Regrouping on Eeff

Day 3:

Wek: I’m going to see how Star and Ferniek are doing.

Gorvos: Yeah, before you do that, where’s Selva?

Wek: You idiots have got to stop wandering off! We stick together!

CJ: Wow. I’ve never seen you even remotely annoyed. This is a first.

Wek: I swear to God, CJ, if any more of them wander off or get hurt…

Gorvos: Well, I’m gonna go find her. She’s not in a great mental condition right now.

Wek: You can’t go-

He rushes off without waiting for her to finish her thought.

Wek: …alone

CJ: So, what was it you swore you were going to do if any more of them did that?

Wek: I can’t believe they don’t understand how dangerous Off is.

Eazor: So...when are we climbing?

Wek: I don’t know, Eazor.

She leaves for the hospital, followed by CJ. Eazor decides to explore the town.

Wek: How are you doing, Ferniek?

Ferniek: I don’t think I can do any more climbing.

CJ: What happened?

Ferniek: I don’t know. I just suddenly felt like I was gonna pass out.

Star: That’s strange. I had that same sensation just before Selva tried to kill me.

Wek: You’re out of your room.

Star: Yeah, I got bored in there.

CJ: Now I’m worried about the other three.

Wek: Let’s just hope Gorvos finds Selva and gets back before anything bad happens.

Star: Ew. Why would he want to find Selva?

Wek: She’s not a bad person, Star. She’s just not used to law-abiding citizens.

Star: It’s people like her who killed my parents.

CJ: But she switched sides. She just needs to relearn how to act.

Meanwhile…

Gorvos: Selva? Selva! What happened to you?

Selva: …

Gorvos: Are you okay? Medic! Medic!

Selva: No! I need it!

Gorvos: Need what?

Selva: You can’t have it!

She attacks him, and we already know what she can do to a person.

Gorvos: Help! Someone! Anyone!

Police Officer: Get off of him!

He tazes Selva, gets her in cuffs, and takes her to the hospital.

Gorvos: What happened to her?

A few hours later…

Doc: You can see her now.

Gorvos: Selva?

Selva: Gorvos, what’s going on? Why am I chained to the bed?

Gorvos: Do you remember anything from the past 8 hours?

Selva: I was going to the hospital, but I passed out, next thing I know, I’m here.

Gorvos: Listen, EL Wek told me that Ferniek passed out too. Something weird is afoot.

Selva: Yeah, but why am I chained to the bed? What happened to me?

Gorvos: I don’t know, Selva. All I know is you attacked me because you needed it.

Selva: What?

Gorvos: It.

Selva: What’s it?

Gorvos: I don’t know, Selva. They’ve cleared you to come back with us.

Selva: Back?

Gorvos: Wek doesn’t like what’s going on. We’re going to go to Eeff for a bit.

I thought you were talking about oth it’s an easy mistake.

Towards Eeff:

Selva: Unghh…

Star: Oh, are you injured?

Selva: My head...it hurts...so much…

Star: Yeah, mine does too, thank you very much.

Selva: I can’t...take it…

Gorvos: Alright, let’s get you to the cargo hold.

Star: Good. That takes care of her.

Ferniek: You know, my head kinda hurts too. Not nearly that bad, but still…

CJ: I’m starting to worry that we stumbled upon something bad.

Eazor: Oh, come on! Are you saying that we’ve been cursed?

CJ: Quite possibly, we have.

Eazor: Gimme a break.

Gorvos: Guys, come quick! Selva’s…

CJ: Oh, Christ!

Eazor: What happened?

Gorvos: She started bashing her head against the wall. I’m barely holding her back.

CJ: Eazor, you help Gorvos stop Selva from killing herself. I’m gonna check on Ferniek.

Gorvos: Eazor! Now!

CJ: Are you doing okay, Ferniek?

Ferniek: What’s happening to Selva?

CJ: Nothing major. Why?

Ferniek: We both just randomly passed out. Whatever’s happening to her…

CJ: You’re going to be fine, Ferniek. My dad practically owns Oaken Industries. He can help you.

Ferniek: CJ, I’m scared.

Star: Listen, Ferniek. Selva will let us know in advance what might happen. We’re prepared now.

Wek (over intercoms): We’re approaching Eeff. Brace for landing.

Gorvos: Yeah, that’s not going to happen, Wek!

Eazor: Man, she’s tough!

Gorvos: You’re tellin’ me, kid.

CJ: You both ready for landing?

Star: Yep.

Ferniek: I think?

Wek lands the starship. It’s not the greatest landing, but it’s okay.

Ferniek: Okay, that wasn’t too bad…

Gorvos: No! Selva, stop!

Wek: What’s going on?

