The Underwater World - Spaceship #240 - A Bedtime Story

0:04 Hello, friends from across the nation and around the world. I'm Martin, and you are listening to Dad's Bedtime Stories. And tonight, we're headed back into the spaceship universe for a very exciting episode inspired by this idea.

0:24 Um, I'm Allie, and I would like a spaceship episode of About an underwater planet.

0:39 Great idea, Allie. I'm sure that somewhere we've done something underwater before, but I couldn't find it. So we're going to do an underwater planet. If you like the podcast, don't forget to rate it and review it wherever it is you're listening. Share with a friend. And if you want to add free episodes, join us on Patreon. Speaking of Patreon, I just want to shout out some of my newest Patreon sponsors. So let me check here and see who we have. That's right. Panos. Thank you, Panos.

1:19 Possibly Pano. Sometimes subscribers don't come with pronunciation guides. So, yeah. Let me know if I got it right and I'll correct it on the next episode if I need to. Either way, I really do appreciate you sponsoring me on Patreon, so thank you. And now, it's that time again. Time to get as comfy as you can in that bed, close your eyes, and imagine yourself doing what the kid in the story does. Because in these stories, you, my friend, are in fact the main character. You find yourself sitting in one of the comfortable chairs inside Spaceship, staring out the front window as you travel and super hyper drive. Interesting, Spaceship says. What's interesting, you ask? I believe I have found something. Something good? Potentially. Well, what did you find

2:32 spaceship brings a hologram up in the middle of the room a blue planet appears almost completely blue you stare at it for a moment that looks like a lot of water it is how much water you ask Approximately 100% of the surface area. You blink. So there isn't any land? None that I can detect. At least not above the surface. The hologram zooms closer. But that is not the interesting part. Tiny lights begin appearing all over the planet. Thousands of them, and then millions, and then possibly billions. My long-range scanners are detecting an extraordinary amount of life. Fish? Fish, plants, large aquatic creatures, and spaceship pauses, and intelligent life. Now you're standing. Are you telling me

3:59 there's underwater people? Possibly merpeople? Apparently, spaceship answers. You walk toward the hologram. A planet with no land at all. An entire civilization that's never needed to live above water. How far away is it? Not far at our current speed. Then set a course. Understood. I assumed you would say that.

4:37 Spaceship curves a little bit to the left and continues at super hyperdrive. Stars streak across the window and a few moments later, You drop out of, well, Super Hyperdrive and a blue planet fills almost the entire view screen. It's beautiful. Bright white clouds spiral above an ocean that seems to stretch on forever because, well, because it does.

5:14 You search for an island or a tiny rock or anything at all, but There's nothing. That's so weird. It certainly makes waterfront property less valuable, Spaceship remarks. You just stare at him awkwardly. Entering Atmosphere The ship begins to shake as you pass through the atmosphere. Fire rolls across the windows as you blast downward, and then it disappears.

5:52 You drop below the clouds, and the ocean gets closer and closer. You glance around.

6:01 Uh, spaceship?

6:03 Yes. We seem to be going pretty fast towards the surface, you say. I am aware. Uh, the water is coming up pretty fast, spaceship. I am also aware of that. The ocean rushes towards you. Spaceship? The entire inside of the ship suddenly shifts. Panels slide across the windows. The wings outside fold backward. The engine rotates. And you feel spaceship shape changing around you. Submersible configuration initiated. The nose of the ship becomes... Longer and narrower. Small fins extend from the sides. Brace yourself. Splash. Spaceship smashes through the surface and water explodes around you. For a few seconds, everything outside is just, well, bubbles. Then the bubbles clear and your mouth falls open. Whoa.

7:20 Whoa.

7:22 The ocean is glowing. Not literally everywhere, but enough creatures and plants produce light that the water seems filled with color. Schools of tiny silver fish move past you like clouds. Long, ribbon-like creatures curl through the water. A gigantic animal shaped almost like a Monterey passes overhead. Its wings, or swimming wings or whatever you call them, covered in blue patterns.

7:59 Below you, enormous plants arise from the ocean floor. Some of them look like trees, while others just look like giant flowers. Bright fish dart between them. Spaceship slows down. You're right, you say. I usually am. Then, something moves beside one of the huge plants. At first, you think it's another fish, but then it turns. A person. Well, almost a person. They have a head, arms, and a body like yours, but their skin is kind of Pale, greenish-blue, small fins extend behind their forearms, and instead of legs, they have a long, powerful tail. You point. There. I see them. Another swims past, then another, then dozens. Some have different colored tails. Some have scales running across their shoulders or down their arms. Others have strange fins extending

9:22 from the sides of their heads. They are, well, mermaids. Or mer-people, I should say. Sort of, anyways. But clearly not exactly the same as the stories from Earth. Spaceship continues to travel through the underwater world, over top of an underwater ridge, and you see what lies beyond it.

9:54 Whoa.

