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The Voyage to Vanuatu (Silverknight and DuskyPrincess)

Marcus looked around as he looked at the compartment, he looked at the books and the furniture and then he looked to the next room and saw the beautiful stuff around. Marcus put down the two bags the he had come how carried from shore as he got to the inner area. He then looked at the button. He figured that it was to start something interesting. He took a deep breath as he knew that this would do something important. It was a big red button with words that were big and then also in english. The person would know that it would be up to him to push the button. he figured this was the hand of fate as it were pushing him along. He put his hand to the button and pushed it as he was ready for this adventure he was here and ready to start.
 
The great glass tube flickered and suddenly, there was the face of an elderly man staring out at Marcus.

"Ah, Marcus, so very glad to meet you," the man said. "Well, in a way, it's good to meet you. I'm not really here, but since the button would only activate this...let's call a magic lantern. I'm sure you've seen one of those magic lantern shows, that can me images. But this is obviously a very, very sophisticated magic lantern."

"Anyway," the face continued, "The magic lantern that you're seeing wouldn't have worked if it wasn't you who pushed that button. And I've got a few things to tell you. So why don't you take a seat and get comfortable. We've got quite a few things to cover."
 
Marcus was taken aback by the glass tube, it was impressive, the tech to make something like that was insane and so far ahead of its time that it was impossible to comprehend. He looked at it as and the elderly man as he blinked and then listened. The man knew who it was and he knew he wouldn't know what was going on in the least. He listened quietly. He nodded his head as he had seen those lantern tricks, but they were nothing compared to this thing. He nodded his head as he found a chair that was nearby, and pulled it up. He wanted to know as much as he could and he figured that he would need a sit down to listen to this. If it was as fantastical as the tube itself or lantern then he would need to keep seat for sure. He wondered if this was somehow a message in this magic fashion. He waited as he had gotten a notepad as well to write on if he needed to take any notes while he got the message.
 
"Comfortable?" the face asked. "Sorry, I really can't see you. Remember, I'm just a magic lantern. Mind you, I'm a very, very special kind of magic lantern, but I'm still a magic lantern."

"Okay, introductions are in order. I'm a distant relative of yours," the face continued. "If I told you how exactly we're related, you wouldn't believe me. Although, considering how I'm communicating with you," the face said with a laugh, "Maybe you might. Anyway, just take my work for it. We're related. And I keep on eye on my relatives. And, believe it or not, you're the relative who has the most potential to get the most out of my estate."

"First of all, let's take where you are," the face continued. "You might be thinking you are on a steamship of some sort. Granted, the navies of the world are doing quite a bit with coal and electricity, and some are experimenting with oil. The vessel you are in is decades beyond this. It utilizes that which Democritus first imagined, and which John Dalton proved. And you are in no mere steam ship. You are in a submarine. One that can go deeper than anyone has ever imagined, for longer than was thought possible.

"You've met the crew, or most of them, I hope," the face continued. "Young orphans two decades ago, and now able to run this submarine...her name is the Bokenshaw, by the way. The submarine's name, anyway. Her commander's name is Koharu, which is not hard to believe. She was the oldest at nine when I found the orphans, and watching out for the rest. The pilot's name is Yuna. Twenty years ago, she was the most inquisitive four year old you ever met, always wanting to know what was around the next corner, and the years haven't changed her. Then there's Hinata, the Bokenshaw's engineer. Always taking things apart and putting them back together. Mostly," the face laughed.

"And finally there's Niko," the face concluded. "Little Niko. If Koharu kept them together, Niko was the one who took care of all their little hurts. My little angels. Well, grown up angels now. And very adept at what they do."

"Now, I'm going to give you a minute to let all that to sink in. That you're on a submarine that the world has never imagined was possible. And it has the ability to take you to my home, and from there...well, there's even more adventure awaiting," the voice said. "But it might be more than you want. So I also have allowed for the possibility that I can give you a chest of gold that will make you rich beyond your dreams. You go back to shore, and the Bokenshaw sails away, never bothering you again."

"Take some time to think...really think, about whether you want adventure, or money. And when you've made your decision, press the red button again, and I'll give you instructions about what you need to do." And with that, the face disappeared.
 
