Aquatic Kingdom Hearts
Chapter 26: the Expedition Begins; Beware the Leviathan
Deep Underwater
Aboard the Ulysses
In the Men's Cabin
As the ship descended, the crew was hard at work while making sure the ship stayed in the water afloat. While the crew worked tirelessly, Milo, Eric, Frey, along with Dax and Max went exploring the decks of the Ulysses. Its design was completely massive; it really was big enough for two hundred people alright…and was pretty big to get lost in. It had nearly taken them a full hour but they finally found their bunk room, Room 221. They entered it and found it was fairly big enough to hold seven people, which was pretty fair for them for a Military sub. There was also a shelf with some books in them, and a couch on the side of it for lounging around.
Frey looked around as he walk/ran to the empty bunk on top. He threw his duffel bag on top, and climbed up, saying, "Dibs on the top bunk."
Eric shook his head as he grinned at this, and he took the bottom bunk. He placed his duffel bag to the side and placed the Seablade at the ready. Max jumped in after him as Dax nestled into the pillow and yawned, "Well, all we gotta do is sit tight and enjoy the ride."
Eric smirked at the otter as he settled in next to him, with Max sleeping on his lap, "Yep, and after that, it's on to work. Ruins don't find themselves."
It was just then as Milo settled down in his bunk; the Intercom went back on with the same drone voice, "ATTENTION. TONIGHT'S SUPPER WILL BE BAKED BEANS. MUSICAL PROGRAM TO FOLLOW", and then the voice paused for a moment as it asked, "WHO WROTE THIS?"
It was just then when Milo finally relaxed….it happened. A strange mole looking fellow, peeked over the bedside of the top bunk from over Milo. With a pair of micro-goggles that zoomed out, and a light suddenly turning on, Milo jumped up surprised, smacking his head in the bunk. This caught the boys' attention, and even Max was a little startled, as Milo rubbed his aching noggin. Then the man, whom both Milo and Eric recognized him as the one called Moliere, as he spoke in a French accent, despite it being spoken low, "You have disturbed the dirt."
Milo asked, "Uh, pardon me?"
Moliere shot out of his bunk, and pulled Milo out both forcefully and comically. He did the same to Eric as he, Max and Dax fell out of their bunks, as well as Frey. Then Mole shouted out, "You've disturbed the dirt! All of you!", he then ran around, pulling the covers off their beds, exposing clumps of dirt with little flags, as Mole pointed out, "Dirt from around the globe spanning the centuries!" He then paled as he ran over to Eric's bed and saw two clumps merged into one, "AAAHH! What have you done?", and then a small robotic shovel popped up from Mole's cap and started to separate the two, "England must never merge with France."
And then Frey suddenly asked out of the pure insanity happening, "What's it doing in our beds?"
Then Mole turned to the trio and interrogated them, rather fast, "You ask too many questions! Who are you? Who sent you? Do you hate dirt? Speak up!" The three looked at each other completely confused by this; even Max and Dax were slightly odd at this, but ten Mole just scoffed, and grabbed a hand from each of the three, "Bah! I will know soon enough."
The three started to struggle, as Milo cried out, "Hey, hey, hey! Let go!"
Eric tugged, but then sniffed the one called Mole, and paled. After that, he struggled the hardest, complaining, "Oh man, when was the last time you took a bath? You smell like something that died in rotten diapers, was thrown in a blender with rotten smelt, and finally drank up by a hobo skunk!"
Mole completely forgot about the ranting and just said, "Do not be such crybabies! Hold still.", and then in a quick and painless motion, he extracted a tiny amount of dirt form their fingernails with only a pair of tweezers. He laughed in triumph at them as he let them go and looked at the dirt in his sight, "Aha! Zere you are.", he then zoomed in with his goggles as he whispered to them, "Now tell me your stories, my little friends.", he looked at Milo's dirt sample, at complete magnification as he pointed out, "Parchment fiber from ze Nile circa 500 B.C., lead pencil No. 2, paint flecks of a type used in government buildings."
He then looked over to Eric's sample as he muttered, "Sea salt traces, sand grains from the western south of the Caribbean, Grape Wax for surfboards, you have a dog, shaggy sheep, six years old second in a litter of five, you have an otter, orange hair, Aspen origin, age unknown, third in a litter of seven."
And finally, he looked at Frey's sample, muttering, "Same sea salt traces, Caribbean sand grains, pineapple surfboard wax, trace elements of lipstick residue, Herbal Essence shampoo chemical traces, nail polish flakes, and trace hair strands of blondes, brunettes, and redheads, all female."
After close examination, Mole made his final deductions as he pointed to Eric and Frey first, "Ze second and third samples indicate ze dark haired boy to be a surfing Puzzle-solver, as well as ze older one's nephew. And ze blonde's are ze fingerprints of a surfing womanizer."
After hearing that, Frey nodded, but then let it sink in as he shouted, "Hey!"
Ignoring him, Mole then turned to Milo's dirt sample as he concluded, "And as for you, these are all ze microscopic fingerprints of ze mapmaker.", and then tasted the dirt, but then frowned at Milo as he finished with much disgust in his voice, "…and linguist."
But before either one of them could ask on how he knew, Mole grabbed their stuff and threw it at them. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Zis is an outrage! You all must leave at once!", he then hastily shoved them towards the door, "OUT! OUT! OUT! OUT! OUT!", but was stopped as they bumped into someone massive. The boys looked up and saw another familiar fellow was in front of them.
