room.

Zidane had gone to the cabin to try to stop the flooding while Aeron dashed (or, moved as quickly as one can on the deck of a ship in the midst of a raging cyclone) to the engine room to help Lucca get the engine going again. They had succeeded in stemming the flow of water enough to keep the engine safe, and even managed to get it running. Much to Quina's dismay, the galley table had been sacrificed to patch the hole in the cabin. Though the patches had held, the six-inch deep water in the bedroom and cabin were mildew-inducing, pant-soaking testimony to their imperfection.

Nor had those been their only problems. They had greeted the day within radio range of the Akula, but without Crimson, Freya, or the corvette's sole launch. The davits had been snapped off as though by some great force. The Akula, interestingly enough, reported that an MN warship was steaming towards them; it could easily have passed the Aquilae during the night. After much fruitless speculation, Zidane had finally come up with a reasonable possibility: Crimson and Freya had somehow been snatched up by the mystics. Though neither knight seemed the type to be captured without making some kind of noise, it could be done. Especially, as Zidane had suggested, if they had been (for whatever reason) sitting or standing in the launch when it had been broken off by a group of powerful, swimming mystics. What might have motivated the mystics to kidnap the watch standers rather than destroying the ship was still a mystery, however.

Nearly as mystifying was the fact that the MN cruiser had fired only a few shots at the Akula before continuing past it at high speed. Believing (or hoping) that two of their comrades were aboard the vessel, the respective crews of the Akula and Aquilae agreed that they had no choice but to follow. That, however, had been before the storm. They were all now equally agreed on the fact that the Aquilae was in no shape to be chasing down a cruiser on the open sea.

The two ships were at last within visual range of each other, with the enemy cruiser teasing them just outside of the Akula's cannon range. Crono and Marle had nowhere near the tech knowledge required to take Aeron's destroyer into a fight, and someone had to get some important news to Guardia. There was a discussion to be had, and to avoid spending the time to get everyone together at a face-to-face meeting, a radio conference of sorts had been arranged. On cue, Marle's perpetually cheerful voice came from the wall-mounted cabin speaker.

"We're ready! Are you guys listening?" Before anyone could yell for him, Aeron trudged back into the cabin and sat next to Lucca, who held the microphone.

"Yeah, we're here. Wet, but here," she replied, frowning at the water. "Anyway, Aeron and I have developed a theory to explain all of the weird things that've been going on lately, and a plan to respond to them. But because I despise long-winded explanations, I'll let the shadow wizard do most of the talking." She handed the device to Aeron and leaned back in her creaky chair, eyes staring beyond the bulkheads, as though she were contemplating some secret problem.

What is she thinking about when she does that? Aeron briefly wondered. "First of all, our theory: we think that Kuja's behind all this." He noticed that Zidane and his Gaian companions were now staring at him as though he'd just told them he was a purple polka-dotted whiskerfish. Good, they're listening now. "Let's do a little comparison between the recent behavior of the Mystics and the odd behavior of Queen Brahne, shall we? First of all, about a year ago Kuja made his first appearance in Alexandria. At about the same time, new shipments of weapons begin to arrive, weapons more advanced than anything the kingdom had ever possessed: high-quality airships, heavy cannon, and the secretly manufactured black mages. A militarily effective mix of technology and magic.

"Shortly after Kuja appeared in Medina, the Mystics built shipyards. We're talking about a race that's built nothing larger or more powerful than a rowboat in all of their centuries of existence. About one year ago, the shipyards were completed and warships and freighters began pouring out of them. The sort of thing I'd expect from a first-time navy with none of our technology would be small, simple, wooden ships with primitive, coal-fired steam piston engines and powder-fired muzzle-loading cannon. I mean, after centuries of seafaring, the RGN has large, metal ships with oil-fired steam piston engines and smoothbore breech-loaders. The mainstays of the RGN, however, are outclassed by the warships that have come from the MN yards the past few months." Aeron paused for effect, then continued, "Crimson showed me around that captured MN ship some, and I didn't like what I saw. They've got pretty powerful oil-fired steam engines, rifled breech-loading cannon, and steel plate armor.

"Just as Alexandria had never cared much for magic, so the Mystics have never cared much for technology. Yet they now have the most advanced navy on the planet, though not much more than a year or two ago they had nothing. Interesting, no? Now the Mystics have technology and magic, just as Alexandria did before it attacked. And, like Alexandria, the Mystics have a history of aggression.

"And that's not all. When Kuja saw that Zidane and his crew could be a threat, he arranged to have them eliminated. That has already happened to us." Another pause. "I told you all about the sabotage of Lucca's rocket that took her arm, but there were a few details I left out because I wasn't sure if my suspicions were on target. First among those is the fact that the explosion should've killed all of us. Lucca was saved, barely, by her armor and natural resistance to fire; Crono, Marle, the old King, the chancellor and I were all saved by the fact that we weren't there.

"The morning of the launch, Crono, Marle and I were all out flight testing the Procyon with the Epoch flying as backup. A couple of idiot bell-carrying birds got sucked up the Epoch's intake and blew the engine to shreds. She crash-landed, and the three of us spent all of our time up 'till the launch trying to see if we could fix it. We were supposed to return to the castle several hours before the launch, and when we not only failed to do that but forgot to radio in, the chancellor led a search party while the king waited for us at the castle. So, you see: for reasons beyond the control or anticipation of anyone, we all survived." He paused yet again, to be sure it all had time to sink in.

