80 Days: Under the Waves

by Sharp Spark

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“Then go check on it,” my mistress said. “Take the little one too. She can swim, so you can send her back if you run into trouble.”

Crankshaft frowned, but nodded. He began struggling into the diving suit, while Minnow hopped around, overcome with excitement. Finally, he put on the large circular helmet, connecting it up to the oxygen tanks on his back. He clipped a line onto the suit and then he and Minnow stepped out into the airlock.

I watched them disappear into the murky darkness, following one of the cables snaking out in that direction.

“Porter,” my mistress said, as she ran a hoof across the control board, “can you pilot this vessel?”

“Of course,” I said. “Shall we be off?”
I grasped her meaning. “Yes, but…”