Chapter 2
Time for Action
Inocente waved to their work crew on their way to clear fallen trees from the meadow, he told them there would be plenty of room for both spaceships once the area was cleared. He also mentioned the sailboat could be pumped out using a portable pump on his ship. Thoughtfully, Admiral Castro then walked to the shoreline where Sudor and the other delfinians were waiting for him.
Will Berrigan joined the group just as the Admiral arrived at the water's edge. "We should talk with the submarine crew and see how they fared," he suggested.
"The sub has a thin layer of sand on it but otherwise looks fine," Cecric said.
"I'm sure it is," the Admiral responded. "The typhoon was a huge one and probably in the news. The crew will want to pass word to their families."
He then turned to Sudor, "Will Berrigan made rapid progress designing an acoustical sensor like the Use navy has while you were gone. He started from the assumption that weapons designers used data from their war training experiments with dolphins. Is that still what you think, Will?"
"Yep. It's just a matter of further acoustical simplification, if Dasaye can communicate a much less detailed data block to our sensor, I'm certain their sensor would also receive it."
"What should they try to communicate?" Sudor asked.
"A three dimensional acoustical data picture of the submarine," the Admiral responded with a grin and a little jig of excitement. "Will has already built a test receiver that inputs the acoustical data into a computer which then renders it as a picture. We'll test it with a picture of the submarine made from Dasaye's song."
"Dasaye and I figured out your plan while we traveled to look for orcas," Sudor said proudly, he was obviously pleased with himself. "The ocean people memorized the submarine with their echo location sonar when we first arrived."
"Great!" the Admiral responded enthusiastically. "We'll bring a portable computer and a sensor. Tap Morse code for "Up please", like this,
“• • – • – – • • – – • • – • • • • – • • • • ,
“Then bring Dasaye and a few dolphins closer to shore so they can work with Will on the computer. Oh, one more thing; ask Pito if he will give me a ride out to the sub, all our boats were destroyed by the typhoon."
Will was already half way up the ship ramp. By the time the Admiral finished talking with Sudor he handed an armload of gadgetry to Inocente and then went back inside for another load. Dasaye, Pito, and a half dozen dolphins arrived as Will was hooking up the computer equipment on top of a small folding work bench. He, Dasaye, and the dolphins began their scientific experiments as the Admiral started out for the submarine on Pito's back.
The sun was about half an hour from setting as the Admiral and Pito approached the surfacing submarine. "Everything is going quite well despite the storm," the Admiral told Pito. "Thank you for the ride."
"I'm happy to do it, this is all very interesting," Pito politely replied.
"Would you announce that the submarine is surfacing and there will be a discussion here?" the Admiral asked.
Pito promptly called out the Admiral's message, cetaceans began gathering around the submarine as the first of its crew came out onto the aft deck. The crew stood flat footed and staring at the sight of thousands of ocean people arranged like humans crowded into the coliseum of a big-league sporting event. The Admiral stood up on Pito's back when the visibly and quite understandably startled submarine commander jostled his way past his motionless crew. Word of the sight spread rapidly below decks and soon the entire submarine crew stood before a silently watching multitude of ocean people.
Commander Grey had been fascinated by cetaceans his entire life, they were a big part of his reason for joining the navy; he looked out at the crowd and his face briefly lost the scowl of anger he had worn from the first time since the humiliating capture of his ship. His hand held a powerful pistol inside his jacket pocket and his plan to eliminate the Admiral and anyone near him was put on hold, he was as completely surprised as the rest of the crew and remained silent. He promised himself he would rid the Earth of Admiral Castro later and simply stood wondering what on earth was happening in front of his own eyes.
"You are looking at the first gathering of Ocean People united to oppose War Humans and their diabolical machines," the Admiral informed commander and crew. "Pioneers, Delfinians, and Ocean People have become allies in an effort to save Earth from people who plunder, pollute and wage eternal war for money grubbing profit off terrorism and death."
The nearest cetaceans could hear Inocente, who was wearing his translation collar. Those closest passed his speech rapidly to those further away, then silence fell once again. The only sound was a gentle island sea that occasionally slapped the submarine hull. Ballena and Leslie swam closer to support Pito and Inocente. Remo and Rima came forward as well, they positioned themselves on Pito's other side.
The Admiral cast a fond glance to his granddaughter on one side, smiled to his friend on the other and introduced them before continuing. The Commander recognized Leslie Berrigan's name, he glanced to the island and saw two spaceships instead of one. His military mind accurately classified the smaller as a heavy-weight, long-range fighter, and reckoned the larger might be an admiral class frigate which could hold a line in serious battle. He whistled softly in appreciation, before turning back to the Admiral.
"There has been a tremendous typhoon," Inocente continued, "perhaps global climate collapse brought us the largest storm in recorded history. We will send a message to your home port now that we know you have survived. In the meantime, we ask you to be patient and resume your position on the sea floor. Delfinians have convinced me that we cannot release you until the submarine has been disarmed of all its atomic bomb missiles. We plan to commence actions to start those ticklish negotiations tomorrow.