"Unfortunately, that's still not all. A few days later, a large Mystic fleet sailed into Truce harbor. We saw them far enough off that we were able to block their entrance with some RGN ships and the Akula. They left without a fight - that time. But if the king and chancellor had been dead, the kingdom would have been in chaos. No offense, Crono and Marle, but I don't think you were ready to take over then. And with Lucca and I dead, there would have been no one that could analyze and neutralize their technological edge. They would've had a field day.

"Shortly after that, the king became mysteriously ill and an angry mob tried to burn Lucca and I's lab while we slept. Then we have. . . other recent events. After screwing around with our heads, an army is sicced on us. If it hadn't been for Crimson, I would've died; after I got shot down, he got me away from the remains of the Procyon before the mystics could get me. So, that's our theory. Anyone care to disagree with it?" Unsurprisingly, no one did. Even after spending all day thinking about it, the implications still shocked even Aeron. He's trying to take out the major kingdoms of not one, but two worlds at once! What's he after? Is all the death and destruction a means to an end, or an end in itself?

Lucca, breaking herself out of her trance, took the microphone next. "Before we tell you guys the plan we put together, we need to say something to Zidane and everyone who came with him: we can't ask you to help us. As soon as we get Crimson & Freya back our priorities will be to defend our kingdom first, find and take out Kuja second. There are places on this world where you'd be safe until the carnage is over. This isn't your fight, and we don't want to pull you into the snake pit with us. If you want to jump in with us, that's more than fine. We sure won't stop you.

"Now for our plan. The first part involves what we believe to be the reason behind the apparent kidnapping of our comrades: to get us away from Guardia while they strike. The bait's much too precious to just leave, so the Akula will follow the MN heavy cruiser and get our friends back. Aeron will be her captain. After we get them back, the Akula will go and park on Melchior's doorstep. There, her crew will do four things: check the Black Omen for signs of Kuja's presence; repair the ship; wait for the Aquilae; and give the Mystic navy as bloody a nose as possible.

"Next, the Aquilae's task. Crono and Marle have to get back to the castle to tell everyone what's going on. Even if her engine and hull were in perfect shape, it'd be slow going up-current in this boat. So, we'll go ashore and drop them off. The closest place to do that is a merchant port by the name of Culpepper, a bunch of taverns and docks just south of Fiona's Forest. It'll take us a few days to get there. While there, I'll take the opportunity to replace the engine parts damaged by contact with seawater and running at flank speed for too long. That done, I'll take the Aquilae up to Melchior's villa and join the others in beating up Mystics. Just like the good old days, eh, Crono? Aeron and I would really like to take that time to use the vortex in Heckran cave to go to our lab and put the finishing touches on our latest attack plane, if she's still there. But that's secondary at this point." She shrugged. "That's it, I guess. Any takers?" Lucca turned up the mic and held it out so that anyone could speak and be heard.

Much to everyone's surprise, Amarant was the first to speak. "So if I go on the Akula, I get to take on an entire army?"

"And navy," Aeron reminded.

A rather disturbing smile spread across Amarant's face. "Sounds like a good fight. I'm in."

Aeron and Lucca were not, however, surprised when a similar smile spread across Kabra's face. "I like the way this man thinks! Goin' on the Akula sounds like fun. Lots of explosions. I've got some new hardware I've been dying to try out. . ."

"And I'm sure you'll get to," his siamese friend interrupted. "Next." She was surprised and impressed when he actually shut up.

"Obviously, Marle and I are going with the Aquilae, at least for the first bit," Crono piped.

"Yeah," answered Lucca, "Which reminds me. Because we're going into a human-controlled port, everyone on my ship has to be easily recognizable as human or demihuman, not mystic. That is, if you don't all just want to go on the Akula so that you can wait the fight out somewhere else."

Zidane quickly decided that he wanted to meet this Crono guy, and find out how the commoner had convinced a princess to marry him. "I'll go on the Aquilae. I can hide my tail."

Almost immediately after that, Marle chimed in, "Dagger wrote that she wants to go with Zidane."

Quina Quen spoke next. "Zidane, I want go with other cook."

"You mean Aeron? PLEASE, feel free."

"Yay! Aeron teach me many recipes. I become master of gourmand in no time!" Several of those physically present looked away as the asexual thing wagged its grotesquely huge tongue.

Then Vivi's voice issued forth from the speaker. "If it's ok, I wanna go with Aeron and learn some shadow magic."

Boisterous little Eiko made her decision next. "I'll stay on the Akula with Vivi. Just to keep an eye on him."

Those that knew Steiner were surprised by what he said. "With Queen Garnet's leave, I would like to accompany the Prince and Princess on their mission."

"She writes, 'you have it'," Marle assured. Sera made a face.

"You think you're going sneaking in the forest in that noisy armor? Hopeless. But I'll come along anyway; maybe you'll pick up a thing or two from a professional."

"Okay," Lucca began. "For the Akula, I've got: Aeron, Amarant, Eiko, Kabra, Vivi, and Quina, plus Crimson and Freya in a day or two. For the Aquilae's permanent crew: myself, Zidane, and Dagger. For the Aquilae's deadweight to be dumped in port: Crono, Marle, Steiner, and Sera. Did I leave anyone out?" After a moment's silence, Lucca continued, "Good. Ok then, I've got some stuff I want you all to bring when you come over here. First, I want another light bolt cannon to replace our missing deck gun. . ."

Author's note: As I've got a major revision in progress - and have midterms - I'm deleting from chapter nine onward from the site until I can revise them, probably in the next couple of days or so. (as of 10-12-2005, that is)