The Whale's Song (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty. An invasion.

The passageways of the Whale's Song, as numerous as they are due to the ship's immense size, are not as complicated as Oscar believed. Down the northeast passageway that intersects with Guttenberg Hall, that lies parallel with Emmaus Channel, strode Ima. Behind her trailed Bucket. He had cleaned himself out and attached himself to his body*. It was, though Ima called it an overkill, the only way people would take him seriously and not throw their rubbish at him.

They had been walking along peacefully, heading towards the captain's cabin when the lights turned off. Ima paused, her arms swaying out to steady herself, her breath catching in her throat. Bucket continued to walk. He stopped when he noticed Ima was no longer following. He turned.

'What the matter?'

Ima frowned. She felt the walls of the ship, then, much to Bucket's surprise, dropped to the floor and placed her ear against it.

'What's the matter?' repeated Bucket, this time in a whisper. He was not sure why a whisper, he just felt like the moment needed one.

Ima rose, her face darkening as she faced Bucket. 'Someone has invaded my engine room.'

~

*Bucket, the physical bucket part of bucket, is only part of bucket. The rest is usually kept under padlock and key in his room. The other physical part of him, that controls the intellect, is rather large. Due to its value and it being, as Ima Diamond calls it, overkill, Bucket does not usually wear it. Or, in the proper case, it does not usually wear Bucket.