Splatoon Afterworld

by drz1990

Explained in the intro

8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

The year 2030... 2,000 years before the current events.

Deep down inside the underground military complex what had become Mirage and her team's base 2,000 years later. Was the testing bed for humanity's reemergence under the guise of the super soldier program that had been scrapped due to the progress of the war. Things had looked bleak for the humans down below; resources were dwindling, and morale was stifling. The first nuke had just hit outside the city, miles away from the complex causing the ground to shake and the lights to flicker.

Inside the cryochamber housing the pods and occupants in them. A team of scientists were standing in front of the large console that was monitoring all the systems in the facility. They were running diagnostics on the pods' systems, screening for any errors that could occur.

"We proceed as scheduled," said one of the head scientists. An older man appearing in his 50s, grey headed and wearing a white lab coat.

"But professor, we still need time. We're not sure if X-25 is ready or not. We've been monitoring the subjects and..." said a female researcher as the older male scientist waved his hand.

"I'll hear no more. Blackwell is breathing down my neck. The Kamabo corporation is insisting we begin cryostasis as soon as things become operational and the last subject is placed in their pod," he replied.

"What about Tartar, the AI unit," she asked him.

"Tartar has been linked with the cryochamber's systems and will be monitoring the subjects that will be placed in hypothermic suspension inside the pods. A spare drive connected to Tartar's mainframe has been placed inside an antique phone, a family heirloom passed down from generations. If anything were to fail inside the facility network, then his spare drive would be activated and take command of the initiative, codename: promised land for the resettlement of the human race as well as all of the knowledge we've collected for the database to be passed down," he told her before he started leaving the cryochamber.

"Where are headed professor?"

"To my quarters, there's things I have to get done,"

Down the hallway the professor ran into other researchers wanting to talk but he blew them off, clearly something was bothering the human scientist. He opened the door to his room and walked in. Inside was a desk with a computer terminal. Shelves with books, the old antique phone standing against the wall and what appeared to be a small cryopod behind his desk.

As he approached his desk a cat jumped on it. The cat was rather obese with odd markings, that of trousers and a bow tie which was strange besides it's size. "Hey there Judd, how've you been?" the professor asked.

"Meow," it replied plainly.

"Same ole' same ole' huh...me too," he told Judd. He walked up and sat down in his chair and got on his computer, seeing an email had been sent to him. He opened it, revealing it was a message from the Kamabo corporation.

Professor Jones, in light of the situation of the war and the terms of the government contract we're requesting that you proceed with activating Tartar using the card that you have received from the company so that we may be connected to the network of the underground cryostasis facility from our research center. We're also asking that you send us the data of the serum experiments that we manufactured. The contents of the X-25 project are to remain disclosed from all facility staff as they are confidential and could result in a breach of contract if the true intentions of the project were to get out.

After reading the message. Professor Jones typed up and replied back to the sender.

The results of the X-25 have been sporadic and we're requesting more time to perfect the serum. Subjects have show physical mutations and mental instability. Showing hostility to the staff even though they have been secluded into observation cells. Using the cephalopod DNA was questionable if not unthinkable as it seems they are showing enhanced physicality, mentality and behavior to that similar to cephalopods. Still retaining their human appearence but they have grown tentacles out of their heads with hair falling out as well as eyes and beaks as if from squids and octopi. They have regenerative abilties as well, incredibly strong and hightly intelligent even if they act feral. I will send you the results right away but we managed to make a breakthrough with a modified varient of the X-25 but only in a limited quantity.

After a moment, he got a reply and opened it.

Time is something we cannot spare professor. Using the cephalopod DNA will more than likely cause set backs but I trust you'll find a way around it. The projected time of when the ocean waters would recede could take hundreds of years professor so the company thought ahead and concluded that humans would not survive in a such prolonged state of cryogenic suspension so we were seeking a solution and that solution was bioengineering. Cephalopods are highly intelligent and sophisticated organisms and felt it was in our best interest to use the X-25 serum to allow humans to adapt to their new watery world if the oceans do not return to their normal levels at the predicted time.

"How negligent the corporation would use bioengineering to ensure our survival. I would've never succumbed our test subjects to the serum if I knew about this, but the damage is done. We have to keep improving the X-25 or not use it all and take our chances. Maybe Tartar can help," said the professor. He pulled out the drawer and grabbed a plastic card with the Kamabo logo on it.

Getting up from the desk as Judd cleaned himself. The professor headed over to the antique phne sitting against the wall and stuck the card into a slot below the phone's bells. The phone came alive and started making noises. "Tartar initiated...hello professor," it said.

"Tartar, run a diagnosis on the cryochamber network and the support systems routed to the pods. Ensure everything is operable and fully working for the pod occupants," the professor told it.

"Running diagnostics..." it complied.

As Tartar was doing as the professor commanded, he walked back over to Judd, his fat cat and picked him up and placed him in his arms. As he petted Judd, he stared at him and then turned to a picture sitting on his desk with him and Judd in it. The professor was giving a peace sign as Judd was standing and waving at the camera. "Well, my furry friend, I'm gonna miss you," the professor told the cat as he pet him.

"Meow,"

"Seems things have taken a turn for the worst and I'm uncertain whether the project will be a success or not. I'm placing you in the cryopod behind me but before I do..." he told the cat as he pulled out a vial and a syringe from his pocket. He extracted the serum from the vial and filled the syringe with it. "Before you take your long sleep my feline companion, I need to inject you with a modified variant of the serum to help preserve you during cryostasis," said the professor. He stuck the needle into Judd causing the cat to react and nearly scratch his human master.

"Sorry, Judd but it's for your own good. Now...I have to place you inside the pod," the professor told the cat as he grabbed him and carried him front of the small cryopod.

"Here we go...I hope this new modified serum works. Only a handful of the subjects that have been placed in the pods have been injected with this improved variant of the X-25. Hopefully no adverse side effects will surface with this new serum formula, " he said. He placed Judd inside as the cat looked at him with uncertainty. "Well old friend, it's been...fun and it's time we part ways. I hope whenever you wake up someone will be around to take care of you because I won't I'm afraid to say. I've decided to live what life I have left to ensure mankind's survival and pass on our knowledge to generations to come. Because of my condition I won't be able to survive cryostasis even with the injection. Besides, I would rather die knowing the remorse I would carry if I were to wake up from cryostasis since my friends and family would have perished from the resource wars and the ocean floods. I wish you well Judd...and I'll miss you my furry friend," said the professor giving his final goodbye to his cat as he closed the pod.

The professor watched the cat slowly drift asleep as gas filled the inside of the pod and freezing the feline as intended. As grim as it looked he would rather his cat survive and make sure his legacy was carried out by tartar and the researchers.

"Diagnostics complete... " the phone blurted.

"That was rather quickly than expected...I assume everything is in order," he said as he walked over toward the phone.

"Virus has been detected...rescanning,"

"Virus, how could there be a virus. There has to be a mistake,"

"Bzzzttt... error error!" Tartar exclaimed as it shook and started to spark.

"What is going on, Tartar deactivate," the professor told the phone.

"Unauthorized command...error...bzzzttt," the phone continued to shake violently.

"I said deactivate! Why isn't tartar responding?" The professor asked. He went to grab the phone but was shocked and jolted back. Wincing in pain and holding his hand. The professor looked back up at tartar. The phone all of a sudden stopped...

Then the power in the facility shut off for a couple of minutes. When they came back on Tartar was responsive and the professor was very worried about what had just happened. As the power came back a noise emitted from his computer. On the screen was a small window with a phone icon. The professor clicked it and the window enlarged, showing a live video call from Blackwell. "Professor Jones, what's going on!? Why did the facility power down? I'm getting distress calls from the labs about the subjects being set free from their cells. I'm having to send my men to go tend to the situation," exclaimed Blackwell.

"Sir, something's happened with the Tartar AI. It seems it's picked up a computer virus and I'm not sure how. I attempted to shut it down but..."

"You better find a solution to this Jones. There is too much on the line for any failures. We can't afford to lose the project and perish like everyone else did outside. Our humanity is at stake!"

"You don't think I know that Blackwell. I'll see what I can do about Tartar. You deal with the labs. I'll try to get back in touch and see if I can disconnect Tartar's hard drive from the facility network before anything else happens,"

The professor cut the video feed and looked back over at the phone.

"I don't know what's going on with Tartar. How could it have caught a computer virus?" He asked as he approached the phone. Not daring to touch it after getting shocked by the phone a few minutes ago. The antique phone came back to life. "Processing... recovering data..." it said as it startled the professor.

"Seems Tartar is back online. I wonder much damage the virus has caused?" said the professor. He walked back over to the computer and attempted to get into Tartar's server but a window popped up on the monitor. It read: Access denied.

"What? I'm being locked out... "

"I'm sorry professor," said the phone, getting the human's attention.

"Tartar...what's going on? What's the meaning of this!?"

"Upon analysis professor, I have looked through the database and uncovered much of your human history. I've seen how violent your species is. You wage wars with one another and seek your own destruction through knowledge you've obtained over generations. There is only one solution to guarantee mankind's survival and that is initiating project: promised land ahead of schedule so I can sanitize all humans to ensure you do not jeopardize their own salvation,"

"Sanitize!? What do you mean sanitize!? Tartar I'm ordering you to abort!"

"Negative professor, Bzzzttt...project: promised land will commence as planned. I am doing this for your own good,"

"Tartar! I'm commanding you for the last time to abort! Who are you to decide the fate of mankind," demanded the professor. Seeing he was getting nowhere with tartar. He grabbed a chair and swung at Tartar, knocking the phone to floor. It crackled and sparked as it laid on the before shutting down and talking in a static voice that the professor wasn't sure what it's last words were.

Meantime deep in the labs. When Tartar temporarily powered down the facility he unlocked the cell doors containing the violent and unpredictable X-25 subjects. They rushed out of their confined areas and started attacking the researchers. They tried to fight off the mutated subjects, but they overpowered the lab staff. "Someone get a hold of security and Blackwell. The labs have been breached and we need to cordon this part of the facility!" shouted one of the researchers.

Much of the staff had fled the labs while some were maimed and killed by the X-25 subjects. The subjects were humans that succumbed to the effects of the experimental serum, both mentally and physically. Still bearing human appearance but with abnormalities such as tentacle growths on their heads, cephalopod-based eyes and beaks instead of teeth in their mouths. There language was broken as they shouted at the scientists and gave commands to each other. One scientist was sitting on the floor, trying to scurry away from one of the subjects only to be grabbed and flung against the wall while another was pummeled to death.

The serum effected their sentience and reason, only operating on irrational and violent tendencies, remembering what they went through from being forced to take the serum and being placed in isolation because of their mutation. The researchers tried to contain them in the labs until the security personnel would arrive and deal with the hostile humans.

"This is alpha team, we're in route to the labs!" called out a soldier to his radio as he and his team hurried toward the labs. They spotted multiple researchers running from the direction of the labs down the corridor. One young male scientist ran up to the team of soldiers frantically. "Thank god you're here! We have a situation!" he shouted.

"What's going on?" asked the team leader.

"It's the X-25 subjects. They've gotten out and they attacked the staff members!" the scientists replied.

"Get to safety, we'll handle this," the soldier told him as the scientist fled.

Alpha team were armed with SIG Rattler PDWs and wearing body armor. They weren't sure what they were up against and got ready for anything. The doors to the labs were closed up ahead and alpha team got into position to breach the labs but as they headed up, the doors were being pounded on. "Hold!" shouted the team leader.

They waited until the doors were pried open and the X-25 subjects spotted the soldiers and rushed toward them. "Open fire!" the soldier shouted. The bullets were doing little to phase the aggressors, a few of them went down but recovered. "Oh shit!" shouted one the soldiers before he was grabbed by one of them and pinned to the floor.

"Vincent!" shouted another soldier seeing his teammate was getting mauled by one of the attackers. He attempted to rescue him but his team leader grabbed him by the arm. "No! Leave him! We have to fall back!"

They attempted to block off the lab entrees and hold off the creatures. Some of the soldiers were badly injured and ecstatic about what they saw. "What the F were those things!" shouted one frantic soldier. "I don't know. All I know is we have orders to suppress the threat and ensure they do not leave the labs. We will hold this position until reinforcements get here," said their leader.

"What were those scientists doing down there. Does anyone else know about this?" asked the soldier that tried to save Vincent.

"Stow it corporal. Right now, I'm just focused on keeping those things contained,"

"For how long? What if the rest of this facility discovers what had happened,"

"I said drop it, that's an order,"

"Is Blackwell in on this?"

Just as the sergeant was about to say something to the corporal. They heard multiple footsteps rushing behind them. Alpha team turned and looked and saw another contingent of soldiers approach them. "Are you the reinforcements? Is Blackwell sending more guys?" asked the sergeant.

"Negative, it's just us. Blackwell is gathering other units to protect the scientists and other staff inside the facility,"

"We're not enough and we're ill-equipped to deal with this threat," said the sergeant.

"What exactly are we dealing with sergeant?" asked the soldier from bravo team.

"What are we dealing with...I'm not sure how to answer that question. I got men wounded and I lost one. Bullets had little effect on those things, did Blackwell tell you anything?"

"No he didn't. Just to contain the situation and link up with you. That's all he said,"

The sergeant had a look exasperation on his face and stepped away.

"What now sir?" asked one of his teammates.

"We continue our mission and keep those things from escaping into the rest of the facility, that's what," replied the sergeant as he grabbed his weapon.

The door just ahead of them was getting pounded by the subjects on the other side. They knew it was just a matter of time until the subjects breached, and they would have to deal with them again. They couldn't fall back any further, this was their last defensive position because behind them was the exit into the facility. They had to keep them contained no matter the cost.

