Water, that's all that surrounded him. Just an endless desert of endless blue. He chuckled to himself, he wasn't much of a poet but he had his moments. Much like when his inventions chose to work or not. He leaned back and looked up at the sunshine while reveling in the currents almost like a welcoming hug among friends.

These were his dreams, they always had been. His Father and Mother often had to take him to a pool in order for him to settle down enough to sleep as a babe. He felt the relaxed smile on his face and didn't bother to wipe it away, he embraced it with open arms and held it close.

Another chuckle. There he went again trying to be poetic. Then he felt it. Lately as he dreamed he'd begun to sense... things, for lack of a better word. Always on the outskirts but never close enough for him to identify.

This time it was different, it was closing the distance fast and it was big.

He saw the amber colored eyes off in the distance before the outline silhouetted itself in the gloom beyond.

'Be prepared Little Tooth. Everything you thought you knew is about to change.'

He didn't even have time to ponder the source of the voice as the void opened its jaws wide with an impressive array of teeth slotted into a ferocious mouth.

One word screamed in his mind: SHARK!

He jolted and shook his head groggily as he stretched as best he could in the harness while the monotone voice of the auto pilot echoed off in the hull.

"Deep sea descent in progress. Passing 31,000 feet."

Moodily, he fingered a button on his chair.

"Topside."

He requested as he looked at the rest of the vehicle's occupants;

A muscled man by the name of Captain Krito from the Japanese Navy that was the appointed team lead, was immersed in whatever his Viz Glasses were displaying.

Next to him on the right was a Dr. Cross who also was thumbing a data pad on what he could only assume were various technical dossiers that were undoubtedly important to their work.

Beside Krito on the left was a Mexican woman that had yet to introduce herself, though the navy blue coveralls they all wore gave away the last name of Hernandez. The way she held herself and observed everything screamed military training of sorts. But she seemed reluctant to share so he resigned to waiting for her to say. Forget about looking into her file, something about her appearance also screamed she had an ear and eye everywhere. Better to stay on her good side and if possible out of her sight too.

Beside her was their medical provider, Dr. Shirayuki, thumbing through an actual medical textbook. He didn't know why but that settled his nerves more as he felt another shuddering shake from outside.

Further down on the right by the Vehicle Pod was a division of U.S. Navy Sailors that would assist as needed with any technical difficulties Dr. Cross had, led by a man who introduced himself as EMCM Diaz. The others were: MR1 Cole, IC2 Zeek, NDCS Varker, HT1 Indy and his twin siblings; DC3 Percy and DC3 Pearl.

Then next to his left was the cook Clayton Mu-Sing. He had raised an eyebrow at the clearly American first name, to which he had explained with a bored tone that he had been adopted. He felt a sort of bond with that and gave him a handshake which he returned with an added smile. At least he seemed to have a friend there.

On his right was their deep sea expert and his fellow researcher, Callum Katolis nose deep in a book he appeared to be writing on the spot about oceanographic potential as an alternate power source. He did a double take as he caught several other rather skillful drawings of a girl in the other pages. He may have another friend there but he'd wait until he set his book down. He knew full well how hard it was to stop once he was studying a new aquatic lifeform.

'A more colorful cast couldn't exist.'

He thought to himself as the auto pilot crackled through again.

"Topside frequency acquired."

There was a brief pause before the silent hull was disturbed by the sound of a news anchor.

"And welcome back to this fine December evening of the 12th, 2038. For those of you just now tuning in, here's a brief recap of our main news lines from today.
Authorities are still on the hunt for a serial killer lurking around the Hawaiian islands, tensions continue to rise for this killer's capture due to the last victim being a rather prominent Chinese representative whose identity has not been revealed by the Chinese Government.

In other news today, the newly built International Sea Station, or rather IRS-O, International Research Station-Ocean based, will be taking aboard its first crew today in both an effort to better understand our own planet but to also hopefully ease tensions -"

He blinked again and looked over at the Captain as he removed his arm from his chair console.

"You want to listen to that, do it without bothering the rest of us Haddock."

He gulped slightly and nodded as he leaned back from the Captain's heated stare. The old learned instinct of knowing when to avoid the bully came up again. It had been ages since anyone had addressed him by his last name but the reaction was still there to avoid confrontation and keep his sarcasm to himself.