Marcus listened as he leaned forward taking notes as he listened to the words of the man in front of himself a relative of his, distant. That at least made sense why he would show up at this moment in time. He looked at the rigging glass, as he figured it best to not question that fact and roll with it as a man who knew how to make this would know who his family was and wasn't. He listened to the facts about the ship and blinked a submarine. He had heard of them, he knew that no one had made one as well. Well one that worked well. He read a news article about some strange submarine in the Americas that sank with all hands. It was suppose to be tiny and powered by hand. Nothing like this fancy machine that was so beyond that it wasn't even funny.

He nodded when he heard about the crewmen, and smiled as his thoughts about some were proven right, though hearing that Koharu was the commander made a lot of sense in how she had shown him around. He figured that the group was used to working together and a good group. He figured that working with beautiful women was never a bad thing in the least. He listened to the full statement. He took a deep breath, a lot of money was good. He knew that he could turn the money in to more money. He knew that the voice had given him a fair choice on what to do and had been honest.

He took a deep breath as he thought about it more. He didn't really have much family, he had grown up on a boarding school paid for with the remains of his parent's money form what he knew. He then graduated when to college and advanced with a degree. He had not chosen his profession and he knew what he wanted to so in that moment as he went over the possible choices in his mind.

He walked over and pushed the button, it wasn't that hard of a choice as he knew the choice . He knew that life was short, illness and many other things cut people's lives short and at the end of the day what did one have. The money they kept was nice and could provide comfort, but it was money, it would only get so far. He knew if he turned down this chance he would hate himself for the rest of his life. When opportunity strikes one has to grab on and go for it. The chance for adventure, the chance to do things others would never be able to and see things beyond anything else was worth it. He would take this deal as it was a way to make sure he had a life and saw things he only saw in his dreams.
 
The face returned again.

"Well, whatever your decision is, I sincerely wish you good luck in your future," the voice said. "Pushing the button signaled Koharu. She'll be here in a couple of minutes. So here's what you need to do. If you want to leave, tell her 'kin o kure.' Repeat that a couple of times. Kin o kure. Kin o kure."

"However, if you want to stay on the submarine, tell her 'Niko ni tsureteitte.' Try it a couple of times. Niko ni tsureteitte. Niko ni tsureteitte," the face repeated.

The face repeated both phrases a couple of times, then disappeared when Koharu re-entered the compartment, an expectant look on her face.
 
He listened to the words as he heard the words, as he knew this choice, it was not hard to think about and he was sure of his choice. He smiled as he thought about the word. He listened to the words he needed to say. Of course he didn't know them, but he would trust that they were the right ones. He took a few moments and practiced the words a few times himself silently as he said the words to himself, they came out odd, but he practiced to get it at least as good as he could. He was sure he would sound like a complete idiot when he said the words but he would say them none the less.

He looked at her as he looked at Koharu, "Well hmm, let me try to say this right, Niko ni tsureteitte," he said out loud as he hoped that he said it right. He was sure that it was the best he could do at least at that moment as he wanted to stay and he wanted to go on this adventure. He would need to learn this new language soon but that was one more worthy challenge in front of himself.
 
A small little grin appeared on Koharu's face as she replied, "Forō shite kudasai." She stepped out of the compartment and beckoned Marcus to follow.

She let Marcus back to Niko's office. Niko was engrossed in her book when the pair entered. When Koharu told her "Kare wa tomaru koto ni shimashita" Niko excitedly jumped out of her chair. She produced a small glass of water and a red metallic pill, and handed them both to Marcus, an expectant look on her face.
 
He knew that she was excited but again he needed to figure a way to communicate with them as it would be for the best. he followed as he walked figuring that the message was for him to go to Niko now, based on the fact that he said her name in the comment. He walked in and looked at her as she jumped up, surprised by that as he then looked at the water and then he looked at the pill. He wasn't sure what it was, but he figured he might as well down it. He took a the pill and downed it with the full glass of water as he then looked at them and waited for the reaction. He figured that it was some pill for perhaps some unknown illness he could get by being underwater for to long maybe.
 
