Ship Log - Verse Date: 4216.71

Looking up at the lower esophageal sphincter of this red dome I find myself wondering about what would come down next. The flight crew all at once or just John? Would anyone come through? Surely they must feed this beast more than a few people a day, this stomach is massive. He'd be eating the kings without a massive amount of food.

Maybe that's what happened to King Tholamin and his knight Sir Jacob. Both of them, sitting on the boat with me, eating a little sandwich they had brought with them. King Tholamin offers me a piece of a chicken sandwich. I take a bite and it's quite good under the circumstances. A hint of cranberry and nutty flavors. Reminds me of back home.

"So, you fellas got a plan? Any ideas on how we get outta here?" I ask.

They look at me like I'm dumb.

"No, do we look like we have a plan?"

Ok, I'll just keep my mouth shut at this point. The boat is made of a stir foam raft, coated in a protective material. It's a little broken along the edges, but it works for a boat just the same. The stomach acid fluid bubbling up in different places across the yellow green swamp juices.

Vomit always grossed me out, the smell is gross, and this place smells just like it. It makes me want to... to... bloughhh. Bough, bough, coughing the rest of it up over the edge.

The two of them give me a look like they've seen it all before one to many times. A distant voice getting nearer.

"Ahhhhhhh" Thunk. It's John.

"Oh, Hi Lieutenant."

Then pieces of chewed up body parts begin falling from the esophagus, and into the soupy stomach acid swap from above. Splashing up on us and if I could vomit more I would. Instead, I do this sort of heaving thing for a moment. I seem to be the only one.

"John, get us out of here please. Before I puke up the rest of me." I say.

"And what would you have me do lieutenant? I'm in the same boat as you, literally." He doesn't have the slightest bit of remorse about it either.

Sitting there in the stomach of that beast I can't help but wonder, whether Captain Mallick or Captain Selta knows where we are or that we are in trouble. At that very moment the turbulence from the beast begins to increase, and we start thrashing around his stomach like a hurricane in the ocean might throw around a boat. The boat turns up and tosses the lot into the acidic fluid which begins eating away at our clothes and burning our skin. All of us, making noises because of the pain from it all. I swim for the boat, but there is a hole in the bottom from the commotion. It's filled with stomach acid. It would sink the moment we boarded.

Looking at my red burning skin, I figure we have about 5 minutes before we are dissolved into the beast stomach soup. We will become one with the beast so to speak. Thinking of my last moments before I die, isn't something I expected to be doing in such a place. I thought of my life thus far. I had accomplished quite a bit, but I really want to be captain. The burning in my crotch quickly averts my thinking. The acid spilling inside my pants.

I look up at the top of the stomach, and to the sides looking for a way out. Hoping for a miracle I guess. Looking at the organic red hue from the side of the stomach, is this really how it ends for me? I'm sure the others are thinking the same thing, moaning and groning around me.

I can see the light coming in more from the side now. Must be facing the sunlight. Oh great a glimmer of sunshine before we die at least. Then a silver steel blade slices through the stomach making a huge hole, and we all wash out of the beast belly in rapid succession.

We flow out onto the yellow green soaked sand and as I look up there stands a man so big, I believe he was a giant. The sword in his hand, a relic of ancient kings on this planet. Steel coverings and protective shields and a large silver helmet, and a feather atop the rear. Looking at the beast he had just slain, and down at our lifeless choking bodies.

"What are you doing down there?" He asks. "You're supposed to be in high command."

He was speaking to King Tholamin and Ser Jacob of course. Me and John clueless to what was going on on this planet.

"Can someone please fill us in, or send us back to our ship please?"

"Ah yes, my friend" The large knight said "Ser Will Hike, I serve King Tholamin. We are of the Royal guardsman of the first kingdom of Volton 6." He says.

As if I know what that means. We just play along, usually we pick things up as we go. We gather ourselves, and wipe off the acidic plasma. The crowd cheering for the fight, some booing that The Beast had been killed. They want to see another person eatin of course. It's the highlight of their day.

The kings that once sat atop the galley viewing the gladiators fight, are now in a bout of commotion with kings guard and soldiers protecting them with shields. Ser Will Hike sees this and grips his sword tight. He takes a step toward them.

"Sir Hike... stand down!" King Tholamin says. The large knight obeys no questions and stands back at attention. "We shall return to the Royal palace, and make our plans from there." King Tholamin orders.

