In movies and TV show, the lost city of Atlantis normally has advance technology which where the equal or not better than the modern technology of those people who arrive to explore it. While the machine defenders which the ancient Athenians built and the human wizards corrupted where clearly that, the former humans now merfolk who called Atlantis home where not advanced.
It reminded Lindsay and the others of a Renaissance Fair crossed with a refugee camp. They entered a square which while not small was nothing compared to the massive square in the center of the city where they arrived. Merfolk swam around going about their daily work, they where of all ages and races, they had all different hair colors and tail colors as well. Multiple tents were set out from repaired but still damaged buildings, a merman swam by with jugs of some kind hanging off a pole which rested across her back. In a good size building a mermaid with looked to almost be like a body builder type was pounding away on a piece of metal before heating it up in what looked to be boiling hot water.
The sound of a ringing bell filled the air as young kids swam toward a building with the words School written over the door. Across the square or maybe it had been attached to it as some point a bunch of people were tending to fields of seaweed, coral and what looked to be pens of different fish/crustaceans.
A load bag filled the air after the bell stopped ringing, a small river of black oil came out of one of the houses before something which looked to be a sort of underwater forklift came out and headed down a road, following behind where mermaids and merman with hand tools.
“That is a repair team heading out to see if they can repair more of the city.” explained Haru “Come let’s take you to the council, they should be in the government center.”
They swam on toward the largest building they could see, it looked like it had been an official government building. It had a large Egyptian like obelisk in front of what looked like a Greek building with a large colonnade right before the entrees.
As they swam toward that building, they passed by a merman filling the water with blood as he cut up a large fish, wrapping it up in seaweed before selling it to an old mermaid. They passed by a mermaid who was maybe five years their senior, but she was sitting on a bench, breast feeding a baby while another child who looked to be less then two years old was playing in the sand.
For some reason that hit Lindsay more then anything else had, she had known for a long time she wanted to be a mother, she wanted to wake up in the morning make her kids breakfast to see them take their first steps, to help them in school and to tuck them in at night. She wanted to watch them grow and to help them grow, she had never imagined it would happen as merfolk and now it looked like that would be her fate. Would be watching her kids take their first swim be the same as watching them take their first step. She didn’t know but it looked like they were stuck here.
As they swam by more and more people looked at them, they were new and new people where rare.
“Welcome!” yelled many people
“Where are you from?” asked others
As they passed through the colonnade and entered the government building they passed by a merman with a badge pushing another merman forward, the second merman had his arms bound and was yelling cruses at the other merman. Behind them a mermaid with a fat lip was yelling about finally pressing charges.
“What is this all about?” inquired an older mermaid who had black and yellow scales and looked to be in her late 50’s or early 60s
“Mr. Tremblay hit his wife.” Explained the merman with a badge as the mermaid yelled about finally leaving the drunk merman.
“Throw him in the stockade and we will have a trail in a day or two.” Said the older mermaid before she noticed the newcomers.
“Ebrha, Juni, Haru you seam to have found some new friends.” Said the older mermaid with a playful smile. “Morning, I am Judge Cameron, welcome to our little community I am afraid my fellow council members are out and about at the moment, but I can welcome you all.”
“Thanks…I guess, this is just a lot to take in.” said Elizabeth
“I am sure you understand that.” added James
“I am afraid I don’t, I have 5th generation merfolk but I know what you mean.” explained Cameron “So why don’t you tell me about yourself and we can get you set up and started on your new lives. It shouldn’t take long.”
That was a lie, it took the better part of the day as they went over who they were, where they were from and where they found the shard which sent them here. When they told Cameron what they had been studying they found out that some of them had basically no useful skills for this new world while others did.
James as pre-med was welcomed, they had only 2 doctors and a third even if it was only a pre-med student was welcomed. His girlfriend Elizabeth, who back in the human world had a trust fund around a million-dollar range and had gone to school for business found that meant basically nothing. They had a free-market system but unless you knew how to make something a business degree wasn’t going to get you much.
Stacy’s who was pre-law was a mix bag, they had laws but there wasn’t a full time need for lawyers but her research background was useful in their ongoing search throw ancient Atlantean records so she had that going. Barbara who had been going for a structural engineering degree had it made, they did not have anyone like that and with all the damaged buildings she had it made. Cameron actually gave her a job on the spot, making sure the bunkers which were built under multiple buildings where safe in case of a machine came by.
Oscar who was only a Freshman like Lindsay was less well off, but he had his skill in geology which was something lacking in this community and could be useful in time, while Lindsay.
“I study Graphic Design.” Explained Lindsay as Cameron’s face fell.
“Well, we don’t really have a need for Graphic Designers but we will find a place for you and don’t worry you will have a roof over your head and food in your belly no matter what.” Explained Cameron as Lindsay sunk a bit, she was basically useless. She would likely end up working the fields which was something she really did not want to do. “Either way, welcome to New Atlantis.”