"Your ship will be ransomed for three fully loaded smaller missile launching submarines. You and all aboard who wish to leave Earth Base One will be free to do so as soon as the three smaller submarines have also been emptied of terrorist nuclear weapons of mass destruction. Cetaceans will now express their opinion of these plan details. After they have had their say, you will return to the bottom and await further instructions." He concluded by turning to the ocean people and waving both arms like a combined cheer leader and a orchestra conductor.
The answering roar came from thousands of voices using their loudest tones. Unmistakable anger at hundreds upon hundreds of years of slaughter spilled vehemently upon the awed submarine crew. The uproar would have continued until long after dark but for the Admiral finally interrupting for quiet. The sun was below the horizon by the time he spoke again. He told the submarine commander to take the ship back down and that he would make available a communication device on the submarine in the morning so the crew could contact their families to assure of there safety after the gigantic storm.
The submarine commander motioned for the crew to go below. He turned back when the last of the crew disappeared from sight. A hint of a smile tickled the corners of his mouth as his eyes slowly swept over the Alliance. Commander Grey then let go of the gun in his pocket and saluted the multitude. He attempted to hide the glint of anger that returned to his bearing yet he grudgingly saluted Admiral Castro and spoke once more before following his crew below. The United States will never give you three fully loaded submarines in exchange for this one..." Anger at the thought of his country being humiliated flooded over the sub commander. "I'll stop there," he said stepping into the hatchway, a clanging thud followed the commander as the hatch closed. The submarine slowly sank beneath the surface and the Admiral watched it go down. He knew the sub commander was dangerous and began his own more informed plan.
Ballena, Remo, and Pito carried their precious riders to shore following a looping tour through the still assembled allies. A silent path opened before them to honor them in passage, just as the dolphins had done previously for Sudor and Dasaye. Leslie felt a catch in her breath, she knew the solemn honor bestowed upon them by the ocean people measured the desperate pain and suffering caused by centuries of ugly human war against all ocean people and Earth itself.
After they left the assembled ocean constituents and approached the beach Ballena swung her large body in a circle and gently backed her tail to dry land. Leslie hopped ashore. Remo and Pito had become involved in their own game and plowed into the shore with deep humming laughter.
Pito, being the youngest, became so involved in the fun he unceremoniously dumped the Admiral, butt first onto the beach. Suddenly embarrassed, he began a stammering stream of apologies. The Admiral picked himself up, rubbing his slightly sore and bruised rear-end with one hand, he thumped Pito's head with the other. To Pito's surprise, he then leaned forward and kissed him, thanked him for the ride, and gave him another affectionate thump on the leading ridge of his baby but still big head. The Admiral then waved to the allies and turned to inspect the progress Will had made with the new computerized sensor experiments.
Rima and Leslie were both peering at Will's handiwork with bemused and slightly worried expressions as Inocente joined them at the work bench.
"That one looks like an old cigar, "Leslie mused, rubbing her husband's hunched over shoulders and neck.
"And that one looks like a popsicle," Rima giggled, until she noticed her grandfather's serious eyes.
"I don't get it," Will groaned. "Everything checks out perfectly." He glanced at the patiently waiting cetaceans in his research group. "I'm nearly exhausted and you all look like you're just starting."
"You need a rest, Dear," Leslie soothed. "Put this stuff away while we move the ships and then have something to eat. Perhaps you'll find an answer after some sleep, that usually works."
"You're right," Will responded. "It has to be something simple." He rolled up his portable computer and asked Dasaye and the dolphins to join him later at the river cove. They said they were hungry, too, and agreed to return in a few hours.
Eddy and Liz were waiting at the ships and flew the short hop to the river meadow as soon as Will's gear was piled in the cargo bay next to the strapped down surfboards, they didn't even bother to close the doors and hatches, time in the air was less than a minute.
"This really is a beautiful spot," Leslie exclaimed as she left the spaceship. "We should build something permanent here."
Kevin heard his mom as he was working inside the sailboat, which was already half way pumped empty of water. He poked his head above deck, "Mom, this a nature preserve, there aren't supposed to be any humans on it."
"We are part of nature, too, and we're here to preserve nature," Leslie retorted turning toward him. "Inocente needs a proper admiral's headquarters, your dad and I need a lab, and we all need a nice bathroom and a shower. You just mind your own business down there in the sailboat and we'll all work on supper over here."
Kevin grinned and promptly disappeared below deck, he kept busy at his cleaning job until dinner call. It was dark when he came up on deck. A campfire between the two sleek spaceships lit the meadow area. Pioneers sat cross legged with plates on their laps, the forest behind was silhouetted pitch black against the night sky, fire light reflected from the spaceships and across the glassy river cove.
Kevin rushed back into the sailboat for his camera and then took a picture to record their first night together at Earth Base One. 'This will be something I'll enjoy showing my grandchildren, if I live long enough to have any,' he thought, snapping several more pictures.
