6
On the date of submission everyone looked happy about their efforts. Even Peter had managed to get his in on time, possibly turning over a new leaf. At 4 p.m. all assignments were collected and sent to Mark who was more than a little surprised to notice the absence of Chris Paton’s. When he didn’t show for the following lecture Mark asked a few of his pupils to get in contact. A week later he phoned Chris himself. The phone was dead. He contacted his parents who also hadn’t heard from him in over two weeks at which point it became a police matter.
Over at their high-rise home Rob and Tom were interviewed. Rob was particularly nervous, like he expected to be the victim of a miscarriage of justice insisting that “We hardly hung out that much,” while Tom was much calmer, “I think the last time I saw him was five days ago, but we only really spoke for brief periods in the kitchen or during the odd tele show. He kept himself to himself.” Rob was on the cusp of telling them he remembered Chris had said something about a fairground when the other officer came out of Chris’s room examining photos of that very place. On the back of them strange passages, repeated over and over.
Upon reaching their destination they confirmed a breach of entry. The first real clue was both easily found and had a whiff of finality about it. There was the camera and stand beside Crazy Mouse. Chris however wasn’t found, not this week, or the next. You didn’t have to be the superstitious type to think, if even for the slightest moment, that something alien had intervened. The police also discovered that dairy, the similar notes in it, but saw no good in publicising this as it “would only spawn more wild rumours that could torment family members.” There was not much more they could do except replace the old fence with a much stronger one and weld it to new supports. It was tough for everyone, for Chris’ parents, flatmates and class buddies which included a teary-eyed Claire. Mark organised a minutes silence and planned to get a memorial bench installed. One of Beasley’s many newsagents kept its locals updated with sidewalk headlines. Today’s ran thus:
SEARCH FOR MISSING STUDENTS ENDS
NO CLOSURE FOR FAMILY
The old man had bought each one for the past month. Rolling up this issue with a heavy heart he remembered the polite boy he had spoken to and ditched the pavement for sand, walking beside that elevated bridge. It was a nice spring day. He got within fifty metres of the fairground and let Percy off the leash who ran around barking at seagulls. The old man looked out over a calm sea. He pulled out a flower and threw it where the shore could claim it. A moment was taken to say a prayer, and re-evaluate his beliefs concerning Mr Tindall’s disappearance.
Pioneer-3000
Pioneer-3000 was the name of the latest submersible to descend into the lowest point on earth’s crust, or, to put it a more tellingly, to dive as deep underwater as an airplane soars above ground. At 1000 metres you enter complete darkness, usually a sign that you have reached a boundary; in this case there are still 10,000 to go. Three hours later this fall through oblivion ceases. Artificial light details a plume of sediment, then a sea bed. They help human eyes observe a truly hostile world. Each operation must fall well within the submersibles limitations, for if there was the slightest hiccup eight tons per square inch threaten to instantly reduce the explorers to a pink mush. These are the basics with which we try to paint a picture, but only a few souls can comment. The latest members of this elite club who do know, who possessed the right blend of expertise and curiosity go by the names of Julian Fletcher and Gottfried Bruhn.
An English submarine officer who lived for the adventure his job offered, Julian was a pro-active, engaging sort of person; a family man who enjoyed home as much for the respite as to tell his kids what he had been up to. He hoped that, by the time old age had set in for keeps, the consolation would be several lifetimes’ worth of great tales to tell. His German diving partner was an oceanographer who much preferred the analytical side, to firm up on hypothesis and convert unknown territory into tangible fact. You could go as far to say Gottfried saw himself as little more than a cog to further science. His other great interest lay in deep-sea gigantism which was the determining factor in him volunteering. A shared love for the ocean ensured that their differences as people were more interesting than annoying.