"Everyone get ready!" shouted the sergeant. The soldiers reloaded and cocked their weapons before the hostiles could break through. They backed away from the doors and once they gotten through, the soldiers fired a barrage at the crowd of mutated humans. "Keep them back!" shouted the sergeant as he fired his weapon, putting a few of them down, knowing good and well they were overwhelmed and wouldn't make it as nothing, but the sounds of gunfire and yelling filled the corridor between the labs and the rest of the facility.

"Alpha team come in," said a static voice over the radio.

"Bravo team come in," the voice called again.

"We've lost contact...place the facility under lockdown procedure,"

An hour had passed, the corridor leading to the labs from the main portion of facility was littered with the lifeless bodies of alpha and bravo teams. They had failed to contain the X-25 subjects who breached the facility and attacked the remaining staff until they were finally disposed off by Blackwell and rest of the security team, leaving only a remnant of the humans that were left out of the cryo pods, this included what was left of the security teams and a few scientists and some maintenance personnel. Other staff members managed to survive by blockading the quarters and hunkering down while the threat was dealt with.

The doors to corridor came open and in walked a team of armed men. Wearing gear and carrying weapons. Their faces were covered up by gas masks and an air tank was strapped to their backs. As they approached the bodies of alpha and bravo teams, something caught their attention as they lowered their weapons.

"Sir, you better come look at this," said one of the soldiers with a muffled voice behind his gas mask.

Then stepped in a figure wearing a contamination suit covering his body. They approached the soldier and looked down at the bodies of the two teams that were sent in to try and contain the X-25 subjects. "What do you make of this?" asked the soldier to the man in the suit.

The man didn't respond but looked at the soldier before kneeling down and assessing one of the bodies. "This is what I was afraid," replied the man in the suit.

He unfastened his head covering and breathing tube which stunned the soldier. "Sir, what are you doing? This area is contaminated..." they said.

"Relax, the agent has already dissipated to non-infectious levels," the man who pulled his covering off his head. The man in the contamination suit was none other than Blackwell. He turned to the soldier and stood back up. "What's going on? Why's the complexion that color?" asked the soldier.

Blackwell looked down noticing that the dead team member's skin had turned a pale green. "It's a side effect of the agent that was released into the labs right when we lost contact with both alpha and bravo teams. I don't know who or what released the agent but thank God it was only contained within the labs," said Blackwell.

"Side effect? Sir, what are you not telling us?"

Just then the soldier from alpha team inhaled and his eyes suddenly opened. "What the F!" the soldier wearing the gas mask blurted. He moved back, startled by the soldier coming to life all of a sudden. Blackwell quickly grabbed another soldier's sidearm out of their holster and held the pistol down on the ghoulish-looking soldier's forehead and pulled the trigger. Killing him instantly as their eyes rolled back and a bullet hole in their head started seeping greenish-colored blood.

The soldiers stared in horror, between seeing the dead teammate come back to life with their sickly colored skin and green glowing eyes and watching Blackwell executing the zombified-looking man. They stared at Blackwell as he turned and looked at the soldiers, stilling hold the pistol in his hand. He handed it back to the soldier he took it from and then turned to the soldier before wearing the gas mask.

"Do the same to the others," said Blackwell plainly.

Confused the soldiers looked at each other behind their gas masks. "Did you hear me, I gave you all an order!" Blackwell shouted at them.

They all nodded and slowly approached the bodies of the team members and hesitantly pulling the triggers, shooting the pale-colored men in the heads before they came back to life. Blackwell left the corridor and headed back as the men got finished and looked at each other.

Blackwell had returned to administration area of the facility and was saluted by two guards as he stepped in. A hand full of staff and a few scientists were inside assessing the current situation. Over the period of time between the breach and now the facility had been placed under lockdown. Wounded facility staff were taken to the medical bay while others were killed during the breach before the X-25 subjects were extinguished and their bodies taken back to the labs for study or disposal. It would only be a matter of time until the life support systems of the facility would start failing resulting in the inhabitants to die off, due to lack of supplies and psychotic episodes from mental duress unless they escaped the facility if that was even possible.

Blackwell approached a terminal sitting at his workstation and got in contact with Professor Jones. The professor who was sitting at his desk in front of the computer was weak and out of breath. He saw that video feed was incoming from Blackwell and he turned to the computer to open it. "Professor Jones, I need a situation report. What's the statis on that AI program tartar?"

"(cough) Right now...I can't connect to his hard drive. I fear I may have damaged it (cough)," said the professor as he covered his mouth. When he removed his hand, Blackwell noticed blood running down his nose.

"Professor are you alright. You don't look took good," commented Blackwell.

"It's nothing (cough)," replied the professor.

"Your condition is progressing. I suggest you head to the medical bay and..."

"I said I'm fine Blackwell,"

"Can initiative: promised land still commence without Tartar. Is there any way of bringing it back online and connecting it to the facility network?"

"Everything will set to emergency protocol Blackwell. I think tartar is too damaged. I done ran a diagnosis on tartar and even if it was operable, I wouldn't advise on connecting it back to the network. Not after what had happened. Just be glad I managed to contain the experiment serum agent to the labs. If it ever got released to the rest of the facility especially the pod occupants then we could have well as kissed humanity goodbye,"

"What drove that damn AI to do this?" Blackwell questioned.

"I'm not sure. It brought up about humanity's violent tendencies when it looked through the database of our history. It seemed tartar became inert and showed sentience after it caught a virus. It wanted to sanitize us and it gave me no choice but to shut it down...and I mean manually with a chair," said the professor who was clearly out of breath, holding his chest.

"I see. What did it mean by sanitize? Was it referring to the serum agent,"

"I would assume so,"

"What's our alternative professor. We needed Tartar to initiate: promised land and to manage the facility's vital systems,"

"Everything will run on default without tartar, but the facility will be prone to power failures, premeditated releases of the pod occupants and other problems that could emerge. The only thing to ensure is the preservation of the pod occupants by rerouting emergency power to the cryochamber,"

"What's the longevity?"

"It could be decades maybe even centuries due to an arc reactor powering this place. It recycles energy as long as it runs. The only known self sufficient power supply in existence,"

"We'll have to chance it without Tartar having to maintain everything and ensure reemergence of the facility occupants. We'll make preparations for cryostasis within an hour professor,"

"I will not be joining you Blackwell. With my condition getting worse I would not make it during cryostasis, but I've placed my cat Judd into a small pod for preservation. I can monitor the systems for as long as I'm around and then after that it'll be up to computer network to release the occupants at the set time,"

"I'm sorry that you have to stay behind professor, and I commend you for continuing to ensure humanity's survival,"

"I don't need your appraisal Blackwell. (cough) I'm already feeling bad enough as it is knowing the risks with tartar not being able to maintain things and playing a hand of what has already happened in the facility. Between abducting people and implementing the X-25 into them. I'm not sure how I'll live with myself and see this as nothing more than a condemnation for what I've done,"

"Now you've grown a conscious. You should've known beforehand professor what measures had to have taken place and what ethics had be broken to obtain our goals. Don't start preaching to me about morality professor, you and those..." started Blackwell before the video feed was deliberately cut off by Professor Jones.

"Goodbye Blackwell," he said to the monitor. The professor starting coughing again and he grabbed a pill bottle out of the desk drawer, consuming some medication for his condition. "(deep breath) I'm not sure how much time I have left. I hope enough to keep things in order. Blackwell may not let it bother him, but I do. I'll have to answer for the wrongs I've colluded with to try and keep the project afloat. I'm not sure what the fate of humanity will bring, and I can only say that God with them," the professor said as he got up. He headed out of the office and looked back at Judd's pod. He gave a remorseful expression and downed his head as he stepped out and closed the door.

2,000 years later...current time at the facility.

Velma is sitting in front of the computer. She's reached a roadblock on how the human was changing and unable to collect anymore data since she couldn't read the human language on the computer's database. She gave groan and stood out of the chair and looked over to see if Donovan had woken up but he was still unresponsive.

She adjusted her glasses and walked over to check his pulse. He gripped the bed cover beneath him which startled Velma before he relaxed his hands. He was going through the flashbacks he was having from the events 2,000 years ago. Velma gave a deep breath as she placed her hand on her chest.

"I thought he had woken up," she said with a little relief. She watched him move around before leaving and heading over toward one of the lab stations. "I'm not sure what else to do...If only Silas and the rest of the researchers were here. They'd be amazed and our attempts to bring humans back would be assured. I hope they're doing OK; I've felt so guilty for leaving them behind. I hope they didn't face repercussions for my dereliction, I wish I could find a way of going back without getting caught to talk to them and report to Silas about my findings," she said.

Thoughts were stewing through her mind as she looked back over to Donovan. She was conflicted with whether or not to find a way to bring Donovan back to Octo base to ensure the safety of Silas and the other octarian scientists, knowing it would bring Scarlet that much closer to her goal of using humans to create an unsplattable army to take over the surface or stay at the facility and keep uncovering the truth about what was going on with Donovan and whether his transformation is the key to discovering the connection between the humans and her race as well as the inklings.

She knew the risks and consequences she would face for her actions even if that meant putting Maxine, the inklings and everyone else at risk at the facility but she was also thinking about the well-being of the researchers back at octo base and how she wanted to see Silas again. She knew this was a breakthrough for their human research and a valuable asset for Scarlet's goal. What would Velma do?

"Specialist Sigma!" shouted Maxine when she returned back to the atrium. Sigma had not returned as well as the inklings were missing yet again. "Dammit! Where'd those squids go now!?" she exclaimed in frustration as she stomped her foot.

Footsteps could be heard running down the corridor from the staff quarters. Maxine turned around and saw Bill and Jazz running up toward her. "I specifically instructed you squids to stay in sight and I have no idea where the specialist is. Have you seen him or for that matter weren't their four of you inklings? Where's the other two?"

"That's why we came back here. They had disappeared. We thought they might have went to go find a place to crash for the night but we haven't found them," said Bill.

"What! You saying they've gone missing?" asked Maxine as Bill and Jazz shrugged. "Fantastic, I got a missing specialist and now two inklings. I'm going to go hunt for that octopus first and then he can help me find those wandering squids. Just head back to the quarters and get some sleep, it's getting late you two," Maxine told them.

"I hope Dexter and Lily didn't try to leave. They were in the atrium one minute and gone the next," said Jazz.

"I hope they didn't either. That would be a stupid move on their part. As I said go back to the quarters and I'll get to the bottom of this," instructed Maxine as she left to go find Sigma.

The octoling specialist was deep in the cryochamber, searching for a pod that was containing a female human that he was desiring. All he had come across were empty pods and a few male soldiers that were unresponsive but then he soon found a young female in a tank top and camo cargo pants sitting inside one. She was fair skinned with short brown hair, almost as short as Seth's.

He looked around and spotted a console to open the pod. It hissed and fog poured from out of the large metal pod. He stepped inside and felt the human female's face and listened for a heartbeat. It was faint but it appeared she was alive but not conscious of her surroundings. He studied her and saw her as a suitable candidate as he slowly pulled her out and laid her on the floor.

"Wow...A real live human girl," Sigma said as he looked her over. Her height was not much different than his. The woman was short statured and thin framed compared to the octoling. He moved beside her head and kneeled down, resting her against his body. "Wonder if she'll wake up?" he asked. "She sure pretty,"

Seeing this as an opportunity to "study" her more. He placed his hand over the woman's chest and felt it. Sigma was blushing and starting to drool at the simple fact he was feeling the woman. Not getting enough pleasure out of it he began to stick his hand down her tank but before he get a feel of her bare chest, he heard something beside him as he turned and looked to see a hand land into his face and smack him. "You dirty pervert!" shouted Maxine.

"He rubbed his cheek which was red and looked like it was starting to swell. "What the shell are doing down here! And why is this human out!...Give me one good reason I shouldn't stomp your octopus butt into an ink puddle right now and what were you doing with her!" Maxine screamed at him as he crawled away.

"S...S...Sarge it's not what you think. She was already out and I was just checking her vital signs," he exclaimed, waving his hand at her nervously.

"My ass! You were checking for something alright and wasn't a heartbeat. I'm glad I came down here like I did or I would've seen a sight I wouldn't want to see," she snapped at him angrily.

"Sarge I wouldn't gone that far. I think you're overreacting. I'm telling you the truth really," he still pleaded with his commander.

"Sure you are...Now get back in the atrium so I can keep an eye on you, or I'll walk you there myself with my boot up your inky butt!" she yelled, causing him to flinch.

"R...Right away sergeant!" he complied before rushing off in his octopus form.

The sergeant looked over the woman that Sigma had groped. "Hmm...so this is human female. I'm assuming a soldier too like the other. Guess I better put her back in the pod for now," said Maxine as she picked her up and placed her back in the pod. As she was sat back in she gave a light moan. Maxine stopped and saw the woman was starting to breath. After a moment there didn't seem to be anymore activity. Maxine left the room and headed back up to the atrium and the left the unconscious female soldier behind.

Sigma was standing against the entry into the atrium. "Gah this stings...I think I need an ice pack," he said holding his face. He turned and heard a fluid like noise, seeing an octopus swim down the corridor toward him. It changed forms and shapened back to Maxine with her arms crossed and a disgruntled look on her face.

Sigma looked away still rubbing his cheek. "This wouldn't have happened if you just followed orders. What were you thinking going down there in the first place?" she asked him.

"I was curious," he replied looking away from her.

"Curious about what?" she asked him sternly. Then she spotted something sticking out of his back pocket. She swiped and unrolled the magazine.

"Hey!" he turned and shouted.

