CHAPTER 6: Aftermath
The fissure itself was quiet in comparison to its surroundings, but that would not remain.
Grinding rock voiced its presence, blocking water from lava. The water had only one place to flee.
Upward it shot.
Milo was tossed from the rift by the explosion of water, and landed with a hard thud. The continued pressure forced the crack closed, leaving the linguist laying in the water, exhausted.
He had to get up.
As Milo struggled to rise, a new sound made itself known, a hot electric hum, almost, echoing through the halls.
The wall crumbled, and he saw an Atlantean vehicle swerve to go through the new entrance.
"Audrey!"
"Hurry up! When this all comes down, I don't wanna be around!"
Milo boarded the ketak immediately, hanging on tight as the Latina drove, using any shortcut she could. He watched as water began to pour in.
The dust of the bones tinted the foam
As they entered the loading bay Milo's eyes were wide, the wall of water behind them in the distance massive. He looked forward, seeing Sweet, Vinny and Mole at the cargo bay doors, ready to close them.
Audrey slipped in, the ketak hitting the floor hard. The two of them where thrown from their vehicle. A high screeching sound attacked their ears as the stone of the ketak scraped along iron and steel.
As the two got up, Vinny and Mole ran for the cockpit as the door slammed shut, taking the controls in their hands. The impact of the water on the aqua-evac was intense, a vengeful blow upon the intruders that disturbed its home. Milo landed sprawled on the floor as Audrey flew into him.
"'Ey, hold on. This is ah gonna be bumpier than a ride in my father's old flower truck. Well, except when it--"
"Drive!!!" came multiple voices.
After a few seconds Milo dared to get up.
They had, indeed, cleared the building, he knew. Like some expiring beast he imagined it falling to the sea floor, visible only through eerie explosions.
He sighed as a part of Atlantis's past crumbled away.
"Milo?"
Yes, Aud-- YOW!!!" Audrey had punched him very hard in the shoulder. "What was that--?!"
"That was for me…" Milo didn't get a chance to flee before she punched him in the stomach. He fell to the floor again. "And that was for your wife."
"H--h--hey!!!" Milo gasped, doubled over. He knew what he had done, but he wasn't quite sure if he deserved quite that much.
They approached the sub, but as they turned to enter the Sea Hawk itself, a terrible sight greeted them.
It was nothing.
The Pillar of Atlantis was gone, or, rather, laid across the sea floor with the old ruins, the history of Atlantis, unlocked and destroyed.
There was a hole in the sea floor.
Thus Milo's heart sank deeper than Atlantis did.
"Uh-huh. Okay, then. I'll see you later, Ben!" Sweet waved goodbye to the young ensign and departed, his mind returning to a previous conversation.
The outlandishness of Atlantis's existence was suddenly a blessing, the physician thought. With Atlantis once again closed off from the world, there was no reason to make it known, and probably better for its safely, as attack or espionage down there would be hard to detect until it was too late.
The ambassadors would "discover" their judgment was right, that it was just a hoax, and their time, just as they had suspected, would have been wasted.
That was why they were back on the Atlantean, heading back to Whitmore's mansion. Things had to be set back in place the way they were before Atlantis rose, or else it would all be put at risk.
Sweet rounded the corner on his way back to sickbay. He wanted to check back up on Kida, who was taken along. As queen of Atlantis, it was important she was also a part of this.
The doctor saw Milo poking his head into the room as he neared. Hearing Sweet, he looked back and gave him a worried smile.
"Milo, ya feelin' any better?" he asked quietly, just in case his patient was still asleep.
"Well, physically, yes, but I'm still exhausted. Just checking to see if Kida's awake yet."
The doctor smiled and nodded.
They entered together, and the room was perfumed with the scent of disinfectants. Indeed, Sweet was a doctor before his time. Needles, containers, bandages and tools were neatly stored on the shelves and the table. Milo's note to an ensign about what had happened to Atlantis had been previously left on the table, forgotten. Sweet shook his head at that and picked it up, planning to hand it back to the scholar, but he paused. A puddle of water was on the countertop next to a sink. A beaker speckled with water droplets sat in the puddle.
