Under the Pacific

The Aqua-dome arena

Main Event Pool, Dome 5

(Skipper's POV)

We were standing in Dome 5 of The Complex known as The Aqua-dome. It was one of the massive domes that made up the underwater city of [redacted]. We were deep under The Pacific a thick dome of acrylic keeping the ocean from falling onto our heads and crushing us with the extreme pressures and freezing us with the cold. The water around the dome was black and completely devoid of light. The lights of the bioluminescent creatures flashed occasionally beyond the lights of the domes.

Inside the dome we were standing in was a massive stadium with rows of seats positioned around a massive pool of water. Lights on the sides and bottom of the large circular pool illuminated the waters of the pool. Lights on the top of the Stadium provided even more light bathing the entire interior with eternal artificial daylight. Every last seat was filled with everyone's full attention on the central jumbotrons. Rockgut appears on a podium on a platform that hugged the far side of the pool. Three submarines were waiting in a holding pool inside a backstage area of the stadium. A canal flows into a large entrance to the interior of the stadium the only link to the holding pool.

"Welcome to day three of the competition!" Rockgut said, "As a result of yesterday hacking challenge Team Penguin and North Wind will be down a member until tomorrow's events!"

"Now here's a quick reminder of where the team stands," Rockgut said.

"In first place with 159 points, Robo-team," Rockgut said waiting for the boos of the audience to die down before continuing, "In second with 119 Points, Team Penguin and Last with 73 points is North Wind. Both Team Penguin and North Wind has a change to surge ahead or fall behind. Now lets move on to a fan favorite The Submarine Combat competition!"

"I wonder what surprises we have in store today," Rockgut said.

A picture of the North Wind's White Submarine appears, "North Wind will compete in a standard North Wind Submarine! With Standard Torpedoes and laser weapons. Plus advanced sonar and communication systems."

A picture of our Mach 4 Submarine then pops up on the jumbotrons, "The Penguins will compete in their Mach 4 Submarine! Armed with standard Torpedoes, Underwater drones, mines, a Water-jet attack craft, and laser guns. For fairness the Underwater Drones and Water-jet have been removed."

"And finally," Rockgut said as a robotic submarine appears on screen and is immediately booed, "The Robo-sub 5000! Piloted remotely by the Robo-team! Equipped with torpedo launchers, laser guns, and a advanced water-jet propulsion system."

"This year we're mixing things up," Rockgut said, "Instead of multiple stages with different... objectives..."

"Sea Monsters," Private whispered.

"...It will be one single underwater 'deathmatch'," Rockgut said, "Last sub standing wins! All teams are authorized to use force in this contest."

"But we're not making this easy on you," Rockgut added, "The massive pool here have been seeded with mines, underwater laser turrets, Ships ready to drop depth charges on you, other submarines laying in wait, and oh the IPSA's best submarine attack craft. WJ-100s Waterjets, AS-220s Attack Subs, and SF-T990s Seafloor Tanks. Plus coral formations and a couple caves your could hide in."

"The round ends when all but one team's sub is left," Rockgut said, "Being the last sub standing will earn you 100 points! Being the second sub to fall gets you 50 points! Being the first sub to fall gets you nothing! If you get destroyed by any of the non-competitor vessels you get nothing! If you crash you get zero points! If you crash a competitors sub by crashing your sub into them you both get zero points! If you surface at any point you're out! IF you touch the bottom you're out! And if you exit your sub underwater you're out!"

"Good luck," Rockgut said, "Now get to your subs, get out of the holding pool, and get to the starting point marked on your GPS! And wait for further instructions!"

Rockgut rushed off the platform as we rushed into the 'backstage' area. The podium Rockgut was standing at descended and the platform retracted out of the way. The gate that separated the canal leading to the indoor holding pool from the main pool slide open. North Wind went down the marina leading to their white sub while Robo-Sub 5000 already entered the canal. As the North Wind dove down and followed the three of us climbed into our Mach 4 Submarine.