CJ: You’ve missed a lot. They could use your help in the hold.

Star: Or we could just assume they’ve got it under control.

Gorvos: Right, we knocked her out, it should be good.

CJ: Yeah, but you gotta restrain her.

Gorvos: Eazor. Tie her to one of the crates. It’s for her own good. I’ll write her a note.

Wek: What...happened?

CJ: You don’t wanna know. I think...to be safe...maybe we should also restrain Ferniek?

Ferniek: I’m okay with that.

Wek: Oh. Does this have something to do with the passing out?

CJ: There’s a high probability that it does.

After tying up Ferniek and Selva, the rest leave for Athen City.

Wek: CJ, will your father be meeting us here?

CJ: I think?

Benjamin: You think correctly, CJ!

Wek: Mr. Wiffle. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.

Ben: I could say the same for you. EL Jeque Wek, I presume?

Wek: Yes. How are things at Oaken Industries?

Ben: Mr. Oaken is growing older, and he’s starting to sell off his share of the company.

CJ: Who’s next in line to become CEO?

Ben: ...me. Owner, too. I’ll have to leave my position as an admiral, though.

Gorvos: Enough with the pleasantries, Mr. Wiffle. We have a big problem to discuss.

Ben: So I’ve been told. What’s going on?

CJ: Well…

Gorvos: Selva and Ferniek both passed out a few days ago, and now, Selva tried to beat herself to death. That’s completely out of character, just so you know.

Meanwhile…

Selva: Oww…

Ferniek: Hey, Selva.

Selva: What’s going on? Why are we tied up?

Ferniek: Read your note.

Selva: ‘Sorry, it’s for your own good. -Gorvos’ What does that mean?

Ferniek: Look at your forehead.

Selva: What? How?

Ferniek: Selva, whatever happened to us when we passed out...I’m scared.

Selva: The other five are on your side. Me, on the other hand…

Ferniek: You’ve got Gorvos. And Eazor. Eazor helped.

Selva: So I have the disappearing man and the baby. Great.

Ben: Hello. I am Benjamin Wiffle. I’m here with Oaken Industries to figure out what’s going on.

Selva: And now we get to become lab rats.

Ben: Not necessarily.

Ferniek: Can you fix this?

Ben: I can employ all of Oaken Industries’ money and assets to try.

Ferniek: That could work.

Ben: Yeah. That could very easily work. Now. How do you feel?

Meanwhile...

Eazor: So...who wants to explore Athen City?

Gorvos: I can’t do anything right now. I’m too worried about Selva.

CJ: I’m pretty worried about Ferniek.

Wek: As the expedition leader, I’m pretty worried about both of them.

Eazor: I guess it’s just-

Star: I’ll join you. I need to get away from here for a while.

CJ: Don’t you have a concussion?

Star: Yeah.

CJ: So maybe don’t do that?

Star: Oh, shut up. I’m fine.

CJ: ...whatever. I don’t really care.

Meanwhile…

Ben: Here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna take you to the Athen City OakenPost, monitor your brain waves, and figure what’s wrong.

Selva: I never agreed to sell my soul to the corporates.

Ben: Then you can live with whatever’s wrong with you. Listen, though. I can assure you that I’ll delete you from the database as soon as we’re done.

Selva: You can do that?

Ben: I basically own the company. I can do whatever I want when Mr. Oaken is out.

Selva: I don’t trust you.

Ben: Has she been living under a rock for the past century? What’s going on here?

Ferniek: She’s, ah, a, um…

Ben: So she has been living under a rock.

Ferniek: Pretty much.

Selva: Wait. Do you two know each other?

Ben: Did you not hear me introduce myself? I’m Benjamin Wiffle? CJ’s dad?

Selva: Oh. Yeah, cause they’re...right.

Ferniek: What are we?

Selva: Nothing.

Ben: So! Are you both ready to have your brains fried by this guy?

Ferniek: Of course, Mr. Wiffle.

Selva: Yeah, fine, sure, whatever.

Ben: Great! To the OakenPost!

Meanwhile…

Star: I should’ve just done this alone, you know? It would be better that way.

Eazor: I’ll join you. Let’s just grab a ship from the shipyard here and go climb Mt. Elymarov!

Star: I’m not here for Elymarov, though I suppose climbing it wouldn’t be a terrible idea.

Some Greek dude: Yes, that would be a terrible idea.

Star: Oh, shut up. You’re talking to professionals here.

Greek dude: Professionals? Really?

Star: You know what? Go back to your stupid math and stop trying to tell me how to do my job.

Meanwhile…

CJ: I wonder how long this is gonna take.

Ben: It’ll be a while. Go get yourself some lunch. I have business to attend to.