Three years’ passed before setting the date. During this period of testing and pinpointing exactly where it is they must descend, Julian and Gottfried came to know each other. Evening dinners concluded with airing their daily thoughts. The more dominant personality, Julian would usually go first to talk about what projects he’d like to do next, recite funny instances while learning his trade and finish up with his next family get together – to see his wife and “two little princesses”. Gottfried always received Julian’s words with the same smile, warm but short-lived. Not having or wishing for a family himself he fixed his mind onto what it rarely deviating from, namely the deep sea and its deep secrets. When he inevitably got onto deep sea gigantism that is when Julian didn’t mind joining in.
“We know vertebrates exist down there from the original recordings,” said the Englishman as he picked up the last piece of bread on his plate, “but that flatfish was said to be no more than a foot long.”
“Yes?” said Gottfried, waiting for the point.
“At that depth, with the lack of oxygen and food resources, how much larger could a vertebrate be? Realistically I mean, going from what you know?”
“Well I must first say that what I know about those depths is as vague as most peoples. It appears to be very desolate but then it’s a mile wide. None of the divers have enjoyed the kind of thorough examination the Pioneer allows for.” He straightened his posture. “The good thing is if we don’t see anything that doesn’t mean that there aren’t larger vertebrates down there.”
“The mating habits of Blue Whales are not well documented,” hinted Julian.
“And Sperm Whales dive well into the midnight zone for giant squid, so there’s a couple of anomalies there. But for zomething truly big to dwell tens of thousands of feet down,” Gottfried’s accent came through whenever he got enthusiastic, “aside from the issue of vhether it’s physiologically possible, surely that would mean there is a unique ecosystem down there of vich we have yet to encounter.”
“Well, it’s a good thing we’re not just going there for deep sea safari!”
Gottfried flashed that brief smile and wrapped the conversation up by going through tomorrow’s agenda.
With less than a year to go the big news was the implosion of an unmanned submersible due to extreme pressure, a stark reminder of the primary danger and the reason why testing was paramount. When the appointed date came around both Julian and Gottfried were 100% confident in Pioneers safety and its capacity to explore when grounded. After the ships sonar had located a good spot using the principle of echolocation it was time for the pilots to inhabit their means of transportation.
Influenced by the latest design, Pioneer-3000 was tube-shaped to quicken descent time. Its pilots had to climb inside the chamber, a pressure sphere that offered just about enough room for them to operate the manual controls, but first they had to strap themselves in as the submersible was lifted so that it may be placed in the ocean. The waters were quite choppy on this particular day. Air bags had been applied to keep it horizontal which were then removed by snorkelers so it could take on its correct, vertical position, and as it did so did its pilots. Julian and Gottfried looked out into the blue when the signal was given to remove the last air bag. “Here we go,” said Julian. Gottfried gave him a nod.
For the first 1000 metres they didn’t say much. Whatever differences existed outside of work had no bearing now as the pilots kept an eye on battery power, oxygen levels and depth reading. Julian recorded progress on a ‘dive log’. He could also contact the mothership at any point of the operation - on standby in case of any issues like the weights not releasing which must be done if they are to escape the sea bed. Twenty minutes in and they had officially crossed the mid
night zone. One of the few things to indicate you were falling beside the reader was bits of sediment floating upwards, the strangest sensation to one unaccustomed like falling into an endless night sky. Because they had the option to explore for upwards of ten hours there was plenty of food on board, mainly energy bars that Julian pecked at. Gottfried was placid until the first trickle of bioluminescent creatures.
Jellyfish, tiny squid, all kinds of transparent oddities appeared. Some sparkled like fanciful constellations. Others pulsated with every colour in the rainbow. Gottfried got himself closer to the small, circular Plexiglas and began noting each creature. Julian was bowled over at the speed his German compadre could identify species. “I see a Deiopea Comb Jelly…… Tomopteris…there’s an Atolla Jelly……Julian look…a viperfish.” This last creature was one to seize a child’s eye with its gapping mouth and needle teeth. As the bioluminescent creatures tailed off Pioneer’s pilots grew conscious of the new regions they were entering. In just over an hour the halfway point was reached.
