7.
Megan sipped at another glass of champagne. They had been travelling for a few hours now, having left the lights and towers of Reef City One far behind them. She smiled across at Katherine. "This is fantastic!"
Katherine nodded, sliding slightly towards Megan and away from JD who, naturally, had sat next to her. "I know!" She gazed out of the glass compartment at the wonders of the magnificent reef below them and the fabulous aquatic life that darted all around. Bright, tiny lights were dotted about the outside of the viewing compartment so the ocean beyond was illuminated. "The Doctor would love this!"
A worried look passed between the two girls that JD picked up on. "Who's the Doctor?" he asked.
Katherine smiled. "A friend. He's going to meet up with us," she paused slightly, "a few days."
Tyson and Dara, JD's other two business clients, were a young engaged couple. They clinked their glasses before holding hands as they gazed out into the ocean. "It's incredible JD! I'm glad you talked us into coming out here!" said Tyson
Dara, an attractive woman with long blonde hair, nodded. "It's so beautiful!"
"No problem," JD assured him, "only the best for my clients!"
Megan glanced across at the two Lemerians who sat quietly on the sofas, their drinks untouched, as they watched the iridescent shoals of fish swim by.
"Where are we going?" Katherine asked JD.
"A little place I know with a great restaurant and a brilliant view of the reef. We can get out, stretch our legs and have something to eat while they refuel the pod."
Suddenly the aqua-pod gave a lurch and the passengers were thrown off their feet. JD caught Katherine in his arms with a grin, but a flicker of irritation crossed his face. "Hey, what the Hell was that?"
Tyson picked Dara up where she had stumbled onto one of the couches. "You okay?" he asked and she nodded.
The Lemerians looked at one another, their alien faces unreadable.
Megan looked around in alarm. "What's going on?" The aqua-pod was going downwards towards the reef.
Katherine pulled away from JD as he moved forward to shout up to the cockpit. "Hey Brad, is everything okay?"
There was no reply.
Megan started forward and climbed quickly up the steps to see Bradley slumped over the controls. "Help me," she shouted back, "I think he's collapsed!"
8.
Out of the cockpit window, the reef loomed like a dark mountain in front of the plummeting aqua-pod.
Megan reached out and pulled Bradley off the controls, pushing him back in his seat. He didn't stir but just lolled lifelessly. "Oh my God," whispered Megan, "I think he's dead!"
JD pushed past her. "Never mind about him now," he shouted as he reached the controls, "unless we level off this pod we're going to smash into the reef!" He frantically pulled a lever towards him to slow the descent of the pod and throw the engines into reverse, whilst he twisted the steering wheel to the left to avoid a nearby pillar of coral.
There was a nasty scrape as the pod collided obliquely with the coral, and the pod lurched to one side throwing the passengers inside it to the floor again. JD managed to hold onto the wheel however and quickly pushed some more buttons. As he pushed up a lever, the pod began to level off and slow to a safe speed.
JD let out a slow breath. "I think we made it!" He pressed some more buttons to put the pod on automatic.
Megan was so relieved that she forgot that JD usually irritated her and hugged him. Then she pulled away and was all business again as she looked down at Bradley's body. "What happened to him?"
JD shrugged and then shouted down to the passenger lounge. "Hey, Tyson, you'd better get up here!" He turned back to Megan. "He's got medical training," he explained.
In the passenger lounge below, Tyson was holding a frightened Dara when he heard the shout. Katherine had reluctantly gone to help one of the Lemerians that had cut its' head on one of the walls when the pod had lurched. It regarded silently her with its' cold black eyes and nodded its' thanks.
Tyson appeared at the top of the cockpit stairs and saw Bradley's body. He immediately crossed to it and took a pulse. Then he felt the neck and looked into the eyes and mouth.
"Heart attack?" asked JD grimly.
Tyson shook his head slowly. "No, I think he's been poisoned!"
9.
Megan looked at Tyson in disbelief. "What? You're joking!" But the look on his face told her he wasn't. Megan took a deep breath to steady her nerves and then noticed the empty champagne glass that lay smashed on the floor of the cockpit. "That's Bradley's glass – it could have been the champagne!" she whispered.
"Now hold on a minute," began JD indignantly, "We don't know what's happened here!"
Tyson nodded in agreement. "You're right; the last thing we want is a panic!"
But Megan could see that Tyson was worried as he left the cockpit to rejoin his fiancé.
