The ceiling panels shimmered, a rippling effect spreading across them like water disturbed by a stone. Slowly, they transformed, revealing a breathtaking expanse of bright blue sky, streaked with wisps of clouds, and the roll of waves, lapping at the edges of the frame.

Francis and Alan stared upward, their words stolen by wonder. “Unbelievable,” they breathed. 

For a second, I braced for the water to come flooding in, but it didn’t. It was only a view, just like looking out a window. 

But still, when another wave washed across the ceiling, panic gripped me. Without thinking, I pressed the symbol again. The ripples spread once more, wiping away the scene of the sky and sea, leaving behind the dull, sterile white of the original ceiling.  

“Alright, off the table,” Francis commanded, his eyebrow cocked in annoyance but with a smidge of amusement. “And stop messing with things.”

I prepared to leap down, but as I shifted, my paw accidentally grazed another symbol. This one was a simple line marked with arrows pointing left and right.  

For a moment, nothing happened, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Then, a ripple of white light spread across the table. Before I could react, the surface came alive, and a glowing three-dimensional map of the submarine sprang into existence, hovering just above the table like a ghostly projection.

The brightness of the light struck my eyes like a slap, and I hissed in irritation, my balance faltering at the table’s edge. Alan caught me just in time, pulling me securely into her arms. 

As my vision cleared, the projected grid of corridors and rooms came into focus. Two levels were displayed, with our position marked on the upper level in the Navigation and Control Deck by three green dots, each labeled “Unknown.” I figured that they were us. These dots mirrored our movements—when Francis stepped toward the table, one dot moved accordingly. 

Two gray dots lay where the corpses were, labeled Officer Eli and Officer Luke. Another gray dot appeared in a room called Preparation on the same floor, with a few more scattered across the lower level, likely other bodies.

But my stomach sank when I spotted three additional green dots on the lower level, all labeled “Unknown.” Two remained motionless in a room marked “Laboratory,” but the third moved restlessly, pacing the corridor before disappearing into a room called “Weapons.”

“We’re not alone,” Francis said, his finger pointing to the green dots on the lower level.

Alan’s breath caught. “There could be more of them.” She scanned the room, her eyes darting across the space, looking for anything to use as a weapon. Then, she saw it—near the second corpse. She let go of me and moved toward it, her fingers shaking as she reached for the weapon.

Alan arched an eyebrow. “Do you know how to use this thing?”

I wondered the same. Weapons like that didn’t exist on our ship—or any vessel I’d known. Even Floating City relied on harpoons, spears, and muskets hammered from scrap. Muskets were cumbersome, slow to reload, and more of a gamble than a weapon.  

Francis raised the gun, aimed at a wall, and pulled the trigger. A blue beam burst forth, sparking on impact with the wall.  

The Unknown stepped out of the Weapons room and into the main corridor. They seemed to sense they were not alone; maybe they must have heard the shots fired. Their pace faltered, slowing until they came to a cautious halt near a bend in the passage. After a moment’s pause, they turned right, going up into a gently ascending walkway that spiraled toward the first level.

“Take cover,” Francis barked, slipping behind a column near the door where the Unknown would enter.

Alan pulled me close and crouched behind the table, one arm wrapped around me while her other hand rested on the corner, ready to peek out. I twisted in her grasp, refusing to stay put.

“Page!” she hissed, reaching over to grab me as I broke free. Her fingertips brushed my tail but couldn’t hold me back. 

Without looking back, I sprinted toward the double metal doors. They slid open with a metallic whir, revealing a descending passageway ahead. My mind was racing– If I could draw the Unknown’s attention, I might buy enough time for the captain and Alan to gain the upper hand and take it down. 

It was risky, but I had to try.

As I descended the passageway, I encountered another corpse of the fish-like humanoid. It was slumped against the wall, its head lolled to one side. Tendrils dangled limply from its mouth, and a blackened, gaping hole marred its forehead, the unmistakable result of a gun’s beam.

Around its body, gelatinous blobs were scattered on the floor, most of them unmoving. One stirred faintly, its slimy tendrils snaking weakly in my direction. Their movements were weak and uncoordinated, and I easily sidestepped its feeble attempt to grab me. The tendrils recoiled, retreating into the blob as if in defeat, curling inward like a creature ashamed of its own impotence.  

Reaching the corner, I slowed to a halt, pressing myself against the wall as the Unknown’s footsteps echoed nearer. My heart pounded like a drum, the sound filling my head. Forcing calm into my chest, I drew a deep breath and released it as a soft meow.

The footsteps hesitated, faltering mid-stride, then fell completely silent.

“Was that a cat?” A man’s voice, tinged with disbelief, broke the quiet.

I meowed again, this time a little softer.

“Hey, come out, buddy,” he coaxed, his tone gentle, almost warm.

Something about his voice struck a chord deep within me. Familiarity washed over me, calming the storm of fear. Whoever this was, they weren’t an enemy. This wasn’t an Unknown—it was someone I knew.

Trusting the feeling, I stepped forward and turned the corner. My breath caught, and my heart leaped into my throat. Standing just a few yards away, staring back at me with the same look of astonishment, was a man I never thought I’d see again.

It was Louis Kelping, lost for over seven hundred days—the man whose children had been waiting all this time for his return, clutching onto hope he’d be back with treasures and stories from his journey, and whose absence had shattered Sarah’s heart. And now, here he stood, impossibly alive, his face a mirror of disbelief.

His appearance was unkempt, his faded brown jacket hanging loosely over a rumpled shirt and dark green pants. His hair, once neatly trimmed, now fell to his shoulders, and a scruffy beard covered his jawline. On the ship, he had always relied on the barber to keep him tidy with a clean shave and a sharp cut.

He lowered the long rifle, pulling the strap over his shoulder and sliding the gun behind him. He knelt, arms outstretched. 

“I can’t believe it! Page!” His voice cracked with joy.

But before anything else could be said, a blue beam shot overhead. Louis ducked, rolling to the side, quickly rising into a crouch with the rifle back in hand. I jumped, startled by the shot, and spun to find Francis standing behind me, gun raised.

I hissed, frantic. Don’t shoot!

Louis blinked, then slowly rose to his feet, tucking the rifle behind him. 

“Captain, sir!” he exclaimed, his voice bursting with excitement and relief, like someone reuniting with a long-lost friend after decades apart.  

Francis lowered the gun, staring at Louis with wide eyes, as dumbfounded as I had been moments ago. “Kelping? What the hell… How did you… what are you doing here?”

Louis took a step forward, then staggered, swaying unsteadily before collapsing to the floor.