The Speed of Darkness
Chapter 55 – Repression

Skipper's Log. Sometime in... October, I think...

"I don't know anymore, to be honest. The sun hasn't moved in so long that its been nearly impossible to keep track of the days. It has felt like its been about a week since we infiltrated the Penguin Base and I stole the Sun back. For all I know, though, several months could have passed.

"In a sense, Manfredi, Johnson and I succeeded in our mission to steal the Sun back from Sarge. I have it in my flippers now, and it feels warm. Sarge's base lays in ruins, and his army lays dead. Unfortunately, so do Manfredi and Johnson.

"That is where I failed. Manfredi and Johnson did not make it out of the base alive before it exploded. The moment I removed the Sun from where Sarge was holding it, the entire base went up in flames. Johnson decided to run back in for some reason, despite Manfredi and I shouting at him not to. Manfredi followed him back in. I didn't. I still remember now what he shouted to me before the entrance caved in.

"'No penguin left behind.'

"Should I have ran in back after him? I had the Sun, but there was little chance anyone but us was concerned with it now that the base was collapsing. I can't tell if my decision was a good one or a bad one. I wish I had someone to talk to about it now. Someone who could tell me if I've made a terrible mistake or if I did the right thing. I wouldn't mind getting yelled at by Manfredi right now, actually.

"There's been nobody but my own thoughts to keep me company since I last saw him, though. Right before the entrance collapsed, and the whole damn building exploded. He had this look on his face, like he was disappointed that I wasn't following after Johnson.

"It's... it's... hard... to picture him now.

"Johnson, too. I know he didn't really have anyone besides Manfredi and I that will miss him, but he was still young. I'm growing older. He should probably be sitting here on this raft, headed back to Antarctica, not me. He had so much more to live for than me. Fish and chips, I don't even have any family. After I return the Sun, I'll be as lost as I was before Sarge invited me to join the Penguin Army.

"Talking about Johnson makes me think about those other penguins from the army, too. I didn't see any of them escape before the building exploded. There is a chance that some of them got out before we even invaded, but I doubt that. They were so loyal, I doubt a single one of them decided to bail just because we were invading.

"Three thousand penguins... all dead...

"Was it my fault? Thinking about it makes my head spin a bit. I don't like it. Again, I wish I just had someone to talk to. Someone who could tell me what I did wrong. Slap me upside the head. That would set it straight. Or at least make it stop pounding.

"Can't tell if that pain is from my own thoughts or the Sun itself, though. I've felt abnormally tired over the last week, and I'm confident it's screwing with me. It's like it wants me to go to sleep and never wake up. The idea seems tempting...

"No. I can't. Manfredi and Johnson's lives would be for nothing if I don't return it.

"From what I've heard on the human's radio the world is falling apart. The human nations are threatening to invade each other to get slices of the only fertile land left. The rest of the world is either experiencing an ice age or turning into a desert. I hope I can get this thing back and get the Earth rotating again before a world war breaks out.

"That's if it even works that way...

"I can't quite understand why the humans just can't work together right now. Penguins would huddle together on the small bits of land to survive, and help one another. Why are they going to start a war?
 "Not my concern, anyway. I'm just a penguin. A penguin that holds the key to maintaining the peace. Is this feeling what Sarge wanted by stealing this thing in the first place?

"I guess Sarge's death is one of the only benefits of the events that transpired. He's gone for good, now. I saw an explosion collapse a tunnel over the top of him. No way he could have survived that. At least I hope he didn't.

"If he did... I'll probably be seeing him again real soon...

"That's why I can't forget. I can't forget Manfredi and Johnson. They sacraficed their lives to stop a mad penguin and save the world. I ran away. I need to share their story, tell about the Sun, get some more penguins prepared incase Sarge or anyone else finds out about its power again.

"That's what Manfredi and Johnson would want. If the fight wasn't over, they'd keep fighting.

"Hell... Manfredi battled through the death of his family. I don't think I could do that.

"For Now, I don't look forward to going back to Antarctica. It's going to be quiet there. All I've had since the explosion at the penguin base is quiet.

"Quiet is the last thing I want."

SKIPPER CLICKED THE TAPE RECORDEDER OFF.

That had been his last entry. He had listened to them all the way through, wondering if he had recorded anything that would help him decide where to go from here. Unfortunately, they hadn't. He was still just as lost, confused, and tired.

He stood on top of the fake ice floe, the pool gently lapping its sides. He hadn't quite gotten used to the feeling of the concrete under his feet yet. It wasn't anything like snow or ice. Then again, there were no cold wins here. Only a hot summer sun beating down on his flat head.

He looked around at the people staring at him, pointing out the tape recorder that he had in his flippers. Hadn't they ever seen a device like this before in their lives? He tried to ignore them the best he could. The people had saved him from starvation, yes, but that didn't mean he was going to entertain them.

He had too many important things to do. He needed to get set on what he had promised himself he would do. He wasn't going to forget about Manfredi and Johnson... or at least, he was going to try.

The idea scared him, though. He never quite found peace in their deaths like he was hoping he would be able to. He didn't like how it scared him. He thought about how it would be far easier to just bury their memories and try to forget about everything that had happened entirely.

Not thinking, he whipped the tape recorder into the water. He watched it sparkle and sizzle before falling silent forever. Never would anyone hear his thoughts. Never would he be able to share Manfredi and Johnson's story.

He immediately was filled with regret. What had he done?

He turned away from the ruined electronic device that was quickly sinking to the bottom of the pool. He rubbed his eyes with his flippers, trying to clear his mind. His vision cleared just in time to see a large crate get set down near him. A burly red-haired woman pried it open with a crowbar and three stunned, confused-looking penguins walked out.

Skipper crossed his flippers and looked at them. One was tall and professional looking. One had a mohawk, scar on his beak, and his tounge was lolling out of the side of his mouth. The last looked shily away from him. Skipper could see a little of what remained of his down feathers.

They looked at him in a confused way as the woman took the crate away. Had they ever seen a penguin cross his flippers before?
They continued in silence for a short while. Skipper knew these three were going to be his new team. He was going to show them everything. All of the hand-to-hand he had learned from the Penguin Army, all of the survival techniques, all of the skills they would need. They would be the ones who were going to help him defend the world if the Sun ever rose again.

And Skipper knew it would.

They would also need to know everything as well. Skipper thought best choice of action would be to not tell them about the sun just yet. They needed to know how to defend themselves first, and defend that information. Yes. He'd show them how to fight first, and then tell them about Manfredi and Johnson.

That would still uphold his promise, right?

"Alright, boys," he spoke suddenly, making the three penguins jump in surpise, "welcome to bootcamp. My name is Skipper and you will address me only as sir. Are we clear?"
The three penguins shifted in their places awkwardly.

~Author's Note: Short, I know. The Skipper's Logs throughout the book had to surmount to something, though! If you couldn't tell, this happens far in the past, before the events of the book. Skipper was listening to his own logs the entire time.

We'll be getting back to the present situation next chapter!