Daughter of the Sea

Torpedoes fired from a submarine strike the base of the cliff that houses Harding-Pencroft Academy, collapsing buildings into the sea. The freshmen scramble to safety, boarding buses and then the school yacht Varuna as chaos unravels around them. Dr. Hewett claims the attack is the work of a rival school and orders the group to pretend they are dead to protect them, appointing Gemini 'Gem' Twain as Ana's bodyguard.

After retreating offshore, Hewett commands the fleet to maintain the illusion of their demise. He insists Land Institute is responsible and that it is safer for the world to believe the freshmen perished. The group begins their voyage with the sense that they are pawns in a centuries-long rivalry over Nemo's technology.

On the Varuna, Land Institute seniors launch a coordinated commando raid to kidnap Ana. The attack triggers a desperate defense as drones survey the wreckage and the crew fights to protect the students. The assault reveals the depth of the feud and the lengths each side will go to control Nemo's legacy.

A friendly bottlenose dolphin named Socrates intervenes by striking Caleb South out of the water, disrupting his attempt to seize Ana. The escape is thwarted as the crew fends off the raiders, and the ocean proves to be an unpredictable ally. The raid ends with the would-be kidnapper knocked aside and momentary safety restored.

Caleb South is interrogated and openly admits that he and his classmates destroyed Harding-Pencroft to safeguard Land Institute's access to Nemo's technology. Hewett then orders Caleb thrown overboard in his flotation vest to join the other attackers adrift. The revelation deepens the students' understanding of the brutal stakes of the rivalry.

Hewett explains that Jules Verne's stories are rooted in real events and that Ana is a direct descendant of Captain Nemo. He describes the two-century feud between Harding-Pencroft and Land Institute over Nemo's technology and the responsibility to use it wisely. The students realize their training is now tied to a dangerous legacy.

On the morning of their second day at sea, Hewett is found comatose and revealed to be suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer. Ana is forced to step into a leadership role to keep the voyage and mission moving forward. The group confronts the weight of responsibility resting on Nemo's legacy.

Ana takes command and uses one of Nemo's inventions to determine a course to a remote Pacific atoll named Lincoln Island. She communicates with the crew in Bundeli, the ancestral language that validates her status as Nemo's descendant. The voyage becomes a test of leadership as they approach the hidden island.

The group arrives at Lincoln Island and is greeted by Luca Barsanti and Ophelia Artemesia, along with Jupiter the orangutan who demonstrates surprising culinary skill. They guide the students to the island's hidden reserves and introduce the near-intact Nautilus resting in a lagoon. The environment blends eccentric hospitality with high-stakes science.

Hewett begins receiving treatment with Captain Nemo's medical technology. Ana boards the Nautilus by introducing herself and using a pipe organ Nemo installed to awaken the ship's systems. The Nautilus reveals itself as a highly advanced, nearly sentient machine ready to assist its rightful heir.

Land Institute's submarine Aronnax closes in, triggering a battle as the Aronnax engages the Nautilus and Lincoln Island's defenses. Ana and her companions coordinate their response, leveraging Nemo's technology to defend their position. The confrontation confirms that Land Institute will stop at nothing to seize Nemo's legacy.

Ana discovers that Dev is alive and operating the Aronnax for Land Institute, broadcasting a warning to evacuate. She finds and destroys a tracking device hidden in her necklace, severing his control. Using the Nautilus' propulsion, she escapes, reaffirming her commitment to Nemo's rightful legacy.

Two hours later, the Nautilus crosses the Western Pacific near Palau Trench and encounters a giant octopus named Romeo. Ana befriends the creature with the aid of a keytar and the Nautilus' AI, and Romeo helps them speed back toward Lincoln Island. The unlikely alliance underscores Nemo's profound connection with the sea.

Back at Lincoln Island, Aronnax is destroyed and its crew is captured. A final confrontation between Ana and Dev ends with Ana knocking him unconscious using rubber bullets, ending his bid to dictate Nemo's legacy. The island is secured, and the students reclaim their position in the ongoing struggle for Nemo's technology.

The ninth-graders, Luca, Ophelia, and a recovering Hewett vow to rebuild Harding-Pencroft. Ana escorts Dev to their parents' final resting place in the lagoon near the Nautilus, bringing closure to Nemo's lineage. The journey ends with a hopeful commitment to use Nemo's inventions responsibly and to honor the memory of those lost.