Terminus Part I: The Journey There (Draft)

Chapter 29: Journey to the Hephaestus Sea

"Munge? What does that mean?"

"Does a name have to mean something? I just think it sounds cool."

The former Barracuda shrugged, sat down, and began to meditate. "You're going to be in here for a long time, so there's no use in being miserable."

Deep in the Terminus, the Rough-House Pirates had arrived at their destination, the underwater refuge: Merstranger Island.

"Yes, we've finally found it," said Disco, proud of himself.

"Now what?" asked Piranha.

"Now our adventures in the Terminus Sea begin. This land is but our first taste of what's to come."

On the waters of the Hephaestus, en route toward Barronym Island, the SS Psychic held eight crewmates, all of them taking some much deserved downtime. The crew had exerted a lot of their energies fighting off an invasion three months ago, and shortly thereafter learned of their new bounties. They also had celebrated the birthdays of Cameron, Milangelo, and Brandon, the former two one month after the fact, at the same time as New Year's. They also reflected on how they had previously understood the holiday.

However, after the period of celebration, things calmed down and all they could really do was wait around.

The thirteenth of February was shaping up to be one of those days, as Karnilla walked by Patricia playing video games.

"Hey Pat, did you record last night's basketball game?"

"Sorry, Kans, but watching sports is lame. Playing them on the other hand... well, maybe once I finish this level."

"But that was the game that documented the last known location of the Satchanville Copperheads. I wanted to see if there were any clues that might have–"

"They were on a flight to some country in Theminos, when the plane crashed in the Hephaestus, near Septagon Island. I found the file when I was doing some reading earlier. Couldn't find anything that I could turn into a poem, though."

"Septagon Island, I'll have to remember that name."

"Say, James has been really diligent in turning the newspaper articles into files, but it still seems like an odd thing to do."

"Without a mystery, he gets kind of lost. After hearing his story though, it makes sense. Weird that everyone else aboard this ship has complicated pasts as well."

"Kans, we should really look to the future, not the past."

Karnilla smiled and walked away, and Patricia continued to play. Karnilla walked to the front deck, and James ran up to her asking where Patricia was.

"She's playing a video game."

"How long has it been since she observed the horizon?"

"About a week, why?"

"We're heading up on land, that's why! We can't use mapping tech unless we want our every move tracked, so we need a look out doing their job at least twice a day."

"We're not going to crash, are we?"

"Crock assures me that he can steer us away from a collision, but that it will be close, and that the waters may get bumpy."

It became clear that the habit of relaxing to the point of neglecting duties was not one that any of the crew wanted to fall into again. Brandon was almost caught by a rock formation because he had been fishing as there had been no statement the day before about land on the horizon. Persimmon got burns in his chest shaped like fried eggs because he was cooking when the waves of the shallower waters began to rock the boat. Patricia was in a lot of trouble for not doing her job. Thankfully, that was the extent of it, and no-one else was hurt.

The crew sailed around to the nearest port, which housed an eerie, derelict pier, with a sign that read 'any Island is better than our island'. This was spelt from the letters that remained, though given the spaces, it would not be hard to imagine that it once read 'Barronym Island is better than your island'.

"Well, this inspires confidence," said Karnilla.

"It should be a days' journey to the Kingdom proper from this pier. Also, be careful, I've heard there are strange creatures on this island," said Crock.

"I heard there were dinosaurs," said Persimmon.

"If only there were dinosaurs..." said Karnilla.

"Hey, be careful what you wish for," said Cameron.

Patricia cracked up laughing. "I can't believe you just said that. Those were actual words that came out of your mouth."

"Yeah, alright. I get it; you see something so often it loses its impact. But I'm not going to let your little games dictate what I can and cannot say."

"Who said they have to? Be trite and one dimensional if you want, just know that we're going to laugh at you if you do."

"Where did that come from?"

"Easy there, Camen, Pat is just giving you a hard time," said Karnilla. "It's how she responds to unwilling participants."

"And who said I was a participant?"

"You're playing a game right now. It's called 'I don't want to play your games anymore: the game'."

Cameron got a bit flustered but decided to laugh it off.

Meanwhile, in the dungeons of Fort Barronym, the main castle of the Barronymous Kingdom, the organic androids, Halberd, Amperes, and Bolster lay against their cell wall, defeated and miserable.

"Boy, who could have seen that coming, am I right?" asked Amperes, in a futile attempt to lighten the mood.

"Hey, Bolster, how many times has this clown tried to cheer us up? One million?" asked Halberd.

"Sounds about right, but I'm too tired and hungry to care," said Bolster. "Besides, what harm can it do to be positive?"

"Harm is irrelevant, we're in a fucking prison! My King has betrayed me, and thrown us in a dungeon without charge or trial. I have questions, and I will not be satisfied without getting some answers!"

It was as Halberd finished his sentence that the bars on the cell dissolved, as if they had come in contact with acid.

"Wait a moment, do not touch the bars. Please allow time for the dissolvent to be absorbed by the stone surrounding the bars, and then quickly follow me," said a voice.

The three androids looked, and saw a man dressed in a cloak and carrying a shovel.

"You're the undertaker..." said Halberd, his voice weak.

"Joneas Demafred, at your service. The King has been hypnotised by the magician that leads the circus."

"So where do we go from here?" asked Bolster.

"The only place we can go: the Rebel Forces."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Halberd.

"Well, couldn't hurt to try," said Amperes.

"Actually, you two should get out of here," said Halberd.

"They aren't from around here, are they, Halberd?" asked Joneas. "How do you know them?"

"Associates from another line of work. Anyway, Amperes, Bolster, I want the two of you to find Selma, and take her to you-know-who."

"Speaking in code? Well, it's fine, I'll let you have your secrets, Halberd. But you owe me for this," said Joneas.

And so, as the four of them escaped the dungeon, Amperes and Bolster left to find Selma and flee the island, while Halberd and Joneas would make their way to the Rebel camps, and attempt to join their ranks.