{Three Days Before Leviathan’s Invasion}

It is a perfect early morning in late summer on the shipping docks.

Multiple private and company ships of all sizes are tethered to their post.

Someone carrying a large backpack is walking along the wooden gangway, takes a pack of fags out their pocket, and removes one.

Ichythis(24), is wearing an orange sweater, the sleeves rolled up, and cargo pants. There is a small gold nose ring through her left nostril and the length of her bright orange hair is halfway down her neck.

The hardcore, physically cut woman ignites the cigarette and takes a deep inhale with a smokey exhale that is equally long.

She stops and admires her passed down, refurbished Cape Islander.

With dark tinted windows, it blocks view of everything inside.

The dock lights around the vessel are on and the dockhand takes another drag.

Ichythis(to herself): "Damn it, Kay.

You better not have been up all night again and gotten some freaking sleep.

*takes drag*

And you chastise me and my health consciousness."

Keeping the cig in her lips, Ichythis uses an arm for support on the boat’s gunwale as she easily hops onboard.

While Ichythis finishes her nicotine fix, she stares up at the dark blue morning sky.

Ichythis(thinking): *When we first started, Don Borgia was paying Pops handsomely as a private supplier for his mobster pals.

But ever since Don Laban took over the family, and Borgia went missing, we no longer had a financial contract.

If it weren’t for Pop’s connects in the business, we wouldn’t have people to sell too, and no source of income.*

Making the smoking woman regain her focus, she hears footsteps coming from the same wooden walkway she had used.

Her red eyes dart to the approaching noise.

Don Laban: *yawwwwwn* "Damn, you bitches really wake up this early to head out and catch freaking bugs?"

A 20 year old Don Laban DaeMon, with two blue eyes, is smoking a blunt and Zoram is following behind. She is yet to have her face tattooed, but her left eyebrow and both ears are pierced with big diamonds.

The assimilating DaeMon to the pre apocalypse world examines the entirety of ’Here’s Hugo’s Heaven’ and then stops with her piercing blue gaze on Ichythis.

The azule sensors of the Old Norse DaeMon lock with the blood red eyes of the tough woman on the boat.

While she is scolding the socially and physically powerful Don, Laban grows a devious smile.

Don Laban: "Ouu...

So, you must be one of dose ’bad bitches’ I’ve heard all ’bout?

Dah lobstah crew of two sistahs,

’Dah Fish and dah Whahf’."

Ichythis doesn’t answer and keeps a solid scowl on the accent faking Don.

They both take a drag from their respective smoke at the same time.

Don Laban: "Two gorgeous sistahs, in dare early 20s, doin a dangerous job dat is predominately done by a group of tough men."

Ichythis still keeps to herself, crushes the still lit cigarette butt in her hand, and drops it on the deck of her boat.

Don Laban: "Dah same two sistahs who were left widout a family, aftah dare dad ’killed himself’, cuz of my own ’fathah’."

Ichythis turns her back to the Don.

Dismissing her interest in her and the captain.

Ichythis: "Sorry, I don’t know who you’re talking about.

My father died of lung cancer a few years ago. I’m just continuing the family business he started.

Good luck finding whoever you’re looking for though."

Laban licks her lips and turns her head to look at Zoram. The Völva, also present society conforming, nods and the Don gives an over animated shrug in defeat.

Don Laban: "Well shit.

Ohhh well then.

I diiid have a proposition for the both of them.

A job that didn’t involve long hours, or struggling through this whack ass lifestyle, and it paid twice as much up front."

Ichythis stops without turning and the DaeMon notices with a snicker.

Don Laban(thinking): *That’s it, little fishy..

How much is your soul worth?

You dumb natural borns are so weak willed and lazy, there’s always a price.

Just take the worm.*

Don Laban: *yawwwnn* "Most importantly, it wouldn’t involve hours that are for the birds, like these."