9:57 An enormous city stretches across the ocean floor. Towers made from white stone rise hundreds of feet into the water. Huge domes are covered in colorful coral. Bridges connect different parts of the city. even though nobody really needs bridges because everybody can swim, so that's strange. Giant glowing crystals light the streets. Hundreds of underwater people move through the city.

10:32 Fish people. Thousands of them. Spaceship slows almost completely. I believe it is prudent to activate invisibility. I do not wish to scare the native inhabitants of this planet. The outside of the ship flickers, then disappears. You can see everything around you through the windows, but nobody outside can see Spaceship. You drift silently above the city, and the longer you watch, the stranger it gets. A giant turtle-like creature swims below you carrying enormous slabs of stone strapped to its shell. Several fish people guide it towards a construction site. Nearby, creatures that look like giant seahorses pull carts full of glowing plants and other materials. You point toward another area. What are those? You ask. Several workers

11:49 are gathered around an unfinished building. One of them raises both hands, and the ground begins to shake. Stone rises directly out of the ocean floor. Your eyes widen. The worker twists his hands. The stone bends. Actually, bends. made curls upward and forms part of a wall. Did he just... Yes, I believe so, spaceship answers. Another worker swims forward. She spreads her arms, and water begins spinning around her. A powerful current forms, carrying loose sand and debris away from the construction site. Then... You notice someone else swimming beside a huge shark-like creature. The fish person touches the shark's head.

12:53 The shark turns. The person points towards several crates. And the animal calmly swims over, takes one of the crates in its mouth, and carries it away. You stare. They have powers?

13:11 Powers?

13:13 It would appear that some of them do. Magic? you ask. Possibly. Spaceship pauses. However, my preliminary scans indicate something unusual in their genetic structure. You turn toward the ceiling. What kind of unusual? I would need a closer scan to be certain. but parts of their DNA appear to have adapted far beyond what I would expect from natural underwater evolution. So what does that mean? It means, a hologram appears showing twisting strands of DNA, that different members of this species may possess genetic mutations allowing them to interact with particular parts of the environment. You look back out the windows.

14:16 One fish person controlling stone, one controlling water, another speaking to animals. So they evolved superpowers. That is extremely simplified, but basically correct. This planet is awesome. You say? I was afraid you might say that. Why, you ask? Because I recognize that expression. You point towards the city. Spaceship, we need to go down there. Spaceship sighs. I thought you would say that. If you are determined to go down there, I would prefer that you do not immediately announce to an entire alien civilization that you are from another planet. I am unsure if the people of this planet have encountered those from other planets before. Good point, you say. You look around at the underwater people swimming

15:35 between the buildings and Can the transmorphophyser copy one of them? I believe so, Spaceship answers. Spaceship slowly moves closer to the city. You point toward one of the fish people who's swimming near a fountain. He stretches out one hand, and the water around him twists into a spiral. That one, you say? Understood. Scanning now. A beam that luckily can't be seen by the fish people passes through the water, and a second later, Spaceship announces, Genetic profile acquired. You raise your watch. The transmorphophizer appears above it as a little holographic symbol.

16:30 Ready?

16:31 You ask.

16:32 Ready.

16:33 You press the button... and immediately your whole body tingles. Your legs pull together, scales spread across your skin. Your feet disappear completely as your body stretches into a long blue-green tail. Small fins appear along your arms. You look down at yourself. Okay, that's weird. Spaceship moves away from the city. and settles behind a huge underwater rock formation.

17:10 I have found a location where I should remain undetected. The back section of the ship suddenly starts to glow. Panels slide around, fly through the air, and it starts to change shape. A doorway appears behind you, one that wasn't there before. What's that, you ask? An aquatic transition chamber and decompressor. You step inside. The door closes behind you.

17:49 Spaceship's voice comes through the speaker. Beginning pressure equalization. Water starts pouring into the chamber. It rises past your tail, your waist, Your chest. You instinctively hold your breath. Do not hold your breath, spaceship announces. You are a merperson. You should be able to breathe underwater. Easy for him to say. You watch the water as it reaches your neck, then your mouth, then your nose. You squeeze your eyes shut.

18:32 The chamber fills completely, and eventually, you have no other choice. You breathe in. Water rushes into your mouth, and nothing happens. In fact, it feels perfectly natural, like you're breathing air. You open your eyes. I can breathe, you say. although it obviously comes out kind of gurgled, your transformed body is extracting oxygen directly from the water. But that's not the only strange thing. You feel something else. The water around you feels strange. Not wet, not heavy, almost like it's a part of you. You move your hand. The water follows it. You twist your fingers. A little ball of water spins between your palms.

19:41 Whoa.