Meanwhile…

Star: Hey, look at that thing!

Eazor: That weird-looking building on the top of that hill?

Star: Yeah! Let’s go check it out!

Eazor: Okay.

Meanwhile…

CJ: So...where do you two feel like eating?

Gorvos: Somewhere close by.

Wek: I want some Greek food.

CJ: They literally have the same stuff back on Earth.

Wek: yeah, but this is more authentic.

CJ: Just go to Athens! The real Greece!

Wek: That’s a little far away, CJ.

Gorvos: Yeah, that’s like, on Earth, right?

CJ: I hate you both.

Wek: Hey, I think I see a place right over there!

Meanwhile…

Robed Dude: Σήμερα μαζευόμαστε εδώ στο όνομα της θεάς Αθηνή, και της προσευχόμαστε να μας κρατήσει ασφαλείς από βλάβες, και ότι η Πόλη Αθηνών μπορεί να ευημερήσει για πολλά ακόμη χρόνια!

Eazor: I don’t think we’re supposed to be here…

Star: As long as they don’t notice us, we’ll be fine.

Eazor: But we can’t understand what they’re saying.

Robed Dude: Who’s there? We speak English, you know.

Eazor: I’m out. Good luck!

Robed Dude: You’ve just interrupted the Prayer of Atheni.

Other Robed Dude: May she rain hell upon you and your people!

Star: It’s a little late for her to do that, that already happened.

Robed Dude: In what way?

Star: Well, both of my parents were killed by terrorists, and some idiot gave me a concussion.

Robed Dude: Well, may Atheni have mercy on your soul. Good luck.

Meanwhile…

OakenPost Operator: Their brain waves are completely normal. There’s nothing-

The machine starts putting out something that looks really strange.

Operator: That’s not supposed to be able to happen.

Ben: Maybe the machine’s malfunctioning. Run its diagnostics.

Operator: Aaaaaaaaand… the machine’s running fine. It’s her brain that’s messed up.

Ben: These are no brain waves. Whatever happened to them, it’s not natural.

Operator: What do we do?

Ben: I’m gonna make a call.

Meanwhile…

CJ: What do you think they’ve found out?

Star: Probably nothing. There’s nothing wrong- nothing wrong with-

She collapses.

Wek: God dammit! I told you to stay on the ship!

Eazor: Uhh… let me get her to the OakenPost.

Wek: Yeah, you do that. You do that right now.

Meanwhile…

A ship lands in an open field near the OakenPost, and out steps…

Hills: So this is an OakenPost. Underwhelming.

He goes inside.

Hills: I was in the area. What the hell do you want?

Ben: You gotta look at this.

Hills: What is this?

Ben: It’s supposed to be brain waves.

Hills: These are not brain waves.

Ben: Right, but what are they?

Hills: I’ve only seen them once before…

Flashback - 2282:

Hills: I hate to say it, but we’ve lost. There’s no chance we can win this battle.

Veraska: We’ll pull something together! I’m sure of it!

Jack: The odds are overwhelming, Olivia. Even Silas wouldn’t be able to save us now.

Hills: I mean-

Ethan: I HAVE RETURNED!

Jack: Ethan…

Hills: How?

Fast-forward about an hour:

Hills: My fellow rebels! The prophecy has come true!

Ford: We know that already, you dingus! The aliens are about to win!

Hills: Not quite…

Ethan: I HAVE RETURNED TO BE YOUR BEACON OF HOPE!!!!!!!

His already supremely bright glow focuses into a pillar, leading the aliens right to Ath.

Hills: ...what are those symbols? In the light?

Taka: Jack!

Hills: ...Save it Mosha. It’s go time now.

He takes one look back at the light before plunging forward into battle.

Hills: FOR THE GALAXY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hills: Those symbols in the light, Ben. Nobody else saw them. Just me.

Ben: So whatever’s happening to these two is connected to the Prophecy?

Hills: Yes. In some way, these events are connected.

Ben: well, that’s no good. The people who took part in the Prophecy, excluding you…

Hills: They’re all dead. I know.

Ben: Well, I’ve got some real weird news to break.

Hills: Yes. You do.

Ben: Selva? Ferniek?

Ferniek: What’s wrong with us?

Ben: I’m not sure…

Ferniek: What?! You don’t know?

Ben: I do know that it’s somehow connected to the Prophecy.

Selva: What’s… the Prophecy?

Ferniek: Over a half-century ago, Admiral Stynger had a vision. That’s the Prophecy.

Selva: Admiral Stynger?

Ben: The details don’t matter, Selva. What matters is you’ve been cursed or something.

Ferniek: But...how? And why?

Ben: I don’t know. The only real way to find out is to find whatever did this.