It was none other than Joshua Sweet, as he assessed the situation and raised an eyebrow at Milo and the boys. He then spoke up in a fast yet friendly voice for someone of his build and height, "Uh oh. Sat in the dirt, didn't ya?"
Frey nodded as he asked, "That happen to you too?"
Sweet nodded, "Yeah, pretty much.", he then crossed his arms and scolded Mole while the trio put their stuff back, "Moliere, now what have I told you about playing nice with the other kids?", Mole was about to argue, until Sweet pulled out the most scary thing to Mole in the world: Soap. Sweet held it up like a cross to a vampire as he friendly threatened, "Get back. I've got soap, and I'm not afraid to use it." At just seeing the bar, Mole stood back, hissing at it like a vampire would to a cross. Then Sweet pulled out a towel and whipped back Mole, declaring, "Back, foul creature! Back to the pit from whence you came!", and then Mole scurried off back to his bunk and hid under the blanket, like a scared mouse.
Eric just looked at that scene and back to Sweet, "That was….really weird."
Sweet just shrugged as he explained, "Well, what can I say. He just doesn't like baths.", he then shook the three fellows' hands as he introduced himself, "The name's Sweet; Joshua Sweet. Medical Officer."
And then Milo introduced himself, "Yeah, Milo Thatch", he then pointed to Eric, "And this is my nephew, Eric."
Eric waved to Sweet as Frey introduced, "Frey Asapin."
Sweet, while getting ready for work, stopped as he asked, "Thatch and Asapin?", he then cheerfully looked to them as he said, "You guys are my three o'clock.", he then turned to them as he pulled out a huge saw and smiled, "Well, no time like the present."
The three backed away as they saw the saw, and they gasped, "Oh boy."
Sweet smiled, completely ignoring their responsive looks, and pointed to the saw, "Nice, uh? The catalog says this little beauty can saw through a femur in twenty-eight seconds. I'm betting I can cut that time in half.", but he put the saw away as he pulled out three thermometers, "Now stick out your tongues and say 'Ahhh'.", but before they could reject on that, Sweet already shoved the thermometers in their mouths and began their examination, with him asking, "So where ya from?", Milo slightly grunted, along with the boys, but Sweet seemed to understand a little as he said, "Really? I have family up that way. Beautiful beaches there.", and then checked their heart and pulse rates as he asked, "Do any of you do any fishing?", the three mumbled something while shaking their heads. Then Sweet replied, "Me? I hate fishing; I hate fish. Hate taste, hate the smell, and hate all them little bones that get caught in yer throat. That's why I don't much care for fish in the eating menu.", and then he pulled out two very large containers as he explained, "Now, you each get a turn, and I'll clean these out. But for right now, I'm gonna need one of you to fill these up for me."
The three spat out their thermometers in surprise at this as they each said, "With what?/What the…?/You've gotta be kiddin'!"
Then as if their prayers were answered, the intercom went off again, "WILL MILO AND ERIC THATCH PLEASE REPORT TO THE BRIDGE?"
The boys sighed with relief as Milo muttered, "Thank you."
Eric sighed with relief as he walked out the room, "Saved by the bell.", but then stopped as he waved back to Sweet, "Nice meeting you, Dr. Sweet."
Milo followed behind him as he left, "Yeah, nice meeting you.", and then zoomed out of there.
Sweet smiled as he said, "Uh-huh, nice meeting you too.", and then spotted Frey trying to sneak out, but stopped him. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder as he said, "Ahem. Someone's gotta fill these up."
Frey sighed as he took the containers, "Yeah, yeah. Just…give me a few minutes.", and then walked to the nearest bathroom.
Dax looked to Max, both animals slightly confused, until Dax whispered to Max, "And I thought Jack Sparrow was crazy. This whole ship's full of loonies.", Max nodded and growled as the two jumped back up, and sat back on the bed.
In the Women's Cabin
At the same time as the boy's Ariel had found her way to her cabin bunk. She sighed in relief as she walked over to an empty bunk bed, and placed the duffel bag next to her bed. She then stretched out and just plopped on to her bunk bed. Only to sit right back up, squeaking out, "Ow!", she got off her bunk and pulled the covers back, only to find an assortment of tools strewn about it. She raised an eyebrow and asked out loud, "What the…? What are tools doing in my bunk?"
"Those are my tools, valley girl.", an argentine voice called from behind her. Ariel turned around, to come face to face with a girl a year older than her, with short black hair, tanned skin, brown eyes, and wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, baggy blue suspender jeans, black sneaker boots, and a blue cap. She wasn't looking too happy at the scene, what with the girl complaining about her equipment.
Ariel immediately smiled gain as she said, "You must be Audrey.", she extended a hand in friendship as she introduced herself, "I'm Ariel. I guess this would make us…"
"Not friends in the least.", Audrey shot out as she pointed to Ariel, startling the girl. She then jabbed her finger at Ariel's chest as she pointed out, "Let's get something straight here. I didn't pick you as a bunkmate, Rourke did. I don't have time for sleepovers, talking about boys, doing makeovers, or whatever it is you do. Got it? I'm here to work on the ship's engines."
Ariel then lightly but strongly stated, "I know that, all I was saying is that we could be friends."
"Don't have time for friends.", Audrey stated, but then pointed out, "And also, I don't have time to be helping a nose-whining whelp like…"
"I'm not helpless!", Ariel shot out, "And I don't whine! I don't see wha the problem is with you. All I did was…."
