Kharon Chapter 69
Emma is sitting on the deck at night looking up at the faint light of the stars through the haze and clouds. Sparky is sleeping in her lap. Jacob walks up and sits next to her. “You know...you and I make a pretty good team”, says Jacob.
“Yea, I guess we kinda do.”
“Listen that time we were…you know…together…”
“You mean fucked?”
“Yea. Did I do anything to freak you out?”
Emma shakes her head. “No, it was nice.”
"I wouldn’t mind making it a regular occurrence.”
Emma shifts awkwardly waking Sparky. “It’s probably best we didn’t.”
“Why? I thought you said…”
“Oh I know but it’s just….I don’t want you getting too attached. I’m not the type to settle down.”
“I’m not proposing marriage here.”
“Good”, says Emma standing up. She gives Jacob a kiss on the cheek and then walks away. Sparky trots after her.
Jacob is walking the halls trying to figure out what just happened between him and Emma. He doesn’t notice Luke leaning against the wall in front of him. “Why didn't you take the speeder back to Vice Island? Thought you were setting up shop there?”, asks Luke.
Jacob looks up at Luke coldly. “Turns out it wasn’t for me.”
“That’s surprising knowing you.”
“Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think.” Jacob pushes past Luke and continues walking as Luke eyes him.
Kharon Chapter 70
The suns are shining as Luke walks onto the bridge and finds Kiarah piloting. “Shouldn’t you be resting?”, he asks her. Kiarah responds with a look that could kill. “Hey! Drop the fucking attitude. You owe us. We could have just sailed away on Johnny's ship.”
“You would have been in the right. I do not understand why you didn’t do just that.”
“Talk to Emma and Simone .” Luke takes out the map from his pocket and unfolds it. He then slams it down on the console in front of Kiarah. “How are we coming on this?”
“We are on course I believe. I estimate three cycles until the Kharon reaches where your map shows The Gardens to be.”
“You still think I’m crazy don’t you?”
“That’s not for me to say.”
“But you have an opinion?” Kiarah does not answer him but instead furrows her brow. Luke sees this and also furrows his brow. “What’s wrong now?”
“That island that is just over the horizon was not on any of my maps and I do not recall it ever being there in my travels or teachings.”
Luke for the first time shows a smile on his face. “Do you mean…we finally reached The Gardens. It does exist!”
Kiarah’s eyes go wide. “No, not The Gardens.”
“Oh come on what other island just fucking appears.”
“The floating island.” With that Kiarah dashes out of the bridge.
Luke scratches his head. “The floating island?”
As Kiarah dashes down the corridors of the Kharon she comes across Simone who is also running towards her with panic in her eyes. “Is that the…?”, Simone starts.
Kiarah cuts her off before she can finish. “Yes. Follow me.”
Simone and Kiarah run to the bowels of the Kharon. Kiarah pulls a lever and a piece of the floor flips revealing on its underside several submersible vessels that can each fit one person. “Woozoo! Quarsian Stingers. I was wondering if this ship had any onboard.”
“You take port side. I’ll take starboard.”
“I get to pilot one?”, asks Simone surprised at the level of trust.
“I believe that’s prudent given the circumstances.”
“Let’s do it then”, says Simone climbing into one of the vessels.
Kharon Chapter 71
Simone and Kiarah rocket through the water in the Quarsian Stingers. Soon they are met with other small ships in the water that look like bob sleds made of ice. These sled ships blast rays at Simone and Kiarah. The rays seem to cover anything it hits with a sheet of ice. Simone and Kiarah dodge the blasts and fire their own torpedos back. The dog fight rages on for several minutes. The Quarsian Stingers are faster and more agile so they easily out maneuverer the other ships as they zip through the under sea currents. Eventually the dog fight is over and only Kiarah and Simone are left in the water.
“We won!”, cries Simone.
“I wouldn’t celebrate quite yet”, says Kiarah as more ice sleds approach.
Simone and Kiarah try to continue the fight and protect the Kharon but there are just too many this time and they are overwhelmed. One of the ice ships shoots its ray at the Kharon freezing the motors. Another ship creates an ice cable that connects the now frozen motor to the sled like vessel. Other ice ships do the same and begin towing the Kharon. Simone and Kiarah try breaking the cables and destroying the ships but it’s no use. The momentum of the Kharon causes the ship to crash into the floating island made of ice. The sled-like ice ships quickly encase the Kharon in ice attaching it securely to the island. Their job done they disappear under the floating island.
Kharon Chapter 72
Back on the Kharon Emma, Sparky and Jacob run onto the bridge. “What the hell is going on?”, asks Jacob.
“It’s some kind of floating island of ice”, answers Luke trying desperately to bring the engines back online.
“I thought that was just a legend”, says Jacob.
“Hold up a minute. A floating island of ice?”
“Yea its a legendary island that is made entirely of ice and floats through the ocean swallowing up ships”, explains Jacob.
Luke smashes his fist on the console. “Fuck! That’s exactly what just happened to us. I can’t budge the ship.”
“So we’re now a part of this island?”, asks Emma.
“Not if I have anything to say about it dammit!” Luke storms out of the bridge with a determined expression of rage. Emma, Jacob and Sparky follow after him.
Luke is strapping weapons to himself in the weapons storage bay of the ship. Emma and Jacob are also arming themselves. “Where’s Kiarah and Simone? If we’re going to rumble it’s probably smart to have those two along for the ride”, questions Jacob.
“I’ve no idea but they’ll have to catch up. The longer we stay frozen like this, the harder it gets to break free”, says Luke cocking a ray gun.
“Whoa put the fucking brakes on. We ain’t going to survive without those two.”
“What are you worried about. You and Emma played hero on the last two islands without complaint.”
“Maybe I’m concerned not everyone on this mission gots my back.”
“Maybe you’re right to be concerned.”
“Oh for crying out loud not this old routine again. You know it’s really growing stale”, says Emma. “Just grow up already.”
“It’s not about growing up. It’s about not wasting my time on lying backstabbers who only look out for themselves”, snaps Luke.
“Did you ever think that maybe you don’t know anything you fuck-face”, yells Jacob.
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.” Jacob grabs two guns and storms out of the bay. Luke looks at Emma who just shrugs.
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