Everglow: The Trials Of Agaron

4 - All Aboard

"To the left over here is the main shopping center. Usually it's so dammed crowded you can barely breath. But it's a pretty sight when the sun goes down and everyone is at home."

Fischer watched a big bright sign as different symbols of what looked like alien foods flashed around on the building that Kori was pointing towards. It sat in the middle of what looked like an enormous plaza. Enormous pillars sat all around them, their main body was coloured a deep jet black. White sheets of smooth metal curved all around them, almost glowing a with a magical blue aura around them. Lush green shrubs grew in small curved troughs all around the plaza and there were small pools of bright blue glowing liquid scattered around everywhere. 

"Th-this place is incredible," Ko mumbled. Her eyes were hypnotized by the sheer scale of the plaza as well as the incredible aura that surrounded them. 

"Yea, it is really nice. You'd be hard pressed to find another location like this anywhere else in the Epsilon sector," Quin stated.

Fischer was equally as lost for words as Ko. The plaza looked to be at least twice the size of a runway. The sheer scale sent shivers down his spine and an uneasy feeling crept its way into his stomach as he gazed up at the towering pillars that seemed to watch over them. 

They were like ancient giants, always watching but never interfering with the business of the ants that scurried down below. 

"What's this place called?" he asked.

"The Lagoon. It's a newer addition to the city actually, was only built around fifty plates ago," Kori replied.

Fischer still had no idea how long a plate actually was, but now wasn't really the time to be comparing who had the bigger year.

"It's amazing honestly. I've never seen anything like it," he exclaimed. 

"Well, I guess if you really are from Earth then there are a lot of things you'd never have seen before," Kori jested. 

"Well. . . yea. All of this is new to me. It honestly feels like I'm dreaming," he stated.

"Well dream or not, we should get a move on," Quin said.

"Agreed. C'mon, the docks are just down here. I must warn you though, I hope you're not afraid of going too fast," Kori pointed down towards the shoreline. Fischer could just make out the shape of what appeared to be some sort of pier. 

"W-why. . . why not?" Ko fearfully mumbled. Kori noticed her fear and responded with a huge smile. Despite his less than cuddly appearance, from what Fischer had seen so far he seemed to be nothing more than a big, orange, shark-like teddy bear. Something that came as one hell of a relief to the tiny human. 

"Heh, because these things aren't built to be slow. I take it neither of you have ever been in one before?"

Ko and Fischer both shook their heads.

"Well let me tell you they're basically what happens when to take a boat, strap wings to it and then give it a hyper-tear fusion engine."

Fischer felt the colour slightly drain from his face. He looked over at Ko and saw her pupils had gone from big and round, to slit and straight. 

"Uhh. . . well. . . sounds fun?" he quavered. 

Kori let out a booming laugh, his shoulders shaking up and down, "Yea, well once you get used to it, you'll have a blast. Just need to get your sea legs first."

--\/--

"All aboard!" Kori eagerly shouted, vaulting the side of the vessel and jumping in. He hit the floor with a harsh 'thud', and Fischer watched with an uneasy stomach as the ekranoplan rocked backwards and forwards in the calm ocean. 

The vessel was bizarre to say the least. It looked like a speedboat on earth. However along the sides it had two thick but stubby wings that rested atop the water helping to keep it afloat. where a normal boat's stern would end, the ekranoplan's stern tapered down into a cone like shape. It had two large wings that jutted out from the rear of the stern at a 45 degree angle. Two smaller wings sat beneath them, similar in shape to the large wings that ran along the side of the craft. But the main feature the vessel boasted was the four engines that stuck out from two supports at the top, just above the canopy where the skipper sat. 

As Kori took his seat, Quin was the next in. She effortlessly jumped into the boat, landing with as much grace as her partner. 

Next was Ko. Peering over the side of the metallic jetty, she gulped slightly as she saw the ocean below. Thoughts of almost drowning in the river came flooding back into her mind and her knees became weak and wobbly. She shivered slightly as Quin held her hand out too her for support. 

"Not  much of a sea dog are ya?" She chuckled. "Don't you worry, just grab my hand and take a step. I won't let ya fall," she explained in a surprisingly consoling voice. Ko turned to Fischer, who gave her a slight nod. He walked up behind her and gently placed his hands just above her hips for support. 

"It's alright buddy, I gotcha." 

With one last breath in, she flung herself towards the vessel. Her foot landed on the side of the boat and Quin caught her in her arms before she could fall any further. Gently, she released her grip and Ko stood upright. 

"Now then, your turn Fischer," Quin chirped.

With a little more confidence than Ko, he placed his foot on the side of the vessel and propelled himself forwards, landing next to Quin who braced his fall with her arms. 

"Look at that! You're a natural!" She giggled. 

"Right, y'all should find a seat. It's about to get bumpy!" Kori called from the skipper's seat. The three of the all found places to sit, Quin next to Kori in the co-pilot's seat and Ko and Fischer along some seats that ran parallel to the side of the vessel. Strapping themselves in, they gazed around the inside of the strange boat before Kori's voice one again boomed out.

"Alright guys, make sure you're holding onto something! Once we hit GE speeds then you can relax a little."

"What's GE speed?" Fischer asked.

"Ground effect speed. It's where the fun begins!" Quin stated with gleaming smile.

"Alright, engines on. You might want to cover your ears," Kori said. Fischer watched as he fiddled with different futuristic looking controls until eventually he grasped what looked like an engine control throttle. And as soon as he pulled it back. . .

"ROAAAAARRR!"

The engines exploded into life. Fischer clenched his ears and teeth as he looked up. Through the transparent skylight and windows he could see streaks of bright blue and green flame spitting out the back of the engines. The ekranoplan jumped forwards and the water around them started to move.

"Here we go! Hold on tight!" Kori yelled over the nose of the engines. 

Faster and faster they went, the water below them now nothing but a blur. 

Suddenly, Fischer got a strange feeling in his stomach, like it was sinking. Looking over the side of the vehicle, he realised they were no longer on the water. 

"GE speeds achieved! Cutting engine power to cruise!" Kori bellowed. Yanking the throttle, the engines started to calm down. The noise went from jet engine loud to barely louder than an average car. 

"Ahhhh!" 

Fischer snapped over to Ko, her scream filling him with terror. However Quin and Kori just sat there with smiles on their faces. 

"Ko what's wrong!?" He urgently asked. 

"W-we. . . we're flying!"