#omnibrane

"So we're agreed. We're going to go find out who that is and we're going to save them."

"Unless that someone turns out to be something horrible that wants to kill us," Tam said. "And then we will all die."

"We just escaped from something horrible that wanted to kill us. We want to go back to something horrible that wants to kill us. When isn't there something horrible that wants to kill us? That's the life we live. We might as well try to save someone while we're at it."

"You win, Frank. We're going to go risk our lives and the future of the omnibrane for some stupid gerbil. Let's just do it already."

"Thank you," I said before turning to the Sheriff. "If you and your deputies are too tired to come, they don't have to. We've got this."

"Whether it's Gnomenasher or your friends," the Sheriff replied, "we're in as well. We came to help get you home. We're not quitting now."

"Well, I'm not going," Haf said.

"Oh, thanks," Pem grumbled. "You know one of us is going to have to go with them until they're out of here."

"You'd rather deal with the LeechVine that doesn't realize its people now? Because if you would..."

"No," Pem stopped her there. "I'll deal with the bipeds. You can have the leechvine all to yourself."

Haf gave him an insincere smiled. "You're so kind."

So Pem led us down to the garage where we piled into what resembled a hovercraft if a craft was meant to be underwater. There was no top, only a windshield, presumably to protect us from drag, except in this case the drag was coming from water not wind. So I guess that makes it a watershield.

We sailed off into the ocean. It was a bit of a new experience for me, driving around under the sea without a roof over my head. But as far as strangeness goes, it really barely registered compared to the rest of the trip. I was driving out to save a giant gerbil with a bunch of trolls and a surly timetraveler. Who knew what awaited us when we got there?

to be continued next week