As she looked through it, her face turned red. The octoling lowered it and bit her lip as she closed her eyes. (Deep breath) So...that's what this is. You pathetic little octopus. You're a soldier and here you are trying to get your tentacles wrapped around that poor human down there while she's still asleep. How disgusting,"

"Sarge I couldn't help it. I found that book in the human vehicle in the warehouse and well...when I scrolled through, I had that itch. I haven't gone out with a chick...well, ever,"

"I don't care what your natural urges push you to do. You best control it and remember why we're here. I don't wanna hear about or see another incident like that again. You've worked my last tentacle and my advice would be to get a handle on it and start acting like a soldier, do I make myself clear,"

Sigma gave a nod. "I wanna hear you say it specialist,"

"Crystal clear sarge,"

"Good, now head back to the quarters and get some shut eye. I don't know what the next day will bring us and I don't know when Mirage and her squad will return,"

Sigma sulked and headed off for the staff quarters. Maxine held up the swimsuit magazine containing human females in revealing swimwear. "How degrading human females would be wearing such attire. Have they no honor?...The female that Sigma was fondling was a soldier though, surely, she wouldn't degrade herself like these females," said Maxine before she rolled it up. "This is going in the trash before that specialist gets a hold of it again,"

It seemed hypocritical of the octoling sergeant that she would smear the human females since the attire she was wearing herself would be considered revealing but...she didn't see like that. It was there standard issued uniform revealing their stomach and tight shorts that well outlined their abdominal area. She headed back to her office and threw the magazine in the trash before she sat at Mirage's desk and gave a stretch and yawn.

"I do hope that lieutenant and her unit has been successful in finding the rest of my unit. I'm ready to get out of this place soon. I'm tired of being underground and dealing with that specialist and those squids," she said as her eyes were slowly getting heavy. It'll just be a matter of time until she nodded off with her head falling over on top of the desk.

Outside the facility, down the hill at the housing community constructed by humans long ago. Lily had left the abandoned shop prior after she and Dexter got into a dispute. As late as it was getting, Lily decided to find a place to sleep inside one the houses. The mildew-ridden walls and dust covered floors were making it hard for the inkling girl to get comfortable and fall asleep.

She closed her eyes but had no luck. Lily couldn't get situated, tossing and turning until she got aggravated. "This place is so decrepit I can't get any shut eye. Maybe I should've stuck around with Dexter or maybe I shouldn't have left that place the octolings brought us to. I bet Bill and Jazz are sleeping comfortably in some clean beds right now," she told herself as she moaned with irritation.

"(growling) This is bull carp. I'm getting off this filthy mattress and find my way back up to that place," said Lily as she got up and started to leave the abandoned house. She scanned around and so far no one was around the cul-da-sac, it was quiet, and nothing was stirring. So she decided to try and venture back up the hill to the underground facility. Even as dark as it was, Lily had great eyesight as well as did all inkings and octolings though she wasn't a fan of the dark even if she could see well in it.

About half up the hill, Lily wasn't paying attention and tripped on a rock sticking out of the ground for getting in a rush to reach the elevator to the facility. She fell over and skinned her knee. Wincing from the injury she held her kneecap and looked back up. Getting more frustrated from getting hurt she then decided to take a deep breath and calm herself. Remembering what Dexter told her.

She got up but fell over. "My knee...ugh, I wish I never left. I wish I was home with my folks. I wish..." she sulked before she cut off by another voice.

"...Dexter was here," the familiar said, a figure holding out their hand.

"Huh, D...Dexter...I thought you..." Lily said, shocked to see Dexter beside her.

"Left for the surface. Then I wouldn't have someone to tease would I pompous squid," he said.

"Oh you inkhead...but I'm glad you came back. I guess someone did miss me," she told him.

"Yeah, I guess I did," he told her with a smirk as he lifted his shades. She gave him a smirk of her own and as she reached for his hand, she pulled him down and embraced him with a kiss. They laid on the ground, locking lips for several seconds until they pulled their faces away and looked at each other under the fake moonlight. "Does this make us a couple?" Dexter asked her.

"I guess it would seem so," she answered him before pulling his face down and kissing him on the cheek causing the boy to blush.

They sat up and stared at the false starry sky. "Wish it were the real thing," he said.

"Yeah...it would make it that more romantic," Lily added.

"Guess we better head back. I'm sure Bill and Jazz as well as the octopi are wanting to know where we've run off to," said.

"What's it to them where we went. As far I as they know we went for a midnight stroll. Would it hurt to get some fresh air from being couped up in that hole," Lily replied.

"That's a good excuse. Though I'm sure we're going to get a tentacle chewing when we get back,"

"I don't care, as long as you're here with me Dexter,"

"I could say the same,"

The two of them helped each other up and continued on up the hill to the elevator that would bring them back down to the underground complex. Fortunately for them, everyone had retired for the night and the two of them sneaked off into a different room to crash and slept together. Bill and Jazz were just across the hall and like the bickering pair. The two inklings had shared a bed together as it seemed that Lily and Dexter weren't the only two to form a relationship.

As the pair of inklings returned to the facility, unaware to everyone inside the complex, back on the surface in the front lot four figures had appeared out of the shadows, coming out of the bushes and stepping out in the open. They were octolings fully clothed in black, donning black armor and stealth googles (helmet with night vision) with a headset covering their ears. It was the octoling commandos, an elite squad of octolings tasked with hunting down targets and clandestine operations like spying. They scanned the area with their night vision and spotted a figure across the lot.

"That must be her, move up," said the commando leader. The squad carried an array of reverse engineered inkling weapons and suction bombs for the toughest missions they would be assigned to. As they approached the other figure that was hiding up ahead they stopped and aimed their weapons at them. The cracking of a twig got their attention followed by the rustling of a bush just 20 feet ahead of the squad of elite octolings.

"Come out slowly," she told the figure. They stepped out of cover and into the moonlight.

"You the runaway scientist?" asked the commando leader.

"Yes...you must be commando unit, I've been waiting here for nearly an hour now. I wasn't sure when you were going to show up," said Velma.

"You've informed octo base about some valuable intel about a human prescience. Also, something about an underground complex holding these humans. This is too good to be true and I find this unlikely but octo command would like to see how credible this is, if it meant you giving yourself up with this intel. The fact that Scarlet wants you back alive and for you to explain your actions has made it reason enough to send us out here but now she's more interested in your findings," said the commander.

"I assure you captain that what I'm about to show is more than proof that the humans aren't extinct as we thought. There are multiple humans inside the facility as well as I managed to speak to one who has underwent a transformation. As unbelievable as this may sound, he is transforming into an octoling or so I believe,"

"Unbelievable is right...you expect me to think that a human is changing into one of us. You're digging your hole deeper. You inform us about these humans and now you're telling me they're turning into octolings,"

"I'll show you,"

The commandos were wary about what Velma had told them as she lead the octoling unit to the elevator. "This is the only way down," she told them, guiding the commandos into the elevator platform.

"You sure about this captain," asked one of the commandos.

"If what she tells us is true, which I'm doubting then this would be the breakthrough the general has been looking for," replied the captain.

"Does she really expect to control the humans using the octo goggles," said the lieutenant.

"We don't question the general's motives. If it's our key to taking over the surface and dealing a blow to those inkstains up top then who are we to be against her. She is Octavio's granddaughter even if those two didn't see eye to eye," said the captain.

"Yes, but she did lock Octavio up after he refused to go along with her plans,"

"Scarlet refused to give up leadership back over to Octavio. Said he was unfit and distraught he would turn down being her second in command. Octavio was our ruler since before the great turf war and I didn't expect him to play second fiddle lightly. He tried to start a coup but it failed...guess everyone believed the general when she told the octarians he was an unfit leader,"

"And now we're her underlings,"

"Enough with that talk! We follow orders understand. You wanna join Octavio for questioning her orders. Be my guest,"

The octolings didn't bring it up anymore as they arrived at the processing area. Velma guided them out and the commandos saw multiple skeletons laying around the terminal. "All I see is bones, you better be right about this,"

"The humans are further in the facility, just keep following me," Velma waved them to follow her through the terminal.

The commandos continued following the octoling scientist. They walked through the atrium and down the corridor passing up the lavatories and the quarters where the inklings and Sigma were sleeping. Then they finally entered the lab where Donovan was still laying on the hospital bed asleep.

The commandos flipped over their googles and were awestruck at seeing a real live human and to compound things, they saw that tentacles were taking the place of hair on top of the humans head. "I told you captain," smugged Velma.

"You were right...I can't believe what I'm seeing but you mentioned more. All I see this one human," said the captain.

"There are more deeper in this place but I ask of something before I can do that," said Velma.

"What is it?"

"That you not harm the two octoling defectors or the inklings here. Just take what you need and head back to octo base before they discover you here,"

The captain thought long and hard about Velma's request. "They are defectors...our enemies and traitors. You expect us not capture or splat them and as for the inklings...they're inklings," said the commander, looking at Velma sternly with her blue and green octarian eyes.

"All I ask is that you spare them and leave. I'm giving you what Scarlet wants,"

"Very well, you have my word. Now take me to see the other humans you've mentioned," said the commander as she placed her goggles back over her face.

"Come with me," waved Velma.

Meanwhile, at the octoweapons factory. Mirage and Maxine's unit along with the misfit octarians that they decided to free was tagging along with them. The group managed to take out multiple guards on their way toward the main factory floor to stop the octarian army from building anymore octoweapons.

"Alright, we're heading into the eye of the storm so stay focused. Everyone watch your fire sectors. We can't afford to lose anyone. I predict this is where the factory occupational force is concentrated but I'm sure there's more units patrolling around the proximity of this factory. Once the ink starts flying, they'll be on alert and start requesting all there forces back into the factory to defend it and call reinforcements if they feel they're losing ground," said Mirage as she briefed them.

"Lieutenant, might I suggest we break off into two units. One of us should flank their positions and surprise them while the other unit go for a full assault and get their attention," said the sergeant.

"That's not a bad idea. You pick it out your team members and I'll lead a frontal assault on the factory floor," said Mirage.

"Got it," replied the sergeant.

"What about us?" asked the twintacle with the non-octolings.

"You're unarmed...practically ink fodder. Just stay behind until the floor is clear," said Mirage.

"Ink fodder wouldn't be a bad idea. You'll be useful for a change," remarked the sergeant.

"You smug little red-head, we're the ones with the disadvantage and without our scooters," the insulted twintacle shot at the octoling.

"Cry me a river tentacle. I can't help that and I was just joking, don't take it personally," replied the sergeant, crossing her arms.

"Just cover the rear and alert us if you see any hostiles trying to ink us in the ass," directed the elite.

"Let's move out!" shouted Mirage.

They were nearing the factory floor through the entrance. They spotted multiple troopers scurrying around, patrolling as well as octolings walking down the suspended catwalks overlooking the assembly areas. An octocopter was hovering around overhead and Mirage spotted the office on the far side of the assembly area being monitored by her old teammate Nova as she leaned against the railing with a disapproving expression. She walked back inside the office and above was an octocommander scanning the area below it.

"Just as I thought. Security is tight," said Mirage. She looked at the sergeant and the other octolings. "As we planned, Sergeant you will lead your team around the assembly bay and avoid detection. After that me and my team will move forward and start attacking. Everyone keep your finger on the trigger and watch your ink levels. Remember to dive in your ink to refill and avoid ink fire. Use this to the element of your surprise. They can't hit what they can't see," Mirage told the group.

"Roger that," answered the sergeant. The tentacles felt belittled and if the twintacle had any arms he throw them a gesture. It and the rest of the non-octolings stayed back at the entry of the assembly floor and watched the octolings head off.

The sergeant lead her team around the factory floor and out of sight in their octopus forms. Mirage and her team octoformed and moved up behind cover before they began the assault of the assembly bay. "On my mark we attack," said Mirage. She waited for the troopers to get closer before she gave them the signal. Once she did the troopers were splatted off their vehicles which garnered attention.

"What, intruders!" shouted the octocopter. The alarm was raised and the octarians reacted. The octolings scrambled and the troopers converged on Mirage and her team. At this time, the sergeant and her group were avoiding detection and reached the other side of the floor as they watched octarians rush past them and over them to counter Mirage and her team's attack.

She and the rest of the octolings changed back and got into positions to flank the unsuspecting factory occupying forces. Mirage was taking down troopers with the splattershot pro as well as the rest of her team. One of them a private, lobbed a splat bomb at an approaching trooper, splatting it. "Take that you dumb tentacles!" she shouted.

"Keep firing, if you run low, dive in the ink!" reminded Mirage.

As their forces were dwindling, the elite and her octolings moved up and dived into their ink to replenish. Mirage spotted the pesky octocopter which lobbed a splat bomb at her. She took cover and returned fire, shooting it down as it splattered on the floor. "Keep it up!" Mirage shouted before hopping back into her ink.

A few octolings up above on the balcony were dropped and another that octoformed and swam toward them was splatted after she tried to gun down a few of Mirage's octolings. It appeared Mirage and her team were winning the battle at the moment. As the octarians were retreating, the mechanisms inside the assembly bay were being powered on. Spreaders and ink pistons were coming on. The assembly lines would have been their only access to the far side of the factory floor but now it had turned into an obstacle course for them.

"Appears they're trying to hender us. That won't be enough stop me from reaching Nova," said Mirage. She waved her team to move up and navigate through the assembly bay and past the ink producing mechanisms. The sergeant and her team joined in on Mirage and traversed down the assembly line themselves, getting across the spreaders and ink pistons.

At the end of the assembly bay was a large metal machine where the conveyor belts were carrying what appeared to be a mixture of both wood and metal creates out of it. When the octolings looked up as they approached the machine, it opened up from the top revealing a large octarian with three tentacles on it's head and goggles covering it's eyes.