I sealed the hatch and climbing into my captains chair swinging the navigation screen in front of me. Rico rushed to The Control Station while Private settled into to The Sonar Station. I hit a button on the screen in front of me which booted up and showed the GPS marker for our starting point. It also showed North Wind and Robo-Sub 5000 speeding towards their starting points. Rico grabbed the controls and the sub descended and moved away from it's marina and out of the holding pool. We traveled down the canal and into the main event pool the gate sliding closed behind us.

We speed towards our starting point and turned so the center of the arena... marked by a dive line. Rico put us into neutral Buoyancy and we sat there in the middle of the water column. The North Wind were also floating neutrally and were also facing the center point. The Robo-Sub 5000 which didn't have a view window at the front or a crew was facing away from us and the center point. I could see Classified smug little grin from here. I did a quick check on the status of the components on the status screen. I also checked the HUD while Rico checks his and Private tests the sonar. The Navigation Station was humming away while the entertainment system's screen showed a screen-saver.

I looked out our massive Acrylic window and saw what looks like a EMP bomb ready to go off. I look towards the North Wind who were busy drinking their coffee to notice. I discreetly activated the Sub's EMP Shielding as my Gut told me that it was probably going to go off when Rockgut says GO.

"Get ready boys," I said.

"Get ready! The round starts..." Rockgut said.

"In three..."

Rico gripped the controls while Private was glancing at The Sonar Station's instrumentation. We could see North Wind take their seats at their stations in their Submarine. Corporal was sitting between The Navigation and Sonar Stations having the do the job of two people. Short Fuse was in a row of controls behind him, probably the weapon controls. And Classified was in the back of the bridge at a elevated position with the controls around his comfy command chair. A bunch of gauges and dials were arranged around the hatch in the wall behind him.

"Two!"

Rico started the engines. Classified did the same in his Sub. The Robo-Sub finally started to turn towards us.

"One..."

The Propellers on all Three Subs activated.

"GO!"

And then a massive EMP Bomb went off disabling The North Wind. I see Classified slam his fist down as the Sub's lights went out and it sank towards the bottom as we speed past above them. Good thing I saw earlier and turned on EMP Shielding. Rico then expertly dodged a Torpedo from the more maneuverable Robo-Sub. Private activated the rear bubbler confusing the Robo-Sub's sensors with the thick stream of bubbles. Private deactivated the bubbler as Rico hits the button to release artificial squid ink further confusing the sensors. The slowed down Robo-sub caught the attention of the Underwater laser turrets on the pool floor. Several visual sensors were blown off as were the sonar outputs. It only had it's Lidar, Flir camera, Night Vision camera, collision sensor, and a Side Scan Sonar Unit to detect us. We quickly hid our Sub in a artificial coral tunnel one of the 'caves' Rockgut mentioned.

This keeps us out of view of the Waterjets, Attack Subs, regular Subs, and the Robo-sub. We're toast if one of the Seafloor Tanks sneaks up on us. The Ships at the surface were already launching depth charges while the Mines Rockgut mentioned finally released. A Mine goes off near the Robo-Sub's Impeller leaving the Sub dead in the water. But not defenseless as it managed to use it's torpedoes and lasers to destroy several Attack Subs and Waterjets.

If Kowalski was here he would immediately start discussing 'upgrades' to the Waterjets. A Seafloor Tank rolled up and aimed it's gun at our rocky hiding spot. Rico fired off our laser weapons destroying the tank. A nearby Sub fired a torpedo toward us... Rico put us in full reverse causing the torpedo to miss and collapse that side of the tunnel. We exited the tunnel turned around and fired off our torpedo destroying the Water-jets and Attack Subs that started to swarm us. The Robo-Sub drifted into another mine and the explosion took out the Side Scan Sonar and the last of it's visual sensors leaving only the Lidar system. The Sub quickly shot out it's lasers in front of itself to scan the pool as it slowly drifts. It destroyed a depth charge with a laser and even fired at one of the ships causing it to explode and then sink.

