The stasis bay hummed with a low, steady thrum, the sound of ancient technology waking from its own long slumber. Rows of cylindrical pods lined the walls, their crystalline surfaces dark and waiting, each one connected to a web of pulsating tubes and cables that carried the soft glow of amber fluid. The air was cool and carried the faint, metallic scent of sterilized metal and the barest whisper of ozone from the power conduits.
Galit stood before the main control console, his long neck curved in that loose, observant S-curve as he studied the data streaming across Halia's holographic display. His stylus tapped against his slate in a nervous rhythm, leaving a trail of tiny ink dots.
"Coordinate lock is confirmed," he said, his voice low and focused. "Hantore Current entry point is three hundred meters below our current position. The thermal gradient readings are... extreme."
Halia materialized beside him, her silver-blue hair drifting in that unfelt current, her whirlpool eyes calm and steady. "The vessel's hull can withstand the pressure. The stasis fields will protect your organic forms. I have run the simulations seventeen thousand times. The probability of successful transit is ninety-seven point eight percent."
Galit raised an eyebrow. "And the other two point two percent?"
Halia's expression didn't change. "Are statistically insignificant."
"That's not what I asked."
"No. But it is what you needed to hear."
Across the bay, the crew was beginning to move toward their assigned pods. The reality of what they were about to do hung in the air, unspoken but heavy.
Eliane walked slowly, her small hand gripping Jannali's sleeve. Her silver hair was loose, falling around her face in soft waves, and her blue eyes were wide, darting from pod to pod as if each one was a mouth waiting to swallow her whole.
"Jannali," she whispered, her voice small. "What if we don't wake up?"
Jannali looked down at the girl, her brown eyes softening. She squeezed Eliane's hand gently. "Listen here, little one. It's just a nap. A bloody long nap, sure, but a nap all the same. You close your eyes, you dream about whatever makes you happy, and then you open them and we're at Reverse Mountain. Simple as that."
"But what if the machine breaks? What if something goes wrong and we're stuck in there forever?"
Jannali crouched down, bringing herself to Eliane's level. She reached out and tapped the girl on the nose. "Then I'll be right there next to you, won't I? Stuck together. And I'll spend the whole time telling you stories teaching you how to throw a boomerang. It'll be bonza."
A large, rust-red hand descended and patted Eliane gently on the head. Atlas stood over her, his blue sapphire eyes glowing faintly with that inner light. His grin was easy, warm.
"Don't overthink it, kid," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Just think about how fun dreamland will be. You ever had a dream where you could fly? Where the clouds were made of candy and the sea was all sparkly?"
Eliane blinked up at him. "No..."
"Well, tonight's your night. Trust me." He ruffled her hair and stepped back. "Now come on. Pod's waiting."
Eliane took a deep breath, nodded, and climbed into her cylinder. The moment her body touched the cushioned interior, the machine hummed to life. The crystal door slid up from the floor, sealing with a soft hiss. Inside, the amber fluid began to rise, filling the chamber, surrounding her. Her eyes went wide for a moment, then fluttered closed as the stasis field took hold.
---
Bō-Zak leaned against a console, his tattered awayo shawl draped over one shoulder, his gold-flecked eyes sparkling with mischief. He watched Aurélie approach her pod, her silver hair swaying with each measured step, her hand resting on Anathema's hilt.
"So," he said, his voice carrying that lazy, flirtatious drawl, "what are you going to dream about, then?"
Aurélie raised an eyebrow, her expression flat. She opened her mouth to deliver what would surely be a cutting response, but before she could speak—
"I know what I'm going to dream about!"
Vesta bounced between them, her rainbow hair a riot of color, her violet eyes shining with absolute, unshakeable joy. She struck a dramatic pose, one arm sweeping out, the other pressed to her chest, her face tilted toward an imaginary spotlight.
"Me and Uta!" she announced. "Playing on stage together! The whole world watching! Mikasi and I, and Uta's voice filling the sky, and everyone singing along, and—" She paused, her distant expression going even more dreamy. "It will be so epic!"
She squealed, clapping her hands together, and spun in a little circle, her platform boots clicking on the metal floor.
Atlas walked up behind her, his grin widening. He gently took her by the shoulders and steered her toward her pod. "Okay, songbird. Let's hurry up and get you to dreamland, yeah?"
Vesta bounced as she walked, looking back at him. "I know, right? It's going to be great! I can't wait!"
She climbed into her pod, still chattering, and Atlas sealed the door with a shake of his head.