Niko smiled at Marcus, then pointed at a clock at the wall and shrugged, then went back to reading her book. Koharu frowned and asked Niko, "Kore wa dono kurai kakarimasu ka?"

Niko shrugged and answered, "Sore ga kakaru kagiri. Tada minakereba naranaideshou."

Apparently whatever Niko said didn't meet with Koharu's approval. She huffed, replied, "Watashi wa ichinichijū matsu koto wa dekimasen. Watashi wa shuppatsu no tame ni Bokensaw o junbi shinakereba narimasen." She gave Marcus a curt nod and a smile before departing.

After ten minutes, Niko placed her fingers on Marcus' wrist, nodded at whatever she found and then, without warning, leaned forward and gave Marcus a brief kiss on the lips.

She leaned backed and asked, "Can you understand what I am saying?"
 
He looked at Niko and then looked at the frown on Koharu's face as he looked at her hearing them talk, he had no clue what they were saying to each other. He knew that they had maybe a disagreement as he saw her leave and then blinked as he rested in the chair. He thought about looking though the library but he wasn't sure where he would find a good way to learn this new language in such a short period of time. He looked at Niko as she put her fingers on his wrist figuring that she was taking his pulse, but that was was all he figured she would be doing. The pill some preventive pill of some kind to help him in the future.

The kiss however left him surprised as he blushed a bit as he looked at her as he heard her and he completely understood her and what she had said to him as well. He blinked as he had no idea how he understood her. Was that some tick with the pill he took. "Yes, I do understand you, Miss Niko," he said giving her a smile his face still a bit red as he looked at the ship doctor. "I guess I don't have to go and lock myself away to completely figure out your language," he commented honestly as he knew that would of been challenging and would of taken him a long period of time.
 
Niko laughed. "I suppose you don't. The pill you took allowed you to learn Japanese from a superficial---" Niko frowned as she paused. "Sorry, there's a whole branch of science that Charlie devised concerning about how people inherit traits from their parents and such, and if you don't know the English words for that science, you wouldn't understand the Japanese words. And one of the things about the pill is that it only transfers from a female speaker to a male speaker. So I can teach you Japanese with a kiss, but I couldn't take the red pill and have you teach me English with a kiss. So how do you feel? Besides being able to understand and speak Japanese, that is?"
 
It was rather nice to be able to understand and have a conversation with this woman and he figured now he would be able to talk to the others women as well. He was impressed by the tech to make this. This Charlie was a impressive man a talented inventor and someone who had made some impressive stuff. Marcus smiled a bit as he looked at Niko and then nodded his head. So even the kiss had a purpose to it. That did make a lot of sense and how it wouldn't work the other way was interesting as well. "Well, honestly, my body feels fine, and I am rather excited about being on this ship, it is impressive. Being able to speak with you is good too, and I knew that was going to be needed. I think going on an adventure in this and seeing the unknown will be a jolly time," he commented to her. "Now, let me ask this, did Charlie leave with the supplies ready to get started on a new journey or do we need to stop in at some port first?" he asked curiously. "I brought all my stuff, I don't need to stop anywhere."
 
"For fuel, the Bokensaw....well, let's just say the ship could run for a very long time," Niko said, "And in an emergency, we have a way of making fresh water out of salt water. So fresh food is the only thing we have to stop for. And even then, we have emergency food and plenty of..." Nike paused and sighed. "The bad thing about the pill I gave you is that, if I use a word in Japanese that you don't have a word for in English, my Japanese word for it won't make any sense to you. The red pill I gave you, not only did it let you learn Japanese, it also contained organic compounds to help maintain and vitalize your body."

Niko pulled out a very slim stethoscope. "Yes, I know, it doesn't look like the bulky ones you've seen, but trust me, it's quite advanced." Nike put the metal to Marcus' chest and continued talking. "We actually have a base in the Pacific which....well, you'll have to see it to believe it. We could cruise underwater the whole way there. Do you have any scars or wounds I should know about?" she asked, leaning back.
 