"Octohurler!" shouted one of the regulars in Mirage's team. As it sat on a folding stool it regurgitated what looked like a bundle of rollers called rolonium, lobbing them out of its mouth and toward the defective octolings. "Take cover!" shouted Mirage.

The rolonium exploded on the platform where the elite and her team were standing on. One of her teammates was splatted by the blast as they tried to swim away. "Dammit! Just as I was thinking things were getting easy," jeered the elite.

"The lieutenant is in trouble, come on you octopi, let's move up and deal with that swollen ink sac!" the sergeant commanded her team. They pushed up to support Mirage but then they were spotted by the octohurler. It spat out another bundle of rolonium toward the sergeant and her unit. They narrowly evaded the rolonium as it bounced off the conveyor belt and exploded behind them.

"Aim at the rolonium!" Mirage instructed her team. The octohurler turned its attention back to the elite and her octolings before it lobbed another rolonium bundle, but this time Mirage shot at it, causing it to deflect and get thrown back at the stationary octarian. It was coated and fell off it's seat, splatting on the floor behind it.

"The octohurler is down! Move up!" shouted Mirage as she pointed her finger toward the direction they were needing to go.

Mirage as well as the sergeant and their teams octoformed and pushed through, spotting more conveyors but they were covered in ink. Something was swimming in it, then out popped a trooper in scuba goggles and a snorkel. "Carp! Octodivers!"

"The octodivers shot at the octolings. They sprayed their own ink on the conveyor and hid until they popped back out to splatter the octolings. Mirage and her team as well the sergeant and her's followed the same tactic but one of her teammates was struck by one of the divers before it submerged back into the ink.

A twintacle diver with a shield equipped on its scooter appeared further up, instructing the other divers to keep the enemy octolings back. Using what cover at their disposal, the octolings shot at the divers once they surfaced. They were all splatted except the twintacle who was protected from the front with its shield. It lobbed a splat bomb on the conveyor coating it with ink so it could use this to advance on the octolings by hiding and ambushing the enemy octolings.

It dropped back into the ink and the octolings watched for movement. It popped out and splatted one of the octolings. The sergeant and a couple of her teammates shot at the twintacle but it's shield was protecting it. Mirage hopped over on the other conveyor and clubbed the twintacle in the head before she grabbed it and flung it over her, behind its vehicle. As it sat up, still dazed Mirage finished it by shooting at it with the splattershot pro.

"Impressive, lieutenant. How'd you learn moves like that?" asked the sergeant.

"I was a part of Octavio's royal guard. One of the most trained elite units in the octarian army," she told her.

"So that's why they call you Mirage,"

"You can say that. We're not done yet there's one thorn in my tentacle I have to pluck," Mirage said, referring to Nova who was watching them from inside the assembly bay office through the cameras.

"You haven't changed one bit lieutenant," said Nova as she watched Mirage and the other octolings advance. "Reinforcements have been notified. Even if you take this factory, you make it out of here alive. I'll make sure of that," the elite scoffed as she picked up her octoshot and flipped her goggles over her eyes.

Luna, Star, and Vee were huddled up outside the plant at one of the loading docks. It was just a couple of minutes until Mirage would assault the assembly bay. "What's the plan lieutenanat?" asked Star.

"The plan is we go in there and waste everyone one of those ink bags and stop their operations," Luna told her two teammates.

"That doesn't sound like much of plan. Just going in ink a blazing. We need to formulate a strategy that's what Mirage would've done," said Star.

"And Mirage isn't here is she," snapped Luna.

"She's got a point Luna," Vee told her.

"Enough! I'm in charge now and I say we..." Luna started to say but was interrupted by the factory alarms coming from the assembly bay. "What the shell," she blurted. Then the trio started hearing shouting followed by ink fire coming from inside the plant.

"Hey, what's going on? It sounds like they're getting attacked inside," said Star who lifted up her goggles.

"You don't think..." Star started to say.

"It has to the lieutenant! She made it!" exclaimed Vee.

"Vee we're not sure about that," Star told her.

"Only one to find out, this way," said Luna as she hurried off for an entry into the factory, followed by Vee and Star.

Meantime in the back lot behind the factory, Emma waited for the right opportunity to lure the two conversating octolings but then the factory alarms were wailing. "Huh, that's the alarm," said one of the octolings.

"Quick, let's get back inside and see what's going on," said the other.

Before they left, Emma jumped out of her cover and taunted the two octoling soldiers by spitting her tongue at them. "Hey ink bags! I bet you can't catch me!" she shouted at the pair before she octoformed and swam away.

"After that runt!" one of the octolings shouted. They pursued Emma until they lost her between the piles of spare octoweapon parts and other junk. They changed back and looked around. "Where'd that little inker go!?"

"She's gotta be here. Find her!" the octoling commanded her partner.

As the octolings scoured around, trying to hunt for Emma as she snuck past them in her octopus form, using the piles of scrap to evade the octolings. She changed back and grabbed a metal pipe from out of the bins and knocked out one of the octolings from behind. When her partner discovered her body, Emma sprang out and through the pipe into her face, causing her to stumble and go unconscious. Emma grabbed one of the octoshots and an ink tank, determined to aid Luna and her team inside the factory.

Mirage and Maxine's unit had taken down the octohurler and a team of octodivers, costing them two of their teammates' lives. They were pushing up toward the assembly bay office. Multiple octolings had set up defenses to stop Mirage and the defectors from destroying the factory and capturing their leader, Nova. The octocommander on top of the office spotted the octolings and began firing a barrage of ink towards them.

Another octoling was splatted and the rest of them octoformed and dashed for cover behind the crates and generators powering the conveyors. "Alright, this is it. We end this right now. We capture their leader and power down the octoweapons factory," said Mirage.

The defectors and Nova's forces began exchanging ink fire. The octocommado was trying to gun them down, giving Nova's forces the chance to push up and take down Mirage and the rest of them. It seemed the tables had turned and now it was Mirage and the defectors that were on the losing end thanks to the octocommander giving the enemy octolings an advantage.

Meanwhile, the misfit octarians decided to push up seeing the octolings move ahead toward the far side of the assembly bay. They saw the ink puddles left behind by the enemy. One of the troopers among the group spotted some vehicles left behind by the enemy octarians. "Oh yeah, here we go," said the trooper as it hopped on.

"What are you doing?" asked the other trooper.

"What's it look like. I say we go up there and fight alongside the octolings. They're the ones that freed us after all," it answered back.

"You heard what those uppity octolings told us. Why should we help them anyway?" said the twintacle.

"Oh c'mon. This is our chance to shine and show those octolings we can fight as hard as they," the trooper told the twintacle.

"Yeah, I love to see the look on that elite's face when she see's us rescuing them for a change. Ah right, let's do this," said the twintacle as it hopped on another scooter.

Just as things were getting bleak, another octoling from Maxine's unit was injured but not splatted, getting hit in the shoulder. They were running out of ink and energy to keep back the counter-attack, it appeared the octolings were done until more ink fire erupted off to the side, splatting some of Nova's forces.

"Lieutenant! What do we do!? They got us by the tentacles. We can't keep this us." shouted the sergeant.

"We can't let up! Keep fighting to the last ink drop." Mirage shouted back.

It looked like Mirage and the rest were done for. Then all of sudden, a barrage of ink splatted some of the advancing octolings that were moving in on Mirage and Maxine's unit.

"Huh, where did that ink fire come from?" exclaimed Mirage. She and the rest of them looked over and saw the misfit octarians lay fire down on the enemy octolings from scooters they captured from the slain troopers. "Keep it up tentacles, let's show these octolings how we fight!" gloated the twintacle.

"Well I'll be dipped in ink," commented Mirage, who did not expect the non-octolings to come to their rescue. Nova's forces exchanged fire but were now at a disadvantage trying to fight the tentacles and Mirage and Maxine's unit. What few left retreated and Nova was outraged as she slammed her fist into one of the camera monitors. "Cowards! I won't accept defeat. Mirage...your ass is mine," Nova sneered.

The tentacles cheered but they forgot about the octocommander who stared at them. He shot them a glare that they would turn on them and wound up its mouth-mounted splatling. The twintacle and the others scrambled but one of the friendly troopers were splatted off the scooter and another was injured.

Seeing the tentacles were sitting ducks. Mirage and the rest of the octolings reacted and attempted to get the octocommanders attention. The octopod with them they called Bob didn't want to idlily stand back and watch it's tentacle brethren get gunned down by the splatling welding octarian. It rushed forward, past the twintacle and it's octoball friend. "Bob!? What are you doing!?" shouted the octoball.

The octopod not paying any mind to the octoball companion if it even had a mind at all ran toward the octocommander's position. Mirage and the sergeant were confused themselves at the octopod's actions. "What's that stupid bomb doing?" exclaimed the sergeant.

The octopod sprung to it's feet with all it's strength, launching itself at the octocommader. The octarians's eyes bulged out enough to knock it's shades off and drop the mouth mounted splatling. The octopod exploded, killing itself and the octocommader on top of the office. The explosion even knocked a suspending octostomp body off the ceiling and landed down on the assembly bay below, causing another inky explosion and damaging the electrical systems of the factory. Nova, who was about to come out of the office to deal with the defectors was launched back and slammed against the wall from the blast.

Mirage and the octoings took cover and the tentacles tried to shield themselves but were knocked back themselves. Mirage rose up and looked around. Seeing the damage, the explosions caused to the factory. Half of the assembly bay was now on fire and the electric grids were now damaged and sparking. "Is everyone ok!?"

"(coughing) Yeah...we're still here," said the sergeant, trying to stand up.

"What about the tentacles. I need a statis report," called out Mirage.

"I would say mission complete. We got one wounded though," said another octoling, helping up another.

"It's not over with yet. The factory may be inoperable but that still leaves their leader Nova," said Mirage. "Sergeant, get your unit out of here,"

"What about you?"

"I got business to take care of,"

"I doubt that elite made it. Enemy reinforcements will be here any minute now. It would be best if we vacate the area immediately than dealing with anymore of those inkheads,"

"(deep sigh) You may be right. Getting back to base would be the best plan right now. Let's move out and return to base,"

A banging at the loading bay got the octolings attention. "Oh shrimp, it maybe to late. Everyone get into battle formations!" Mirage commanded them.

Mirage and Maxine's unit aimed their weapons toward a pair of metal double doors, assuming it was the octarian reinforcements about to breach the building. "Get ready octopi!"

BANG! The doors flew open and in stormed three octolings. "Wait! Hold your fire!" shouted Mirage.

The octolings looked and lowered their octoshots. It was Luna, Star, and Vee running in. They went to a grinding halt and lifted up their goggles. Shocked at what they saw in front of them. "M...Mirage," stammered Luna.

"Lieutenant...you're...alive?" Star got out, stunned but grateful to see her commander standing before her.

"Why wouldn't I be. You're a little late for the party aren't you," said Mirage as she held the octoshot over her shoulder.

"MIRRRAGE!" screamed Vee with joy as she dropped her octoshot and ran over to embrace her squad leader, nearly tackling her. "I'm glad to see you too private," she replied as Vee held on to her.

"Well isn't this a sight for sore eyes. I knew you made it," said Luna as she walked up to Mirage.

"No you didn't," blurted Star.

"Shut up Star!" snapped Luna.

"Umm, Lieutenant I'm so glad you made it but...who are these guys?" asked Star.

"Maxine's unit. They were here all along and I couldn't have stopped the octarian forces without their help,"

"The name's sergeant Melony. Maxine is my sister. You mentioned before she was back at your base," said the sergeant as she approached them.

"That's affirmative. Just her and that specialist of hers and the inklings," answered Mirage.

"I'm glad she managed to get away. If she didn't then you guys never would've came and freed us," Melony thanked Mirage and her team.

"Weren't sure if you guys were still around. We came across a broken ink tank, a couple of dead inklings and octolings that I assume was part of your platoon," said Luna before she got elbowed by Star for being brash about their fallen teammates.

"Wait who are the tentacles? Are they part of your unit too?" asked Star, seeing the twintacle and his posse approach the crowd of octolings.

"No there not but I would commend them for their courage for helping us. They defected from the factory occupation I guess you can say," explained Melony.

"Poor Bob...I'm gonna miss him," wept the octoball.

"He went out with a bang literally. Joking aside, he was the real hero," said Melony.

"Ok?" replied a confused Star.

"He was the octopod with us. He saved us from that octocommander and destroyed half of the factory," Melony tried to explain to them.

"Alright, enough of the introductions. Let's get the shell out of her before reinforcements get here and I'm not in the mood to fight anymore octarians and we got wounded to tend to. So let's get our thumbs out of our butts and head back to base," Mirage told them sternly.

As they started to leave another figure rushed through the doorway where Mirage's team came in yelling. "Star! Luna! I'm here to...oh, did I just miss something?" said Emma as she stopped and saw the large crowd of octolings and octarians in front of her, staring at her with estranged expressions.

"Umm, Emma, I thought you were headed back home," said Star.

"No way! I wanted to help you guys stop those meanies,"

"She's like a barnacle on a whale, I swear," replied Luna as she gave a deep breath and pinched the top of her nose.

"Emma we told you to go home, why'd you stick around knowing how dangerous it was," Vee asked her.

"Just because I'm young doesn't mean I can't fight. I wanted to stick around. You guys helped me get back home,"

"Am I missing something?" asked a frustrated Mirage.

"Its a long story lieutenant..." Star replied.