"Sat on her tools, didn't you?", the two girls looked to the door, and saw Helga leaning on the door rail. She then walked over as she crossed her arms and scolded Audrey, "Audrey, what have we discussed about playing nice?"
Audrey muttered, "I think I may have skipped out on that daily lesson."
Helga raised an eyebrow as she asked threatingly, "You want me to have you working on the plumbing again…like in Iceland?"
After hearing that, Audrey whipped around and headed for the door, "My, my. Look at the time. Gotta get going now. Those engines don't fix themselves.", and with that, took off, leaving Helga and Ariel alone in the room.
Helga then turned her attention to Ariel, and then back to Audrey's retreating form. She then smirked as she pointed out, "She's a sweet kid; genius with mechanics. But has a short fuse and a sharp tongue."
Ariel, not being saved like that for a while, scratched the back of her neck. Slightly embarrassed on what to say at this point, but grateful, she thanked Helga nervously, "Um, well…what you did, I um…thank you."
Helga smirked at that, but then asked seriously, "Didn't your mother ever teach you to pick your fights before you got in them?", Ariel didn't answer that as she looked a little saddened by that. She went over to her duffel bag and began to unpack in a way. Helga seemed a little confused by that response, and then asked with a raised eyebrow, "I'm guessing your mother wasn't the teaching type?"
Ariel shook her head as she turned to face Helga with a depressed look on her face, "No…she passed away six years ago…so, it's just been me and my father…and my sisters. But I never had many friends, or friends who were girls."
"Oh.", Helga said, seeming to understand the girl's life, and then solemnly apologized, "Sorry, kid."
Ariel waved it off as she stated, "No, it's alright. I'm doing fine."
Helga smirked, "Because of the Thatch boy?", she then caught Ariel smiling warmly and blush at that. She shook her head at this, and was about to say something else, until the Intercom went off, "WILL LIEUTENANT HELGA SINCLAIR AND ARIEL NAMBA REPORT TO THE BRIDGE?" After hearing that, Helga signaled Ariel, "Come on, kid. Let's get a move on.", and with that, the two women were on their way to the bridge, with Helga leading the way.
However, Sebastian popped onto Ariel's shoulder whispering, "Ariel…don't let your guard down on dat woman."
Ariel whispered to him, "Why? She seems nice...in a bossy sort of way."
"I don't trust 'er.", Sebastian insisted, "Dere's somedin about dat woman that makes my claws ache."
Ariel looked at Helga and looked at her uncertain, thinking, 'I know that she seems a little cold…but she doesn't seem like such a bad person.'
On the Command Deck
As the Ulysses got deeper into the watery chasms that made up a humongous canyon like landscape, the crew worked tirelessly to get moving. The people on board the command deck were working around the clock, even those who stood on the command deck, except for one who seemed to be talking on the intercom as if it were a phone. She was an elderly woman, in her seventies, bun up hair while wearing a helmet, and wore a green military dress, with a deadpan look on her face while smoking a cigarette. She was the one named Packard, and was currently having a conversation, "And so I says to him, 'What's wrong with my meatloaf', and he says…", but stopped as soon as the buzzer alarm went off, and sighed, "Hold on, I've got another call.", and switched it off as she announced, "Sir, we're approaching coordinates."
And as that was said, Milo and Eric made their way in, with a slightly exhausted Frey following behind. After that, Ariel and Helga came on in as well. The two groups made their way to the top of the deck bridge. As soon as they got up on deck, they spotted Commander Rourke, Vinny, and even Audrey waiting for them all to get there…and also a familiar face, as Eric, Frey, and Ariel all said together in unison surprise, "Jack?"
Indeed it was none other than Jack Sparrow, along with Gibbs, waiting for them as well. Jack was as equally surprised to see them as he said, "Eric, Frey. How ya doin', mates? Didn't expect you'd get shanghaied in this sort of…", but then paled as he saw Ariel, "Ariel.", and then turned to Gibbs as he whispered, "Hide the rum."
It was then that Eric, who had his arms crossed, figured it out as he stated, "So you're the crew that Whitmore hired. Might've guessed."
Then Frey stepped up as he asked, "So what? I'm guessing the Treasure at Isla de Muerta wasn't enough?"
Jack seemed distraught by that name as he turned away. Deciding to speak up to the captain's behalf, Gibbs stepped up as he answered, "Well, about that, see we took this job to earn something back we lost. What with the island of Isla de Muerta sinking into the ocean; being claimed back by the sea."
Then Milo replied as he asked, "And I'm guessing the UK and US Navy chasing you over the Atlantic and Pacific? Not to mention the Hurricane near the Hawaiian shore last time?", everyone looked at him confused on that, and Milo shrugged sheepishly, "I uh, I've been reading on the exploits."
Gibbs nodded, "Aye, so when we arrived back to Tortuga to re-supply, Mr. Whitmore came to us, and…presented for us a deal."
Then Jack stepped as he finished, "We help with the crew on this little tomb raiding…and we're given twenty-five percent on whatever treasure we find."
Milo seemed to nod to that as he replied, "Well, form what I've heard; Atlantis had a humongous treasure trove. Most of it was gold sculptures used for artwork. Plus, they had a huge deposit of diamond like crystals that grew like gardens of moss."
Then Rourke stepped up as he raised an eyebrow and a scheming smile to Jack, "And he'll get twenty-five percent of that as payment…if he's a good boy."