There was much more looking at the depth reading than outside throughout the remaining journey which rarely altered its theme of endless blackness. As the reading began to approach the motherships sonar’s figure Julian and Gottfried tensed their brows in this chilly, claustrophobic space which would, in normal circumstances, be rather unpleasant - were they not absorbed by the prospect of hitting earth’s lowest point. Julian reported they had a visual on the seabed. Auto-altitude prevented them from actually touching down but that did not stop them from displacing the pale sediment which covered this largely unknown frontier. They loitered until it settled. Next came what they had come here for. They began to move.
The powerful lighting system reached thirty metres into the distance. Julian manned a snazzy dual control system to slowly manoeuvre Pioneer across the sea bed. Gottfried focused on picking up any organic matter. Twenty minutes in this unique survey had uncovered a couple of lifeforms though well known to already exist here – snailfish and amphipods. Keeping his gaze where the light shone, sometimes dictating to Julian, Gottfried saw something. “Some discolouration, about thirty metres ahead.”
“Umm…oh yeah. I got it.”
They made their way to what appeared as a black squiggle etched into the floor. The next details to reveal themselves were little strokes, shooting off horizontally from the main line. Closer still and what was a squiggle was in fact several metres long. “Uh-huh. Yes. I see.” Julian looked at Gottfried for the verdict. “It’s the decomposing remains of some kind of vertebrate.” He started to speak to himself. “Delicate bone structure, essential for these depths, possibly some breed of viperfish.”
“Man, it’s a shame we didn’t get to see that one in the flesh,” remarked Julian, using his controls to get Pioneer moving again. Another hour of crawling across this abyss and more ground had been covered than in any other expedition. They had been in steady correspondence with the mothership and still had hours left to explore, alas, the longer they searched the more they confirmed an already strong reputation of desolateness. Occasionally a species would float back into view, giving the pilots something else to look at other than their controls and the sea bed.
“Wait a minute. You see that?” said Gottfried. “I see it,” replied Julian and altered his direction. A smidgen of bioluminescent matter was on a rocky formation. Heading towards revealed more, and a gathering of strange plants (if that’s what they were). Gottfried was almost restless to examine them which caught his co-pilots attention just as much as the subject itself, so rare was it to see him light up. Of course there were multiple cameras recording this operation but they were no substitute for the discerning human eye. Gottfried fixed both of his on these palm tree shaped things which gently swayed. Once all their characteristics were detailed they got moving in hope for more of the same. Just thirty metres from these signs of life the sea bed appeared to undulate.
Within minutes the lights picked up another patch of oblivion-dwelling vegetation. “Ah! And zher!” exclaimed Gottfried. “I got it,” replied Julian with a smile. At the customary two miles per hours they closed in. A different species was already visible. “Ah, yes…beautiful…wait,” said Gottfried suddenly, “wait one moment, look.” Just coming into their view on the right was sediment, slowly, like the way milk acts when poured into tea. Pioneer turned around to illuminate the cause of the disturbance. To their shock what had crept into view was in fact the edge of a great cloud, pluming beyond the lights. Different expressions weighed up what it could be without saying so. “Some large kind of disturbance” was reported back to the mothership. “Has anything been thrown overboard?” When the reply came as a negative both men thought for several minutes about what it could be. The only other theory was a rather daunting one – that the trench was in fact unstable and occasionally shed chunks of rock. Many other professionals would have pulled the plug but while Julian and Gottfried recognized the danger they also recognized the fact that, if the trench was in a degenerative state, certain locations may become permanently buried. With a little nod to each other they waited for the coast to clear before continuing.