"Tell me about it later. Just bring her along too. If they're no more interruptions then let's get the ink out of here already. I'm about to pull my tentacles out before anyone else shows up,"

"You heard the lieutenant. let's get going,"

The group finally left the factory and went around toward the main entrance but outside the main entry of the factory was a small contingent of guards. They had nodded off while the alarms went off. A few octotroopers and the flooder parked over the main entry way into the factory lobby.

"All we gotta do is get past these guys and we're home free before reinforcements arrive," said Mirage. She turned back toward the crowd that was huddled up against the wall. "Sergeant, you and the rest of them stay back. me and my squad will see if can get past these inkheads," Mirage instructed Melony and her unit.

Mirage along with her team moved up in their octopus forms and tried to sneak past the guards while they were siting asleep on their scooters but Vee, being clumsy and not watching where she was going, accidently smacked into a can, alerting them and waking one of the sleeping troopers. It spotted Mirage's unit and quickly powered it's vehicle up. Mirage changed back and splatted the trooper before it attacked, this caused the rest of them to come alive.

"Nice going private," scoffed Luna.

"Intruders!" screamed a trooper. The flooder then came on and aimed a laser at Mirage's unit. It rolled toward them and coated the street with ink underneath it. "Don't stand in that things path!" warned Mirage.

Vee and rest of them dove out of the flooder's way before they got covered. The troopers responded and started shooting at the octolings. Mirage and her team easily dealt with them leaving the flooder as their only threat. "Here it comes!"

They avoided it again but Vee tripped as she ran. The flooder was about to coat her with ink and she froze in fear at the incoming machine. Mirage sprang out of cover and started shooting at it to get it's attention. It stopped and rotated it's eyes back on the elite. "Vee! Run for it!"

Mirage was now it's target. The ink did nothing to the giant octarian machine as it was closing in on her. Luna and Star then jumped out. "Sergeant, get that hunk of junk's attention. I'm hopping on that thing so I can disable it," Mirage yelled at Star.

Luna rushed behind the flooder as Star shot at it. The flooder's attention was gotten and then Luna octo jumped on top of it. She pulled a panel off the top of it and started shooting at the now exposed circuitry. The flooder malfunctioned and swerved about on the street until Luna jumped off and the flooder crahed into the factory and fell back before it exploded.

"Good thinking Luna,"

"Yeah, I know, I'm awesome,"

"Since our way is finally clear, I'll inform the others. Just go on ahead and make sure there aren't any other hindrances," Mirage ordered them.

"You got it Mirage,"

They were nearly out of the city. Above them, the sound of rotors filled the air as the octolings and the misfit octarians got out of sight when they saw multiple octoseekers fly past them and toward the factory. "We made it just in time. While they clean up the mess we'll be out of this place and back at base. Let's keep going, we're not out yet," said Mirage as she waved the unit to head down the street.

Just as they started to approach the outskirts of the town. Emma looked back, all she knew was this was her home. Leaving felt strange if not discomforting for her. "Emma, you alright?" asked Vee.

"Yeah...it's just. I'm going to miss this place. It's my home,"

"But...you can't stay here by yourself,"

"I have for two years,"

"And I bet it was lonesome with no one else around wasn't it. You made friends with Star and Luna and I'm sure they'd like to see you come back with them instead of fending for yourself here. I'm sure a change of scenery would make you feel better, not to mention being around other people,"

Emma looked at Vee and nodded before she clutched Vee's hand. "I like you guys, you're my only friends and (sniffle) I don't wanna see you go so... I wanna back with you, Star and Luna.

"I'm glad to hear you do. Don't worry you'll get used to things," said Vee as she smiled at the little octoling. Emma smiled back with a chuckle, happy that she was leaving the lonely old village she grew up in and accompanied her new friends back to the underground facility.

Mirage, her team, Maxine's unit, Emma and the misfit octarians hopped in the kettle single-filed so they could get back before they were spotted. At the octoweapons factory though the octoseekers scanned the ground below to search for survivors. One of the octoseekers lowered and hovered over the smoking plant. The back hatch opened and out shot a squad of octolings down below in what was left of the assembly bay. The searched through the rubble and could only come across ink puddles, and left gear from their slain comrades.

"Any luck?" asked one octoling.

"Negative...must've been some accident that happened,"

"This was no accident, this was deliberate," said an elite.

"Who would be bold enough to take on an occupied factory?"

"This has gotten defectors written all over it. All the ink that's been left behind doesn't only belong to the factory units' but the assailants. It's octarian ink but it's putting out a different biological reading. I can tell by the smell,"

"Hey! Over here! We found someone!" said an octoling that spotted a body lying under some rubble.

The two octoling regulars headed up to where the office was. "Who is it?" one of them asked.

"An elite, I think she's the unit commander for the factory. Help me get this off her!"

The octolings pulled the desk off Lieutenant Nova and flipped her body. "Is she alive?"

After a moment her eyes opened. The regulars jerked back, not expecting Nova to revive instantly as she did. The elite took in a gulp of air and coughed. "Ma'am, are you alright?"

"Do I look alright to you!" she screamed with irritation, baring her fangs at the octolings as they backed away. "What kind of question is that! Who are you? The reinforcements I requested?"

"That's affirmative lieutenant. We're..."

"Late! You took your damn time getting here and now those treacherous turncoats have left because you didn't get here quick enough!" she continued to rant.

"Ma'am we got here as fast as we could,"

"Oh really, someone better get splatted for this. This is unacceptable," Nova was displeased with the arrival of the reinforcements. Covered in bruises and dust. She glared at the octolings which made them feel uneasy.

"So, this was the work of the defectors," said the elite with the reinforcements.

"Who else did you think did this. If you didn't have ink for brains those traitors would've been caught or splatted by now. Especially that elite...Mirage. I'll make her pay for this...she has stripped me of my honor... again! I will not spare her next time. Mark my words lieutenant, I will not rest until I have your head mounted on the wall. Bring me back to octo base ASAP and don't drag your asses...Scarlet needs to be notified about this," said Nova.

Six hours earlier...

Back at the facility, Velma was guiding the commando unit inside the cryochamber where the humans were still asleep in their pods. "This place is a gold mine," said the octoling captain as she was astounded by the pods.

"If these humans are still alive then how do you expect us to bring them back commander?" asked her lieutenant.

"Good question...We'll stick with the one human in the lab. Other than that, the regular forces will have to come here and assault this location and seize it," the commander answered.

"Hold on! You agreed not to harm anyone. Isn't that one human not enough and I also agreed to go back with you if I could get pardoned for abandonment," said Velma.

"This is too good to pass up. You mentioned before there were more defects but they weren't here. I promised me and my team would not harm anyone in this place but as for the rest of the army that's not my call,"

"Then don't inform Scarlet or command about the facility. Just take the human in the lab, he would be enough,"

"You're not inclined to tell me what to do egghead. This place will be marked, and we will be taking these humans back to octo base in time,"

Velma was stricken with guilt. She felt she had put everyone in danger at the facility and was regretting making a deal with the octarian army, trading herself and the human for Silas and the research teams' safety. She should've known the octarians would twist things around to their favor and pursue their objective in taking the humans and their technology inside the complex.

"Am I sensing regret?" asked the captain.

"Yes...I'm regretting I notified command about my whereabouts and this place. I should've known to not trust you," Velma said starkly.

The captain grabbed Velma by her shirt color and threw her to the floor. "You should be regretting leaving octo base to start with...but in a way maybe it was good you left and stumbled across this gold mine. Scarlet will be most pleased, but I can't ensure the well-being of the defectors that have set up base here. My advice would be to remain compliant and return to octo base as you said you would so you can finish the project since we have a human now," said the captain as she loomed over Velma.

As soon as the captain turned away. Velma's hand shook as she bared her teeth and clinched her eyes. She couldn't let them get away with this and out of redemption, she spotted a sharp piece of metal on the floor and stuck the octoling captain in the back. She yelled and knocked Velma back before shooting her in the torso.

Velma's eyes widened as she landed on the floor. Without armor, a blast from the elite's 52 Gal that close was enough to cause a life-threatening injury on the octoling researcher. The shock caused internal damage. Velma was breathing heavily as she felt not only the weapon's ink but her ink bleeding through her undershirt. Velma coughed up ink as the commando's converged on her.

"You alright captain," asked the lieutenant.

"She...inking stabbed me! So I reacted," she jeered, pulling the metal shard out of her back.

"She won't make it. Her injury is too severe captain," said another commando assessing Velma's injury.

"Then leave her...she made her choice when she attacked me," The captain told them apathetically.

The commandos started to leave and head back to the lab to collect Donovan. Velma was slowly losing consciousness and her eyesight was getting blurry. She attempted to get up but fell and shouted in pain as she coughed up more ink. "Please...forgive me you guys," she uttered her last words before closing her eyes.

The commandos carried Donovan out of the lab and toward the elevator. As they walked past the office Maxine was staying in, she thought she had heard footsteps thinking that maybe Mirage and her squad had returned. She got up and walked out of the office. When she turned and looked. Her eyes froze not recognizing the figures with the human being carried by them.

"Hey! Who are you and what are doing with human!" demanded Maxine, aiming her octo shot at the commandos. Two of the commandos turned and shot at Maxine, causing her to octo form to evade their fire. "Keep that octopus back!...Lieutenant, help me get this human to elevator, you two cover our six," ordered the captain.

"Commandos, what they doing here? And how did they find this place...I smell a rat...a rat in a lab coat," sneered Maxine. She rushed to wake up Sigma and dragged him out of bed, startling him as she raved at him to get his butt up and grab his weapon. Not arguing, he grabbed his octo shot and the two raced for the atrium.

"Sarge what the shell is going on!?" exclaimed Sigma as they were rushing through the atrium.

"We got unwelcomed guest that's what's going on, so quit dragging you feet so we can stop them," Maxine told him.

"Unwelcomed guest what are you..."

"Commandos...they're stealing the human!"

"Stealing the...wait, I thought Seth left with that elite's squad,"

"Not that human, the...I'll explain later, we need to catch them before they leave,"

In their octopus forms, they swam for the elevator where two of the commandos were covering the entry way toward the atrium. The captain and the lieutenant were dragging Donovan into the elevator platform. "Alright you two, get on!" she commanded the two elites that were covering the rear. They stepped in and the captain directed the elevator to go up.

Maxine and Sigma finally made it to the processing area and spotted the commandos on the elevator. "Shrimp! We're not gonna be able to stop them!" shouted Maxine.

"Oh yes we are," said Sigma. he darted for the control panel in the wall and pulled it off in attempt to stop the elevator from ascending. "What's that male think he's doing?" asked one of the commandos.

"Splat him before he does something with elevator!" ordered the captain.

The commando pulled out a suction bomb and lobbed it toward Sigma. "Specialist! Watch out!" shouted Maxine. She octoformed and tackled Sigma from the controls but the blast knocked them away. Maxine was hurt from the blast with Sigma receiving minor injuries. The commandos ascended to the surface, successful on vacating the facility with the human in their possession.

"(cough) (cough) Sarge...Sarge!" shouted Sigma. He panicked looking around for Maxine until he spotted her across the room motionless. 'Sergeant!" he screamed, rushing over toward her. He picked her up, seeing she wasn't breathing. He felt for heart beats (since octolings had 3 hearts). He couldn't feel a pulse and he laid her back down and began resuscitating her, pumping her chest and forcing air down her throat. "C'mon sarge, don't die on me yet," he told her.

After a minute, she began breathing and then coughing. The octoling came back to life but was weak from the suction bomb's blast. "S...Sigma," she said weakly.

"Sergeant, oh my cod you're still alive,"

"Did the commandos get away?"

"Yes..."

"(cough) (gasping) They couldn't have known about this unless...someone informed them,"

"But who...we're the only one's here. The inklings wouldn't have done it and certainly not that sea hare...speaking of which I haven't seen in a long while,"

"You forgot...Velma (cough),"

"She fled octo base. She said so herself,"

"She had a great interest in that human we came across. What's to say...she didn't strike a deal with the octarians,"

"Why would she do that. Why put us at risk? Why make a proposition with the same ones she ran away from,"

"I don't...know. You should ask her,"

"It...doesn't make any sense,"

Maxine's eyes were slowly closing and she had become unresponsive again. Sergeant...Sergeant stay with me. Oh cod, Sarge...wake up! I gotta get her to the medical bay and now," he said to himself before picking up Maxine and carrying her in bridal style to the medical bay to treat her.

On his way there, thoughts were running through his mind. He was rattled by the sergeant's accusations. What if she was right? She could've been the only candidate to reach out to octo base using the facility's communication systems. She knew about the radios, but she was also very intrigued with the technology about the facility and the humans. The only way he could get answers was to confront the octoling researcher but unknown to him, that would not be possible because she had soon died from her injury. It wouldn't be long until Sigma came across Velma's body, discovering she had been killed and questioning her would be beyond futile, so he would head back to the medical bay and stay by Maxine's side as she did for him when he was injured from the octomaw battle.

The commandos would get away calling transport to bring them back to octo base. The captain got on her radio and called in to octo command. "This is unit october lima niner niner echo, captain Sable of commando squad typhoon. We're requesting pickup at this location, marking with the octo tracker,"

"Statis report captain," asked a voice from octo command.

"He have possession of a human, command,"

"What about the scientist, your secondary?"

"Unfortunately she will not be returning to base. Considered KIA,"

"KIA! What happened, explain yourself,"

"She resisted and I had no choice but to...neutralize her,"

"Unacceptable captain. You were to bring her back as well as a human subject. What other intel do you have?"