Then Ariel crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Jack, "And are you going to be a good boy, Jack?"
Jack smirked at that as he tapped lightly on Ariel's nose only once, startling her, as he answered, "I guess you'll just find out then, won't you, luv."
Rourke then sighed as he broke this whole meet n' greet up as he stated, "Alright, everyone, now that we know each other, straighten up.", everyone stopped talking as they paid attention to Rourke, who nodded to Milo, "Now I want you all to give Mr. Thatch your undivided attention."
That was Milo's cue to give the details on where they needed to go and what to do first. Feeling slightly nervous, Milo walked up and waved, while smiling nervously and adjusting his collar, "Good after noon. C-Can everybody hear me alright?", all he got from everybody was a small pause of quiet with everyone waiting for him to start, except it was broken when Audrey popped a bubble with her bubble gum. Milo nervously chuckled as he began, "Uh, how about some slides?", he rummaged through his book bag and pulled out a few slides that he was going to use. He then set up an old slide viewer, and turned it on as he began, "This first slide is a depiction of a creature, a creature so frightening that sailors were said to be driven mad by the mere sight of it.", and then placed in the slide…only it was a slide of him at the beach with a ten year old Eric, and Max was with them.
This earned a snicker from everyone and an embarrassed sigh from Eric. Ariel giggled at this as she nudged Eric playfully as she complimented, "You were so cute back then.", this earned a small smile from Eric as he shook his head.
Milo laughed nervously and took the slide out, "Uh, sorry, that's... wrong."
Audrey sighed with exasperation as she stated out loud, "Jeez, I used to take lunch money from guys like this."
After finding it, Milo put in the right slide, and on the screen, was an enlarged text of the page of a frightening beast that looked like a Lobster. Then Milo explained the illustration, "This…is an illustration of the Leviathan, the creature guarding the entrance to Atlantis."
Then Vinny commented as he looked to Audrey and Jack, "With something like that, I would have white wine, I think."
Then Milo explained the Leviathan as he went on, "In the Shepard's Journal, the Leviathan's described as a sort of mythical sea monster that resembles a giant lobster. But it's also described in the Bible, 'Out of it's mouth come burning lightning; sparks of destructive fire shoot out. And that it's children with show no mercy and devour the survivors'.", but then he shrugged as he reassured them, "But most likely it's a giant carving or statue; designed mostly to scare away the superstitious."
Then Jack shrugged as he asked, "So we find this lobster buffet statuette, and then what, mate?"
Then suddenly, Mole popped up as he anxiously asked, "When do we dig?"
Then Milo soured Mole's mood as he pointed out, "Actually, we don't have to dig.", he then signaled Eric to come on over, and he did, along with the Altas' Sphere. Then when Eric activated it, the holo-map popped up, showing a diagram of the Leviathan's Lair, much to everyone's surprise. And then Milo pulled out a collapsible pointer, and pointed to a crescent moon crevice, "From what I've read of the Shepard's Journal, we've discovered coordinates to a cavern entrance in the lair. And with the Atlas Sphere, we've pinpointed the exact location of the entrance.", the map then enlarged, showing a pathway that led to a small air pocket…and into a huge cavern highway big enough for a plane to fly around in, as Milo went on, "The entrance will take us to a curve tunnel way, and lead us to an air pocket. Where we'll find the remnance of a cavern highway that will lead us to the City of Atlantis."
And then Eric deactivated the map as he pointed out, "Basically, the first step of the way is kind of like a grease trap you'd find in your everyday sink."
After looking at her gun, Helga simply quirked out at Milo, "Cartographer, linguist, plumber; Hard to believe this kid's uncle is still single."
Mole, looking a little disappointed, scolded at Helga, "You said there would be digging.", but was shoved away by Helga as she told him to go away.
It was then that Gibbs turned his attention back to outside, and then paled. He then muttered, "Lord almighty…deliver us.", he then looked to Rourke and the rest as he got their attention, "Commander. Jack. Everyone. I think you'd better take a gander at this."
Turning their attention to Gibbs, who pointed out at the blackened depths to indicate where he was looking. Rourke then ordered, "Turn on searchlights and give us a perimeter.", and then he, Helga, Milo, Eric, Jack, and Ariel, walked over to see what he was talking about.
As soon as the searchlights were turned on, they scowered over the darkened canyon waterscape as they saw what Gibbs had seen. All over the area, on the seafloor bed, on the canyon cliff walls, the wreckage of a thousand ships, maybe even more. Ships of every era were all over the place, some still in one piece, others barely noticeable. It was a virtual ship graveyard.
Aside from Rourke who showed no surprise at the scene, Helga and the others were in complete awe at this, "Look at that."
Milo adjusted his glasses as he pointed out, "There are ships here in every era.", he then pointed them out as he called them out, "Look, there's a few Norwegian Viking vessels, and Roman Legionnaire ships. And that's an old Dhow vessel. Over there's an old Iron ship from the Civil War. And over there's a few Nazi U-Boats and Submarines."
Jack just shivered at all these downed vessels as he muttered, "What in the name of Good Rum did all this?"
Slightly frightened by this, Ariel scooted over to Eric, and then lightly grabbed his hand. She tightened the grip on it, as did Eric in response to help her out.
