Epic Tales from Beautiful Minds: An Ooorah Anthology

#TeamEcrivain - Part Five: Alpha Capella Nova Vega - @elveloy

Ocean Deep: Bangers, Beans & Mash

by AngusEcrivain

Generally, when one wakes in an unfamiliar place, especially when one expected to wake up to see heavy grey clouds, epically proportioned, rolling quickly and violently above one's head, perhaps even the occasional clap of thunder and accompanying flash of lightning or, perhaps, to not even wake up at all, one's first instinct is to panic.

Doing so, of course, almost always proves to be completely and totally fruitless. In fact it quite often worsens whatever situation it is that one finds oneself in which is why, upon waking up in such a manner, Leanne instantly tried to calm herself down.

The incessant beeping was not helping though, not even a little bit and her breathing quickened and her pulse raced, though it was not until she realised she was actually completely and totally naked, that she really began to panic.

It's OK, Leanne. The voice was female and despite its lilting, rather pleasing tone, inhuman. You're safe and well on board the Beautiful Mind. I am Tracy, the ship's interface.

Leanne did not know quite what she had been expecting however in all likelihood, she highly doubted she had expected to be spoken to by any kind of artificial intelligence.

"A ship?" Leanne asked, worries related to her nakedness and the incessant beeping forgotten, temporarily at least. "There's no such thing as a ship with artificial intelligence, definitely nothing as advanced as that!"

"Not one that comes from this world, anyways... I mean, fuck... If Tracy originally came from here there'd be none of this water world shit. I mean, what the fuck's up with that?"

Leanne sat bolt upright, shocked. She had not realised there was anyone else in the room with her, let alone a man with whom she was unfamiliar.

She was not shy, far from it in fact, but even so a girl had to have a little mystery and dignity.

"Have you seen that movie? It's pretty cool, and Kevin Costner has gills and shit... Anyways..." The man paused, lit a cigarette and strode over towards Leanne with his hand outstretched. "The name's Mac."

Leanne took his hand in hers and shook it, firmly.

"Leanne," she replied. "But then again, you already know that."

"Aye, Tracy's got some pretty sweet tech. Much more than just a dimension-hopping pretty face, so she is. But anyways, what d'you say we find you some clothes and I'll show you around? Pretty sure Tracy can have us a slap-up meal ready in the galley come the tour's end."

"Before we do that," said Leanne as Mac rummaged around in a cupboard on the other side of the room. "My friend, Jake... Did you pull him out of the water, too?"

"There was no one else with you, I'm sorry," Mac replied. "Tracy, you didn't pick up any other signs of human life in the vicinity?"

I did not, replied Tracy. There was a lot of blood in the water surrounding the raft. It is my suspicion that had there been anyone else there, they were eaten by something big and hungry.

"Fucking Pleuros..."

***

However impressive the Beautiful Mind was and she was, in truth, a hugely impressive feat of engineering and technology, the tour was sullied for Leanne thanks to the news of Jake's likely death-by-Liopleurodon. Even the vastness, the sheer beauty of the vessel's Core Dimension Drive could not put a smile upon her face.