Hmm, interesting prompt :) I have some familiar faces for this story too, but they are more discussed than apparent, which I think you'll appreciate. And this might mark the end of stories about the Spheres of Annihilation, at least for the moment!
The forbidden island The boat, under motor power though there were sails stowed away just in case, cruised across the water towards a small bay. Jeff, stood at a small table screwed to the deck on the bridge, tapped the map. "There's no island here according to this map," he said sounding slightly annoyed. "Yet I can see the island out there, and you clearly are expecting it." Svetlana, both a Lieutenant-Colonel and a Grade 3 in the Weapons Division, glanced back at him. She had both feet planted firmly on the deck and was watching the island as they drew nearer to it. "The locked map drawer," she said. "Code is 788-226." Jeff frowned but dialled the code in and pulled the drawer smoothly open. There was another nautical map inside, very similar to the one on the table but with some additions. "This is one of three forbidden islands," said Svetlana when he started comparing the maps. "We have an agreement with google to remove them from satellite imagery as well, though they think we use them for weapons testing." "What do we use them for?" Jeff's face dropped. "This isn't another Guantanamo is it?" "Hah, no, thankfully. No, this island in particular is where we dropped two Spheres on Annihilation during the war. The other islands -- if you need to go there, then and only then will you need to know why they're forbidden." She hadn't specified which war, because it was obvious. The scars were still visible everywhere, both on geography and in society. Jeff shivered. "We're retrieving them?" "Definitely not," said Svetlana. Something thunked outside the boat and Jeff jumped. "Ice," she said. "The sea gets a lot colder near the shore. And the island is pretty cold all year round too." Around them the thrum of the engines lessened as the captain slowed the boat and started navigating the floating chunks of ice towards a dock. "This is a routine check-up. We need to know that they're still here and that no-one else has been here." "How do we know no-one has been here?" "We ask the natives," said Svetlana. Jeff's eyebrows rose. "Well, natives sort of," she clarified. "We put them here and they've adapted to the place quite well. They like it, and they like visitors. So much that the visitors never leave." "What?" Jeff put the map away and locked the drawer again and leaned on the table against the rocks and sways of the boat. "They're cannibals or murderers or something? Like that movie? The Purge?" Svetlana shook her head. "No, nothing like that. If anything they're maybe another weapon, but I don't know. Using them would be worse than the Spheres if you ask me." "Worse?!" She nodded. "You'll see, I guess. But listen, Jeff. Before you can go onto that island you have to understand something. No more than two of us can leave that island, under any circumstances. The crew here understand that, and they will shoot at, to kill, any extras. They will also shoot us if they have any reason to believe that we're not the person who left the boat." "That's very firm," said Jeff. "You can still back out. You can stay here and wait for me to return. There's no shame in it." Jeff shook his head. "I'm curious now," he said. "And you've done this before, right? It's not like it's your first time too?" Svetlana sighed. "No," she said. "No, I've met the Ilmatu before."
2 comments:
Hmm, interesting prompt :) I have some familiar faces for this story too, but they are more discussed than apparent, which I think you'll appreciate. And this might mark the end of stories about the Spheres of Annihilation, at least for the moment!
The forbidden island
The boat, under motor power though there were sails stowed away just in case, cruised across the water towards a small bay. Jeff, stood at a small table screwed to the deck on the bridge, tapped the map. "There's no island here according to this map," he said sounding slightly annoyed. "Yet I can see the island out there, and you clearly are expecting it."
Svetlana, both a Lieutenant-Colonel and a Grade 3 in the Weapons Division, glanced back at him. She had both feet planted firmly on the deck and was watching the island as they drew nearer to it.
"The locked map drawer," she said. "Code is 788-226."
Jeff frowned but dialled the code in and pulled the drawer smoothly open. There was another nautical map inside, very similar to the one on the table but with some additions.
"This is one of three forbidden islands," said Svetlana when he started comparing the maps. "We have an agreement with google to remove them from satellite imagery as well, though they think we use them for weapons testing."
"What do we use them for?" Jeff's face dropped. "This isn't another Guantanamo is it?"
"Hah, no, thankfully. No, this island in particular is where we dropped two Spheres on Annihilation during the war. The other islands -- if you need to go there, then and only then will you need to know why they're forbidden."
She hadn't specified which war, because it was obvious. The scars were still visible everywhere, both on geography and in society. Jeff shivered.
"We're retrieving them?"
"Definitely not," said Svetlana. Something thunked outside the boat and Jeff jumped. "Ice," she said. "The sea gets a lot colder near the shore. And the island is pretty cold all year round too." Around them the thrum of the engines lessened as the captain slowed the boat and started navigating the floating chunks of ice towards a dock. "This is a routine check-up. We need to know that they're still here and that no-one else has been here."
"How do we know no-one has been here?"
"We ask the natives," said Svetlana. Jeff's eyebrows rose. "Well, natives sort of," she clarified. "We put them here and they've adapted to the place quite well. They like it, and they like visitors. So much that the visitors never leave."
"What?" Jeff put the map away and locked the drawer again and leaned on the table against the rocks and sways of the boat. "They're cannibals or murderers or something? Like that movie? The Purge?"
Svetlana shook her head. "No, nothing like that. If anything they're maybe another weapon, but I don't know. Using them would be worse than the Spheres if you ask me."
"Worse?!"
She nodded. "You'll see, I guess. But listen, Jeff. Before you can go onto that island you have to understand something. No more than two of us can leave that island, under any circumstances. The crew here understand that, and they will shoot at, to kill, any extras. They will also shoot us if they have any reason to believe that we're not the person who left the boat."
"That's very firm," said Jeff.
"You can still back out. You can stay here and wait for me to return. There's no shame in it."
Jeff shook his head. "I'm curious now," he said. "And you've done this before, right? It's not like it's your first time too?"
Svetlana sighed. "No," she said. "No, I've met the Ilmatu before."
Greg - started watching Wil Wheaton's Tabletop Youtube videos again recently. They played Forbidden Island and I needed a prompt so...
I am not getting my hopes up that the Ilmatu get sucked up by the Sphere, but I shall read on anyway.
Bah. Would have been an epic conclusion to the Sphere arc if it had gobbled them all up, if you ask me.
Hmmph.
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