We managed to dodge the remaining Subs and watercraft to sneak up behind the Robo-Sub. It's rear torpedo tube opened by Rico quickly responded by firing a torpedo. The Rear Torpedo tube exploded as our torpedo impacted the torpedo in the tube setting off the rest. The front of the Robo-Sub separated from the destroyed rear section and blasted away. Rico blasted the back of the separated front section causing as massive explosion that destroyed the Robo-Sub. The LIDAR scanner was the only part left as it slowly sank to the bottom.

Suddenly the pool was filled with alternating colored lights and a laser light show. Fireworks went off in the dome above us and 'please surface now' flashed on all our HUDs. Rico complied and we surfaced to a explosion of cheers. The North Wind's Sub had activated a emergency raft and was floating at the surface it's ballast tanks outputs open and blasting out water. Classified and his team mates climbing into a small inflatable boat that sped over.

The Jumbotron was showing a replay of the final hit that doomed the Robo-Sub. The Audience cheered louder with each replay of the replay. More Fireworks went off as the top of the stadium lit up with sparklers and confetti cannons went off. "Winner: Team Penguin! Last Sub Standing...100 points! Congratulations!" the screen said.

I opened up the hatch of the Submarine and Me, Private, and Rico stuck our heads out and waved. A boat came along and 'towed' our Sub for our victory lap around the pool.

Rockgut then appeared on the Jumbo-tron, "Congratulations you just survived this year's sub trials! Good Job! Now let's do a quick rundown of total points!"

"In first with 219 points! Team Penguin!" everyone cheered at that.

"In second with 209 points is Robo-team!" Rockgut said leading to more boos.

"And dead last with 73 points North Wind!" Rockgut said, "things are not going well for North Wind this year."

I could feel Classified's eye boring into the back of my head from the arena's massive pool deck.

"Now let's got out of the water shall we," Rockgut said, "Next stop the aerial combat drill!"

"Let me guess," I shouted into a megaphone, "A full on dogfight where the team of the last pilot standing wins."

"NO!" rockgut replied over the stadium PA system, "Same rounds as last time... Jet packs, Signature aircraft, and then Biplane Laser-Tag."

"Robo-plane," Private whispered.

"Yup," Rico said.

"See you all in a bit!" Rockgut said as our Sub is pulled back into the holding pool.

But instead of dropping us back at the marina the boat drops us at a pool in the back. A sign flashed on telling us to dive and enter the exit canal to reach the exit doors. With all looked at each other and then descended back into the sub closing the hatch above us. Our Sub dives into the canal and sped towards the exit doors. North Wind in their reactivated Submarine followed right after us. Meanwhile the Audience was being shuffled out of dome five and into the central section of the arena complex. A Sub was currently parked on top of the entrance area of the complex. One tunnel lead back to the main dome of the city but everyone was being shuffled into the Sub by Rockgut and the event organizers. They were the last to enter the airlock and board the Sub. The domes meanwhile were being reformatted for their next events.

But we all failed to see the massive submersible craft hiding in the shadows and observing and listening to everything

(Ultima Pentron's POV)

The remains of my forces and the Robo-team stood in our Sub's bridge. Several run down Daleks were moving around behind us. Davros was still in the crashed Dalek ship with the Supreme Dalek, The Strategist, The Scientist Dalek, and the run down bronze. Eternal was silently staring at me from a quiet corner of the bridge. It's gaze filled with neither pride or hatred it just stared blankly at me.

IF I wasn't I robot I would be shuddering right now, "What do you want?" I asked.

"You told us that the EMP Bomb would take them both out," The Eternal whispered.

"The Penguins using their EMP Shielding was something I couldn't predict," I replied.

"Alert! Alert!" A red Drone screamed, "Our systems have been compromised! Our Security systems accessed! The Penguin Known as Kowalski and the Owl known as Eva has infiltrated our systems and just witnessed this conversation! They know about the Operation!"

I turned to security Camera, "Well played Kowalski... and you wondered why I chose to imitate your appearance..."

"Since you won't live to tell the others," I sneered, "I am Ultima Pentron! Pentron Perfected! And you just made your last mistake!"

"Order's sir?" The Pentron Elite Unit asked as the Lighting Gunner cocked it's Lighting Blaster.