All was silent as the Ulysses sailed across the murky depths of the water. Its searchlights lit up the area it was going through as it past all the ships. And just when the Ulysses was out of sight and turned its search lights away to darken the area again, something moved out of the graves. Something huge started to move away from the submarine, and then glided around the sub, keeping out of sight from it. Whatever it was, it was bigger than the Ulysses, dwarfing it in comparison; compared to whatever it was, the Ulysses was nothing more than an anchovy, and it was the barracuda.
Later On
After what felt like an hour of smooth sailing, everyone was relaxed and kept busy. However, on the command deck, looking out at the water, Ariel couldn't help but felt a slight bit nervous. Just seeing the ruins of those ships made her feel uneasy, but all that eased up a bit as Eric stood beside her, with Dax appearing on his shoulder. She sighed in relief, feeling much better, but then Eric asked, taking notice of Ariel's uneasiness, "Something on your mind?"
Ariel sighed as she looked out at the darkened abyss, "This is the first time I've ever gone into this part of the Atlantic.", Eric raised an eyebrow at that as Sebastian was on her shoulder. She then answered, "My father told stories about this part of the ocean; claiming it was guarded by some monster. He had to claim it to be forbidden to prevent anyone from entering here."
And then Eric asked, sensing the fear in Ariel's voice, "And…you think there might be something down there."
Ariel looked to Eric as she answered, "Whatever sunk those ships…it sure wasn't from on the surface."
Then Sebastian pointed out, panicking as always, "We shouldn't even be in dis place, man."
Dax hopped off of Eric's shoulder as he stood on the railing and mocked Sebastian, "Oh look. Soft-shell here is scared out of his wits. Though that's not new to us, is it?"
Then Sebastian jabbed a claw at Dax, touching the tip of his nose, "It's Mr. Soft-shell to you, Fuzz ball."
The two teens shook their heads, as once again, their guardians were going into another verbal fight hat didn't go noticed by everyone else. However, that was outlived, as while finishing off a cigarette, Packard picked up something. And slightly, her face went from deadpan, to deadpan surprised as she tried to clear up the static interference. After clearing it up, she looked to Commander Rourke, "Commander, I think you should hear this."
Rourke turned his attention to Packard as he asked, "What is it?"
"Not sure….", Packard answered clearing up the static, "But I'm picking up something on the hydrophone, that I think you all should hear."
Rourke shrugged, still not surprised as he calmly said, "Put it on speakers." Packard flipped the switch, and on the intercom speakers, came the most inhuman sound that made everyone's blood run cold. It was hard to describe on what it was, but if anyone's guess, it sounded like a growling groan sound, along with the sound of gigantic fins whooshing in the water.
As the Ulysses made its way towards the canyon walls, on the other side being hidden by the rocks, so was the massive creature swimming at the side. Its shape was definitely that of a demonic lobster; its red eyes didn't do it justice as it looked at the Ulysses…sizing up on its next prey after a hundred years after the last one.
Back on board the sub, Rourke, Jack, and Helga were standing next to Packard, trying to get clear of the sounds. The slight moaning then made the sound more like a whale or more. Then Rourke asked with his eyes squinting in thought, "What is it? A pod of whales?"
Packard shook her head as she answered, "Nu-uh. This is bigger than whales."
Then Jack thought about it until he answered, "It sounds metallic.", then looked to Packard as he asked, "Could it be an echo off one of the wrecks, luv?"
Helga nodded, "He's right. They've been down here for a long time, so wouldn't it be possible…"
Packard shook her head as she responded, "I would've thought that too. But this sounds like its moving along the canyon walls."
Helga shrugged as she turned the knob, trying to clear up the static a little more, "Probably an ocean current pushing the ship. Maybe you're listening to it wrong."
Packard frowned at her as she shot out, "You wanna do my job? Be my guest."
It was then that everyone listened carefully…and realized the growling was getting louder. And Milo pointed it out as he heard it too, "Is it just me or is that getting louder…and closer?" Everyone froze as they listened carefully; uneasiness washing over them at the sounds. And just when everyone thought they were in trouble, the noises dissipated, and were gone, making everything silent again.
Helga sighed with relief, as she reassured everyone, "Well, whatever it was…it's gone now.", however, Jack didn't look too reassured by that.
At the pilot's wheel, Cotton was looking around the ocean might carefully. His parrot only squawking, "Stand by for trouble."
Rourke then ordered, "Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Cotton. Bring us about. Tighten our search party and slow us to…", but then suddenly…
CRASH! WHAM!
The whole ship shook violently, throwing everyone around the floor. Eric grabbed on to Ariel as he held her close as they slammed into the floor. As soon as they could right themselves up again, Sebastian and Dax few at them and crashed in the middle, with Dax groaning, "Oh, sure…save the girl."
Outside in the water, the strange giant lobster monster, glided over the Ulysses. As it made a pass from it, its tail lightly whacked the ship, causing it to become disoriented. It then turned around, preparing to make another advance on the minnow sized vessel. It then darted right back at the Ulysses, and swiped at it with its massive left claw, knocking it a little off course as it nearly crashed into the canyon wall.
Back in the ship's engine, room, Audrey was having a few problems of her own. The alarm bells rang out as the ship was turned sideways a little, making it hard for the engineers to work, as they tried to hold on to something to balance themselves out.
Audrey shouted, "Outta the way.", as she made it to the main engine room. And gasped as she saw the main engine room starting to flood.
