B E Y O N D . C R I S I S

”But I don’t wanna be in charge!”

Aphrodite stomps her foot and pouts at Aquagirl. The goddess arrived moments after preparations began for the challenge at another location on the island. Some of the men still have yet to pick up their jaws.

Except for Vince Reynolds, who has been separated from everyone and given a seat out of the way to present for the challenge. Three sirens attend to him, and all three seem to be prior acquaintances of his with strangely fond memories of that time.

However, it seems that Aquagirl has... misrepresented her goddess in declaring a challenge for Poseidon’s throne. Being up for dominion over the seas definitely appears to be an unwelcome shock for Aphrodite, who had to leave in the middle of a really fun volleyball game on her love boat to come see what is going on here. Now, Aquagirl has some explaining to do and has to hope that their deaths as the only alternative to going through with this is enough to sway Aphrodite.

There is much whining and moaning as well as repeated questions regarding with Aquagirl is sure this is the only way.

( Ohhhh! Fine! )

”Man -- this is some weird stuff,” Connors says as he observes a couple winged horses through the scope of his rifle. He and Ramirez are holding position in the cove where they have docked the clam. It was their ride here, and it is also their ride home. Someone had to stay behind to keep it secure.

Ramirez stands nearby on a rock jutting out into the water. He is occupying himself with the computer on his forearm -- still trying to get the GPS to work out here. “It kinda makes me wish I was more into fantasy stuff as a kid. So maybe I’d know some of what I’m looking at.”

“You weren’t?” Connors was. His sister was all about Wonder Woman too, so he absorbed a lot of Greek mythology stuff by proxy.

“Nuh uh. I was all about real superheroes. Justice Legion, baby. Had me a crazy crush on Supergirl. Still do, even though she’s Lady Krypton now.”

( As the two talk, a pair of giant crab claws rise from the water behind them. )

”There -- Do you see? A vessel in the mists.”

On the rocky shore of the island hidden within ocean mists, two human sentries report to their centaur superior, pointing toward a vessel of some kind that they have noticed emerging from the surrounding mists.

“A bird unknown to my eyes flew from it not minutes ago.”

A Mer scout splashes surface amidst the rocks below them, having been called in by the centaur. He turns his head to see what has their attention and looks back to the centaur. “Do you wish me to investigate?”

( The centaur stares intently at the vessel for a long moment until it becomes clearer to his eyes. )

Aquagirl has returned to Sub Diego,, armored with metal crafted by Hephaestus himself and ready to do what she has to do to get Dikos back as the champion of... love.

That last part does rather diminish the image she is trying to portray of herself.

It is expected that a vessel will arrive courtesy of Aphrodiate that will escort her to Poseidon’s island prison. As she walks out upon the deck of S.T.A.R. Labs’ facility, she finds Lieutenant Harris and a five man team of his Navy SEALS geared up and waiting to go. This is not expected, because Dikos is not a U.S. citizen and therefore not officially part of their mandate.

However, Lt. Harris explains -- in an indirect way -- that this is not an officially sanctioned mission and if they lost Dikos, then they will get him back.

Not that he admits to being at fault for losing Dikos.

He isn’t the one who pissed off a god.

( Yet. )

Pulled away from a meeting with Marcus Irons concerning some propositions he has for Sub Diego, Aquagirl hurries through the S.T.A.R. Labs station toward the moon pool in the military’s section. Some emergency has come up during one of the Navy SEAL unit’s patrols.

When she arrives, Lieutenant Harris is already debriefing Petty Officers Ramirez and Connors, who are still dripping wet from having just emerged from the moon pool. Ramirez looks like he has a broken nose. Blood has gushed its way all the down to his chin, but that is being ignored for the moment.

( I don’t know what the fuck they were, sir. )