Katherine's head appeared at the bottom of the cockpit stairs. "What's happening?" she asked as she climbed up the steps. "I think everyone's alright down there, just cuts and bruises." She saw the look on Megan's face and immediately knew something was wrong. "What is it?"
"Bradley's dead," Megan explained pointing to the body. "Tyson thinks he's been poisoned!"
Katherine's eyes widened in fear. "We have to get back to the Reef City!"
Megan nodded but JD shook his head. "We can't."
Megan put her hands on her hips. "You're not suggesting we just carry on are you?"
JD turned to face her, his face dark. "We haven't enough fuel," he said angrily. We have to go on to Triton station, I know the manager there; we'll be alright!" He turned back to the controls as Megan made a face behind his back.
Suddenly, Katherine pointed out of the front screen. "Look, there's another aqua-pod!"
Megan glanced up and indeed there was another pod heading towards them. This pod was slightly larger and more bulky and functional. It didn't look like a pleasure craft at all.
JD touched the wheel to move their aqua-pod to the left a little. "They're heading straight for us," he muttered suspiciously. Then he gave a shout as he saw a burst of telltale bubbles on the underside of the other pod. "They've released a torpedo! Hold on you two!"
JD grabbed the wheel and slammed the accelerator lever forward as the sleek yet deadly missile streaked towards them
10.
Katherine and Megan held on for dear life as the aqua-pod shot forwards just in time to avid being hit by the oncoming torpedo. The missile flew past them and struck an outcropping of coral. The resounding shock wave rocked the aqua-pod to the side and the girls were thrown across the cockpit.
JD held onto the wheel grimly and handled the pod with considerable skill, pushing it as fast as it would go.
Katherine got to her knees and looked behind them. "It's coming after us!" she shouted as she saw the other pod turn to pursue them.
The two pods streaked through the dark ocean. JD darted and twisted from side to side, trying to out run the other pod, but he couldn't shake it.
Megan stayed safely on the floor feeling decidedly sick. She glanced down the stairs to see the other passengers, human and Lemerian alike, all terrified as they realised the pod was under attack.
"They've launched again!" shouted JD, and then threw the wheel forward sending the pod into a steep dive.
The torpedo rushed over their heads and smashed into a large piece of reef sending debris hurtling outwards and churning the ocean into a mass of foam and bubbles. JD used the distraction to dart beneath a low overhang of the reef and instantly cut all the engines and lights, plunging the pod into darkness.
"What are you doing?" cried Megan.
"Silent running; now shut up!" JD ordered brusquely.
Megan opened her mouth to argue but could see the cleverness of the plan and did as she was told.
Moments passed and the passengers inside the pod could hear the engines of the other pod as it circled around trying to locate its' prey. Katherine swallowed nervously, unconsciously holding her breath.
Moments turned to minutes and then the engine sound of the other pod got fainter and fainter as it moved off into the depths of the ocean.
Katherine let out her breath as JD slowly brought up the lights in the pod and started the engines slowly. He grinned at her and Katherine was so relieved that she leant over and kissed him on the cheek. "You do have you moments," she whispered with a smile.
JD grinned at the affection and the frowned as he checked the controls.
"What is it?" asked Megan, fearing the worst.
"We used most of our remaining fuel in that chase," replied JD slowly, "I only hope we have enough to get to Triton station!"
11.
As their aqua-pod pulled into the airlock at Triton station an hour or so later, everyone on board had breathed a huge sigh of relief. They had not encountered any more hostile pods and knew full well that if they had then it would have meant their certain deaths.
Triton station wasn't exactly a first class resort and reminded Megan of an American motel with a diner and fuel station attached. The location was fantastic however. Triton was perched on a high piece of the reef that looked out over an ocean trench that teemed with coral and aquatic life.
JD had assured the passengers, including a sceptical Megan, that he knew the manager of the station well and would sort out the issue of Bradley's body with the authorities. He had found them a bar to a get a drink and some food and then set off to clear things up and refuel the aqua-pod so that they could return to Reef City One.
Megan and Katherine sat next to a table in a corner booth as they munched on some sandwiches and sodas. It certainly was a come-down from the fabulous restaurant in their hotel. The low lighting of the bar, meant to give a better view of the ocean beyond, instead gave it a slightly seedy air. This was made worse by some of the neon lighting around the outside of the bar windows wasn't working.
