Dagon: Waterworld Extreme

Extreme Sports World, Inc.: the name is known by extreme sports fanatics around the galaxy as the place to go for the ultimate in excitement. Each planet owned by ESWI has a wide range of sports custom designed for its unique topography. Far and away, it is considered the final word by enthusiasts everywhere. For DIANE PALMER, it isn’t the sports that draw her to the ESWI worlds, though as an extreme sports writer and enthusiast that is a big draw, but the fact that the President of the company is none other than her own estranged mother, CATHERINE PALMER; a viciously controlling and manipulating woman who made her childhood miserable. A celebrity with her own company: Extreme Sports Network, Diane visits the planets, competes in the sports and then sends a scathing broadcast to her fans designed to drive her mother crazy. But her need for revenge causes her to make a horrible mistake. She invites her teenage sister, TRISTAN, to join her and her friend, PATRICK WEBB, to the planet Dagon. Believing Diane has received Catherine’s permission, Tristan agrees. Ninety-five percent water with a perpetual hurricane, Dagon offers every water sport on the “extreme” scale. This includes hurricane pod riding where people can ride the waves of a hurricane in clear, indestructible spheres. CARLTON WESTON, Supervisor of Dagon Operations, is in control when Diane, Tristan, and Patrick are dropped into the one hundred and fifty foot swells. It should be a routine operation, but an extremely large blip on radar triggers the start of an extremely bad day. Activating the sound deterrents on the system of buoys surrounding the sports complex and ocean does nothing to stop it. Two armed hover jets commanded by Head of Security, ANDRE SERENTO, are sent to intercept it. It’s Andre that gets the first good look at the creature. A Zyphyr; a one hundred and fifty foot apex predator with the head of a dragon, two large front fins, and a body like a scaled eel. When two sonic torpedoes fail to kill the monster, it hurls itself up, grabs one jet and throws it into the other. Victorious, it continues straight for the pods. Carlton informs Catherine of the incident in progress. It’s at this time that Catherine discovers that Diane has convinced Tristan to slip her leash and follow her. She makes a mad dash to the planet. Carlton is coordinating the rescue effort. He is able to talk to the pods via built-in intercoms. When a fuming Catherine arrives, she confronts Diane about using her need for revenge to place Tristan in danger. Tristan now knows she was deceived. Faced with Tristan’s anger, Diane realizes Patrick was right when he said she was becoming just like her mother. Just as a rescue plane brings up Patrick and Tristan, the Zyphyr arrives. It lunges skyward, missing the plane by a foot of its snapping teeth. Diane is now alone and at the mercy of a huge monster that starts to play with her like a kitten with a ball. The Zyphyr grabs the sphere and takes it under. Dripping water and electrical sparks tell Diane that the pod’s seal has been compromised. She turns off the pod’s magnetic strips and the monster lets her go. Deciding that it is the magnetic field that attracts the Zyphyr, Carlton sends out another plane with two decoy pods. When the creature leaves, Andre goes in with a fast boat to retrieve Diane, but the Zyphyr is more intelligent than anyone thought. It spots the decoys and turns back. Andre tries to distract it with the boat to give a plane time to get Diane. HUGH HICKS, Pod Operations Director, almost has her. He’s hanging from a harness inches from her hands, but the Zyphyr has gone deep for another jump. Just when a wave pushes Diane away, it emerges. As it comes up, it engulfs Hugh and grabs the plane. This time, there are no survivors. Water is washing into the open pod door and there is no way to close it. Diane must swim for the floating plane wreckage or sink. Andre uses the boat and his rifle to draw the Zyphyr away but it only works for a few moments. Diane is in the water, swimming for her life. She reaches the plane and climbs in just as the Zyphyr breaks water and attacks. Andre shoots the creature to draw it away causing it to scream – and it’s answered by another not far away. While the Zyphyr chases the boat, something else arrives. Standing at the plane’s side door, Diane watches a moving mountain swim up. A draconian head emerges, four times the size of the other Zyphyr. As Diane faces death, she is startled to discover – it’s communicating with her telepathically. Hours later in a meeting, Diane explains that it was the magnetic field that drew the Zyphyr’s kit away from his mother. To keep this from happening again, SALBIDE DIXON, Marine Biologist will work with the Zyphyr to create a warning system, something that biology major Tristan would love to help with. Catherine’s denial of Tristan’s desire infuriates Diane. In a private meeting with her mother, Diane blackmails her. Either Catherine allows Tristan to work with Salbide or she’ll write such a scathing report, her mother will be forced to resign. The adventure ends with Diane’s broadcast: There are times when being close to death causes a person to confront their true selves and realize how empty their lives really are. When she returns to Dagon, it’s her hope to say, she’s not the person she used to be.