19:43 It appears your copied genetic abilities are functioning well. You push both hands forward. and there's a whoosh. A blast of water slams against the far wall. Maybe don't do that while you are inside, Spaceship says. Oh, yeah, sorry. The back hatch opens. The ocean awaits. You swim forward, which comes rather naturally. Your tail moves automatically and you shoot through the water straight towards the city. Within minutes, you reach it. You swim past markets filled with strange glowing fruits. People trade using colorful shells, possibly the currency around here. Children chase tiny fish between buildings. A massive octopus uses several arms at once to help workers repair a roof. You swim deeper into the city, and then

20:56 you hear shouting. Down a narrow alley, three rough-looking fish people have surrounded someone smaller. A young girl. Give us the shells! One of them says. She clutches a little pouch against her chest. No, she shouts. One of them grabs it. You swim forward instinctively. Hey, you say, and the others turn. The biggest one looks you up and down.

21:31 Get lost, kid. You cross your arms. I don't think so. He swims closer. You want us to show you why people don't mess with us? You look at the scared girl, then back at him. No, I want you to give her the shells back. He swings at you. You react without thinking. Your hand shoots forward, the water explodes, and with a boom... A powerful blast sends him spinning across the alley. The other two charge. You sweep both arms sideways.

22:16 The current bends around you. One attacker gets thrown into a wall, and the other almost reaches you. You clap your hands together. The water around his arms instantly freezes. Ice locks them against his sides. He looks down.

22:37 What?

22:38 You grin. The first attacker comes rushing back. You spin, causing a whirlpool to form around him. He twists helplessly in circles before you release him straight into his friends. They all fall over and then stare at you. None of them seem to have any powers like you do. What, want some more? you ask. They all shake their heads and drop the pouch of shells. You crack your fingers as they swim away as quickly as they can. The girl picks up her pouch. Thank you, she says. No problem.

23:30 She hesitates and then smiles again. I suppose I should tell you who I really am. You weren't really thinking she was pretending to be someone else. She pulls a small piece of cloth away from her head, and a golden crest underneath it catches the light. I'm Allie. You wait, and she laughs. Princess Allie? Your eyes widen. Princess? You start to get the impression that she might be kind of a big deal around these parts and that, well, people would normally know her name. I wanted to see the city without guards following me everywhere. She looks down the alley. Clearly, not my best idea. Probably... better if I get back to the palace. Want to join me?

24:38 The palace? Yeah, the palace, come on, she says, waving for you to follow. You shrug your shoulders and decide to go along with it. Before long, you arrive at the palace. It's absolutely enormous. White towers twist upward like shells and Streams of glowing fish swim through the gardens. Huge statues stand outside the entrance. Allie brings you through giant golden doors. At the far end of the throne room sits her father, the king. He's absolutely enormous. A crown rests on his head. In one hand, he holds a huge three-pronged staff that looks almost like a giant magical fork, which seems a little cliché to be honest, but also pretty cool. Allie tells him everything. The king rises.

25:51 You protected my daughter when you believed her to be an ordinary citizen. He lowers his staff. That tells me more about you than any title ever could. An attendant swims forward carrying a smaller trident. Blue electricity crackles between its points. The king takes it.

26:24 Kneel.

26:26 You decide to go along with it since he is the king and sounds rather commanding. I name you Thane of the Underwater Kingdom. He places the trident in your hands. This weapon carries the power of the storms. May it serve you when you have need of it. Electricity dances across the metal. You stare at it. This is incredible. Eventually, you start to notice how dark the water outside has become.

27:08 I should probably get going, though. Getting late, after all, you say. Allie smiles. Come back some day. I will, maybe, you respond. You swim out of the kingdom. The guards open the doors for you. And a few moments later, Spaceship's invisible hatch opens in front of you, revealing the inside of a ship that you can't see the outside of.

27:43 You swim inside. The doors seal behind. BEGINNING DECOMPRESSION, SPACESHIP ANNOUNCES, AND THE WATER SLOWLY DRAINS AWAY. AIR FILLS THE CHAMBER. THE INNER DOORS OPEN. AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, CHANGER, YOUR SHAPESHIFTING DOG, IS WAITING HAPPILY. YOU PRESS THE BUTTON ON YOUR WATCH. YOU FEEL A STRANGE TINGLING SENSATION. As your tail disappears, your legs return. Soon, you find yourself fully human again. You walk over to the wall where you keep most of your trophies, magic staffs, super powerful cards, that sort of thing. You carefully hang the electrical trident beside the other strange things you've collected on your adventures.

28:48 Blue sparks flicker between its points, and you smile. Do you believe we will ever need that? Spaceship pauses. Considering our unusual adventures, we just might. Then you head towards your own room. Behind you, the Trident gives one last little crackle of electricity. You quickly climb into your bed, pull the covers up to your chin, close your eyes, and with each breath, you begin to, well, sink down into the mattress a little bit more. You let go of the tension from your arms, then your legs, then your shoulders, your neck, your head, your face. And with each breath, you sink a little bit deeper, and your mind begins to wander off to thoughts of new dreams and new adventures to come. Good night, everyone. Amen. Thank you.

32:46 Thank you.

33:38 Thank you.

34:19 You Thank you.

37:12 Thank you. Thank you. you Thank you.

41:26 Thank you. Thank you.

43:28 Thank you. Thank you.

45:00 Amen. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

50:35 You Thank you. you Thank you.