Neoaima: Isle of the Reborn

Chapter 4-The Expedition

The HMAS Neodiavolos had been built months after Neoaima's first recorded eruption. Lee and Thompson along with several other scientists had the privilege of being among the first to travel to the island via. this newly built navy ship. It was used to transport cargo to the island; vehicles to help traverse certain terrains, medical equipment for the horrifically injured—which were especially common—and the occasional new batch of soldiers and scientists. Due to protest from Lee and others, the Australian government resorted strictly to sea travel to the island. While it was mostly to preserve as much of the natural landscape as possible; they also deemed building landing platforms for helicopters, and such as a bad idea due to the severe storms, and increasing volcanic eruptions. The costs required to constantly construct new platforms would be overwhelming.

Lucas was standing at the bow of the ship, leaning down to view the crystal clear oceans; he didn't feel intimidated by the soldiers at all and largely ignored them. Just the idea of seeing the island was all that he could think of.

"Enjoying the view?" Amelia asked, approaching him. She too proceeded to gaze off into the ocean.

"Very much! I never thought I'd be on the Neodiavolos ship!" Amelia chuckled, "Just you wait...the island's gonna' be a lot more exciting then this ship."

"Of that, I have no doubt." Lucas replied back.

"I'm a little shocked that Dr. Taylor didn't want to come." Amelia said.

"Yeah, I talked to him about it. He said he didn't care and didn't feel like leaving the country again after visiting New Guinea." Lucas said. Amelia just stared off with confusion of how someone could be uninterested by the island; Lucas just looked away with embarrassment for what he was about to say.

"He heard recent reports of a Yara-ma-yha-who and wanted to investigate that."

"A Yara-ma-yha-who?" Amelia asked, giving off a puzzled expression to Lucas. "As in those red vampires that suck blood with their fingers?"

"Yep." Lucas said.

"I can tell by your tone that even you know how ridiculous it sounds." Amelia said to the embarrassed Lucas.

"Well it's not easy to confidently say this stuff in front of a zoologist." Said Lucas, "You know how cryptozoologists get a bad rep."

"Believe me, I know." Said Amelia, "And believe me when I say, I...don't have much bad blood towards cryptozoology."

"Really?" Amelia nodded her head.

"I mean.....you guys focus on discovering mysterious creatures and even ones that supposedly went extinct. Unfortunately given what most of you look for--bigfoot, dogmen and sea monsters. Nevermind how you guys can occasionally not consider the description of a creature as an over exaggeration, I can kind of see why it'd be frowned upon."

"I'm pretty sure that Chelimimus qualifies as a sea monster." Lucas jokingly remarked. Amelia simply gave off a smirk.

"But I will be honest when I say, this island did give me a bigger appreciation for cryptozoology and certainly changed my perception of it as well."

"What? Some of the Cryptids I've been searching for just happen to be native to the island?" Lucas jokingly asked. Amelia smirked yet again and simultaneously gave off a teasing glance. "Wait and see, Dr. Brown. Wait and see."

Lucas continued to gaze into the ocean, though he was mesmerized by its clear, and blue waters; he couldn't help but notice the lack of activity and seeming emptiness.

"Strange."

"What?"

"It's oddly quiet out here, I figured I would've seen a whale breaching by now." Lucas said, turning around to face Amelia, she had her head lowered, noticeably saddened. "Trust me, you should be glad you haven't seen a whale."