Back on the Command Deck
Everyone was working feverishly as Jack and Gibbs made their way for their stations, should the time arise. Milo and the kids were doing their best to keep themselves from getting thrown around. The alarm lights flashing and the alarms going off. It was while Frey was pulling himself up on the rail, he spotted it gliding across the water. He gulped as he nervously asked, "Um, Mr. Thatch….you said that the Leviathan was a sculpture, right?"
Milo, who had pulled himself up, along with Eric and Ariel, answered, "Yeah, so?"
Then Frey asked, "Yeah? Well, what do you call that?", he asked as he pointed outside, for everyone to see. And everyone saw it; the mythical Atlantean Sea Monster…the Leviathan.
Milo paled as he gasped, "Oh, boy."
Rourke, on the other hand, had a cool head about it as he ordered, "Tell Cookie to melt the butter, and bring out the bibs.", he then pointed to the Leviathan as it was on the verge of another attack, "I want this Leviathan Lobster served up on a silver platter."
Helga then ordered, "Load the torpedo bays! Subpod crews, ready your battle stations!", and then the ship shook once more, as the Leviathan made another swipe attack at the Ulysses. In another level of the submarine, Vinny and Mole, teamed up with Jack and Gibbs, along with a couple of other sailors and soldiers, raced into battle ready subpods with missiles on the wings of them. They sat in the cockpit, which had two chairs to pilot in, and readied for an attack against the beast outside.
It was before the supbods could make it out yet, or before the Ulysses could right itself again, did it happen. The Leviathan snatched at it with one of its head claws at the tail, and the other claw grabbed at the head. The Ulysses was being held out like the giant lobster beast was about to break it in half and suck out the guts that would come spewing out.
The impact however, caused Frey, who was still holding onto the rail, to be thrown off and hit the glass shield hard. As he was getting up, he paled as he saw that he was looking right in the eye of the Leviathan. However, he also realized something else; the creature's eye was that of a photo-snap lens. He looked up back at the deck as he shouted, "Guys!"
Eric took a gander at what Frey had spotted, and realized it too, "Sweet Mother of Mercy…"
"It's a machine!", Ariel finished as she too was equally surprised by all this, as the lens eye focused on them all.
Back in the engine room, Audrey had rushed everyone out of there, as she sealed the doors. The engine rooms were beginning to flood with water up the whazzo, drowning a few of the crewman as Audrey sealed the doors. Back on the command deck, Rourke knew full well they had to get out of there. He immediately ordered, "Launch subpods now!"
Outside, the subpods immediately launched out, roaring around as they formed in unison and charged at the Leviathan. When they were in range, they were given the go; with careful aim, they shot all torpedoes at the beast. The torpedoes were at go, and then true to their aim, blasted right on the back of the Leviathan. The blast caused the beast to let go of the Ulysses, as Rourke ordered the vessel to all ahead full.
The leviathan forgot its attention as the submarine was making its getaway for the crescent moon crevice. However, its attention was now drawn to the subpods that still laid siege to it. The Leviathan growled at the upcoming assault, swiping at them with its massive claws, but to no avail. Rourke ordered, "Launch all torpedoes!", and from the Ulysses' ports, torpedoes shot out right at the Leviathan
Mole chuckled at this in response, "Haha! Ze beast cannot get a clear target on us!"
However, Jack, who was in the subpod next to Vinny's and Mole's, responded back on the intercom, "Recall all your childhood monsters, mates! Monsters are so rarely easily to evade!"
Then Vinny chirped back to Jack, "Why don't you go and have a little chat with him. Bottom dweller to bottom dweller."
Then Jack paled as he pointed to the Leviathan, "I think he'd rather send his kids out to do it for him."
Everyone in the subpods looked and saw what Jack was talking about as soon as the water clouds evaporated. The Leviathan opened ports all over its back, and out came out strange humanoid crab like creatures with glowing blue glyphs all over their bodies. They charged at the subpods, while others charged at the Ulysses; those that charged at the subpods used their small left claw to latch on to the subpods, and bash at them with their enlarged right claw as it spun around like a drill, nearly cleaving into it.
One of them latched on to Mole and Vinny's pod, as it just used its fist to try and punch its way in. Mole shouted out in panic, "Sacre Bleu!" , but then suddenly, a subpod swam very close to theirs at high speed, knocking the sucker off of their ship, with the claw torn right off the creature.
The subpod was piloted by none other than Jack and Gibbs, as the creature was right in front of a missile. Jack waved at the beast as he smirked, "Hello, Beasty. You're fired.", and then fired the torpedo, launching the screaming crab monster at a couple of them, obliterating them from the game.
The craboids at the Ulysses were drilling holes in the side of the ship, making it sink as best they could. However, that didn't prove enough vengeance of the attack from the Leviathan. It looked at the Ulysses with much anger and hate, and then a glowing blue light appeared from its tentacle mouth. And then with one movement, the Leviathan shot out a powerful blue lightning laser blast right at the right side of the Ulysses' hull.
Back Aboard the Ulysses
The main engine boiler shook with ravenous disrepair as Audrey ran for the ladder. As she got to it, bolts from the hulls shot everywhere like bullets. Luckily Audrey had a shovel on her so that she blocked them as she climbed up the ladder. As soon as she was up and about, the crew locked the door down as she got to a speaker phone. She then patched in as she ordered, "Get me the bridge!"
Back at the command deck, Packard received a call as she was reading a magazine, completely ignoring the danger from outside. She replied to Rourke, "Sir, it's engineering on four."