Lip prints were faintly visible on the rim.
Milo went to the curtain, taking hold of the edge.
"Kida?" he whispered. "It's me, Milo." He drew back the curtain, but the disheveled bed was empty. The I.V. had been disconnected. "My gosh… Sweet? Did you move her?"
"What?" He took a look for himself. "That girl should be in bed after what she went through." He looked back to the sink. "At least she's gotten some water besides through the I.V."
"Help me find her. We need to talk about what's happened."
"Sure thing. Right on it."
They both exited the room, pondering and heading separate directions.
He knew Kida was in no shape to be up and about. Considering how quickly she reached the surface, the doctor knew she had to have experienced some of the symptoms of the bends.
Luckily, it seemed, the crystal had solved the problem, but not before putting an enormous amount of stress on her body. From Milo's description of her when she returned from the crystal the first time, she was exhausted. When the crew had reached Atlantis after its second sinking, the native doctors reported she was still not awake, despite the vast amount of time she had been unconscious.
Had it not been for the fact that she moved or occasionally mumbled in her sleep, Sweet might have determined that she was in a coma.
It was clear that between the bends and being a host, the queen had reached a physical, mental, and emotional burn out.
With her out of bed, however, it was obvious she was recovering.
A strange noise came from an unoccupied room. Sweet stopped to listen.
It was not unlike a gasp.
The physician poked his head in, listening in the darkness. The sound had stopped as mysteriously as it began.
He gave a quiet shrug, clicking in the lights.
Sweet's head turned at a sudden, though slight, shuffling of sheets.
In the furthest shadows of the bottom bunk was Kida, her arms holding her legs close to her chest. A piece of tape remaining on her wrist was the only indicator she that she had the I.V. at all. The incision was gone, apparently healed.
"Kida? So this's where ya went. Milo and I were lookin' for ya. You need ta be in bed."
"…Do not tell Milo you found me like this." Her hands went to wipe her face.
"Why? You okay?"
"I have learned it is a sign of weakness in your culture to be seen crying. I do not want him worrying about my strength. There are more important things to worry about than me."
"That's for men. Crying I mean. And--"
"…And why not women?"
"…I don't know, thinkin' 'bout it. And you're definitely something worth worrying about. Milo could tell ya that."
"You know what I meant."
"I think so. But it's okay to cry. Even men on the surface cry." Sweet sat down on the bunk. "Now, ya need your rest. Lemme guess, you got up so he wouldn't see ya cry?"
She nodded.
"It's okay." He motioned for her to sit by him, and she reluctantly scooted over. "I've seen a lot of soldiers die. And I've seen grown men weepin' for each other. They cry when wives or their children die. Bein' a doctor isn't easy. Sometimes you just can't work miracles. But ya know, it teaches ya the toughest men can have sympathetic hearts." He put a kind hand on her shoulder, her face downcast. The medic saw a few tears hit the floor as her frame shook with a few silent sobs. "Now, let it all out. Words, tears, whatever ya need."
She sniffed, but she let herself break down again, and leaned her head against Sweet's side as she wept. Finally words emerged from the waves of sobs. "I remember the mayhem. I saw the note on the table. Atlantis has sunken again. It is in ruins again… because of me! It is my fault…!"
"Nooo… Ya can't go blamin' yourself for that. Ya know it's not your fault."
"It is, Sweet!" She looked up at him, her voice certain, firm. "My curiosity led to our second downfall. I disturbed the dead, the Spirits of Old Atlantis, and this is the punishment… My people can no longer enjoy the light of the sun or the beauty of the stars! …I brought Atlantis to the surface to share the light of the Mother Crystal with the world, and so others could rejoice in its healing and enlightenment. But now that light is gone, lost from the world again. What good ruler would let this happen? The legacy of my people is doomed to remain as the story of our destruction." She turned away, shaking her head. "All our repairs have been ruined! The buildings will still not be as easy to repair as the palace or the statues once had been. The whole city is not made of crystal-granite. And so much worse, people died! …Temlon, my supreme chancellor was one of them… …It was all for waste."
