Hi, and welcome. Shreena asked me if I wanted to collaborate on a fic and I said sure. I’d been wanting to write one involving Atlantis for a while now, and just hadn’t gotten motivated. Well, now I’m motivated and we’ve started writing. Please enjoy this first chapter of “at1antis”. xox ~Starry

chapter 1

"Hurry up, they're going to leave without us!" said Ben, grabbing Shreena's bag from her and pushing her from behind.

"Relax," she replied calmly, though still letting herself be pushed along, "they can't leave without a navigator."

"--or the helmsmen," added Christian.

"--helmswoman," Starr corrected. Christian threw his hands in the air.

"Whatever," he said. They continued walking until they reached the end of the pier.

"You know what...you don't need me," Mark began, "I...I should probably stay here. --I'll keep everything tidy while you're gone." Paul stuck his head out the top of the submarine.

"Hey, wussy," he shouted down, "you'll drag your tall lanky arse in here, or I'll drag it in for you!" He shook his fist and continued, "You're late! We're scheduled to leave in fifteen minutes!"

"Yeah, yeah..." said Starr, climbing the ladder "...we've got plenty of time." Christian followed, then Shreena.

"Oh no you don't!" Ben said, taking hold of Mark's arm and pushing him up the ladder, "you're not finking out on us. --get up there." Mark sighed and began climbing the ladder.

"Hurry up," Paul said looking up at Starr once he'd gotten to the bottom of the ladder, "what're you waiting for?"

"--stand back," she called down through the hatch. Paul complied, and Starr slid straight down the ladder then turned to him. "...I've always wanted to do that." She grinned. "Oh, come on. You can't tell me you've never wanted to do that." Paul sighed, shook his head, and turned toward the door.

"Come on, let's get you to the Captain..."

Paul led the five through the bowels of the sub, past the boilers and around the brig, finally reaching their destination. The last narrow corridor opened into a large room with windows as a majority of the walls. Shreena and Christian stood in awe at the vast marine life they could see even though the sub was still in the harbor. Mark had run back down the corridor at the sight of the open sea pressing in on the plate glass, and Ben, leaving his and Shreena's baggage in the capable hands of the first mate, went off to retrieve him. Meanwhile, Starr followed Paul to the front of the room and stood, waiting behind a single loan figure in a peacoat. Paul cleared his throat.

"Yes Marazzi, what is it?" came the captain's voice, a harsh whisper.

"Umm..." Paul stuttered, "the, er, helmsman--"

"--helmswoman," Starr corrected again.

"--helmswoman and navigator have arrived, Captian."

"Excellent," said the Captian, "we leave at 1400-hours."

"Yes, Captain."

"You may go," the Captian said with a wave of the hand. Paul nodded and walked away. Starr turned to follow. "Not you. Come here." She stopped and walked to where the Captain had indicated. "The sea is no joke. --the ocean is not a toy." Starr nodded. The captain thrust a piece of paper towards her. "You are to read these to your friends, and make sure they understand the rules." Starr nodded again. "If they do not comply, I cannot say they will reach the end of this expedition. --do you understand me?"

"Y-yes, Captain," Starr stammered.

"Good. You may go."

"Yes, Captain."

At exactly 2:00 PM the vessel began to submerge. Christian had been sent to the galley. Ben and Paul had locked Mark in his cabin for safekeeping, then returned to the room with the windows to watch the departure. The low hum of heavy machinery working overtime filled the room, and various shouts could be heard from one side to the other, giving instructions and information on speed and depth, all in nautical terms, none of which Ben understood in the least. He leaned over to Paul.

"What's goin' on?"

"Shhh..."

"But--"

"Shhh..."

"But Paul,I--"

"Marazzi!" came the Captain's stern voice. "If you cannot keep your friend quiet, I suggest you tape his mouth shut."

"Yes, Captain. Sorry, Captain. It won't happen again."

"I should hope not."

Ben opened his mouth to say something in his defence. Paul gave him an icy glare.

"Fine," mouthed Ben. He got up and left.

Walking back to the room where he and Paul had locked Mark, Ben began to hear something, a clinking tap, as if someone were hitting pipes with a wrench. Deciding that the sound was much more interesting than a paranoid Mark, he tried to follow the noise to it's origin.

Back in the other room the Captain, satisfied with the job the crew had done set them at ease, but remained at the window.

"What's up with the Captian?" Shreena inquired once she'd reorganized the maps and instruments.

"I have no idea," Starr replied, "--just stands there at the window...looking at nothing..."

"The Captain lost family to the sea," said a grave voice from behind them. They both turned around quickly to see a young man who looked aged beyond his years, and untidily dressed.

"Pardon?" Shreena asked.

"Captain has no one now..."

"...Oh." Starr looked down. "...That's very sad."

"--don't like to talk about it though," the man continued. "Don't ask. Ever." Starr and Shreena nodded. The looked at the Captain.

"How did--..." Starr began, but when they looked back, the man was gone.

"Well, that was weird," Shreena said, looking around to try to find the man they had just spoken to.

"Yeah, feel sorry for the Captain though, don't ya?" Starr replied, nearly as confused as Shreena. They both decided they wanted to go find Ben and the others.