The Adventures of Exodus Creed & Co.

In Which they Find and Rescue a Testudo Ruby

Weeks passed into months. They found four Galactic Whales before Lochland deemed them too full for another.

"If we floss one more whale, we'll drop straight down." Lochland observed gleefully, slamming the door from below decks with a satisfied bang.

"So what now?" Exodus asked, dangling upside down from some ropes.

"Not sure...." Lochland began, when he was interrupted by a sound.

It was low, long and sad. It gusted through the air like a hot wind, but sent shivers down Exodus' back. He dropped from the ropes, skinning his knees and elbows, and dashed to the railing.

"Something's out there! It's hurt!"

Lochland's face was pale as he leaned out next to Exodus, eyes wide.

"That was a ruby turtle. A Testudo Ruby. I'd know that sound anywhere. But...how is it way out here?? It's located in a completely different area of the sky, near the Crystalline Island Caves. It shouldn't be out here..."

"What was that noise??" Cassie exclaimed, coming up from below decks, her hair whipped into a beautiful mess by the wind.

"A Testudo Ruby. One of the most beautiful creatures in the sky...it's close."

"A Ruby Turtle can't survive out here! It's too cold!"

"I know!"

"So what do we do?"

"We find it and turn it in the right direction! Back towards home." Lochland declared, earning a look of supreme affection from Cassie.

They didn't have to search for long. Lochland was able to spot the gleam of the turtle's shell from a mile away, but something was wrong.

"There's...smoke!" Lochland gasped, squinting into his spyglass. "We're still too far for me to tell how that's possible, though....Ruby Turtle's aren't flammable. They're rubies..."

"I'll fly ahead." Cassie offered, and after giving Lochland a quick peck on the cheek, she dove gracefully over the side and flew towards the smoke in the distance.

Five minutes later she returned, her face contorted with fury, her eyes wet with tears.

"Someone has built a city on her back!" She cried, stomping her foot on the deck.

"What? How?? A Ruby's shell is too slick, their shells come to a severe point on the top, how..."

"They...cut...it...off! They flattened her down!! They...they've drilled holes! And filled them with concrete and...it's awful!!!"

The whole ship seemed to gasp. The Ruby Turtle was much closer now, heading in their direction, her moans of pain growing louder and more frequent. Lochland stepped on the railing and called for attention, his eyes flashing fire.

"Listen up! I don't care who has hurt this turtle, we're going to end this now. Testudo Ruby's are protected by law. Whoever has dared to lay their hands on one and file, cut, and build on it has broken a thousand different laws. And we're going to stop them. Until we have succeeded, we are not pirates. We will not be taking any spoils. We will be destroying the monstrosity on her back, and releasing her immediately. Understood?"

"AYE!"

The whole ship trembled under the ferocity of the cry, and everyone readied themselves for a fight.

But as it turned out, there wouldn't be one. As they approached, Exodus was shocked at the size of the turtle. It was a pure ruby, but as alive as he was. Its eyes were all black, with one large diamond in each pupil. As they came up alongside the turtle, it slowed and watched them mournfully, deep rumbles of pain emanating from it like a mournful song. Adjusting The Queen's Haven sails, they managed to fly to the top of turtle's back, where a man in a mismatched outfit of all kinds of colors met them cheerfully.

"Good day, fellow skyfarers! How are you this fine day?"

"Sir, do you realize you have broken over a hundred laws by kidnapping this turtle?" Lochland roared. Exodus felt queasy as he looked out over the turtle's back. It had clearly been filed down, the edges were cracked and uneven. Holes had been drilled for supports and filled in with concrete. Brand new white buildings with fake gardens and a swimming pool had been erected, and one building belched black smoke.

"Laws? Broken? Oh, no sir! This turtle is owned by my master, the great Rexford Mariposa of the Mariposa household! I am Judd Juggy, and I am in charge of all of Master Rexford's affairs until this turtle is ready to be lived on. We're nearly done with construction, isn't it lovely?"

"It's awful!!" Cassie screamed at him. "No one has ever owned a turtle before! You're not allowed! And you're especially not allowed to capture and torture one!"

"No one has ever owned a turtle...until my master! And we are not torturing! The dumb creature can't feel a thing. It's made of ruby for pities sake. Stones don't feel. But they certainly make a flashy statement, don't they?"

"Let me throw him overboard." First mate Picalo snarled. But Lochland shook his head, mouth set in a firm line.

"No. We'll send him back to his master with a message. One we'll make very clear. Men!" Lochland turned and his crew focused on him with sparking eyes, ready for battle. "Destroy this monstrosity!"

Judd Juggy's heart fell to his shoes at the roar of fury from The Queen's Haven crew. Curling into a ball, he screamed for mercy as the men leaped off the ship onto the turtle and began to destroy the buildings. Since they were over the ocean and not land, they were able to throw everything overboard, and the turtle seemed to sigh with relief each time a building disappeared below them.

It took them a week. Judd Juggy tried to call Rexford, but Lochland confiscated the phone and called the authorities, leaving an anonymous tip, and making sure they knew where the turtle would probably be two days from then so they could go and check on it.

"And remember, it was captured by Rexford Mariposa." He finished darkly, and threw the phone overboard.

When they were finally done, and all of the concrete and man-made trash was gone, Lochland and the others stuffed Judd Juggy and his crewman into their waiting longboats and warned them that if they ever hurt another endangered animal, they wouldn't be so merciful.

Exodus watched as the turtle made its way through the sky toward the Crystalline Island Caves. She moved slowly, obviously uncomfortable, but her rumbles of pain were quieter and less frequent now. Lochland leaned on the railing next to Exodus and shook his head. He'd been angry and tense all week, and was only now beginning to relax a little.

"It's a real shame. Her shell won't grow back, y'know."

"I know."

"There may irreparably damage. We might never know."

"You did all you could, Lochland," Cassie said gently, coming up beside them and wrapping her hands around his arm. Laying her head on his shoulder, she sighed. "Even broken and scarred, that's a beautiful turtle. And thanks to you, she has a better chance of survival now."

Lochland smiled down at her, then at Exodus, and finally, with one deep breath, he completely relaxed, and they watched until the turtle completely disappeared in the distance.

Side Note: I am not a die-hard animal activist, and this was not meant to be a 'save the turtles!' post. But I do believe we should protect endangered animals, and treat animals with respect and care because they have been put under our authority by God. I wrote this because I wanted to show Lochland's soft side for animals.