The Dean stands in the mess of his zub, looking out through the porthole at the depths of the zea around him.
"Officer Patil!"
The first mate of The Peligin Oak, Elise Patil, looks up from her calculations and dinner.
"Yes Captain Lee?"
The Dean beckons her over, "come, look out at the benthic with me."
Patil sighs, and walks over to the Dean. "Anything in particular you wanted to show me Captain? I’m rather busy."
The Dean shakes his head. "No, I just wanted to share the view with you."
Officer Patil narrowly maintains her composure. "Yes sir. Quite beautiful sir."
The Dean shakes his head again. "No it’s not."
"Sir?"
"It’s dark, and it’s dreary."
"It’s… the bottom of the unterzea sir."
The Dean laughs, surprising Officer Patil, "yes, yes, what more would one expect from our current locale. Tell you what. I think we need a change of scenery." The Dean claps his hands and rubs them, "Officer Patil!"
"Sir?"
"Lay in a course for London."
Elise Patil doesn’t move for a moment, then grins and enthusiastically shouts a "Yes Sir!"
She heads out towards navigation, but pauses at the portal, "And sir?"
"Yes Elise?"
"It’s good to have you back."
The Dean is coming home!