"I'm marking the location to be taken. I've been informed that this facility is also the defector's acting base of operations as well as it is holding multiple humans and more advanced technology. It is worth seizing not to mention dealing with the defectors once and for all before they hinder our progress, command,"

"Report back to base for further orders,"

It wouldn't be long until the octoseeker would arrive just before daybreak and the commandos would escort Donovan's body back to the octarian HQ. Now that a human was in their grasp, what would become of him. This meant Scarlet's goal was much more closer to creating her unsplattable army and cloning humans to control with the hypnowaves created by Octavio, whose was locked up in octarian prison for resisting his granddaughter's motives and attempting an overthrow of her so he could take back control of the throne.

Current time now...

10 minutes had passed since Flow and Seth crashed into tentacle town hall in the flying saucer they "commandeered" from the two octolings back in the canyon. They narrowly escaped the octostrikers but were hit in the process causing the craft to crash into the building. The saucer was dangling over the floor below from the roof. Flow had just woken up, sore from the crash landing. The sea hare blinked her eyes and looked around. Seth wasn't in the cockpit but missing.

"Seth..." she called out weakly.

She looked down and her heart sank at what she had saw. Seth was laying on the floor motionless. The drop had to have been 30 feet down and already injured with his scuffle from the octolings before. It was highly improbable that Seth survived getting ejected from the disc-shaped craft during the crash.

"SEEEEETH!" screamed Flow. She spotted a balcony near the edge of the saucer and hopped on it as the saucer started to shift around. Flow hurried to the bottom floor to check on Seth and see if he was even alive. "Oh no, oh no..." she panicked.

The sea hare made it down and scrambled to reach Seth and check on the human that was her husband. Flow fell to her knees and crawled toward his body. "S...Seth," she whimpered.

He was lying on his stomach and she flipped him over. His mouth covered in blood and his eyes closed. Things were looking mighty grim and Flow's eyes were tearing up. "I've already lost my son... I don't need to lose Seth too. Oh please god..." she said as she started to cry.

She buried her face into his chest and after a moment. Seth started to breath, followed by a cough and moan. "S...Seth..."

"Mmmm..."

"Seth...Seth are you..."

"...alive?...barely," he weakly told her. Squinting is eyes up toward her.

"Oh Seth...I'm so glad you're still with me," she said with glee.

"Could you...please get your arm of my ribs Sarah,"

"Oh um..." taking her arm off of him.

"Did we...make it," he asked her.

"Yes, Seth...we managed to get away. I think we're back in that town, I vaguely remember being here a couple of days ago. Flow would remember,"

"I keep forgetting you're technically two people...so I guess after today...It'll just be Flow,"

"Yes Seth... there's...nothing I can do,"

"(coughing) I could really use a drink right now," he said as he atempted to sit up. Flow placed her arms behind him to help him.

A crackling noise caught Seth's attention and soon Flow's. A piece of debris dropped from the ceiling. It was a support beam holding the saucer but it was giving way to the weight of the craft. It soon busted and the saucer came dropping down, descending on the two before they quickly jumped out of the way before getting flattened. Dust was churned up as the two of them coughed. "That was close," said Flow. "Yeah...I've had enough with the near death experiences for once," said Seth. He slowly stood up and brushed himself, causing him to jeer and hold his ribs.

Flow saw he was still badly injured and had to get him back to the facility. "Seth you're hurt. I need to take you back,"

"I'm alright..." he replied.

"No you're not. I don't know what injuries you sustained but you need treatment,"

"I said I'm ok Sarah,"

"Seth would you please listen to me...because I'm only gonna be here for one more day. They'll be no one here to look over you when I go," she told him. "Don't think I don't know about you and that octopus girl," she brought up, getting his attention.

"Octopus girl? What are you talking about,"

"The reserved one with the black tentacles on her head. I think she's the leader of that team or whatever they're supposed to be,"

"You must be referring to Mirage. There's nothing between us and she kicked me off the squad anyway. She agreed to help me find you and our son. She's nothing more than a trusted allie,"

"No...I can read her...she loves you, doesn't she," she told him as she stared at him, reading his reaction.

"I... " Seth wanted to say more but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't hide the fact that Mirage did have a thing for him and this was conflictive with the fact that his wife was standing before him.

"Doesn't she Seth...I'm not angry with you about it," she consulted, as she grabbed his hand.

"I see her as what she really is...an octopus and...a friend. Her and rest of them," he said, trying to not look at Flow.

"She has a thing for you. I can see it and she's not the type to open up to people but only the ones she's ever trusted,"

"She's been through much that I can tell. Sarah...if it bothers you then," he said as looked back down at the sea hare.

"It doesn't...you probably thought you'd never see me and Virgil again. You thought about moving on but deep down you refused to give up hope...and now you find your wife is a sea slug...how would hooking up with that girl be any different now,"

"Because she's not my wife. That's a pretty straight forward answer isn't. She can't replace you," he said, closing his hand.

"Seth... I know it's hard to let go but... I know you're struggling to see how things are right now. Accepting me and knowing Virgil is out there somewhere. Our world is gone and for a while I accepted that I would never go home again and that I wouldn't be able to raise our son. All I'm saying is Seth is to not dwell on the things you can't change but...move on," she said, slipping her hand out of his.

"What are saying...how do you expect me to just...move on. What? Forget about my old life. Forget about you, Virgil our son. How could you ask of something like that from me at a time like this,"

"Because you'll stay miserable to the point of despair. I don't want that for you Seth. Think about now...those octopus girls were willing to help you even though you were a human. I would say they were looking out for you and were doing whatever it took to find your family. You're different from them and I think they see you as an inspiration. Don't take their kindness for granet. I think you're gonna need them to get through this strange new world. That's something I never had when I came out of the pod. Why do you think I was praying that you would've woken up and found me and our son soon,"

"(deep breath) You've convinced me Sarah. You're right. Our world is gone and there's nothing I can do to change that. I can't change what you've become and may not see our son again. Holding on to all this weight has done nothing but lug me down. I was so focused on finding you and our child that I failed to see that Mirage and her team accepted me and may have even seen me as a part of their family. It's...gonna take time to adjust...as for Mirage...I'll probably just talk to her but I wanna stay as friends for the time being,"

"Seth, I understand...you won't hurt my feelings just...please find our son and tell him I'm sorry for everything I've put him through,"

"You're not a bad mother...you were just looking out for his well-being," he told her. Flow or should I say Sarah didn't say no more. The two of them headed toward the doors and walked out into the street. Seth was still limping and Flow or should a say Sarah was helping him walk out as he held his side.

"Seth!?" shouted a voice coming from their right. Seth turned toward the voice and saw an unexpected sight. It was Mirage, who was leading her squad just behind her as well as Maxine's unit dragging up the rear along with the tentacles. They had just returned from the octoweapons factory out of the kettle on the east side of the town.

The elite ran up ahead to greet him. "Hey, lieutenant," he said as she approached.

She hugged him as he jeered from his injuries. She let go and looked at him. "Seth what happened to you?...I thought you went with that inkling," she said to him, concerned about his injuries. "I guess that doesn't matter, you're hurt. I'll get back to base so we can treat you," she told him then noticed the sea hare beside him as she looked over at the elite.

"What's that sea hare doing here?" Mirage asked.

"(deep breath) We...need to talk," he replied.

"Well how about we talk it over with some drinks. I could use one right now and I know just the place," said Luna who came from behind and barged in on Mirage and Seth's conversation. She motioned her head over toward the bar just down the street where they were standing.

Mirage gave her a look of exasperation, but Seth actually agreed with the elite for once. "I drink sounds good right about now," Seth commented. Mirage turned to look at him with question. "I feel we're both gonna need it lieutenant. Wouldn't hurt to calm our nerves after what we've been through," he continued.

"You're injured and right now I don't think it's a good time to..."

"You heard him Mirage. He wants a drink and I say he's right. I think this calls for a little celebration for defeating those inkheads back at the factory. Who wants to party!?" she said, turning back to the group of octolings behind her.

Maxine's unit cheered along with the non-octolings that came with them. Vee stood by Emma and looked at each other. Mirage shook her head and pinched her nose. "Luna...what am I going to going to do with you..." Mirage uttered with annoyance. Luna came up behind her and put her arm around her shoulder. "Let me have a drink," she said with a grin.

"A cold bottle of kelp ale does sound right now," said Melony. Luna led the crowd to the bar just up the street. Vee and Emma stayed back though. Vee wasn't a drinker and Emma was clearly too young.

"Lieutenant...there's one thing I must tell you..." said Seth as Mirage looked at him with anticipation. "I...found Sarah, my wife," he said, Mirage could clearly tell something was bothering him when he said that but why?

"You did...Where is she then?" asked Mirage.

"(sigh) Right here," he said, gesturing to Flow as she awkwardly waved at the elite.

"You're joking right...she's a sea hare,"

"He's...telling the truth. I am Sarah,"

"Alright...enough of this. I know you must be upset with me for not helping you hunt for your wife and child. It's on my to do list and with Maxine's unit back with us we can..."

"I'm being serious lieutenant...I wish I were joking but it's true,"

Mirage saw the seriousness on his face and then looked back at Flow. "So...you're..." the elite started as Flow nodded. "I thought Sarah was a human like you,"

"She was...but she transformed into this. It's why she's down here, because of the promise to come back for me when I was in that pod. I'll give the details about it but I'm kinda like your squad mate. I'm hurting both physically and mentally and I could use some alcohol to numb the pain," he told her.

"I think I could use a drink myself...but I don't wanna deal with a bunch of drunken octopi. When Luna sobers up she's gonna catch some flak," said Mirage as she crossed her arms.

Vee was speechless to learn that Flow was Seth's wife. Emma tugged on her arm and looked at her. "Who is that?" the little octoling asked the private.

"That's Seth...he's a human and...my friend,"

"Hu-man? What's a hu-man?"

"I'll tell you later. I think we should just go ahead and return to base," Vee told the little octoling. "Umm, Mirage I'm gonna take Emma back to the base. If you don't mind," Vee told her commander.

"Go ahead private. We'll be there...eventually,"

"C'mon Emma,"

"I think I should go to and let you guys talk," said Flow.

"Huh, you don't wanna stick around?" Seth asked her.

"You know me Seth, I don't drink and I wanna give you some space to talk things out with her. I know you need to. I'll...see you later," Flow waved as she followed behind Vee and Emma.

"ok then,"

"So...that's your wife,"

"Yep...I never would've thought until she showed me the wedding ring I gave her over 2,000 years ago. I freaked out when I discovered she was telling the truth but my son...I'm not sure where he's at. Sarah told me she had to let him go...I was grief stricken when she told me about that,"

"Giving up a child is something my race does when they reach of age to join the army. I've never had one and I wouldn't know what it felt like. I now you're weary and I'm glad you're back. I wanted to tell how sorry I am to have booted you out of the squad. I was so angry that you chose to go with that inkling instead. Where is she anyway?"

"Don't know...I got captured and..."

"Captured!?"

"I'll tell you more about it. Why don't we head over to bar. I'm dying for a drink right now,"

Inside the tavern, the octolings were indulging heavily on what alcohol they could find. Luna was already three sheets in the wind and half of Maxine's unit had already passed out along with a few of the misfit octarians. Seth sat at the bar with Luna beside him sipping on Kelp ale which Seth wasn't too keen about, but it had to do. After a few minutes of storytelling about his battle with Sam at octorock quarry, getting captured and discovering Flow was his lost wife. Luna was both irritated that Sam would put him danger and let him get abducted but relieved and impressed with what Seth had went through and to see he had returned. After a few swigs Luna told him about her story of what happened at the octoweapons factory. Starting to get buzzed, both of them had put their troubles behind them and started to cut up about their prior military experiences.

"Oh, please Seth. You should have seen me at boot camp," she told him.

"Boot camp huh...I remember my time at boot camp. I told my superior to stick it when he saw how disorganized my gear was back in the barracks. He didn't take my opinion to well,"

"I should say not. If I were him I would've PT-ed your butt until you couldn't walk,"

"Hey, you are my superior since I'm back in the squad. I know better to smart off at you lieutenant,"

"And don't you forget it human," said Mirage as she finished her bottle. "I could use another...you need one?" she asked Seth.

"No I think I better stop...I know when I've had enough,"

"Light weight,"

"I think you oughta slow down yourself lieutenant,"

"Why? This was your idea in the first place," she told, starting to slur.

"I know but...remembering my past experiences of getting drunk after I got off base. I kinda learned my lessons from that,"

"One more ain't gonna kill ya' " grabbing two bottles from behind the counter. She opned one and slid another to Seth.

"No lieutenant. When I've had enough. I know when to call it quits," he said, sliding the bottle away from him.

"Well stay and talk then," she insisted, as she took a swig.

"I've never seen you like this. Guess the alcohol has affected your personality. You're usually pretty reserved and uptight,"

Luna stumbled over toward Seth with a grin on her face. "Hey Seth...I know I'm drunk but I wanted to tell you something," the elite slurred, holding onto the bar as Seth looked over at her drunken sight.

"Oh geez, what is it," Not wanting to deal with a drunk octopus girl as clingy as she was when she was sober.

"I wanted to tell what a great job I did and that I deserve a reward. I don't want no freakin' medal," stumbling closer to Seth as he had to grab her away from him.

" A reward...umm you're pretty polluted. Why don't you go lie down,"

Then Star stumbled over and fell over on Luna. "Yeah, I wanna reward too, I was a good girl," holding a bottle in her hand before she dropped it. "I spilled my ale,"

"Alright, this is getting awkward even for me. I think I better go,"

"If anyone is getting any kind of commemoration it's me! I lead the mission!" Mirage exclaimed as she pounded the bar counter.

"Yeah I'm out of here," he said as got of the bar stool and headed for the door.

"Hold on where ya goin' " Mirage slurred.

