Long ago there were several continents full of people. They ignored the signs that the world was changing. Then, the floods came and most of the land was engulfed in water. To survive the floods humanity banded together to adapt to life on the sea. The people had begun to salvage what they needed from the ocean to rebuild civilization. The sea was treacherous so to protect the divers they created special autonomous diving rigs called Submersible Salvage Retrieval Vehicles or S.S.R.V. for short. The first generations of S.S.R.V. were crude but designed to last and worked so well that generation after generation lead to more elaborate custom designs. Recognizing the money and moral boosting spectacle of the S.S.R.V., a new commission was created for the S.S.R.V. global games where diving crews compete for sponsors to fund their companies. One such competition is underway in the storming waves of the South Pacific.
Two rigs were locked in fierce combat using weapons designed for sport. On the one side was Rinkshot; a S.S.R.V. resembling a floating armor made of coral, it had glittering spikes along it’s back that shimmered in the water terminating in a knightly helmet replete with spines. The other side had a more primitive looking Vehicle resembling an old-fashioned diving suit with a big helmet for its head. Scrapper with its more well-worn looking armor had two long arms with three fingered clamps for hands. Jets propelled its large bipedal legs.
The announcers voice rang out through the stormy weather via remote controlled drone.
Announcer: “Yes ladies and gentlemen the battle has been intense! Two S.S.R.V.’s remain in this demolition match to the finish! Rinkshot fires a torpedo but Scrapper swims out of the way! Rinkshot seems to be trying to box in Scrapper. Scrapper closes the distance and baam! Punch to the head of Rinkshot. Man, these competitors are spirited! Who’s going to come out on top!?”
The battle under the waves had gone on for about thirty minutes when Scrapper started to close the distance. It’s fist landed punch after punch on the head of Rinkshot before finishing up with a piston-powered punch to the stomach. And with that last blow to the center Rinkshot had taken enough damage for the referee to retire it.
Announcer: “that’s the match folks! Scrapper takes the win!”
The TV Turns Off
“Well, what do you think?” said Taylor Jones who ran Natnet’s sponsorship deals.
Six people sat in silence for a moment. Suri spoke up. “Why do we need a new diver? We’ve been placing well, and our dives have gone off without a hitch for two years now.” Suri Sanoko was an Asian-American diver with the attitude of a spitfire and she worked for Natnet “Because Suri, placing well does not secure sponsors; no sponsors, no salvage contracts” Said Taylor.
The Natnet Salvage Company was a small-time company situated on Rio Grande. Rio Grande is what is known as a mobile land mass. A ship designed to support a city on top of it. What a city it is! Large glass towers erupt into the sky like mountains above metal walkways and metal buildings. Below in the ship itself were control stations and forward decks with a crew at the ready. The Rio Grande is an impressive ship, but everyone onboard the city must do their part. This is the predicament of Natnet. Natnet Salvage Company is one of five diving outfits on the Rio Grande. If Natnet doesn’t deliver results, they will be replaced.
“I’m game but didn’t you say this cat hasn’t dived in three years?” The one speaking was reclined on a sofa next to a lava lamp. His name is Jessie Banks. He’s a Swedish diver, and Jessie’s nonchalant attitude tended to rub some people the wrong way. Jessie didn’t care as he embraced the surfer’s mantra of go with the flow.
Mr. Jones spoke “he has been out of diving for a while, but I’ve been reassured he’s still one of the best divers in the world.” “Well, I don’t approve.” Suri interjected “we’ve done just fine this far even with Burt retiring we don’t need some new guy!” Burt responded “Elvis is an old friend of mine, we worked in the Navy together. You’ve got nothing to worry about.” “hmph” “Don’t pout Suri, it’ll give your face wrinkles. Besides, this could be fun” Suri looked at Jessie unamused “We all don’t just go with the flow Jessie. This could hurt our team synergy!” “Enough.” Miss Natalie the boss finally said. “He’s coming here today Suri, whether you like it or not.” The finality in miss Natalie’s voice left no room for argument. The meeting over the six head up to the deck to greet the new diver.
On Deck
Scrapper was being moved into the dock. Natnet had assembled to meet the diver. He was a heavyset man in his mid-forties. He had on a flak jacket and longpants. His hair was red and combed into a pompadour. “Hi everyone, Elvis is in the building hahaha.” Suri looked incredulous at the big man before speaking “You are our new diver?” Elvis smirked “Don’t let my dashing good looks deceive you. Scrapper and I are still among the best in the business.” His smile broke out into a full grin as he shouted out “Mickey, come and meet our new team!” A younger man about Suri’s age appeared next to Elvis. He was wearing a grease covered jump suit indicating that he was a mechanic. He had boyish features like a rounded face and short hair. “Hi, I’m Mickey.” Natalie stepped forward.
“My name is Natalie, this is Suri, Jessie, Taylor and Jamal.” Each of them signaled in turn. Elvis spoke again “now that we know each other, where do Mickey and I put our bags?”
The Gym
It only took an hour for Elvis and Mickey to get everything into place. It is here that Suri objected most strongly against Elvis joining the team. “The man is clearly out of shape. He won’t be able to handle a dive.” Jessie replied “You don’t know that Suri. Appearances can be deceiving.”