Ichythis starts walking away again, to both Laban and Zoram’s surprise.

Her hand that is cut and bruised from her job, opens the door to the inside of her shipping vessel, but before she closes the door...

Ichythis: "Like I said, hope you find them.

Have a good day."

Leaving the Don and her assistant alone outside, Zoram nervously looks at her DaeMon captor. Laban has a slightly disgruntled expression from not being able to coerce a new pawn.

Don Laban: "It’s not like I ask for much, Zoram.

After watching that loser of a man run this underground syndicate for a decade, I did learn a few things about the law of reciprocity and the psychological game with the desperate laymen.

It’s simple, I generously offer an easier life for those who are special but less fortunate and in return they do what I want, as long as they are happy with their new situation."

Zoram: "With all due respect, now that you have become more notorious, Madame Don Laban, most people are cautious to join your ’family’, in fear their loved ones could be put in danger."

Laban sucks her teeth as she flicks the roach of her blunt into the water.

Don Laban: "Tsk.

If someone has a purpose they care so deeply about, they no longer have true freedom anyway..."

She pulls out her golden cigarello case from the front of her sweatshirt and removes another blunt.

Don Laban: "... I’m just trying to be the lesser of two evils here."

As she sparks it up, they both start walking away from ’Here’s Hugo’s Heaven’, the Don slowly shifts to a scheming smirk.

Don Laban: "But I wouldn’t consider this a complete failure, Zor.

The line is cast and it’s now dangling.

We just have to wait for the little fishy to get hungry enough."

Closing the door behind her, Ichythis lets out a closed eye sigh.

She looks around and there is nobody is inside the wheelhouse. To her left, three steps lead down to the lower cabin.

In the small bedroom size area, the female dockhand throws her backpack on the twin sized bed immediately to her left.

In the opposite corner, the committed captain, her sky blue hair in a ponytail, is softly sleeping on a desk of papers... and she’s drooling on one.

Quietly, Ichythis looks at the scattered papers. There are a few bills with ’PAST DUE’ stamped on the corner.

Ichythis(thinking): *As Captain, Kay is focused on work nonstop, just so we can live comfortably.

I’m not even in close to the same realm of intelligence that she is. That’s why I put everything I have into the physical labor she needs for us to get by.

If only that bastard hadn’t gambled her college funds away...*

She sighs and lightly shakes her captain’s shoulder.

Ichythis: "Aye, Kay..."

Kaylee’s head shoots up in a confused half awake daze, with a piece of paper stuck to her cheek.

Now visible, there is a familiar orange floral bandana, tied around her neck.

Ichythis: "Go take a shower before we head out..."

Kaylee’s tired eyes shift and she connects with Ichythis’ matching red peepers.

Ichythis: "...You’re stinking up my one resting area on this damn sardine can."

The older sister gives a soft smile up at her. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Kaylee: "Mornin’, Ichy."

...

...

...

{Two Days Later.

12 Hours Before Leviathan’s Invasion}

[The Atlantic Ocean 6 P.M.]

In the downpouring rain, the lobstering vessel known and respected by all within the Atlantic, ’Here’s Hugo’s Heaven’, is rocking because of the storm waves.

Barely heard over the precipitation hitting both the ocean and the boat, a woman’s slightly worried voice comes over a loud speaker.

Woman’s Voice: "Do you want to switch, Ichy?

You’ve been out there in the rain for 7 hours now. We still have 2 more traps to bring u-

EEP!"

From the deck below, a thrown lobster hits the window, scaring the female captain.

Ichythis: "I’m fine, Kay!"

While wearing her new bright yellow gear, Ichythis has her hood over her orange hair.

Ichythis(to herself): "Pops didn’t train a weak bitch.

This is nothing."

She finishes her round of sorting, and carefully makes her way to the starboard across the wet dock.

Suddenly, the boat’s air horn goes off and Ichythis quickly drops to the deck just in time as a giant wave crashed down on top of her.

