009: Wichthyologist

Full speed ahead: 3 votes
Let Land Captain drive: 0 votes
Use... the goggles: 6 votes

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Ishmael's synapses fired off, running complex scenarios involving each decision. In the end, only one seemed acceptable: letting Land Captain use the goggles. Ishmael also rationalized that, should Land Captain be rendered comatose by the use of the goggles, then he could whisked back to TYRIS. If Ishmael was rendered nonoperational, then Land Captain would be stuck in this weird world between dimensions for who knows how long?

"I have reached my decision," said Ishmael, mere seconds since Land Captain had beseeched Ishmael to make his decision quickly, "I shall allow you to use the goggles."

"Excellent," said Land captain, grabbing the goggles that were lowered in front of him, "Let's go catch ourselves that ichthyologist witch!"

Land Captain paused, holding the goggles in his hands, and then a smile spread across her face, "My god, that's what I'll call her! I'll call her the Wichthyologist!"

"Need I remind you that time is of the essence?" asked Ishmael.

"No, just thinking out loud."

"One last thing. I've been wondering, you told the Alogrins that there was an easy way and a hard way. What was the easy way?"

"Fighting them was the easy way. The hard way would have been not punching those blasted aliens. I never said it was hard for them, did I?"

"I suppose not."

"Now then," said Land Captain, placing the goggles over his eyes, "How do these work?"

"In a few moments, after the cranial nodes calibrate, my headlights will convert to makeshift visual apparati, allowing you to see through them and sense what's coming. As thus, you'll be able to move my form freely and with only a moment's thought. It'll be just like walking."

"Really?"

"No. However, the actual mechanics of the goggles are so hopelessly complex that I am forced to make things up in order to spare your mind. After all, the stronger your mind is, the less prone you'll be to the mind-shattering effects the goggles may have upon you."

Land Captain paused for a minute, and then said, "I just felt my ear sizzle."

"That was the goggles. Think about moving."

Land Captain did so. The car lurched forward. He lurched several more times, and then the car started moving forward smoothly. It gradually picked up speed, eventually moving so fast that the car was a blur, moving past the buildings, all enveloped in a blue fog. There were no people or vehicles visible in this world between dimensions, though, something Land Captain would have to figure out later. He assumed that, since people and vehicles were static objects, they didn't appear here. It made as much sense as any other explanation.

Ishmael's voice rang in Land Captain's ear, "I'm picking up the readings of an Alogrin jumper unit. It's charging up, but well past the fifty percent mark."

"We should get there in plenty of time," said Land Captain.

"It takes several minutes to disengage from the goggles. I am not giving you the option of forgoing that process, as the chances that it would break your mind are nearly one hundred percent."

"So what choices do I have?"

"Either you could try to pin her under the car, though you'd have to stop slowing down now in order not to kill her. This would have the benefit of allowing us to stop her from entering the real world and attacking TYRIS with her fish. There is the fact that she may have some sort of verbal control over her fish, and therefore she may be able to attack you while you're defenseless."

"Not sure I like that."

"The second option is that we hide somewhere around the TYRIS building, which would allow you to disengage from the system without error. It would also allow me to recharge enough to jump after Professor Koleyna-"

"Wichthyologist."

"-Professor Koleyna and hopefully stop her. This has the added bonus of the element of surprise, something this situation would greatly benefit from."

"Is there a third option?"

"I'm guessing Koleyna wants to enter the building and pop up in Mister Charge's recovery room. We could pull in front of the door and hope for the best. Whatever you'd like to do, Land Captain. We're coming up on Koleyna quickly."

Land Captain's mind raced. What should he do?