“Deceiving?! The man is the size of a whale. He can’t even run the obstacle course.” Elvis who had overheard the conversation interjected “You want me to run an obstacle course? I can do that and more, little darling.” Suri looked at Elvis incredulously “I find that hard to believe.” Elvis smirked “Oh yeah? Watch this!” Elvis proceeded to run into a set of flips before doing a flying leap onto a nearby pole. He swung around the pole with both arms before leaping off and landing on his feet. Elvis smirked before speaking “Well, do I pass my fitness test little darling?” Suri huffed “Alright you have some skills, but that doesn’t mean you can dive.” Suri walked off to spare her pride. Elvis turned “She always like that or am I getting the special treatment?” Jessie shrugged “She has a hard time warming up to people. She’s actually very nice when you get to know her.”
Day Of the First Competition
Natnet were preparing for their first match against a rival salvage company Silslip. The Rio Grande had arrived at the coordinates a few days earlier. The challenge was simple: a race around the trench with weapons allowed. First S.S.R.V. to retrieve a dive bell and return to the surface with it wins the match for their team. Natnet’s divers readied their vehicles. Suri’s S.S.R.V. was River Dancer, a machine with an elegant form; a pinkish-red slim body plan with a dress, two insect like legs and antennae sticking out of her vizor covered head. Jessie’s S.S.R.V. was the Tatsunoryu, a sea horse shaped S.S.R.V. with a long serpentine tail and long clamps running the length of the tail, Tatsunoryu has a dragon-like head. Both S.S.R.V.s were readied and were lowered into the water with Scrapper being the last vehicle to be prepared.
“Is she ready to go Mick?” Mick turned to face Elvis “Yeah, she’s ready king. Just be careful of the left leg, I haven’t been able to replace the shocks yet.” Elvis waved his hand “ah, she’ll be fine. Scrapper can tank hits well enough without those shocks.” Elvis entered the hatch and begun to turn on the machine. Bits whirred as they came to life. Before long the machine was powered on. Scrapper began to move. Heavy feet thudded against the steel floor as Scrapper slowly walked over to the ocean. Slowly Scrapper began to sink beneath the waves as it made its way to the starting point.
The crowds were cheering loudly as the display screens showcased the action. The S.S.R.V.s lined up at the starting line, their titanic bodies revving with a mechanical purr as they waited for the signal. The announce took to a stage that had been prepared so he could address the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the preliminary match between Natnet and Silslip. The first to retrieve the diving bell and return to the surface with it will win the match. The vehicles are in position. Are you ready?” The crowd let out an enthusiastic roar of approval.
The announcer spoke again “Divers are you ready? Get set…Go!”
The signal given they were off. River Dancer pulled ahead with its streamline body cutting through the water like a knife. River Dancer bobbed and weaved through the water. One of Silslip’s S.S.R.V.s came in behind RD and fire off a dummy torpedo. RD dodged and fired a torpedo back hitting the machine head on, but that manuever cost Suri her momentum as she was passed by another Silslip S.S.R.V.
The otter shaped body of this S.S.R.V. released water mines as it swam. Tatsunoryu gracefully swam around them before coiling its tail around the Otter S.S.R.V. Tatsunoryu begun to apply pressure to it when a torpedo to the head of Tatsunoryu caused it to let go. The otter and another S.S.R.V. with a humanoid shape begin double teaming Tatsunoryu. The humanoid S.S.R.V. grabs Tatsunoryu and swings it around before throwing it at the otter, the otter whacks it with its tail. This act stuns Tatsunoryu while the two S.S.R.V. continue on. Scrapper comes up behind them, uses its giant hands to grab them and smash them together. Then Scrapper continues on to the objective.
The audience cheers uproariously as underwater drone cameras broadcast the race on the giant viewscreen. The announcer shouts “Scrapper downed two of them in one hit, that’s a power play right there folks.”
The announcer paused before speaking again “Scrapper has almost reached the objective, so has Orbweaver. It is going to be close folks.” Orbweaver was the main S.S.R.V. for Silslip. It was an orb shaped vehicle with whips coming out of it. Said whips ensnare scrapper who has trouble moving being bound by Orbweaver’s many tendrils. Scrapper fired torpedoes but even when ensnaring another S.S.R.V. Orbweaver gracefully dodged out of the way. However, River Dancer came up behind Orbweaver and punched it. This got Orbweaver to loosen its grip enough for Scrapper to bring it in close. Once close enough Scrapper hit it with a piston-powered punch damaging Orbweaver enough to retire it from the race. Tatsunoryu grabbed the diving bell with its tail and brought it to the surface.
“Folks it looks like we have a winner, team Natnet takes the victory!” After the crews retrieved their machines Natalie called the team in for a meeting. “that was a good start to the season, you worked together wonderfully. Keep this up and we’ll make it to the round robin finals.” She paused before smiling and says, “After Jamal, Rico and Mickey finish their repairs what do you say we go out to celebrate?” The Natnet crew verbalized their approval. Before leaving Elvis pulled Suri aside. “Thanks for the assist Suri, I was surprised you did that. Suri harrumphed before replying “don’t read too much into it, I’m still not sure having you on the crew is necessary…but I suppose you did well enough.” Although Suri walked away with a frown on her face Elvis could tell she was warming up to him, and that brought a smile to the big man’s face. This was the beginning of a new adventure for him and Scrapper.