"What do we do with Kowalski sir?" The Minion-bot asked.

"Should we deactivate our infiltration modes?" One of the 'Agent-bots' that were not part of Robo-team asked.

"Yes," I said, "Robo-team!"

The Robo-team stood at attention, "continue dominating the competition!" I said.

The Robo-team nodded and headed towards the airlock. We don't need air but I rather not have water sloshing about my Sub. And the Daleks hate water... well that not true... They hate everything.

"As for the rest of us!" I said, "We will find Kowalski... and we will... EXTERMINATE HIM!"

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" All the Daleks in the room chanted as all my robots rose their fists or weapons into the air.

The remaining 'Agent-bots' G-Z shed their disguises and revealing themselves to be Pentron Elite Units. They charged their wrist mounted lasers or cocked their Proton Bazookas. The Lone Lighting Gunner flipped off the safety on the lighting blaster. The Minion-bot cocked it's Plasma Blaster while the rundown Elite Unit took command of the other Elite Units.

"Commander Rust," I said turning to said elite unit.

"We are at you command your metalness," Rust replied.

"Now in the words of The Doctor... which one I don't care," I said, "Allons-y! Fantastic! Geronimo! Let's get our shift on!"

"Yes Sir!"

"WE OBEY!"

Meanwhile in a dark room on the 'crashed' Dalek ship. Davros watched the proceedings with The Red Supreme Dalek.

"Everything is going exactly to plan," Davros said.

"Then The Penguins Doom is fast approaching!" The Red Supreme said with it's egotistical voice.

"Yes," Davros said.

"Then you are no longer necessary! Exterminate!"

Davros didn't see the extermination beam until it was too late.

A door slides open and The Master steps out, "Is he finally gone?"

Another door opens and The White Supreme entered, "Do you need to be remained of your place Time Lord?"

"No," The Master said.

"We saved you from the Death Particle did we not?"

"Correct," The Master said.

"Do not patronize us!" The White Supreme said.

"Do not make us put you in the interrogation machine," The Strategist said.

"Your just mad that I defeated the Doctor and you did not," The Master replied.

"Did the Doctor foil your plans?" The White Supreme Dalek said.

"Yes."

"Did the Doctor Escape?" The Strategist said.

"Yes."

"Do you still have the Cyberium?" The Red Supreme said.

"Well... no."

"DID THE DOCTOR SURVIVE?" The White Supreme screamed.

"Yes... but I did break her."

"Why shouldn't I exterminate you where you stand for your arrogance Time Lord," The White Supreme sneered.

"What are you going to do?" The Master said, "Turn me into one of you... but... I could work with an eyestalk sticking out of my head... if you're accepting puppet positions."

"Scanning... your intelligence is too low even for a Robo-man... Daleks require geniuses," The Strategist said.

"What! Too Low!? EVEN for a Robo-man? I am a Genius!" The Master said.

"You deviated the Cyber-men from a far superior plan," The Strategist said.

"What the turn themselves into robots plan?" The Master said, "You're not considering that plan are you?"

"No," The Strategist said.

"You know it's kinda pathetic that you can't even kill four irrelevant flightless penguins?" The Master said.

"And you can do better?"

"Did I not destroy gallifrey?"

"Very well, join Ultima Pentron on his mission to destroy Kowalski," The White Supreme said, "But be aware failure will result in maximum obliteration! Not even regeneration can save you from Disintegration!"

"I have a killer shrink ray," The Master said holding up his infamous TCE.

"The Daleks are have been shielded from your Tissue Compression Eliminator," The Red Supreme said.

"NOW LEAVE THIS ROOM OR BE EXTERMINATED!"

"I obey," The Master mocked as he fled.

The White Supreme turns to The Strategist and said, "Why can't we exterminate him now? All Timelords are enemies of the Daleks!"

"His usefulness has not yet expired," The Strategist said.

"Nevertheless the plan continues!" The Supreme Dalek replied.

As the Daleks left the room they failed to notice one of Davros' fingers twitch.

(End of chapter eight)