Megan chewed her sandwich thoughtfully. It was some kind of fish that tasted a bit like tuna. She looked about the half empty bar There were only a few other people besides the two girls, mostly men and all of which looked a bit rough. Dara had been still shaken by their recent traumatic voyage and so Tyson had found a room for them both to get some rest. The two Lemerians were also in the bar and sat at a table close to the window and gazing out onto the ocean as a small herd of aquatic mammals, a little like manatees, swam past.
"They're called Kelupan," explained Katherine softly and startling Megan out of her brooding. "The Lemerians told me when we saw some from the aqua-pod."
Megan drained her soda. "Where's JD? He's certainly taking his time!"
Katherine nodded and slid out of the booth. "He'll be back. I'd better pay for these," she said indicating the food and drink and searched inside the pocket of her leather coat for the credit chip the Doctor had given them. Suddenly she went pale and started searching frantically through her pockets.
"What is it?" asked Megan with alarm.
Katherine pulled out a pocket of her coat. The lining had been cut away. "Megan, it's gone!"
12.
Megan stared at her friend and the coat in horror. "We've been robbed!"
Katherine just shrugged, panic starting to well up inside her. "I don't know! We'd better find JD!"
Megan nodded and slid out from the booth. "You're right." Then a sudden thought struck her and her face tightened with anger, a nasty suspicion forming in her mind. "Unless he's the one that robbed us!" She started towards the door of the bar. "Come on!"
As the girls crossed the bar, the bartender looked up angrily and pointed back to their table. "Hey! You're not going anywhere girls; not until you pay for what you've had!"
Megan paused and then grabbed Katherine's hand. "Run!" she shouted, and the two girls sprinted from the bar with the bartender shouting after them. As the doors swung closed behind them, they could hear the sound of running feet – they were being pursued.
They found themselves in an open area, like a small courtyard, with several apartment doors on two levels on three of the walls of the chamber. A fourth wall was glass and looked out into the ocean and a tunnel leading to the parked aqua-pods led off from it.
Megan looked desperately around. They had to hide quickly before they were caught. Luckily, she noticed one of the apartment doors nearby was open and she shoved Katherine inside and closed the door behind them, just leaving it open a crack. She peered through the crack to see the bartender and three other rough looking men, possibly bouncers, running through the courtyard and down the tunnel to the aqua-pods. Megan breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Katherine. "They've gone! Now what?"
Katherine thought for a moment. "We need to find JD; perhaps Tyson and Dara will know where he is?"
Megan nodded. "Good idea. What room did they take?"
"Thirty one," Katherine remembered.
Megan checked that the coast was clear and then the girls sprinted out of the apartment and up a flight of metal stairs to the next level of rooms. It was only a few moments before they found room thirty one and Megan hammered urgently on the door. "Tyson, Dara?" she called quietly.
There was no reply, and instead the door swung open to reveal a wrecked apartment within.
13.
Katherine and Megan were both shocked at what they saw. The room was a complete mess with sheets and pillows from the bed on the floor, a table and chairs toppled and the drawers from a dresser pulled out, their contents emptied onto the floor. There was no sign of either Tyson or Dara.
'Oh my God," whispered Megan from the doorway. "What's happened?"
Katherine shrugged as she stepped into the room. "I don't know. Do you think they're…..?" She left the awful question hanging in the air.
Megan took a deep breath but shook her head. "There's no sign of any blood, but this place is a mess!" She bit her lip in thought. "There could've been a struggle, or perhaps someone was looking for something?"
Katherine nodded slowly. "Oh Megan, this is turning out to be a nightmare! What are we going to do?"
Megan turned to Katherine. "We'd better get out of here and back to Reef City One."
Katherine nodded. "I hope the Doctor won't be too long!"
They opened the door of the wrecked apartment and checked that the coast was clear. There was no-one about and they seemed to have eluded the wrath of the bartender and his bouncers. As quickly as possible, they scurried along the walkway and down the metal stairs to the courtyard. Their luck held and the two girls managed to cross the open space and enter the tunnel that led to the docks and the aqua-pods.
"I hope JD at least managed to refuel the pod before…." Megan broke off.
"Are you going to try and drive it?" asked Katherine nervously.
Megan nodded. "What else can we do?"
The girls entered the dock and skidded to a halt. Although there were a few aqua-pods moored at various jetties, the one they arrived in with JD and the others was nowhere to be seen. To make matters worse, at one of the jetties close by was the dark, bulky aqua-pod that had pursued them earlier. As Megan and Katherine exchanged a shocked look, the hatch to the pod opened and two men in dark suits emerged. Both were carrying blasters in holsters and saw the girls immediately.
Katherine looked at Megan who nodded. "Run!"