Bō-Zak chuckled, watching her go. He glanced over his shoulder at Marya, who stood apart from the group, her arms crossed, her golden eyes tracking the preparations with that calm, observant stillness.
"You sure you want to rush to Reverse Mountain?" he called out. "Forty-five days of cruising, good food, good company..." He winked. "Could be worse."
Marya raised an eyebrow. "I'm in a hurry. I'm not interested in wasting time."
Aurélie, now standing beside her pod, nodded once. "Agreed."
Bō-Zak opened his mouth, a clever retort already forming on his lips, but Aurélie's pod door was already sliding shut. He stepped forward, rapping his knuckles on the crystal.
"See you when you wake up—"
Aurélie's eyes were already closed, her expression serene. She ignored him completely.
Bō-Zak sighed, a theatrical, long-suffering sound. "Tough crowd."
---
Across the bay, Sanza was attempting to climb into his pod with all the dignity an eight-year-old in a parka could muster. His red hair stuck up at even more ridiculous angles than usual, and his heavy Gallagher eyebrows were drawn together in deep concentration.
Jelly bounced behind him, his translucent blue body wobbling with each movement. "Bloop! Nap time!"
Sanza paused, one leg inside the pod. He turned to Marya, who was walking toward them to help secure him.
"If I have to fart while I'm asleep in there," he said, his voice carrying that high-crust, affected British accent, "does the machine suck it out, or do I just wake up smelling like my own butt?"
Marya's expression didn't change. She reached into the pod and began adjusting the restraints. "The filtration system cycles the atmosphere. You'll be fine."
Sanza considered this. He climbed the rest of the way in, then froze. "What if I get an itch on my nose right after you lock the lid? Am I just going to suffer for a hundred years?"
Marya pressed a button on the pod's interior. A soft light began to glow. "The stasis field suppresses nerve signals. You won't feel it."
Sanza's eyes narrowed. "What if I—"
"Is there a 'bathroom' button?" he interrupted himself. "Because I drank a lot of juice earlier, and I feel like this is a bad time to mention it. But it is."
Before Marya could respond, a sharp, sibilant voice cut through the air from the pod beside them.
"The stasis fluid is a perfluorocarbon emulsion that supports respiratory function while rendering the digestive and excretory systems dormant. You will not need a 'bathroom button,' as you so crudely put it. Now cease your prattling and lie down."
Dr. Zip H. Scatyl stood in his open pod, his small, needle-sharp horns gleaming, his wide yellowish eyes fixed on Sanza with an expression of pure, distilled irritation. His black gloves were already on, his stethoscope hung around his neck, and his entire bearing radiated a desperate need for silence.
Sanza blinked. "What's his problem? I was just asking."
Marya glanced over at the Ogre doctor, one eyebrow raised. Dr. Zip met her gaze, his lips pressed into a thin line, and then he turned away, lowering himself into his pod with a huff. The door slid shut, and within seconds, his eyes fluttered closed, his face relaxing into something almost peaceful.
Marya's lips twitched. She turned back to Sanza.
Jelly had already bounced into the pod next to the boy, his gelatinous body spreading out to fill the space. He grinned his permanent toothy grin. "Bloop!"
Marya leaned down, looking at the two of them. "See you in twelve hours."
Sanza opened his mouth, clearly with another question ready, but the pod door was already descending. It sealed with a soft hiss, and the amber fluid began to rise. His eyes went wide, his lips formed the first syllable of some query, and then his expression went slack as sleep took him.
Jelly's grin remained, even as his eyes closed. "Bloo—"
The word died in a soft sigh.
---
At the far end of the bay, Bianca knelt beside a junction box, her sonic wrench in one grease-stained hand, her magnifying goggles pushed up on her forehead. Wires sparkled faintly as she made her final adjustments, her waist-length black hair escaping its messy bun in ever-greater quantities.
She sat back on her heels, surveyed her work, and nodded. Standing, she wiped her hands on her overalls—her floral blouse, visible, as always, beneath her unbuttoned overalls—and announced to the room at large:
"So, like, we should be, like, all set."
Charlie, who had been hovering nearby with his leather satchel clutched to his chest, cleared his throat. "Ahem! I must insist you triple-check the—"
Bianca cut him off with a wave of her wrench. "Like, chill. I like got this. Systems are, like, a go and stuff."
She walked past him, heading toward the main group, completely ignoring his sputtering protests. Charlie followed, his pith helmet bobbing with agitation.
