Chapter 2: And Then There Were Six

As the six of them made their way through the bowels of the abandoned station, Hakumi couldn't help but feel that something was following them. It had begun as an odd sensation—a cold chill at the nape of her neck. Growing stronger and stronger until it felt like a shard of ice stabbing into her very soul.

She shot a bewildered glance behind her, but saw nothing but darkness. A never-ending darkness spreading out in all directions. And silence. Deafening silence broken only by the now distant footsteps of her companions and the creaking and clanking of the massive station.

It was emptiness, nothingness—and then she heard it.

"Hakumi!" Daris' voice echoed down the corridor, snapping her out of her trance. "Hurry up."

Hakumi glanced towards the barely visible light of their lanterns in the distance and realized how far she had fallen behind. Hurriedly, she picked up her pace to catch up, but the sound still lingered in her mind.

It had been a voice—a scream. Far away, but definitely a voice. She couldn't have imagined it could she?

Warily, she peered behind her once more. But the scream did not repeat and the darkness remained impenetrable.

"Everything alright, Representative?" Daris asked as she at last caught up, his eyes cold and emotionless.

"Yes," She nodded in a daze, "Except…"

Daris arched a brow, "Except?"

"I thought I heard…" She shook her head, wondering once more if she had simply imagined it.

"Heard what?" Toph asked curiously.

"I thought I heard a voice just now." She glanced behind her. "A scream. And just down the previous corridor the suit of armor that we had attacked, it was gone."

Daris scoffed, "This station is so old and rotten that any number of the sounds it makes could've sounded like a scream."

"No, but I'm sure it was a voice." Hakumi said defensively. "A living voice. I'm not an idiot, Captain, I know the difference."

Daris sighed, "Look, Representative, we're all tired. None of us have gotten a good night's sleep. We've been wandering this crab infested wreck for over an hour and this whole situation is unsettling."

"I'm not delusional, Captain." She said, louder now, "And what about the suit of armor? I know I didn't imagine that."

"Maybe after the fire show we gave it, it went downstairs for repairs." said the Marine, earning a slight chuckle from Toph and Rui.

Daris shot a glare his way, then turning back to Hakumi, "We probably just missed it. This station is so dark, I can barely see my hand in front of my face."

"Captain, there's something—"

"Representative, please." Daris said, the "please" merely a formality at this point as the irritation was clear on his face. "Why don't we continue this discussion aboard the Reliance, when we're repaired and back on course."

Hakumi folded her arms defiantly, but she knew there was no point in arguing any further. Like it or not, this was a military operation and Daris was in command. But his curt evasion of her suspicions did nothing to allay her fears. In fact it did just the opposite.

By now the fog had gotten very thick. So much so that as the group walked out of the abandoned station they could barely see a foot in any direction. The fog was also strangely cold. Walking into its murky embrace felt like diving into the frigid sea itself.

In all his years as captain, Daris had never seen anything quite like it. Certainly not in these waters, not so far out to sea, and definitely not at this time of year. But unlike the dignitaries he was transporting, Daris was not one to succumb to superstitious thoughts. He was a rational military man who had seen enough of the horrors of war to not be easily frightened. And yet for some unfathomable reason, the ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach refused to go away.

It's probably just fatigue, he told himself, that and the incessant nagging and worrying of his passengers. By the spirits, if Ambassador Chiang blamed him for getting lost on account of his own stupidity, Daris would gladly ask for a demotion and reassignment. He'd had just about all he could stomach from these dignitary types. A reduced pay grade would be worth the peace of mind.

"It's too quiet." Toph said suddenly, breaking Daris' train of thought. Normally he'd just ignore her, but she was right. It was too quiet. The station had stopped creaking. There was no wind or breeze. Even the ocean seemed uncharacteristically still.

His irrational thoughts aside, Daris' senses told him something was wrong. He glanced around, but could make out nothing in the thickness of the fog.

"Stay close." He ordered. "No sense in anyone else getting lost."

The group bunched together as they made their way towards the Reliance. The fog was all around them now, devouring them like some malevolent creature. Its wispy tentacles closing in fast.

"Toph do you see anything?" Sokka asked, feeling unusually claustrophobic in the thick grey mist.

"Yea, I can make out the ship. Only…"

Sokka turned to her uneasily, "Only what?"

"Only I don't see anyone on deck."

"Lazy bastards are probably at the Pai Sho table again." Daris muttered.

Transporting dignitaries had made them all less than adequate soldiers. Dereliction of duty had once been a serious crime in the Fire Nation Navy, but with the war over, on transport vessels like this it was more like a minor offence. Still, Daris would make sure the offenders were suitably punished. Unlike new officers, he still held a measure of pride in the Navy.

"It's dead ahead." Toph announced and straining his eyes Daris saw the faint outline of his vessel.

His unease sank into the recesses of his mind as he walked up the ramp and made his way down the deck of his cruiser and towards the conning tower. Aboard this ship, he was in his element and no superstitious nonsense was going to affect him. Here he was in control.

