You looked at all the people er... merpeople(?) inside, who clearly were having a myriad of different emotions. A few looked enraged while some were crying although it was hard to tell since you were all surrounded by water. Albeit few looked happy possibly from the chance of becoming of a merperson or escaping their old life or whatever reason one could find happiness in your horrifying situation. However, looking at the faces of your girlfriend and friends you realize that all you felt was hopelessness.
"I don't think we can do anything" you say in a defeated tone.
Frank makes an annoyed expression before beginning to yell "Are you saying we have to be stuck as mermen, or mermaid, or whatever forever and leave everything behind?"
Although Frank looks a bit scary in his new appearance you maintain your composure. "No I just don't think it's wise to do anything until we reach wherever Davenport is sending us. Trying to do anything now would just kill us" you tell him. Frank looks annoyed at your response but he heaves a sigh as he has to come to terms with your point.
"So I guess we should just wait" your girlfriend said before holding you hand. Although it wasn't saving anything, you felt that the small act was helping save you from losing control and becoming a wreck. You look to see Anna and Frank also holding hands while looking at each other with worried expressions. All you could do now was wait.
***
You awaken to a large metallic sound as you rub your eyes to see Katie sleeping on you before turning your direction to the sound. A few of the other passengers are also waking up from the noise and looking outside the windows with the others who hadn't slept on the journey. "What's happening?" your girlfriend says clearly awake and panicking from the sudden commotion. Frank and Anna also awaken and look just as anxious.
"I think we're here" you say looking at the screen where the time was now stating 00:00 instead of the prior 8:36 you had seen before falling asleep. Plenty of merpeople began to talk amongst themselves as you notice the submarine approaching some sort of entrance where light is coming from juxtaposing the dark tunnel you're current inside of. The submarine continues before entering where it powers off. Nobody says anything. Not because they can't but because they don't know what to say.
The screen turns back on showing Mr. Davenport who clearly has lots to say. "Welcome to your new home. Your Eden if I must, since it describes your new environment much better. With your arrival, your population has now reached 20,000 merpeople. I must say I'm quite proud but I'm not done yet so please be prepared for more people to arrive in the coming years. Now I must bid you farewell as you become adjusted to your new home. Goodbye."
The submarine immediately begins to open from underneath as it drops all forty of you into the massive sea before closing its hatch and returning to the tunnel where it protruded from. Ready to return to bring more prisoners.
"Wait! Stop!!!" Frank yells but the Submarine is much too fast and disappears. All forty of you just remain silent and scared of your new situation. Suddenly you hear some noises and see two people approaching your group. They appear to be a bit older but not incredibly, probably in their fifties. One is a normal mermaid while the other looks like an eel merman.
"Welcome to Eden!" they say together. You feel afraid, who were these people and why were they so happy? Their welcoming manner just frightened you more. "This is your new home and we were personally selected to greet every new group" the woman says. "Now that you arrived, we will give you a basic explanation of Eden. To start, as you know we are inside the core and we currently reside in the sea within it. Just like the ocean, there are multiple species and other normal features inside the sea such as caves, coral, and other natural entities"
"But thats not all. If you swim to the surface, you can see the "sun" as we call the inner core and a few small deserted islands although they are kinda useless in your new forms" the man says. "Besides this basic explanation, your life here is up to your creation. You can join one of the many colonies formed underneath or roam freely. You can do as you please in regards to food, relationships, and your own life. With the massive expanse of the sea and the plenty of merpeople within, you'll find that Eden is just like our old world except better and completely natural with no technology or pollution or anything threatening as before. Now as I finish we'll take any questions."
A few of your fellow passengers ask questions regarding basic life like new homes, jobs, or whatnot. But it only takes a drastic turn when Frank asks if they can leave. The expression on the greeters face turn slightly dark before readjusting to their artificial smiles. "I'm afraid there is no way to return back. Even if you go out through the tunnel, which is a weeks worth trip, the pressure outside the tunnel would simply kill you instantly if not the thousands of miles you would need to swim back to the surface" the mermaid says. The eel merman nods before they take the remaining questions. Once no more questions remain, the greeters state their goodbyes before leaving. You see your group beginning to disperse as some gather into groups of families and friends while others already begin heading into different directions of the sea hoping to start their new life or find a means to escape.