Episode 24

The next day dawns with clear blue skies and tranquil waters. Sir Cindarii and Lady Nellii join Pezci and Scypho in Dr. Crusher Jeff's laboratory. After tugging and pulling at the Golden key, and causing Pezci some discomfort, the doctor assures Pezci in his surfer's dialect that the key isn't coming off without lots of pain. Sir Cindarii questions the doctor about ways around the Key's security, then he asks Pezci what she wants to do. When she asks the doctor one last time just how painful it would get, he asks her to imagine the most painful experience she can think of, then times it by ten. She decides she's keeping the Key. After saying their good-byes to the doctor, Scypho asks how the maelstrom is affecting them, saying he thought the Dohrnii were a super advanced, immortal race, and he's told the storm is having wide-ranging effects and isn't dissipating as it should. The elders tell him that Dohrnii are dying due to the toxic waters it brings, and because the Dohrnii no longer reproduce they may be in danger of extinction. Pezci realizes the Key may be their only chance. While doing some soul-searching, Pezci looks out through a porthole and sees the maelstrom is arriving.
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== Cast of Characters ==
== Gallery ==
== Synopsis ==
The next day dawns to clear weather and blue skies. The castle floats in a tranquil sea with many examples of the original box sea jellies T. dohrnii flitting about. Pezci and Scypho join Sir Cindarii and Lady Nellii in a laboratory set in an alcove in the galleria wall. Scypho is sitting beside Pezci as the scientist conducting the examination, Dr. Crusher Jeff, employs various noninvasive implements on her and the Key, using focused attractor beams in place of clamps. The Dohrnii elders hover behind the two of them, watching over their shoulders worriedly. Scypho scowls at the doctor, likely not happy to be looking for ways to remove the Golden key. The doctor, wearing a white lab coat, square-rimmed glasses and a serious expression, tugs and stretches her skin, distorting the Key in the process. He comments that it's fused somehow with her skin and flesh, declaring that to be 'radical', his surfer's dialect seemingly out of place in this setting. The procedure causes Pezci some pain, eliciting a lowkey "ow" from her. Scypho grumps at him, asking if it's like a tattoo, getting an enthusiastic affirmation in return. Showing her distress, Pezci asks if she can take it out. The doctor, in his cheerfully native fashion, assures her it's in there real good, that there's no way that's coming off without some form of painful tactic. Scypho watches as she takes the news badly, her disappointment showing strongly on her face.
Lady Nellii tries another approach, asking if surgery would remove it. The doctor is not happy to be the bearer of more bad news as he tells them surgery sure could take it out, but the Key has an intricate program specifically designed to override any anesthesia given to the host, and also possibly intensifying the pain. Shocked, Lady Nellii puts her gloved hands over her mouth, moaning about how cruel it is. Giving Pezci hope, Sir Cindarii suggests a brute force approach, asking what if they override the system, hacking into it and rewriting the program. The doctor regretfully tells them it's coded in a custom language that would take decades to figure out. This news throws Pezci back into a funk. Sir Cindarii mentions that that usually wouldn't be a problem, but with the maelstrom getting more intense they really don't have much time. The doctor concludes that it's like the Key has all the programming to ensure that no one can interfere with the rules of the game, his normal cheerful demeanor coming out when he happily adds that it's still pretty dope. Sir Cindarii asks that if they do remove the key, will it still function similarly and attach to someone new. The doctor assures them it should, summarizing his findings by saying it doesn't destroy itself, it just causes lots of pain.
Sir Cindarii turns to Pezci and asks her if she still wants them to remove the Key. She turns to the doctor and asks diffidently how painful would it get to remove it. He ponders her question for a moment, then in his cheerfully inimitable way tells her to imagine the most painful experience she can think of, and times it by ten. Terrified at the prospect and curling around her hand protectively, she exclaims she's just going to keep it. Sir Cindarii thanks the doctor, saying drily he supposes they are keeping it. As they leave, the good doctor calls out, "Keep on crushin', my fishies!", giving them the shaka sign with both hands. Lady Nellii offers assurances to Pezci, laying a comforting hand on her back and telling her they'll make sure they win.
Swimming away from the lab into the galleria, Scypho wonders how exactly the maelstrom is affecting the Dohrnii, seeing as they are a super advanced, immortal race, and asking if the effects of the maelstrom are really that bad. Sir Cindarii tells him that in his thirty thousand-year lifespan he's never seen storms that reach so far below the surface, and that everything about this storm feels wholly unnatural. Scypho then wonders won't it dissipate like any other maelstrom does eventually. Lady Nellii answers him, saying that when it first appeared, it seemed like it would, but now their research says differently. Sir Cindarii continues to reply, informing them the maelstrom is causing unnatural movements in the planet's currents, and has even started bringing in waves of toxic water from across the ocean. This, of course, causes Pezci to immediately start panicking about toxic water. He reassures her that the water in the building is stable, but they've recently been getting more frequent toxic waves and have already lost some Dohrnii from overexposure. With an expression that speaks of a deep sadness, Lady Nellii tells them that since they're an immortal species, their tribe doesn't reproduce anymore, but if the maelstrom continues to push the toxicity towards their waters, they may be in danger of extinction. Pezci comes to the realization that her Key may be their only chance of survival.
Pezci looks into herself, examining and questioning, asking if she can really do this, and wondering if it wouldn't be better if she just gave it to someone more capable. In all her time in the Planifron, she always avoided challenges and shied away from opportunities because she was scared. And again she's too scared to face the pain of taking the Key off. She even swam away while her people perished in the maelstrom. Then her resolve strengthens, and she thinks maybe she can do this … maybe she can prove herself by saving the Dohrnii. She thinks that if she keeps avoiding things, she'll never be able to fend for herself. She's got to take responsibility, even though it scares her. As she's thinking, she floats over to a porthole. Catching a glimpse of outside, she takes a longer look and sees that the maelstrom is arriving, causing her to gasp out a horrified, "What???"
== References ==