He listened as he thought about her words, it made sense for the ship to have such things on it. he listened as he wasn't sure what it would be but he knew that the pill was special, and apparently it help him as he nodded his head. He would figure it out on his own in time as he looked at her and then nodded his head. He knew that she was well honest with him, and this was all stuff that was beyond what he knew about. He would trust they knew how it worked as he learned about it and he figured out to help out the most he could manage. "I don't have any wounds and only a small burn mark on my hand from when I was learning a bit on how to cook for myself and burned my hand a little bit," he said pointing to the small scar on the backside of his hand a faint line that was there in that moment.

"I think that we should head to this base, I think seeing it and figuring things out there would be great, plus it would be ideal as I am sure that I can use that time of the trip to learn more about the ship and more about how it works and well more about this new world I am entering over all," he commented as he was still very excited as he wasn't sure about what all he would see. Yet he was sure that it would all be rather amazing and a great chance to improve himself and a chance to have a real life.
 
"You'll need to work that out with Koharu," Nika said, peering into Marcus' ears. "Though when she's on duty, it's always Commander. Even Charlie called her Commander," Niko chuckled. "She was working under Charlie's orders concerning you, ones he issued before he disappeared. "I just know I was to give you the pill if you decided to stay. All the orders about picking you up and such, only Koharu has those."

Koharu pressed her ear against Marcus' back, listened for a second, then leaned back. She thumped Marcus on the back a couple of times for good measures.

"Charlie might have left you some other messages and study materials in your cabin. I'll be the best one to help you plunge through those. And unless one of us is with you, it would be best not to go wandering around the boat. Lots of way to get into trouble. Between here and your cabin is the only place you should walk by yourself, until you know the submarine better. And lots of things to teach you, such as how to call other people."

Niko walked over to a small wire grid and pressed one of the buttons by it.

"Bridge," a voice said from the wire grid.

"Yuna, is Koharu there? Our passenger wants to talk to her," Niko said.

"She's getting the boat stored away before we commence," the voice answered. "I'm ready to meet our passenger too. He looked cute when he came aboard!"

Niko winked at Marcus and replied, "Better watch what you say, Yuna. He understands Japanese now."

There was a little laugh from the wire grid before the voice answered, "Thanks for the warning. Bridge out."

"If you'll hop on that table over there," Niko asked, "I want to check your reflexes. And our Commander should be down shortly. By the way, are you a virgin?"
 
So Charlie had gone missing, that made sense, and as he sat there he was able to learn a bit more. He knew that listening was as important as speaking as he sat there being attended by the beautiful doctor. He was not going to complain about that ever. He nodded his head as he understood his limitations on where to go while he was learning and the reasoning behind that as well. He turned a bit read at being called cute in that moment. He slowly got to his feet. He heard the last question and turned a bit more red as he walked over to the table and sat down on top of it.

He had grown up in a boarding school and a university. Women and men didn't go to the same school and well he went to a all men's boarding school. He had made friends with girls who would come to the schools he went to, but they were never anything more than friends as most were someone's girlfriend and he wasn't the type to try to steal someone else's girl from them. He looked over to Niko, "Yeah, that is correct, i have never had sex with anyone before," he told her honestly as he grew up in a very stick society, where sex was looked down on and well only allowed when one was married, something that made it very common in the young male population at the time at least in the class that Marcus happened to be in. He still was blushing a good deal as he made the statement.
 
"Not to worry," Niko sad kindly. "Your entire crew here are virgins as well. The rest will be jealous that I[m the one who had the opportunity to get her first kiss. Okay, you check out fine. I'm going to give you a...let's call it a vital amino compound...once a day. It will keep you healthy, and should actually increase your energy level. And I'll monitor your health, just to make sure there aren't any side effects."

"So, Marcus. while we wait for our Commander to arrive, do you have any other questions?" Niko asked.
 
Marcus listened as he thought about it. "Well, thank you for the help, I am sure that having your help will be good. Let me go over a couple of things quickly and make sure I got things right. Charlie is lost, somewhere along the road he went missing. He was the genius who figured this all out with your help of course," he commented as he looked at her making sure he had all the information down. "Secondly, you are made up of a doctor, a commander a pilot and a engineer, each of you is skilled as I have seen. Then you travel from a based that is super impressive," he said making sure that he had it all right and that he had not mixed up any information

"Well, where is your kitchen, I was curious about that, as you would need one on a long trip, second, is there any other warnings about the compoud, should I feel funny at all naturally after taking it," he asked as he paused for a moment, "Lastly since you kissed me and I can hear and talk in Japanese does that ability go towards the ability to read it or will I need to just work on learning that the natural way," he asked curious about a few things as he sat up. "Also, it was a honor to share a first kiss with you, Niko, I look forward to working with you in the future."
 