"No. It wasn't. Ya gave your people the chance to walk on the surface again, to know what its like. Now, if they want, they can come up with us and enjoy it, too. They know they're not confined here. And they'll have stories ta tell their children of the queen who tried. And when those children come with their parents to the surface, can ya imagine their faces? They'd have grins as big as Milo when he found Atlantis."
Kida laughed weakly at that, wiping away a tear.
"Maybe there's another Spear out there. But when Atlantis can rise again, the people will know what it's like, and the celebration will be even more spectacular than the last time's. And as for your curiosity… it saved Atlantis too. If you or Milo weren't so curious, traditions would still be dyin'. Kida… You're not solely responsible for this. You're not responsible at all for it. You were trying to learn about Atlantis's past. It saved Atlantis last time. Knowledge saves. I'm sure Milo would tell ya that."
Her expression softened as Sweet stood up.
"It'll all work out. You'll see. You'll see. Now, ya need your rest. Not to mention ya need some food in your system. Want an escort to sickbay?"
"No… Thank you." She was slow to rise to her feet, obviously fatigued. "But do not tell Milo you found me yet."
"Need a few minutes ta yourself?" They walked to the door.
"Yes."
"Ya got it. Get your rest." He rubbed her back as he turned to go back into the hall.
"Sweet?"
"Yeah?"
"…Thank you." Kida revealed a small smile.
"Anytime," he smiled back. "Anytime."
So the Atlantean sailed on its course.
Yet elsewhere, a journey had already been completed. Beyond the ship, past the waves, and all the way to the shore, a simple fishing vessel docked where a mother and a young, brown-haired child waited.
"John, not too close!" The mother caught the boy by his suspenders before he could reach the end of the pier.
"But I wanna see Daddy!"
The woman picked him up. "He's coming, Sweetie." She looked up to watch men get off the boat. "See, there he is!"
The child bounced with excitement in her arms. "DaddydaddydaddydaddyDADDY!"
She sighed, and then put him down. He ran to his father.
"Daddy!"
"Johnny! Have you grown? C'mere!" He dropped his bag and lovingly snatched up the child, who squealed in delight.
The mother walked up. "Welcome back, Jim."
"Great to be home, Tarilyn," he said, kissing her.
"Daddy! Tell me a sea story! What happened to you thistrip?!"
Jim handed the child back to his mother so he could pick his sack of supplies back up. "Well, would you believe I actually saw Atlantis?" He smiled from ear to ear.
"Really?! Wow!!!"
"Jim!" The mother looked sternly at him. "I thought we agreed to no more wild stories. Our child's going to be a mess if you keep filling his head with such silliness."
"I'm not kidding this time. I saw it!"
"Tellmetellmetellmetellme!"
"Jim…"
"Mommy? Please?" The little boy looked up at her with huge eyes of wonder and an innocent smile.
The mother grinned in awe. "Oh, Good Lord… Okay, go ahead, tell him."
"Yay!"
She saw the father put on his "story face," a look of zeal that could bring a smile to anyone. "Okay, I've told you about Atlantis, Right?"
"Yeah! They were a good people who were really ad-van-sed--"
"'Advanced.'"
"Uh-huh, but then they got all mean and Poseidon punished 'em by sending this huge wave that went and sunk 'em! Pow!" The child added sound effects and hand motions to illustrate the fall of Atlantis.
"Well, would you believe it rose?"
"Jim…"
"No, really!"
"Neat!!!"
"It was a slow day fishing, and, lo and behold, the fish started jumping right into our boat! The water was boiling. And up in a blue bubble came Atlantis!"
"What did the people look like? Were they mean?"