Pioneer again moved closer to where life had somehow found a way, and as it did they saw more, even a shoal of fish circling super-rare algae. “Would you look at that,” said Julian to Gottfried with a touch of smugness. They got nearer and started to document whatever exhibited strange movement. It was essential to take a sample here, see what the chemical composition is. Gottfried continued to make notes as Julian controlled the scooping arm. Steady hands and patience were needed. It took much longer to complete simple tasks in these conditions. Julian finished up without a problem. “It will be interesting to analyse that sample later,” said Gottfried, still typing away. “Should have some clues in it,” said Julian who traced the perimeter of the lights, where it went from bright to black. Before moving again there was a pause. Julian thought he saw activity. It was so minor he wasn’t sure he did, chopping his first word in half. “Yes?” reacted Gottfried which didn’t get a reply. Julian kept quiet. His deliberating irritated Gottfried as having no purpose. “What is the problem?”
“Something…,” said Julian in a low tone.
“Something?” Gottfried saw his body tense up.
“Wha…no…that can’t be!”
It was hard to believe they were eyes at first because of the distance between them. The tip of its incoming face was round and grey, like a giant boulder but most certainly alive. Only a brief moment was gifted to see the beginning of pectoral fins. Much of them stretched into the unknown. The proportions were whale like. Gottfried managed to position himself to observe, now too close to put into any kind of perspective but close enough to see teeth that have no business on a whale. It must have swam just above Pioneer as both of her pilots were given another look at its monolithic face, its large eye with no pigment, its gaping mouth - that fixed expression where there is no empathy.
They could hear its enormous bulk surge above. Just the time required for the entirety of this creature to pass over was an experience and further confirmation of its impossible size. Whether it spied its next meal Julian and Gottfried could not decide, but, with one great whip of its tail fin, Pioneer was knocked off centre. “Shit!” exclaimed Julian while Gottfried did the same in his native tongue. They pushed their hands against the pressure sphere for support and listened intently as steel groaned. Now inside one of those giant clouds they watched the outer layer of Plexiglas crack. Not a word was said as they waited out the moment in which death could occur. Julian gave it a few seconds then checked every reading. “Everything appears to be normal.” So intense had the last twenty seconds been it felt as if they had comprised the whole journey.
“Ve should deploy the veights and begin our ascension immediately,” said Gottfried who was more focused on getting their discoveries back to the surface than fearing for his life. When Julian tried the mechanism didn’t work. Fortunately the motherships released t
he weights via other means which it did when Julian re-established contact. There was no waiting for the dust to settle as they began to ascend at three times the rate they had gone down. For the whole seven miles Gottfried overlooked the details that would provide evidence for a milestone paper. Julian remained tense which wasn’t helped by the fact he couldn’t tell whether or not something made a pass at them before they hit 1000 metres. In just over an hour Pioneer was again bobbing on top of choppy waters. The mothership and tug boat moved in to collect.
Though itching to start his paper Gottfried made the daily trip to a conference room where Julian and a host of other experts gave their two cents on Pioneer’s footage, particularly those last few minutes before ascending. On a large, high definition projector they rewound and froze parts of the sequence where that huge creature went from showing its head and some of its body to a side profile. As the debate went on and the weeks passed members of the discussion continued to mention its resemblance to a pacific sleeper shark with a stone-like texture to the skin at which point Gottfried always added, “But zay just haven’t been recorded at these depths, and it is at least four times the size of the largest pacific sleeper.” The other members would then give an unsatisfied nod as do all scientists who can’t solve a riddle, in this case at the prospect of the world’s (new) largest fish.
Identifying its characteristics was not the only job. Its behaviour had greater implications which a few thought aggressive. Gottfried did not oppose the view and Julian spoke about the possibility of it making another pass at them. There was the chance it had circled for hundreds of metres. Another team were assigned to analyse the recording, to isolate frames and clean them up. Originally there was too much dust and motion but they were able to confirm that its teeth were not typically shark-esque but more conical like an Orca’s, conical and serrated. This led to the last of the educated theories - that the abyssal creature was some kind of hybrid.
Dare to Read: 13 Tales of Terror Page 3