There was a sudden shake that had everyone lurching forward. He gripped the harness tightly and braced as the deep sea vehicle, nicknamed the Crawler, gave a loud groan.

Another lurch and he just barely avoided the thick, heavy textbook of Shirayuki's nailing him square on the nose. It hit his back rest with a dull 'thunk' as everyone gripped themselves in place until whatever it was seemed to have passed.

He waited until everyone else began breathing before exhaling himself and tapping the release for his harness. Bending down to scoop up the book he heard one of the sailors give a huff about 'ocean currents,' while Callum just seemed a little too excited as he began writing again with more gusto.

He made to hand the book back to Shirayuki when there was another lurch and he landed on top of her. He blinked his eyes open to find himself staring straight back into a pair of emerald green eyes. Stammering his apologies he handed the book back while averting his eyes to the steel deck. His cherry impersonation grew more accurate at wolf whistling from some of the younger sailors at the end.

'Why did I think it best to ignore the warning that said in stupid terms; DON'T undo the harness until you reach the Gate?'

He had just reached his seat when there was another, more violent lurch that had him airborne.

He didn't have a chance to even yelp as he made solid contact with the bulkhead. Stars were dancing in front of his face as he struggled to get his legs under him.

"-ADDOCK! DA- I- -LL HADD-!"

That sounded like the Captain, he blearily turned his eyes to them in the Crew Pod as a warning suddenly echoed in his clearing head.

"Warning, tube rail integrity at 68%, emergency procedures initialized. Crew Pod security activated."

Another lurch had him thrown against the swiftly sealed hatch. He groaned softly as something warm ran down his face while looking in the view port at the horrified faces of the others. He only had a second to breathe as an almighty groan echoed in the Vehicle Pod. There was another lurch and then, he felt himself free falling.

The Pod had just been ripped from the rest of the Crawler and he was rapidly plummeting down without any form of control.

He could hardly hear himself screaming as the alarms sounded, fighting to stay awake at the sudden pressure change.

"Prepare for impact."

The words barely registered in his still addled mind as he was thrown clear across the pod into a robotic arm. This time, whether thankfully or not, he saw black.
He came to as an alarm began sounding.

"Alert. Alert. Oxygen leak detected. Oxygen level now at 37%."

Acting on his own auto pilot, he hauled himself to a nearby control panel and blinked at the pad before realizing he was on the overhead, the pod had landed upside down. Quickly figuring out the panel he typed in his codes and began a system check. Finding an emergency kit, he sifted through the pieces and parts until he found what he needed. Taking the rubber seal and chain wrench, he hobbled to the glowing tubing that needed the patch repairs.

As he tinkered, his ribs began to make themselves known to him while he tried to breathe. Feeling an uncomfortable pain in his right upper torso, he had to assume the worst and double timed his patch work so he could scan himself quickly.

With one last downward ratchet there was a 'click' that the wrench was secured and finished ratcheting in place. Heaving deep, he fell back on the overhead.

"Oxygen level stabilizing."

Groaning, he rolled onto his less injured shoulder and made his was back to the emergency kit to begin the next unsavory task of doctoring himself. He activated the ADI, Automated Doctoral Index, in the kit while he forced himself to breathe deep.

He glowered at the slowness of the machine and began rummaging around for the other part of the kit that was labeled 'Bio-scanner.'

Continuing to breathe deep he scanned himself from head to toe before plugging the data into the ADI, which as luck would have it was cracked, he'd have to rely on the verbal instructions.

Numbly he followed the treatments as it began to list his every injury from the three broken ribs to his mild concussion and walk him through how to tend to himself with the materials available in the on site kit.

At the end of the third hour he licked his chapped lips while the ADI shut off upon completion. He eased himself up and hobbled forward as best he could with the makeshift splint on his left leg hindering him slightly.

Groggily hitting the communication terminal, he felt his heart flutter at the static and opened his mouth as he dared to hope that the Com-Link still worked.

"This is Researcher Hilmer Haddock does anyone copy?"

Static, and panic were his response.

"This is Researcher Hilmer Haddock does anyone copy?!"

More static.

"DAMN IT ALL! THIS IS HICCUP! HELLO!"

He screamed hoarsely, using his own nickname as he pounded on the bulkhead with weakening thumps.

Only more static.

He was fucked.