Ichythis carefully gets back up with the throwing hook in hand.

Kaylee once again comes back on the loud speaker, with more of a sense of urgency.

Kaylee: "That’s enough!

I’m calling it a night for now, we’ll grab those last two when this storm has calmed down!

Get inside, Ichy!

That’s an order, not by your captain, but by your older sister!"

With rain drops falling from her hood, Ichythis clenches her teeth and puts the hook back in it’s place.

The air horn goes off again.

*Darkness*

{6 Hours Before Leviathan’s Invasion}

*ACHOO!* *SNIFFLE*

Kaylee: "See, and now you’re sick!"

Within the dry lower cabin to the Cape Islander vessel, there’s an ambiance of the muffled rain outside and the boat is no longer rocking as hard.

In the small bed, Ichythis is shivering under the covers and her nose is flushed red.

Kaylee: "You’ve been out there, working in the rain for two days now, Ichy.

I told you this would be a bad time to go chartering for us."

The decommissioned worker takes her sister’s scolding while sniffing.

Ichythis: "I’m sorry, Kay."

Kaylee sighs and pets Ichythis’ half dried, frizzy, orange hair.

Kaylee: "We’re a team, Ichy.

You work so hard and strain yourself so much, it worries me when I watch you on that deck by yourself."

Feeling guilty about making Kaylee worry, Ichythis talks with a stuffy nose.

Ichythis: "Kay...do you enjoy this life we have together?

If it we had the opportunity to live easier, would you take it?"

The older sister is caught off guard by the question.

Kaylee: "Where the Hell is this coming from?

Of course I love our life Ichy.

And I wouldn’t trade you for anything! Not even if I was promised a better, and easier world!

Why wou-."

Ichythis: "Don Laban came by the other morning while I was walking in.

She somehow knew about us, our biological father, and our work ethic. Before she could make a proposition, I blew her off and walked away.

I’m so afraid I might not be strong enough for the both of us.

But I was almost willing to give up my freedom and integrity, just for your safety, Kay."

After a moment, there is a quiet giggle from Kaylee and Ichythis snaps her eyes to look at her chuckling sister.

Kaylee: "That must be your fever talking, because that was the dumbest shit that’s ever come out your mouth, Ichy.

Haha!

Of course I enjoy my life, all because your still in it.

Yea, working sucks and I wish it would be easier sometimes for the both of us, but as long as you and I are together Ichy, all the struggles of today, will just makes us a stronger unit together in the future."

Ichythis’ red eyes fill with tears hearing the heartwarming words of her captain/sister.

Kaylee: "I should be the guilty one, Ichythis.

I’m not even close to the same realm as your amazing physical strength.

You use every part of your tough and gifted body out there to make sure we both succeed.

So the only ways I feel like I actually pull my weight around here, is if I use every part of my brain to make sure we’re okay logistically and financially."

The sick young woman listens as the admiration for her older sister, is being reverberated right back at her.

Kaylee: "So, other than the obvious, what made you dismiss the Don?"

Ichythis takes a moment to properly word her response.

Ichythis: "When...When we were no longer contracted, Pops could have abandoned us.

Because of his experience, he would have gotten recruited to any lobstering crew he wanted.

But instead, he kept this boat and he taught the both of us everything we needed to know about being successful together.

Even though he had his own kids at home, he treated us like his own daughters too."

Kaylee grips the orange bandana around her neck. Remembering the man, she too was lucky enough to grow from and work with.

Ichythis: "After both of his real kids died, he asked me to never change who I am.

When I made eye contact with that woman, my intuition was screaming at me.

It was telling me ’if we joined that woman, the jobs she’d ask us to do would end up doing just that. It would forcibly change the both of us for the worst’.

We work on a boat that goes out to the open ocean, Kay.

If anything, we would be disposing bodies and moving drugs for her.

Pops would be disappointed in the both of us."