Ferniek: Then we gotta go back to Off.

Ben: Maybe. Or maybe, we can find Admiral Ethan.

Eazor: Help!

Selva: You don’t have to help her if you don’t want to.

Ben: ...that’s a...psychotic thing to say. Very, very literal at best.

CJ: So… what’s wrong with them?

Hills: Suffice it to say, we have no idea. This is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen.

CJ: Hey, you look like Admiral Hills.

Hills: Yeah, uh… I gotta run, mate.

Hills jumps back in his starship and leaves the planet.

Ben: What happened to her?

Eazor: I don’t know! She just passed out for no reason!

Ben: I’d say there was a reason, but after what I’ve seen today, there might not be.

CJ: But what’s wrong with Ferniek?

Ben: Something to do with the Prophecy. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

Wek: Can it be fixed?

Ben: Maybe? It all depends on what we find out.

Wek: Are you saying…

Ben: Yep. You folks are gonna have to return to Off. Should be fine, though.

Wek: Why?

Ben: Because I stole Damien’s passion project and duplicated it.

Wek: What’s his passion project?

Ben: He was making a suit to protect against magic. It’s Damien. What else?

CJ: Yeah, that guy probably found the cure for Perryman’s and just hasn’t released it yet.

Ben: That’s not unlikely. He’s a weird dude.

Wek: I’d say eccentric, but yeah.

Ben: Well, in any case, the suits should be here by tomorrow. Then we can finish this.

Wek: We’ll see you tomorrow, then.

Ben: Yep.

Wek: I think we ought to catch up on some news.

CJ: Yeah, let’s do it.

They turn on the radio in the IH-36 and connect it to Athen City News.

Newscaster: And things are heating up in Congress as President O’Connell demands that sanctions be placed on Radox, among others, immediately! Here’s Julia Dews, in Pittsburgh, with the latest updates.

Julia: Thanks, Basil. Up in the Congress Dome that you can see behind me, right now, Congress members are arguing about what to do about Radox’s rapid expansion into the Robic Empire and former Trio of Justice. President O’Connell has called for immediate action, following the lead of party leaders back on Aarth. Addiree Quellic has long suggested that the Laborers’ Party may attempt to use the presidency to pass antitrust legislation, but until now, they’ve been pretty quiet. Donald Plump, the son of Ronald Plump, leads the opposition to these proposed laws. As Samuel Wiffle puts it, it’s not fair to limit corporations in their ability to grow. Alec Sormykov, a representative from Path, has shot back that massive corporations are building monopolies that make it impossible for smaller companies to expand themselves, therefore making these monopolies unfair. While neither party has a clear majority, 58 of the 102 seats belong to people that have all supported mild anti-trust laws in the past. While there’s no telling what may happen in that dome, Radox continues to expand its sphere of influence. Soon, they could become unstoppable. Back to you, Basil.

Basil: Thank you, Julia. We’ll be continuing to track this story for you as it develops.

CJ: Oh hey! Radox is under attack again!

Ferniek: It’s a good thing, too. They’ve grown far too large.

CJ: ...right.

Wek: I fear that it may already be too late.

Eazor: Good! Radox deserves the right to do what it wants! That’s capitalism!

Selva: What are they talking about, Gorvos?

Gorvos: The Galactic Congress thinks that Radox is too big, so-

Selva: I hate Radox.

Gorvos: You know what that is?!

Selva: It was on nearly every ship I stowed away on!

Gorvos: Oh. Wow.

Selva: I’m tired. I think I’m gonna take a nap.

Gorvos: Alright...hey, CJ?

CJ: Yeah?

Gorvos: What do you do when Ferniek talks about trust busting?

CJ: I just don’t say anything. She’s entitled to her beliefs, and I’m entitled to mine.

Gorvos: So, like, a mutual agree to disagree thing?

CJ: Yeah, like that. Why?

Gorvos: I think Selva might be a little attracted to me.

Ferniek: A little? Don’t get carried away here.

CJ: But...do you like her back?

Gorvos: What do you think, CJ? Do you like Ferniek? Huh?

CJ: Wow. I thought we’d done a good job keeping that a secret.

Gorvos: Do a better job next time. It’s pretty obvious.

Meanwhile…

Ben: Ey.

Damien (on a phone): You heard about Congress?

Ben: No, I’ve been a little bit busy lately.

Damien: The Laborers’ Party is taking over.

Ben: They don’t have the majority, do they?

Damien: If you combine them with the Isolationists and the Peacekeepers, they do.

Ben: There’s no way they’re going to successfully bust any trusts. They need support.

Damien: I’ve done a lot for the people of this nation, but I am not going to war for them.

Ben: You might not have to. We’ll see what happens.