"John, they were the nicest people you'd ever meet. They had dark skin and white hair. Some even had blue tattoos!"
"I want a tattoo!"
"When you're older, dear." The mother patted the boy's head.
"Did you meet the king?"
"Actually, there was a queen. The king doesn't have as much power yet. Everyone looks to her."
"Did you meet either of 'em?"
"Well, no, but their people liked them. They seemed like kind, good people."
"I wanna see Atlantis!"
"We can't."
"Why not?!"
"It sunk again."
"Were they bad?"
"No, not at all. It just sank. I guess it just wasn't their time. But I heard stories from the people there. The most amazing started before you were even born, back in 1914."
"Are they as good as the one where Poseidon sent that big wave and sunk 'em?"
"Johnny, they're much, much better. Better than you could ever realize. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle or whoever would've died to hear these stories. I was a boy back in 1914, but I remember headlines about an unsuccessful mission to find it. But that was far from fact. You see, a man named Milo Thatch worked in a huge museum called the Smithsonian. He loved Atlantis, and he was determined to find it. It was his dream…"
The Last Section Dedicated to:
Tarilyn:
Fall Advantage 2003 Vista Way
Jim Hawkins/Treasure Planet fan and friend.
Starting my little obsession:
Walt Disney
&
Everyone Involved in Making the Movie
Including:
Don Hahn
Gary Trousdale
Kirk Wise
Michael J. Fox
Cree Summer
James Newton Howard
To Name a Few
Fellow Fans (To name a few, and in no particular order:)
From the Search for Atlantis RPG, the Atlantis IS Waiting RPG and the Destination Atlantis Forum:
Lisa
Mahteim Mu
Shahnahkehm
Karen
Julie
Sarah
Jodotha
Cali
Goblinqueeen
Princesszeldabelle
Mollydove
Dawn
RoamingTigress
Bitsy
Lieutenant Starlite
Vegakeep
Malkavien
Bubblegumgrl
Jarofpaintbrushes
MegServo
Sáhtibakósh/Jinjue
DareDelvil
Cacomixl
Fuse
Syren
Roaklin
Kat
isoldescheurer
jozedxyqk
Samgirl
Kathleen
Atlantisfan
Those Who Introduced Me to Fan Fiction:
Everyone in the AtlantistheMovie Yahoo! Group
Including, but not exclusive to:
Zudomon
Grim=20Stripper
Kida Grath
Raymond Chuang
Ruggaphile
Dibsdib
Freakhybrid
The Snow Grygon
Jjvo
Lisa
Karen
Julie
Inspiration:
The "Treasure Planet" soundtrack, and thus
The scene rip-offs and character allusions. ;")
God
The Movie and All Those Involved
James Newton Howard, Whose Music Made Me a Fan
Whatever that place is where my mind wanders to and doesn't come back
In Loving Memory:
Smokey Charcoal Briquette
History's Sweetest Hamster
Well, I notice you're still reading. I hope you enjoyed my story, and I hope you can now bare the sequel if you hated it! Yes, I'm still revamping my other stories. Just need to watch a certain good Disney movie that bombed first...
PAH-geh-sheh-nekh
Based off the Disney Picture "Atlantis: the Lost Empire." The Name "Shards of Chaos" is property of Disney. The term "gorlock" is property of Disney Interactive. The characters, "MUH-suh MIH-kee" and Khohbdesheh are my property, and I acknowledge I do not own the names. Fan fiction storyline also my property. Milo Thatch, Kidagakash, Bendoh, Rourke and other characters, names, concepts, and all Atlantean in this story are property of the Walt Disney Company.
Disclaimer: Atlantis: the Lost Empire, and the characters, language, symbols, storylines and titles are property of he Walt Disney Company. This site has been created for entertainment, non-profit purposes only. See sources.
Permission must be granted by the fan authors/artists before their material is to be used. Credit must also be given to the respective author/artist in question. Do so via their e-mail. Questions? Comments? E-mail me at LikeAStar8800yahoo.com.