Into the Center

The wind whirled around the deck of the coaster Dayla as it moves along the coastline. My eyes scanning the stacks of the dim lighted energy cells. "How are we to get past the damned blockade?" We had been stopped several times as the area has now been seized by the Gumba Alliance. An anti-Bluesea energy organization. Our last and only option, go beyond the coast. "Take us to the Center." I charge my crew as I move back up to deck, it's now time to prepare for the Kiras. As the Dayla moves away from the coast not a sound could be heard as anticipation and fear filled the air. "Ready the lasers!" I call as the Dayla approaches the center.

"Cap' Elager, how far our we going in?" Question my first mate.

"Till we can't see the coast."

His face paled as he stares at me, "We could die!"

My eyes soften as I look into his fear filled eyes, "I know but if we turn back and set the cell on land everything could be lost. This is the only was to make it in time."

He looks down to the ground, "I understand Cap'." Turning around he calls out orders and encouragement to the crew as the Dayla moves faster.

***

"Cap'!" came a frantic call from beyond The wind whirls around the deck of the coaster Dayla as it moves along the coastline. My eyes scanning the stacks of dimly lit energy cells. "How are we to get past the damned blockade?" We have been stopped several times, as the area has now been seized by the Gumba Alliance, an anti-Bluesea energy organization. Our last and only option: go beyond the coast.

"Take us to the Center," I charge my crew as I head back up to the deck. It is now time to prepare for the Kiras. As the Dayla moves away from the coast, not a sound it makes. The crew is silent, fear and anxiety thick in the air.

"Ready the lasers!" My vocie rings as the rough water of the Center closes in.

"Cap'?. . How far are we going in?" my first mate asks as he walks up to me, his eyes staring out at the turning water of the Center.

"Till we can't see the coast." I reply feeling myself shake. Grabbing my arm, I try to steady myself. I can’t show the crew my fear, they already have enough of their own. His face goes paler, if that is even possible, his fear filling his cold chocolate brown eyes that are now staring at me.

"We could die!" His words shakier than his body. I soften my gaze, seeing his fear, and he is right to fear. Very few have ever returned from entering the Center.

"I know. But if we turn back, we won’t be able to land. Everything could be lost... This is the only way." Pulling all the strength I can muster into the last line. There is no way the Gumba Alliance will let us pass now that they know we are here. But... if we go to the Center, they will assume we will perish, and that just might be true, but if we can ride the line just long enough, they wont follow use along the coast.

My first mate’s gaze travels to the ship floor, as he is trying to muster up his own strength. Then he looks back up to me, determination replacing the fear that once took hold. "I understand, Cap'." He salutes. "I’ll prepare the way," he voice now full of stranght declares before turning back to the crew and taking charge, letting me figure out the details.

"Cap'!" comes a frantic call from beyond my cabin door, pulling my attention from the map laid out on the table—a piece shaped like a ship just on the outer edge.

"Is one coming?"

"It's coming fast!" several voices call, trying to keep their fear under control. I look back down at the map. ‘Have we gone far enough?’ I question, tracking our path on the map with my eyes. But we need to retreat—there’s no way we’d be able to survive the beast’s attack, not for long.

"Move us faster—back to the coast!" my voice rings as I pull away from the table and join my crew on the deck.

"Aye, Cap'!" I hear the voice call.

"Cap'!" Looking over, I see my first mate running up to me, two laser pistols in hand.

"How close is it?"

"Only a few minutes… if that." His voice is still a bit shaky as he hands one of the pistols to me. Gratefully, I take it from him. Lifting it up, I examine the energy cell. Where a bullet cylinder normally sits is a casing holding a glowing blue liquid—or that’s what it appears to be. I nod my head in approval before looking back up at my first mate.

"Let’s get the crew out of here."

"Aye, Cap'." Looking toward the depths of the Center, I see it, the Kira. Its long, snake-like head lifts out of the water, its rough, spike-like black-scaled skin gleaming with a glowing blue undertone where the scales connect. Its white eyes lock on us as it releases a loud, shrieking screech. The sound pierces my ears. Like many of my crew, I press my hands firmly over them, trying to block out the brain-ripping sound. My mind shrieking, and my hands so fervently pressing on my ears, I don’t realize the screeching has stopped—until the Dayla rocks roughly, throwing me off my feet.

"We've been hit!" a voice cries out as the thundering sound of the ship's lasers fills the air. Gripping the pistol still in my hand, I pull myself up. Chaos and carnage fill my eyes as both cannon and pistol lasers are being fired. The Kira slams into the Dayla over and over again, throwing crewmen around. Its screeches fill the air—both in pain and rage, as it swoops in, dragging several of my men into the depths.

I charge in, laser at the ready. "Keep the ship moving to the coast!" I try to command over all the noise as I begin to fire at the towering snake-like beast.

"Move the ship faster!" I hear my first mate yell as he dashes across the deck to the motor room. Another jolt of the coaster knocks me off my feet. Lifting myself up, I come face to face with it—the Kira. Its sharp teeth are only a few feet away as it lunges toward me. Fear blurs my mind, making my movements slow and clunky as I try to retreat and prepare to fire. Its teeth scratch my chest, tearing my shirt—just before I hear it shriek. It begins to recoil as a laser hits its target, making its large white eye turn red.

"Leave the Cap' alone!" a voice calls in triumph, giving me just enough time to bring my thoughts back into focus. Now aiming at the distracted beast, I fire. Screaming, it pulls back, diving fully into the water. The deck steeped in looming silence, but only for a few seconds, before the Dayla suddenly lurches forward, knocking the entire crew to the ground.

"It's trying to tip us!" several voices ring out.

"Activate the water cannons!" I command, rising to my feet, only to be knocked back over as the ship lurches again.

"Betty and Earny are on them!" a voice calls. The coaster continues to lurch several more times before the Kira emerges, one eye blackened. Its white eye looks at our unmoving, fearful bodies. I look around in confusion as it just sits there, staring at us. But then I see it, the calm waters of the coast.

"The coast!" I breathe out with all the energy I can muster.

"We are out of the Center!"

"We survived!" My crew cries, cheering.

Taking a deep breath, I look over the deck. The ship is damaged, but I see it working on repairing itself. How damaged did we get? Where is our energy level? The questions race through my head.

"Cap'," my first mate calls out, pulling my attention.

"Status report."

"Energy running low, sir. The power cell had to work overtime with all the damage." Bluesea energy its amazing with its ability to fix what it’s energizing.

"Use one of the energy cells in the cargo."

"Aye, Cap'." He responds before dashing away, calling for several men to follow him.

"Full steam ahead! To Calagan!" I call to the remaining crew—the Center now behind us and, hopefully, the blockade as well.