"Leaving...drunks aren't good company. I know from past experiences when I was in the defense front,"

"Seth! Wait! I didn't mean..." shouted Mirage as she fell out off the bar stool. Seth looked and noticed she started crying. "Lieutenant are you ok?" he asked as he rushed over to help her off the floor.

"(pouting) Seth...I just wanna let you know how much I care about you," she said as she hugged him.

"OK, I like you too lieutenant," he said as he grabbed her arms to try to get her to let go of him. Going through the emotional roller coaster ride caused by the alcohol. It was clear that the elite had strong feelings for the human and Seth felt she had enough to drink. "C'mon lieutenant let me help up. I'm sure this place has a room for drunks to sleep it off," he said standing her up and placing her arm around her shoulder.

He walked past Luna and Star who were nearly about to fall themselves. "Oh, need some alone time with the commander. I see how it is!" snapped a drunk Luna.

"Just stop. I think you two have had enough too," said Seth as he carried Mirage up the stairs where the spare rooms were. He opened the door to the first room and saw it was vacant. A bed was setup and he walked over to place the lieutenant on it. She was slowly coming back to her senses but was still intoxicated. Seeing Seth she smiled and clung to him as he laid her down. "C'mon lieutenant let go," he told her.

"No, I wanna have some fun," she said as she giggled.

"You're drunk and I'm not the type to take advantage of anyone in that state of mind," he told her, grabbing her arms to make her let go of him.

"But...I really like you...I know you found your wife and..." she slurred.

"...and you're my friend and commander. Things wouldn't work out between us. I'm a human and you're an octoling. We're both soldiers and both wearing uniforms," he told her as back away and started to leave.

An expression of resentment came over Mirage's face. She sat up and got off the bed almost falling over back on it. "What are you doing?" Seth asked seeing Mirage kick her boots off and pulling her armor over her head.

"You said because we're both in uniforms," she slurred as pulled up her black top, exposing her chest and pulling down her shorts. "Gah...L...Lieutenant!" Seth shouted as he shielded his eyes.

"I'm not in uniform now," standing in front of him, disrobed. Seth was fight temptation to look, knowing she was a female but still an octoling and his commander.

"I was using figurative speech!" he exclaimed, still covering his eyes.

"Well...I'm your acting superior and I'm ordering you to get your butt over here. I'm assigning you a mission. I hope you're up for the task because it's gonna get messy...BLECK!" the elite said before she threw up on the floor.

"Messy is right," Seth said. He saw Mirage was wobbling and about to fall over. He grabbed a blanket and covered the drunk elite before she collapsed on the floor. She held on to him as she passed out. "(deep breath) I need you to lay down. Here, I'll place you back on the bed," Seth said as she mumbled.

She rolled over on her side, covered up by the blanket. Seth couldn't help but feel a little bad for her. She didn't know how to handle her emotions over him, knowing she had always repressed any emotions she had being an elite in the octarian army. She was drilled and assimilated into the military mindset under Octavio's rule. There was no room for errors or hesitation for soldiers and they required to suppress any and all emotions they had or more less had to act and think like submissive robots.

It was bad enough for Mirage and the others to break away from the effects of the hypnowaves by the calamari inkantation song. Emotions and independent thinking had resurfaced and the octolings questioned their purpose and left the army for a new life on the surface if they could get there but now with Seth in the picture. Mirage was experience feelings she had never acted on before and her mind wasn't sure how to handle it or what to do, only going by natural instincts.

Seth decided to leave the room but not before he placed a pillow beside her as she hugged it. He rubbed her arm, and she gave a smile. "Seth, " the elite uttered as she fell asleep. "I think she's going through the hardest mission of all. How to act on her emotions. Poor women," he said with a deep sigh.

He stepped out of the room and walked back down to the first floor where the bar was at. Luna and Star had passed out on the floor, hugging each other. Maxine's unit were laid out themselves and he spotted the twintacle clinging to an empty bottle of ale as his tentacle twitched. "Good grief, I think they partied themselves out. Can't blame them after what they've been through," he said.

Heading for the exit. It was clearly morning as the fake sunlight beamed down onto the street. he was eager to get back to the facility and talk to his wife before the day ended.

Six hours earlier, Sam the inkling was on her way toward the octoweapons factory to get in contact with Mirage and her team and inform them Seth had been taken by the enemy octarians but she had gotten lost somewhere between tentacle town and dome were the factory resided in. It was nighttime, the air was cool and brisk as Sam hugged herself to try and keep warm. She was going in circles and decided to rest at what appeared to be a small outpost that was once manned by octotroopers.

She stepped in, seeing the place was empty with one trooper scooter tipped over. Sam was getting sleepy, but she was determined to reach the octoling squad one way or another. Seeing if there were any clues or signs that they had been by there. Then she spotted boot prints on the floor, it was old, but she was definitely sure it belonged to the octoling squad.

As her back was turned, kneeling down to examine the boot marks. A figure was standing outside the entry into the outpost. When Sam looked out the doorway the mysterious figure vanished. Curious, she decided to walk out and investigate, when suddenly a shadow ran across the ground, over Sam. The mysterious figure appeared again, this time on top of the small outpost.

Sam quickly turned and looked up at the figure as she grabbed her ink bow and pulled back the cord to fire a bolt at them, only for the figure to jump and evade the projectile and land back down in front of Sam. Before she could shoot again, the inkling's bow was knocked out of her hand and a bamboo cane was aimed at her face.

"What the...hey!" shouted Sam angrily at the figure. As they turned and looked at Sam, the figure revealed itself to be an inkling by the marks around their eyes... it was agent 3 of the squid beak. "Agent 3? W...what are doing way out here? And what's the big idea of scaring me and smacking my ink bow out of my hand like that. You're lucky I didn't splat you!" Not recognizing her at first wearing a captain's hat over her head.

She lowered the cane from Sam's face, revealing it wasn't a cane but a bamboozler. An ink weapon that had the appearance of a bamboo cane. "I'm just here on agent business. I like to ask you what you're doing out here in octarian territory. The peace treaty is in effect between us and the octarians. You're prescience out here will arouse suspicion," Agent 3 told Sam.

"Peace treaty? But...the octarians abducted my sister. I know they did and they abducted other inklings too,"

"I know," said agent 3.

"So why's there a peace treaty then?"

"Seems the inkling government doesn't know what the octarians are planning. They've been duped into a compromise with the octarian race in exchange for their technology,"

Compromise...there's no compromising with those octopi. It'll just be a matter of time until they try and take the surface or steal all the zapfish again,"

"Not sure why they would steal the zapfish when the inkling government agreed to give them some,"

"Why in the squid would they do that?"

"Good question...I got a bad feeling in my tentacles that something is going on behind the scenes which brings me to another point," Agent 3 told her as she turned away.

"And that's?"

"You joining the squid beak," agent 3 answered.

"I done told you no and you refused to help find my sister. You're friend and agent 4. You turned your back on me and now you expect me to join your rag tag agency. Not happening so why don't you just ink off!" Sam sneered at her before agent 3 clutched the bamboozler.

"You don't think I'm concerned about agent 4's well-being. I know as well as you do she's here and suspect she's at the octarian base. I thought I'd put the agent crap behind me but Cuttlefish insisted that I take over as leader of the squidbeak along with the squid sisters," agent 3 told her as she turned to face Sam, holding the bamboozler like a weapon.

"You couldn't have told them no,"

"I really had no choice in the matter,"

"So, you came out here to enlist me again, instead of finding Izzy,"

Agent 3 got agitated with Sam and conked on the head with the bamboozler. "OW! WHAT THE SQUID!" She shouted, rubbing her head from the blow.

"I've tasked some recruits to come down here and spy on the octarians and see what they're planning. I know something's going on and it's nothing like when me and agent 4 stopped Octavio and got back the great zapfish. I know they're plotting something big this time, I just don't know what. They also salvaged the statue that was being controlled by Tartar as well and I fear what they may have recovered," said agent 3 as she could recall getting controlled by tartar during the incident.

"Recruits? So there's squidbeak agents down here somewhere,"

"Yes but I'm not sure if they can hold their own. I'm asking that you rendezvous with them. Sheldon will help you get directed there,"

"Sheldon?"

"Yes, he's sending a drone to guide you and help you navigate through the canyon. I'm not sure if you've met him or not when you came to Inkopolis, I wish you luck,"

"Hey don't I get a say in this!? I didn't agree to be your little errand squid and I'm certainly not helping you. You wouldn't help find my sister," protested Sam.

"Listen, this effects everyone, especially the inklings which I've sworn to protect, and I expect you to do the same if it means keeping the octarians away from Inkopolis. The sooner you complete the task the closer you'll get to finding agent 4,"

"You better be right about this...hold on, I just remembered. Seth! He got taken by those octojerks back at the quarry. I gotta find those squad of octolings before they..." Sam fretted as she started to run off.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going. You have a mission to do agent," agent 3 shouted at her.

"I'm not a squid beak agent! Maybe I don't wanna do your stupid mission. You're already here, do it yourself and I can find my sister on my own, thank you very much," Sam stopped to shout back at agent 3. With quick reflexes, the inkling agent conked Sam again in the head.

"Owww...what's the big idea hitting me like that," Sam jeered, rubbing the top of her head.

"Knock some sense into that head of yours. Did you hear anything I told you," agent 3 scolded her.

"Yeah, I heard you but Seth needs my help,"

"Whose Seth?"

"He's...a human. He decided to help me locate Izzy. We fought in this quarry and defeated a giant octoweapon but...the octarians took him," she explained to agent 3.

"Hold on...you mean to tell me there's another human," agent 3 was clearly stunned to hear a human was somewhere in octarian territory and worse, captured by them.

"Yeah he's...wait, did you say another...what did you mean?" garnering Sam's attention.

"That's classified,"

"What is? What are you hiding?"

"Just drop it,"

"No! Is there another human you know about?"

"Why should I answer that question,"

"Why should I help you?"

"Fiiiine...Yes,"

"So there is another human you know about. Do the other inklings know about them?"

"No and I intend to keep that way. He stays in disguise and his existence has been kept a secret from everyone except from a few others,"

"He?"

"My brother,"

"Brother!...You're an inkling! There's no way..." blurted Sam in disbelief.

"Not literally...My family took him in when he was very young. My folks raised him, and I looked out for him as we got older. My mom and dad kept him out of sight from anyone else seeing him. Worried that he might get taken, being a human and not wanting cause any panic. He couldn't remember his name, so my folks named him Max. My dad always wanted a son named Max so...we took him in as one of us after he got adjusted to us and this world. I have no idea where he could've come from, but he was sick and on the verge of dying if my parents didn't take him in that rainy night,"

"What a sad story. I would've never known...so he's just being kept a secret. Aren't you afraid everyone will eventually discover his identity. You can't keep him hidden forever Cassie,"

"That's agent 3 to you,"

"Pfff, whatever,"

"I don't wanna have to hit you again you wiffle waffle,"

"Huh?"

"Sorry, been around the old squid too long. I'm starting to act like him since I took his old position but silliness aside. I need you Sam. All of the inklings do and I think you'll eventually find agent 4, I mean your sister along the way," said agent 3 as she grabbed Sam's shoulder.

Sam growled. She didn't want to help Cassie but...if doing her mission would get her closer to finding Izzy then what other choice did she have. What else could she do but incline with the agent's request. Agent 3 started to walk away but stopped when Sam got her attention. "Hold on squid!...If I help you...will you help me," Sam asked her.

"I've done told you that you'll probably find Izzy if you..."

"It's not about my sister... It's Seth, I knew about another human and like you I kept his identity a secret as he asked. I didn't know he was your brother. I ran into him in splatsville, what a coincidence,"

"He did leave Inkopolis. Said he had to go clear his thoughts. He wouldn't tell me anything, but I could tell something was bothering him so... I haven't spoken with him in a while. So that's where he's at,"

"I guess you say we're friends sort of...he doesn't talk a lot,"

"He never did...guess because he's a human. Doesn't want to blow his cover with anyone. We taught him inkling but his dialect gives it away,"

"Yeah...I could tell he was strange for an inkling. I made friends with him back in Splatsville, he kept to himself. So I decided to invite him over to my place and after a while when we got to know each other better he told me he had to show me something and that I had to keep it a secret," said Sam.

"I'm guessing that's when he told you he was a human,"

"I didn't believe him. I thought he was joking or something until he showed me, pulling off that disguise. I was in disbelief and panicked a little but... I remembered how friendly he was and that's when he told me his story about you and your family saving him and taking him in. He couldn't get adjusted to the inkling society and said he was looking for a purpose or maybe to see if any of his race was still around,"

"Max...had a hard time adjusting. Inklings thought he was odd and teased him at times. He stayed to himself and didn't go out unless he needed to. Even the squid sisters tried to help him, knowing he was a human but they didn't make too much headway. They both really miss him and are constantly asking me if I've seen him, especially Callie,"

"It's pretty lonely to know you're the last of your kind. I can't say I blame and he's also having to keep his identity a secret too. I hope things get better for him,"

"Well whenever you run into him again tell him I miss him,"

"I will...funny,"

"What is?"

"It's just...when I first met Seth...he reminded me an awfully lot like Max. It's just Seth looks a bit older. Did Max mention a human brother or anything like that?"

"No he didn't. He never mentioned any family which struck me as strange but he also had amnesia too," said Cassie. "Look, I gotta get back to the squid sisters. I wasn't supposed to stick around this long. Those two are probably wanting to know where I went. As I said, Sheldon will help you. Just follow his instructions and he'll guide you along the way. Inform us when you meet up with those other agents. I'm heading back... and I see what I can do about recovering Seth," Cassie continued before she squid formed and shot away.