—------ Time Break

Back at the First Kingdoms palace, the entrance of a large gate shines bright bedazzled in gold and jewels. The soldiers at the gate step aside making a tunnel for us to walk through. As the gate lifts, a set of harp and drum like instruments play a song that announce our presence to the whole of the Royal palace. Children and families come up to welcome the King back to his home, and everyone cheers for him. King Tholamin gives them graces by touching their foreheads, and throws out gold that was given to him as he entered the palace.

Ser Hike stands ready with Sir Jacob in case the citizens overwhelm the king. This place was full of white gown dressed people that love the king. They all looked so rich and happy. Poor or homeless nowhere in site or anywhere as we walk through the city. Making our way to the king's fortress.

Inside we are heralded to our rooms, and given a change of clothes. Royal white gowns that we must don after a long shower of course. The sticky and acidic burns still itching my pants like a day at the beach and sand in my pants.

What was that transportation thing we kept going through? These people must have something on this planet to allow that. If we could locate the source of that technology, we could log it of course, and then prepare to use it to get ourselves out of here. Seems like something has happened between the many kings. Why was the king in that beast stomach? Figuring out the answers to these questions may help get us back to the Infinitum.

—--- Time Break

In the war room, beasts like the one who had eaten us mounted on the walls like stuffed hunting trophies, the table a large and long conference setup with 25 chairs. The floors, made of stone like the fortress itself and knights stand guard at the entrances. Light shines in from the open air holes in the walls like windows with balconies for viewing the city. Outside you can see the far reaches out to the distance. An obvious advantage when an army had been on the horizon. This simple view would give hours of notice to prepare for a battle.

The technology here seems quite primal, so I am a little confused about how the other kings made that portal possible in the first place. John looks equally confused but he was along for the ride. Our entire flight crew had been eaten, so he was now a little more tolerant of my leadership.

Filing in through the doors, the councilmen of the palace. One by one, they sit at their chairs. Old men mostly. Except one young man looked but 12 years of age, and sat towards the head of the table where the king might sit, and he was wearing a much more advanced looking suit. He carried guns that looked ages ahead of their kingdom's time and looked much more kemp than the rest of them.

King Tholamin arrives and everyone stands except the young boy. He is too good for this the look on his face says it all. You would think he the king from the looks of it. The king came to the head of the table, looking at the boy. "Stand up you, I'm not here to serve at your pleasure boy. You may have your advancements, but we have your ship." The boy stands up but hes not happy about it. His chair flung back as he stands.

When the king sits down everyone follows his lead.

"Now..." Says the king in a strong yet calm voice. "Who's responsible for my capture? I suspect no one is going to fess up to it. Very well then. Ser Hike kill one of them. Pick one at random, except for the boy or our new guest of course."

Ser Hike takes a step forward, the sound of his boots hitting the stone floor vibrate the table, and we hear his armor metal sounds as it moves on him. Everyone in the room tenses up.

Ser Hike settles behind one elderly man wearing a white gown, long gray hair, and chains of gold around his neck. Apparently, knights prefer to kill the richest of them when the chance arises.

Ser Hike reaches for his sword, the shining sound it makes as he removes it from the holster is all that is needed for the man to start begging for his life.

"Please your grace, I swear it. I didn't do it, it wasn't me, you know me." Says the gray old man.

"Right, well who was it then?" The king asks.

"I don't know your grace." he says

"Very well then. Off with his head Sir Hike. But do do it over there." Pointing to the side of the room. "I don't want a mess on the table before we've drawn up our plans."

"Please Sir Hike... Your grace!" He cries as he is dragged over to the side of the room and placed on his knees. His head ready for the offing it would receive just momentarily.

"Any last words?" Sir Hike asks in a grumbling deep voice.

The old man sits there for a moment, we all staring in that direction unsure if the king was really going to let this happen. It would sure teach us a lesson in loyalty for sure if he does. Silence befell the room, we were all waiting.

Shing! The sound of the sword as it cut through his neck like it had hit a bone on the way through. A thud as it hits the ground, then rolls over to the wall. Sir Hike collecting gold chains and shillings. Pretty much anything he had in his person at the time. He is also given the old gray man's lands for retirement.

"Now then. Anyone else want to tell me what happened, or does anybody have any information on who set me up?" The king asks again.

"There's no need to kill anymore people, you got what you wanted didn't you, scared the bejesus out of us all?" The young boy says.

The king cut a devil's eye at the boy, looking him up and down.

"Lets just get on with it already, haven't got all day." The boy put his hands on the table to signal he was ready to talk business.