"Writing is in a different part of the brain, so I'm afraid it's just speech," Niko explained. "And there is actually a very good technical reason why I can transfer one and not the other, but if you understood the science behind it, I wouldn't have to explain why there's a difference," Niko laughed.

"The good news is that, even although all the manuals on the submarine are in Japanese, there are master manuals on all the technology and science Charlie developed. Unfortunately, it's in Latin. Which I can read and write, but not speak," Niko added.

"And Charlie's not lost. At least I hope he isn't. He knows exactly where he is, and wants to be there. The rest of us just don't know where he is. Or at least I don't," Niko said thoughtfully.

"But yes, each one of us has a specific job, but we have a lot of cross training too. A lot of the submarine is made up of...have you ever seen one of those windup toys?" Niko asked. "It's like that. Except very, very advanced. Lots of gears and other stuff on the submarine let's one person do the job of a lot of people."

"If you suddenly feel very, very jittery, let me know," Niko told Marcus. "But otherwise, I'm not too worried. And we can go check out the galley. Just as soon as our Commander shows up."
 
"Yeah that actually makes sense," he said with a nod of his head, he knew that the speaking part of the brain and the reading part of the brain were different, he had learned that in school, and well it would make sense he couldn't read it naturally. he would have to figure it out in time and that was something he could work on. He also knew that he could also read latin as it was part of any classical education such as he had received himself. He had been forced to learn Greek and Latin and well he knew English of course naturally before this event had happened.

He smiled at her explanation of the ship as he thought about it for a moment. "Good, so the ship is automated I am guessing you explaining, yeah, that does make sense how a sub would work with a small crew. It also explained the things he had seen in the hallway. He figured that it was designed to work with them and help them by being easy to use. "Now, it is good to know that I should be fine, and a meal wouldn't be bad, I have eaten at all today," he said with a smile blushing a bit at admitting that small fact. "I was rather excited about what the letter said and well couldn't eat as I was to excited to really sit still all day."
 
"He speaks Japanese now," a voice from the compartment's entrance. Koharu was standing there, smiling. "Good. Niko, go ahead and take him to the galley. We'll be departing in fifteen minutes. I'll be rather busy for awhile after that Any questions I can answer for you, Marcus?"
 
Marcus nodded his head, "Yes, I understand, I look forward to talking with you later, Kaharu," he said with a kind and friendly smile. Getting a ship started he figured was the hardest thing about running a ship. He remembered when he went to France when he was younger and he remembered the people working really hard to get the ship underway. It was the most frantic part of the journey really. Even with the machines to help, he figured she would have a good bit to do. He thought for a moment, "Well, anything you can tell me to help me learn more about the ship would be good, we can talk that over, as I want to learn everything I can on the trip to this base," he explained as he did want to learn a lot more as he wanted to help out and pull his own weight as it were in time when he knew enough to be able to do so.
 
"Well, barring any complications, we'll be home in three weeks time," Koharu responded. "If there's no further questions, tide and time wait for no woman. Niko, make sure you explain to him about the klaxons." Niko gave a nod and the other woman departed.
 
He looked at Koharu and nodded his head as he figured that he would have those three weeks to figure things out and get used to the life on the submarine. He had a lot of work ahead of himself and he would need to learn a lot in three weeks. He waved to Koharu as she took her leave to get the ship started, she seemed like a commander who would know how to handle a lot of situations. He got to his feet as he then looked to Niko. "Now, if you don't mind Niko, would you please show me to the galley, I can't wait to have something to eat. I am sure then I can get to work organizing my things, it itself will take me a bit, I think. I have perhaps new books you haven't had a chance to read," he mused to her as he gave her a smile figuring that she might like the idea of having something new to read.
 
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