Rourke turned on the radio, calmly, and then cringed a bit as Audrey's loud voice rang out, "ROURKE! WE TOOKA BIG HIT DOWN HERE, AND THOSE WALKING CRABCAKES OUTSIDE ARE DRILLING HOLES IN THE HULL. EITHER WAY WE'RE TAKING WATER FAST. I DON'T WANT TO BE AROUDN WHEN IT HITS THE BOILERS."
Rourke calmly asked, "How much time do we have?"
Audrey thought about it really quickly and answered back, "Twenty minutes, if the bulkhead holds.", but then she heard a huge explosion and knew the bulkhead didn't hold up. She then replied, "Better make that five."
Rourke looked to everyone on the brig and ordered, "You heard the lady. Let's move!", and with that, Frey and Ariel ran first with Dax and Sebastian on their shoulders, while Eric pushed Milo out of there. Everyone went running out to the nearest exit and to the bunks to get their stuff as quickly as possible.
Helga looked over to Packard as she ordered, "Packard, sound the alarm."
However, Packard was in her usual conversation with her buddy, "He took his suitcase. Marge, honey…I don't think he's coming back…"
Getting fed up with this, Helga shouted, "PACKARD!"
Sighing with disgust, Packard ended the conversation, "I'll have to call you back. No, no. I'll call you.", and then switched on the emergency alarm to evacuate the ship. The alarms blazed as everyone made their way towards the escape vehicle bay. Eric with Dax and Max and the Seablade to his back, Ariel with Sebastian on her shoulder, Milo, and Frey, all with their duffel bags were running down the hallway to the escape vehicles. Following behind them were Audrey, Sweet, Cotton, Marty, Cookie and Packard.
As they got there they saw that the vehicles were sort of Subtanks, simply because they resembled army tanks that had been refitted as submarines. Everyone was boarding one as the humanoid crabs' drills were quickly penetrating the walls. Helga shouted out, "Move it, people! Sometime today would be nice!", and everyone quickly boarded in as Helga jumped in and sealed the doorway. Everyone buckled in as Rourke and Helga sat at the pilot's seat.
Rourke then ordered, "Get that hatch door open, Lieutenant!"
Helga reached for a lever and tried to throw it, but it proved stubborn as it wouldn't budge. As she tried, the humanoid Crabs broke in with all the water rushing out as a few made their way to the subtanks. The Leviathan outside, swam upward as it looked down at the Ulysses, beginning its sinking decent to the depths. However, it wasn't about to let it sink; that would be too easy.
Rourke saw outside that some of the crab monsters were making their way towards them. Rourke turned to Helga as he shouted, "Lieutenant!"
"I'm working on it!", she replied as she still strained to move the lever. And at that same time, the Leviathan charged towards the Ulysses at its watery speed; it's mandible mouth glowing and charging up for another blast. The tentacles that surrounded its mouth, formed together at the tips glowing, and then once more, it shot a powerful lightning laser blast at the Ulysses, blasting a humongous hole in the center of the ship.
Luckily the blast narrowly missed the subtanks, as Helga pulled the lever. The hatch doors finally opened up, and four subtanks were able to escape out of there. They zoomed out of there, as the Ulysses violently exploded, exploding and imploding in the murky depths like a soda can being crushed in on itself, taking the fourth subtank with it as it was caught in the explosion. And running after the three vehicles, the Leviathan was closing in on behind.
The three vehicles, followed by what was left of the subpod attack group, made their way to find their first marker. However, they needed to get away as fast from the Leviathan as possible. So Rourke turned to Milo as he asked for directions, "Where to, Mr. Thatch?"
Remembering the map, Milo pointed out, "We need to find a crevice of some kind. One shaped like a crescent moon."
It was only for a second, but Rourke spotted it as he pointed out, "There! Up ahead!"
Helga was on the radio as she ordered everyone, "All craft, make your mark 20 degrees down angle."
The rest of the crew reported, "Roger! 20 degrees down angle!"
"Right behind you!", Mole responded.
"Now's a good time to exit.", Jack shouted.
"Run like yer being chased out of a pub!.", Gibbs replied.
The vessels went as fast as they could, with the Leviathan and the Crab Warriors following behind. The Leviathan, being the bigger and faster one, glided over them, and smashed into one of the subpods, destroying it as well as one of the subtanks. Mole shouted in panic as the explosion was right behind them, "Sacre bleu!"
Jack shouted, "Don't these things know when to quit! They already blew up our last ship!"
And then as the Leviathan was catching up, the remaining subpods and subtanks took off into the crevice. The Leviathan charged right in there, but got stuck, seeing its massive body couldn't budge through the crevice. As the ships got away, it snapped at them with its facial claws a few times, and then finally, zapped at them with its lightning laser, destroying another subpod.
However, that wasn't the last blast as it kept firing at them, narrowing missing them completely. They went in deeper as the cave pathway was getting narrower for only a few seconds, making it hard to get through. However, that didn't stop the laser blasts, as they were coming through the roof; the Leviathan not giving up at killing them all. However, only one of the blasts hit the other subtanks rotors, causing it to lose control, and crash into the cavern ceiling, destroying it.
During the bumpy ride, Milo chanted to himself to reassure his theories, "It's only a grease trap. It's just like a sink. It's only a grease trap. It's just LIKE A SINK!"
On board the ship and out of sight, Dax and Sebastian sat next to Max, as Sebastian chanted to himself with his eyeball twitching, "We're going to survive. We have luck on our side. We're going to survive. We have luck ON OUR SIDE!"