"I don't like this." Toph whispered to Sokka. "Something's wrong."

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked, his eyes warily scanning the fog.

"I mean, something doesn't feel right." She turned her head towards Hakumi. "You know what I'm talking about don't you, Representative?"

But the water tribesman merely looked away and picked up her pace, earning a grimace from Toph.

"Even our fearless leader knows something's up." She continued, gesturing at Daris who seemed the picture of confidence. "He just won't admit it."

Sokka shrugged uneasily and turned his attention back to the deck.

There was no reason to be nervous, he told himself. It was probably nothing, just lack of sleep like Daris said. It was just his imagination. Everything was going to be—Yue's face flashed before him and the lantern fell from his hand, smashing violently on the deck. Sokka felt his heart freeze in his chest, the horrible dream filling his thoughts, her voice ringing in his ears.

"You failed me Sokka! You failed me!"

"Sokka?" Toph looked at him worriedly.

"It's…nothing…" He said with difficulty, rubbing his eyes as the vision faded. "I just…slipped." Toph wasn't convinced.

"I'm fine, Toph." He said, a little too defensively. "Just tired."

By now, they had reached the edge of the conning tower and with a loud creak of the watertight door they were once again in familiar surroundings. Inside, it was much more pleasant. The all-encompassing fog was gone and the clean and well lit halls were a welcome reprieve from the gutted interior of the abandoned station. Even Hakumi who seemed the most shaken up was slowly returning to her usual self. Only Daris still looked displeased.

"Bosun!" He shouted, his voice echoing down the metallic halls of the ship. No response.

"Son of a—" He tightened his fist. "Haro? Sergeant Yun?"

There was no reply.

"Bastards." He seethed.

"Come on." He gestured to the others. "We're going to the crew quarters. You'll all get to witness firsthand how the Fire Nation deals with incompetent soldiers."

"This isn't right." Toph muttered, as the six of them descended into the lower levels.

Sokka looked at her quizzically. But before he could ask, she added ominously.

"There's no one onboard."

True enough, the crew quarters were completely deserted. Not a soul to be found anywhere. Tables and chairs stood empty. Bunks unoccupied. Food and drink lay untouched. The whole place looked as though it had only just been in use. But for some reason everyone was gone. The other compartments and chambers had turned up the same. Empty and without any clue as to why. The entire crew of the Reliance had mysteriously disappeared.

"This makes no sense." Daris muttered practically to himself. His rage had been twisted and reformed into an emotion he was far less familiar with: fear. Irrational and all consuming—if he let it take hold. But Daris was not one to give into his feelings. And with a great effort he once more began to reassert control of his thoughts.

"They couldn't have just vanished into thin air." Rui said, examining a tea cup that was still warm.

"We were gone, what, an hour?" Sokka said. "What could have caused them to abandon ship so suddenly?"

"And there doesn't appear to be any signs of a struggle." Hakumi muttered nervously.

"Any ideas, sir?" The marine asked Daris.

"Huh?" Daris looked at him puzzled, then regaining his composure. "Um, yes. They couldn't have gone far. Not without good reason. My crew may not be the best, but they're loyal, they wouldn't go off mission."

"Then where did they go?" Sokka wondered as his keen eyes scanned the floor.

Years and years of hunting in the tundra had made him a keen tracker, able to follow prey across miles of frozen wastes, in white-out conditions, with scarcely a landmark for reference. Life abroad and constant travel may have made him rusty, but tracking wasn't something you forgot overnight.

At first he saw nothing, just the usual scuff marks left by Fire Nation boots. Dirt mixed with sea salt, rust, metal shavings, and—his eyes narrowed. Walking down the corridor towards one of the many stairwells, he stopped and lowered his head to the ground to examine what he'd found. His eyes widened and he sniffed the floor. There was no mistaking that smell.

"What is it Sokka?" Toph asked, walking after him.

"It's…blood." He replied, his voice barely a whisper. Then turning his head to the others who now crowded anxiously behind him. "And it's fresh."

At that the marine immediately went on guard and Daris narrowed his eyes.

"How fresh?" Daris asked.

"Minutes." Sokka replied, drawing his sword. "The trail leads that way." He pointed down the staircase leading into the bowels of the ship.

"Into the engine room?" Hakumi shuddered, the fear rushing to her face.

"Then that's where we'll get our answers. " Daris announced, with a sureness he no longer possessed.

"You want us to go in there?" Hakumi stared in disbelief. "Follow the trail of blood to the bottom of the ship where we can't get out? Are you mad, Captain?"

"Do you have any better ideas, Representative?" Daris asked, his powerful gaze boring into her. "Because unless you do, I don't see any other way to proceed."

"Maybe me and the other passengers should stay behind. We're not soldiers." Rui said, though in his case this was far from true.

"So we can lose even more people?" Daris scoffed, "Whatever's happening here, our best bet is to stay together. The more we split up the more vulnerable we become."