"But the mathematical models I've reviewed suggest a potential instability in the—"
"Like, I hear you," Bianca interrupted again, not breaking stride. "But like, this is the safest way."
Charlie's voice rose. "The safest way would be to invest the time for the forty-five days of travel! We could run continuous diagnostics, monitor all systems, ensure—"
Bianca rolled her eyes. "Like, whatever. Then we have to, like, stop for supplies and stuff, and like, other stuff could like keep us from getting to this other power holder or whatever."
Charlie opened his mouth to argue further, but they had reached the others. Marya stood with Atlas and Galit, the three of them studying a holographic display Halia had projected.
Charlie cleared his throat. "Ahem! Marya, I really must—"
Marya looked at him. Her golden eyes were calm, unreadable. "If you want, I can leave you here."
Charlie's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. He adjusted his glasses, his face cycling through several expressions before settling on a strained, diplomatic smile.
"Upon further consideration," he said, his voice slightly higher than normal, "there are... distinct advantages to expedited travel. Yes. The Hantore Current, while dangerous, does offer a unique opportunity for... for rapid translocation. Quite valuable. Very... efficient."
Marya's lips curved into a faint smirk. She said nothing.
Galit tapped his slate with his stylus, the sound sharp in the quiet. "Systems are a go. Navigation is locked in. After our nap, we should wake up right at Reverse Mountain."
Halia materialized beside them, her form shimmering softly. "We are in the optimal position for Hantore Current travel. Once I have verified all life signs are stable, the AI navigation systems will initiate the transit sequence."
Bianca nodded, tucking her wrench into her tool holster. "So, like, I like ensured the failsafe systems are, like, one hundred percent functional and stuff. We should, like, sleep like a baby."
Charlie swallowed audibly. His eyes darted to the rows of pods, then back to the group.
Atlas stepped forward and clapped a heavy hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Come on, professor. Let's get you locked in."
Charlie attempted to protest, but Atlas's grip was gentle but immovable. He was steered toward an empty pod, his satchel clutched to his chest, his protests dying into resigned muttering.
Marya looked at Bianca and Galit. "Alright. See you in twelve hours."
Bianca nodded. "Like, copy." She turned and walked toward her own pod, her boots clicking on the metal floor.
Galit met Marya's eyes for a moment. There was something unspoken there—the weight of command, the trust that the ship would carry them through. He gave a small nod and moved to his pod.
Marya stood alone for a moment, looking at the rows of sleeping forms. Eliane, peaceful in her cylinder. Jannali, her headscarf still in place, her expression relaxed. Atlas, already snoring softly, his fur rising and falling with each breath. Vesta, a smile on her face, probably already dreaming of Uta. Aurélie, serene and beautiful even in sleep. Bianca, giving a thumbs up through her glass before her eyes closed. Bō-Zak, a lazy grin still on his lips. Dr. Zip, finally free from Sanza's questions, his face slack with rest. Sanza and Jelly, side by side, the boy's red hair a splash of color, the jelly's blue form shimmering faintly.
Halia floated beside Marya, her voice soft. "The sequence for sleep awakening has been established. Once we have cleared the Hantore Current, you will be the first to return to consciousness."
Marya nodded. She walked to her pod, her boots silent on the floor. The cylinder was open, waiting. She stepped inside, the cushioned interior molding to her form. Through the crystal, she could see Halia hovering, watching.
Her final order came quietly, calmly, with the weight of absolute trust.
"The ship is yours. See we get to the other side."
Halia inclined her head. "Understood."
The door slid up from the floor. The amber fluid began to rise. Marya closed her eyes.
The last thing she heard was the soft hiss of the seal, and then nothing.
---
Halia floated in the center of the bay, her form flickering gently as she ran the final diagnostic. One hundred and twenty pods. Four-teen stable life signs. The ship's systems hummed around her, ready and waiting.
She glanced at the holographic display. The Hantore Current glowed beneath them, a fiery ribbon of heat and pressure, waiting to carry them through the heart of the world.
"AI systems active," she murmured to herself. "Crew secure. Beginning descent."
The ship tilted, just slightly, and began to sink.
Behind her, in the silence of the stasis bay, four-teen souls slept on, dreaming their dreams, trusting the ancient vessel to carry them safely through the fire.
And in the pod next to Sanza, Jelly's form rippled once, twice, and then settled.
A single bubble escaped his lips and floated to the top of the cylinder, where it popped with a soft, silent bloop.
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