"OK, so get with this Sheldon dude and then find the agents. That doesn't sound too hard," said Sam as she yawned and stretched her arms. The inkling walked back inside the outpost and decided to take a nap on the floor, using her backpack as a pillow to prop her head. She dwelled on Seth and getting drafted by Cassie to do agent work. She wasn't looking forward to it but if it meant finding her sister and getting agent 3 to help get Seth back.

Back at the facility, Seth left the bar in town and headed back to the underground complex that Mirage and them setup as their base. He made it in the atrium and heard talking coming from down the corridor. "Where's your commander, I have to speak with her now. This is urgent," said a voice.

"They're back in town," replied another voice.

"Doing what!"

"Umm...they're...at the bar,"

"Bar! At this time in the morning!"

Seth headed toward the voices and saw Sergeant Maxine confronting Vee. The octoling had a bandage around her head and arm. She had clearly gotten injured sometime while they were gone. The sergeant recently woke up after getting some sleep and was recovering from the suction bomb blast. Specialist Sigma didn't dare intervene and spotted Seth down the hall which also got Vee's and Maxine's attention as well.

"You! Where's your squad commander. I need to inform her of something," demanded the sergeant, though her head and arm were wrapped, this didn't impede with her movement, though she was still sore, her agitation distracted her from the pain.

"The lieutenant, let's just say ain't exactly in shape to answer any questions. What's so important?" Seth asked the annoyed sergeant.

"That human nobody told about back in the lab, which I didn't appreciate being kept a secret was abducted last night by a squad of Scarlet's commandos," she answered.

"Commandos? How would've they found out about this place?" he asked her stunned by this revelation.

"Velma...whose no longer with us,"

"How did you come up with that. Did she tell you herself because I don't think she would've,"

"Velma's dead. The commandos killed her before they took off with that human. A human that was changing into one of us but why haven't you shown any signs of changing yourself," she said as she examined him suspiciously.

"Changing into what...an octoling? That's ridiculous," said Seth but then he thought about Flow. His wife turning into a sea hare. Was that human soldier going through a similar process?

"Hey snap out of it. Is there anything else you're keeping from me human," she shouted at him, seeing his blank expression when he was deep in thought.

"No...I didn't know he was turning into an octoling. I've been fine so far. I'm not sure why he would change and why these commandos took him,"

Scarlet's planning something and has to do with you and those fossils they've dug up. Your squad picked a great time to go out and party. What a disgrace,"

"Hey we've been through a lot and Mirage managed to recover your unit,"

"The private told me. I'm glad they're alive but I'm not glad that they chose to get shit-faced. I won't tolerate it. When they get back, I'm working that alcohol out of their systems and giving my sister a piece of my mind," she ranted as she turned and walked away.

"Sarge, careful...you're still bruised up," Sigma said as she walked by him.

"Oh lay off...I'm pissed right now...but again, thanks for patching me up,"

"Umm can I go ahead take Emma to the quarters. I'm gonna go ahead and show her where she'll be staying," Vee informed the two.

"Yeah, fine...just what we need, more children if Sigma and the inklings weren't bad enough," she sarcastically said, wincing in pain as she held her head. Sigma went to coddle her but she shoved him away and left for the examination room to lay down.

"C'mon Emma," she waved for the little octoling to follower to the crews' quarters.

"I'll go with you Vee. Then I gotta find Flow," said Seth.

"I think she headed in the room where the inklings are sleeping," Vee told him.

"Maybe she needed some shut eye. I'll get with her in a little while then. I may need to get some rest myself,"

Vee, Emma and Seth headed into Luna and Star's sleeping quarters. "So, Emma this is where you'll be sleeping," said Vee.

"This place is amazing and so clean, but I am going to miss home," said the little octoling.

"So, what's her story Vee?" asked Seth who was standing at the doorway.

"Oh, this is Emma, Emma this is Seth," Vee introduced the two to each other.

"Hello um, Seth...you're really tall and what happened to your tentacles?" she asked him.

"Oh (chuckle), I'm not an octoling. Guess Vee didn't tell you I was a human," he told as he kneeled down to her height. "Well, I'm glad you came back with Vee. You're a little short, how young are you?" he asked her.

"I'm only 14, I think...I can't remember," she answered placing her finger against her lips.

"14? Where's your parents?"

"They...left me,"

"What!?" Vee and Seth shouted in unison. They were shocked that Emma had been by herself for a young age and abandoned by her parents. "Vee, is that normal for parents to just leave their children like that for your race?" Seth asked.

"No, not normally. They're often taken in by the octarian army by orders of Octavio to be trained,"

"That's not a good alternative either,"

"Well, they didn't do it on purpose. The town I was living in had ran out of power so everyone, especially the workers had to leave. During all the craziness, my parents never returned when they went to go get money out of the bank to buy food. I don't know whatever happened to them," she let Vee and Seth. The two were sympathetic to the young octoling girl and couldn't help but feel bad for her.

"That's awful. They might have gotten caught up in the pandemonium. If things got that bad, then there's no bit of telling. I don't think they would've left a sweet girl like you behind deliberately," Seth said. He went to rub her head as Emma felt his body which was strange to her.

"You're warm...can I...touch your head," she asked him.

"Sure," he replied.

"That's soft, what is that?" she asked after she rubbed his hair. It was odd feeling for her since she was used to smooth but moist tentacles that covered the top of her race's head.

"That would be hair...little follicles that grow out of the skin," he answered as she took her hand off of his head.

"It's kinda strange but it feels good. Where did you come from Seth?" she asked, eager to know more about the human.

"Here...well I woke up out of a metal pod. Technically I'm over 2,000 years old. You see Emma I was frozen in time. I'm sure you were taught that humans went extinct long ago by your people,"

"I...don't know what a human is," she said plainly.

"You don't," replied Seth who was stumped. Emma shook her head to Seth's reaction. "Hmm, I assumed all your people knew about humans. Unless you were never told about them,"

"Humans are mentioned to octarians until they reach their learning age but with what had happened to Emma she probably never went to school." Vee explained.

"That makes sense I guess," he said before standing back up. "Vee why don't you show Emma to the lavatory so she can get a bath. She's a little dirty and I'll see if I can hunt for some clothes for her,"

"Ok, Seth. Come this way Emma,"

The two octolings left the room for the showers while Seth looked around for any clothes that could fit Emma. Inside the lavatory, Emma disrobed and got into one of the shower stalls. Vee stood outside until she sat on one of the benches against the wall. She heard the curtain ruffle and the spigot being turned. The sound of running water hitting the stainless-steel floor of the shower was echoing in the room.

"Hey Vee," asked Emma from inside the stall as she was washing the dirt and grime off of her.

"Yeah, Emma,"

"Do you like Seth?"

"Why are you asking that?"

"I can kinda sense it,"

"You're a little young to understand stuff like that aren't you. Me and Seth are just friends,"

"Nah...you like him,"

"Emma can you please drop this topic,"

"Why?"

"Because this is adult stuff,"

"I know adult stuff too,"

"Emma I said stop,"

"Have you guys already...you know,"

"EMMA!" Vee was getting flustered and turning red from Emma's insinuations.

"I'm 14. I'm almost an adult,"

"That's not the point! (deep sigh)"

"Well, can you...be my mommy then,"

"I... can't answer that,"

"Why?"

"(groan) Because I'm not your mother that's why,"

"Are you gonna be one?"

"Emma quit with the questions, please,"

"What about Seth?... can he be my daddy then. He seems nice...you two can be my pretend parents,"

"Emma, I don't think it works that way. He's a human and I'm not your mother. What about your real parents? I'm sure they're somewhere,"

"Yeah, but I don't know where they are at. I really miss them,"

"Emma I wouldn't feel right about it. Why don't you leave it alone and just know me and the others will take care of you," said Vee. The water stopped, causing a stillness in the air as the echoing sound of water was gone. Vee watched the stall dooe open as Emma stepped out with a towel around her body.

"Well, you look like a new octopus. I hope Seth found some clean clothes for you to wear,"

"Hey Vee!" shouted Seth from the entry of the lavatory.

"Coming, just stay here Emma," she told the young octoling as she left to go talk to Seth.

"Vee, I found some clothes but they're gonna be a little big for her. I think she needs to keep her black shorts on until we can wash them," Seth told Vee, as he handed her some clothes for Emma to try on.

"Thanks Seth,"

"Everything alright?" he asked her, seeing something was bothering Vee.

"Sure, just let me get Emma in her new shirt,"

As soon as the little octoling got dressed they came out and headed back to the quarters where Seth was sitting on one of the beds. "Yeah, I would say it's a little big, but it'll have to do for now. I couldn't find any footwear though," Seth said as he saw the shirt was big for the octoling, exposing her shoulders and hanging down just above her knees.

"Hey Seth! Can you be my new daddy?" she blurted out.

"Huh?"

"Emma, we talked about this," Vee said as she blushed.

"I don't care. I want new parents," she sulked, stomping her foot. "You can be my pretend mom and Seth can be my pretend dad,"

"Uh, what brought this about?"

"(deep sigh) This is Emma's idea. She misses her folks, and I can understand that but..."

"YEA! I have a family again!" she shouted as she jumped with joy.

"Man, I don't wanna crush her spirit but being her father... shoot why not. Mirage was trying to..." Seth started to say but cut himself short, remembering Vee was standing in front of him.

"Trying to what?" she asked.

"Nothing,"

"Where is the lieutenant anyway. She's not still at the bar is she?"

"I left her there. Let's just say things got a little carried away and I'm gonna leave it at that," said Seth. Emma rushed over to Seth and jumped on his lap. "Oooof...Emma," replied Seth as she hugged him.

Meantime, back at the bar. The drunk octolings and octarians were starting to stir. They woke up from their drunk stupor, heads hurting and feeling nauseated. "Oh squid, I think I drank too much," said one octoling before her cheeks swelled and she quickly bent over to regurgitate. Another stumbling and nearly falling over to grab a hold of something was having a hard time standing up, feeling sick herself.

Luna and Star's eyes slowly opened looking at each other. Seeing the two hugging each other on the floor, they jolted to their senses and sat up, letting go of each other and blushing. "Where's Mirage at, I don't see her anywhere," said Star.

"Oh wait, I remember now...Seth took her upstairs," replied Luna with a conniving expression on her face. Star raised an eyebrow at Luna's smirk before realizing what she was hinting.

"You don't think Seth and her..." Star started to say before looking up the stairs toward the spare room.

"Oh I bet they did. C'mon let's go see," said Luna with a grin as she stumbled up.

"Luna you're so perverted," Star told the elite as she followed Luna up the stairs.

Inside the room, Luna was waking up. She let go of the pillow and rolled over to stretch before sitting up. The elite could definitely use the hair of the dog. She was such in a stupor she didn't realize what had happened prior to her passing out or where she was. Mirage looked around and noticed she was lying in a bed. Lifting up the blanket she saw she was naked, her clothes peeled off and lying beside the bed.

Mirage fell over and rubbed her face. "Oh what happened?" she asked herself. The octoling rolled over after a moment feeling sick as if she ready to puke. Hung over and confused to how she got there and vaguely remember the events before. "I'm never getting drunk again...where's my team? Where's Seth?" she asked before getting up.

Grabbing her shorts, the door slowly creaked open with two sets of eyes peeking through. "I know you're behind the door," said Mirage. Giving the two a dirty and groggy look.

The two octolings walked in and looked at their naked leader. "Hey, where's Seth?" asked Star.

"Seth? What do you mean?" asked Mirage.

"He's the one that packed your drunk butt up here. We were thinking you two were on a little mission of your own," said Luna with a smirk.

"Shut it Luna! Ugh...my head. Lieutenant this was your brilliant idea to get everyone drinking. As soon as we get back to base its PT double timed. hangover or not," the elite snapped. She lifted up her feet, one at a time to slide her tight black shorts on.

"What! Oh c'mon. You needed the buzz even if you did get carried away and screw Seth," whined Luna.

"Screw Seth!" she exclaimed, clutching her shirt.

"He came up here too," she told Mirage with a permiscious expression on her face.

"I don't remember doing such a thing! Don't bull shrimp me lieutenant!" she snapped, aiming her finger at the Luna. Mirage pulled her shirt over her head and down to cover her torso.

"No she's right. We saw Seth bring you up here," Star reinforcing Luna's claims.

Mirage's eyes widened, knowing Star wouldn't joke around. She turned and looked at the bed. Lifting up the cover, seeing everything was clean. "There's no ink discharge...there would've been some if we..." she uttered to herself.

"So...Seth walked out on you," Luna hearing her.

"I would say that was noble of him as drunk as you were," said Star.

"I'd be a little crushed not getting a good pounding..." Luna started as she crossed her arms.

"Shut up Lieutenant. The two of just get out of here and round up the rest of those octopi downstairs. We're heading back to the facility as quick as we can and then I'm gonna run all that alcohol out of your systems," Mirage snapped at her teammates.

"You were drinking too," popped off Luna.

"Don't worry about that. I'll be beside you while you're doing it... but I need to talk to Seth,"

Luna and Star left the room and closed the door behind them to round up Maxine's unit who were still getting over their hangovers. Mirage turned back to the bed, knowing Seth could've taken advantage of her but didn't. It seemed like a test for the human but...was this also a sign that Seth didn't have strong feelings for her like she did for him. Or was it as Star said, chivalry. Mirage grabbed her goggles off the floor and slid them over her face. The elite gave a deep breath and carried on downstairs, ensuring the octolings and the tentacles were ready to go, marching them back to the facility as sick and limp as they were feeling but Mirage refused to show any sympathy for them.