"I have to agree with the Captain." The marine said.

"Do you see anyone down there, Toph?" Sokka asked, praying silently that this was all some big misunderstanding. But Toph shook her head.

"Uh-uh." She replied. "But my earthbending can only do so much. This ship is so big that they could easily be out of range. And with the noise of the ocean and the constant rocking my vision here is foggy at best."

"Enough deliberating." Daris said firmly. "This is a military operation and as such I am in charge. And I say we go down to the engine room and get some answers. Anyone who disagrees, feel free to stay behind. But you'll be on your own."

And with that, he descended into the depths of the ship. The marine followed closely behind.

The others lingered for a moment, unsure of what to do. But one by one they too fell in line and one by one they were devoured by the darkness.

"Stay close." Daris ordered.

They were now on the lowest level of the ship, in the hold that adjoined the engine room. Although the engines had been turned off, the smell of coal and steam still hung heavy in the air, adding to the closeness of the space.

It was dark too. Almost as dark as the abandoned station. The few lights the chamber provided were slowly dimming, the ship was running low on power.

Daris held the lantern in front of him, keeping it closer to the ground. "This way." He said, following the trail of blood.

The marine walked beside him, his hands at his chest, eyes alert. Sokka and Rui followed them, watching the perimeter. Hakumi and Toph were in the rear, the Representative nervously glancing behind her as the light from the stairwell grew more and more distant.

"Anything, Toph?" Sokka whispered.

"Hmm," She pursed her lips, "There seems to be something moving in the next compartment, but I can't tell if it's a person. It could just be a loose piece of equipment."

"Quiet." Daris hissed, a thin layer of sweat forming on his forehead. The ominous feeling was now roaring in his ears. Eating away at the back of his mind. Turn back, it screamed.

He shook his head, wiping the sweat away with his free hand. This wasn't the time for doubt. He was a soldier, the captain of this ship, and he would not be so easily frightened. But this time, the fear could not be suppressed. This time, the sensation only grew stronger. The others were beginning to feel it as well. It was as if the fear was contagious. One by one it infected them all. Trapping them in this dark and putrid chamber. Instilling a sense of helplessness in their minds. They were cornered, trapped. Caged like animals. Only they weren't alone. Something else was in here with them. Something from the station. Waiting, watching.

A shadow flickered viciously as the light from Daris' lamp glided on by, causing Hakumi to shudder. This was wrong, she thought anxiously, this is all wrong. She was a dignitary, a politician, this wasn't where she belonged. And this wasn't how she wanted it to end. Not like this. Not in a place like this!

A muffled cry shattered through her thoughts, only this time the others heard it too. Daris' eyes widened and the marine quickly assumed a battle stance. Sokka gripped his sword with both hands.

"Toph?" He asked urgently, the tension in the chamber growing rapidly.

"I'm not sure." She replied. "It's too far away."

"Steady, now." Daris ordered, as they moved in the direction of the cry.

"Oh no." Hakumi shuddered. "The scream. Like the one in the station!"

"Quiet!" Daris hissed, the tension now thick as blood. "Everyone stay silent."

The darkness before them revealed nothing, it was almost like they were walking blindly. Rui glanced nervously from side to side. In the ever-dimming light every crate, every pipe, every shape, seemed menacing and malevolent. There was no telling where an attack could come from. The darkness was their enemy and it had them surrounded.

"Toph?" Sokka asked urgently, his heart pounding in his ears.

"I-I can't tell." She replied, then furrowing her brows. "Something's moving over there." She pointed into the shadows. The others glanced anxiously in that direction, but the darkness offered them nothing.

Suddenly, another scream echoed down the corridor and this time every man and woman felt it in their very soul. Sokka's knuckles turned white from gripping his sword so tightly and Daris' face was a twisted knot of tension.

"Oh spirits." Hakumi murmured under her breath. "Where is it coming from? Where?!"

And then they saw it. The faint light from Daris' lantern fell on a distant shape. At first it looked like yet another pointless object, but then it moved. A jerking motion, then it began shaking. As they came closer, it became obvious that it was indeed a living thing. From behind they saw that it was a man wearing a Fire Nation uniform, only it was tattered and stained with dark blotches.

"You there!" Daris called out, his voice sounding slightly relieved. "Sailor! Where's the rest of the crew?"

But the man did not reply and as they came closer they realized why.

By now the lights in the chamber had all gone out. It was pitch black, save for the scarce illumination that the single lantern afforded. All around them the darkness was coming together, like a pair of jaws clamping shut. There was no escape.

The man turned his head towards them slowly, blood spattering across the floor as he did, and it became painfully obvious that he was anything but living. Bits of flesh hung limply from his mouth, trailing blood down to his neck which was brutally torn open. His lifeless eyes, like that of a corpse, examined them hungrily, as if savoring the moment. And as the lantern fell out of Daris's hand, smashing to pieces on the cold metal floor, the creature uttered a bloodcurdling scream.