australian television information archive

Deep Down

Episode 15

Canada: Wed, July 15, 2009
Australia: ? (Nine)

Written by Bryan McQueen-Mason
Directed by Edward McQueen-Mason

Khelioz sabotages the Stormrider leaving Jason, Lee and Flees trapped inside and stranded on the bottom of the ocean.

Everyone is reeling after the map disintegrates in Lee's hands. Ogee explains it was caused by exposure to air after being underwater for so long. Khelioz's warning of an impending Mystal cuts the discussion short. With the water infested with fangeels there is no choice but to follow Gundril to shelter in her cave. Khelioz hangs back, traps them all inside by weighting the metal cover with a rock and departs. It seems that Khelioz's warning of an approaching Mystal was a ploy. After several attempts to get out, Lee and Flees finally combine their muscle power to lift the hatch. Too late. The Valligat is sailing off into the distance.

Flees grudgingly agrees to take Apssed and Hilss back to New Arkoddia.. She also invites Gundril to come to the Settlement but Gundril declines, preferring to stay where she is.

The Stormrider sets off but before long the engine fails and Lee finds a stone lodged in the intake pipe of the cooling system. Flees suspects this is the work of Khelioz. Shortly after, they spot a massive Mystal approaching at speed and the Arkoddians dive overboard. Jason is about to follow suit when Flees reminds him that the Mystal is a threat to Ogee and could also fry the Stormrider's systems. There's only one thing for it. They pelt into the cabin, secure the hatches and submerge — just in time. The Stormrider sits on the bottom, going nowhere until the stone is removed. But with the intake pipe hot to touch the kids must wait for it to cool. Lee descends into a deep gloom. With the map gone, he feels they'll be trapped forever on Stormworld. Jason tries to rally him and they pass the time talking of family and home. Flees checks the intake pipe again but it's still too hot and they have only a couple of hours air left in the cabin.

Meanwhile, Khelioz has back-tracked to Luce Island where he barters with Gundril for her blue stone necklace, similar to the one that Werrolda wears, and finds out that they came from the same submerged wreck as the disintegrated map fragment.

On Stormrider, a desperate situation calls for desperate measures. A Spykestorm looming nearby gives Ogee an idea. By expanding, he will hopefully attract the Spykestorm's lightning which will hit Stormrider hard enough to jolt the stone loose. It is risky but with only minutes of air remaining, it's the only option they have. To everyone's immense relief, the plan works and Stormrider is back in action.

After picking up the exhausted Apssed and Hilss from the water, the Stormrider heads for New Arkoddia. When they arrive, Voss is ready to arrest them until Apssed and Hilss tell him that the kids saved their lives. Voss pseudo-graciously invites them to refreshments. When Flees asks about Vassler and Dressler, Jorssen says they are away searching for supplies. But Flees senses that he is lying. This is confirmed when Mephanny discreetly signals to Lee.

As the Stormrider heads away from New Arkoddia, Lee and Jason try to convince Flees that they must go back to help Vassler and Dressler. She agrees, even though she thinks they are making a serious mistake.