The blasts were becoming less and less, seeing they were gaining some distance. But the ride was getting much bumpier, as they were getting close. And just when they didn't think they'd make it, they came up a curve to a huge air pocket, and then hit air. As soon as the ships had settled down; the hatches to them were opened. Rourke and Helga stepped out, with Eric, Frey, and Ariel coming out of the rear. Of the two remaining subpods, Vinny and Jack popped up as well.
They all turned on their search lights to see where it was they were. And saw that they had entered into a huge cavern highway, big as the New York baseball stadium, or five of them combined. And to where the pathway started, was a couple of ruins that looked to be ancient buildings leading to a cavern entrance carved into a devil fish.
As Eric stepped up to look at it, he just had to say just simply, "Wow."
But as soon as Rourke turned to the boy, his face showed slight surprise as a shadow with glowing glyphs snuck up behind him. He shouted, "KID, LOOK OUT!"
Eric turned around and saw one of the Crab Warriors take a swipe at him. He was struck in the gut as he skidded across the floor. The mechanical beast roared as its massive claws on its back snapped at the boy, waiting to carve him alive. However, he was caught off guard as it was being shot at; it turned its attention towards Helga and Rourke, and didn't notice it yet, until a huge SNIKT sound was heard. The robot's eyes went wide with surprise and turned towards the boy…who now had out his Seablade.
The robot turned back to the boy, and only took three steps…and then its upper torso and head slid off its skinny waist, as they clanked to the ground, with the legs still walking and off the boat, dunking into the water.
Eric sighed in relief, and looked at his sword, "I'm so glad this thing isn't an ordinary sword."
A Few Minutes Later
After the vehicles had been unloaded off the ships, the remaining crew, consisted of many army men, sailors, and the Iceland team, as well as the pirates and others, were gathered together in mourning. Sweet knelt down and let a helmet float away, with a candle for those lost to the Leviathan. They figured this was the best they could do for a memorial to those who were lucky enough.
Rourke sighed in sadness, as he began his speech, "Ten hours ago, we started this expedition, with two hundred of the finest men and women I've ever known.", he then sighed as he looked to the depressed faces, "We're all that's left.", and then encouraged them all, "I wont sugar-coat it, everyone. We have a crisis on our hands here. But we've been up this particular creek before, and we've always come through, paddle or no paddle. I see no reason to change that policy."
As he went on, Ariel looked to Eric, and then linked her arm to his for security. She then gripped his hand as she laced her fingers with his. Eric didn't fight back at that as he looked at her in the eye, as she did too. And the two squeezed their hands together, confirming the same thing; no matter what, on this journey, nothing would break them apart.
Then their attention was turned to Rourke, as was Milo's, as the commander pointed to the two Thatch boys, "Looks like all our chances of survival like with You Mr. Thatch. You, your nephew, and that little book and sphere."
Then Packard, who put out another cigarette, muttered, "We're all gonna die."
And then everyone was getting ready for the convoy. They got all the vehicles checked out and ready to hit the stone road. Rourke looked over everything to be sure, but then was distracted by a horn being honked. He turned and saw Milo honking the horn of a loading truck, while the kids were loading the truck. Rourke sighed as he walked over, and stopped Milo by breaking off the horn. Getting the man's attention, Rourke asked, "Are you sure you're checked out on this class of vehicle?"
Milo looked confused as he asked, "Wha?"
Rourke sighed as he asked, "Can you drive a truck?"
Milo scoffed a chuckle at that as he climbed up the driver's seat, "'Course I can drive a truck.", but then pointed out uncertain at the controls, "Sure, you got your steering and your gas and your brake and, of course, this metal, uh, looking... thing.", with the teens walking up and hearing this, including Rourke looking at him disbelieving, Milo finally confessed, "Okay, so it was a bumper car at Coney Island, but it's the same basic principle."
Rourke sighed at this, but then Frey stepped up, "I can drive it."
Rourke raised an eyebrow, "Better than Milo?"
Frey nodded, "Wouldn't take much."
Rourke looked back, seeing Milo uncertain about the wheel. Mole, who had gotten on the digger, was waiting impatiently to move, and Rourke sighed, "Alright, you drive then."
"What is ze holdup?", Mole yelled at them, "Move ze car!"
"Keep your trousers on you salty sea skunk!" Jack bellowed out as he walked over to the truck to ride along side Milo.
Frey got into the driver's seat, while Ariel and Eric boarded the back, with Max, Dax and Sebastian, and Jack and Milo to one side. "You've been replaced.", Frey said curtly. Milo looked a little disappointed as he sighed with depression and disappointment. But the sighing was drowned out as Mole laid on the horn again.
Jack yelled out once more, "We're moving as fast as we can ye dirty smelly cur!"
And with that, the convoy was on the move down the ancient cavern highway. However, if they had stayed a little longer, they would have noticed human shadows popping out of the water, brandishing what appeared to be swords, axes, and any load of cutlery. However, two shadows were easily to be made out; it was Maccus and Koleniko, as they led the Flying Dutchman's crew to where the convoy was going.
Maccus chuckled, "It's a good thing we've got a hired hand helping us lead the way." And they made off after them, keeping out of sight, letting the fools lead the way.
Next Chapter: Convoy and Discoveries; Enemies in the Dark
Note: the Last dialogue was provided by talking2myself. Author of The Great Disney Adventure. T2m, thanks a bunch.