The meal consisted of stewed bamboo shoots, which the typhoon had conveniently wedged in a line that looked like arrows under a fallen tree, and fish, which had been stranded in a rapidly shrinking puddle next to the meadow. It was deliciously seasoned with ginger leaves Leona had found plastered against a boulder next to the river. Green plantains littered the ground everywhere, they added potato-like body to the stew. The food was warm and good. Everyone was exhausted and ready for sleep when the dolphins and Dasaye showed up ready to go back to work. Will had napped through the after dinner cleanup, he woke with a smile.
Kevin, Leona, and Rima had set up Will's work bench near the river while he slept. Rima had asked the cetaceans if they would like a sample from their meal. "It was very delicious," she teased, quite accurately.
She then brought a large bowl of stew and a cup with which she ladled stew into each of their mouths. The dolphins made polite comments of appreciation but weren't overly interested. Dasaye, however, surprised even himself and greedily asked for seconds. Rima obliged and poured the rest of the stew out of the bowl and into his mouth. Rima saw an orca smile, it was a first for her. "That is totally delicious!" Dasaye exclaimed, with a tremendous burp.
Rima laughed, "Maybe the plantains and ginger leaves boiled up in your stomach."
Dasaye's burp was what had awakened Will. He jumped to his feet and hurried to the river cove beach. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting," he said, turning on a portable table lamp next to his computer and adjusting the sensor receivers.
"Not at all," Dasaye responded casting a curious glance at Rima.
Will looked up from his work and read Dasaye's facial expression perfectly. "Humans try to suppress body noises," he explained, "burps are verboten."
"Why?" One of the dolphins asked.
"That's a good question," Kevin laughed as he reached out and took Leona's hand. "Let's go to bed," he said to her, "and leave these guys to their work."
"Maybe it's because human people gather around tables and if everyone burped at the same time it would be awfully noisy," Rima suggested, grinning and waving goodnight.
The small band of researchers watched Kevin, Leona, and Rima walk back to the ships, they then turned to their project and worked late into the night. Solutions remained as illusive as ever. Many times that night one or more of the pioneers would awaken to the sound of excited riverside conversation before rolling over and back to sleep. Will and his new found friends burned with the energy of discovery. They struggled mightily with each new hurdle, pressing on through the night without a moment for rest.
Leslie woke first in the gray light of dawn. Something in the tone of her husbands voice had become part of her dreams. She dressed and walked the short distance to the river cove beach at the very moment of success.
"We've done it!" Will shouted to the dolphins and Dasaye. "You all can make a perfect picture of the submarine on my computer." He picked up the computer and turned the display screen toward them.
Leslie stopped a few steps short of them and watched. Six dolphins, and an orca crowded around the computer screen, their faces were illuminated by its light. She wasn't wearing her translation collar and didn't need it. Sight and sound swirled into surreal. 'This would be wild in a movie,' she thought, at that moment hearing the click of a camera. She turned to see Kevin standing beside her in his underwear. They smiled together, mom and son, watching the excitement for a moment, then joined the reverie and admired success; Ocean People could make perfect pictures on Will's computer monitor.
The Admiral woke up to all the commotion and was soon standing in knee deep water. He began admiring and cooing over submarine images as if they were baby photos. All the pioneers dressed and gathered one-by-one to see the excitement. Inocente looked up from the screen and they were surprised to see tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Now we can fight the money hungry war corporations without killing a bunch of kids they've conned into doing their fighting for them," he said, walking onto dry ground.
"How did you do it?" He turned back and asked.
Will wrestled Dasaye's head into a hug and then stepped to the dolphins. "You all know Dasaye, the others are Weed, Ollie, Sharpie, Grana, Hewlo, and Mareena," he introduced them in a row patting each one on the head as he spoke their name. It was obvious they had all become thoroughly bonded during their long hours of intense work.
Will paused at Mareena's side, "Everyone contributed mightily to this breakthrough, Dasaye, for example, noticed we pictured too much detail inside the sub. We cut way back and now show only shadows of the reactor core and the atom bomb missile tips."
He crouched low and hugged Mareena, "Mareena kept insisting there were things in the computer pictures she hadn't put in. It was when she suggested that they try a single image as if they weren't moving that we had the answer. The cetaceans kept simplifying what they sent through the sensors to the computer but it never occurred to them to send such a simple picture as a single snapshot. Life just isn't like that for them, they perceive a three dimensional data construction that continuously shifts depending on where they are.
"I know, it's the same for us with our eyes but they never had a use for a single photo image. Mareena is the one who figured it out. She noticed that it was like a still camera being open long enough to catch two frames of a moving picture."
The Admiral raised his eyebrows questioningly, "We want search vessels moving about on the surface and receiving images of a stationary submarine on the bottom. Can the ocean people do that?"
"Watch this," Will said, turning to the cetaceans. "Now remember, once you pick a location for the submarine on the bottom, it can't move." The ocean people agreed.
Will placed a stick on the sand to represent the submarine. He next picked up a long piece of bamboo storm debris, made a slit in one end with his pocket knife, and then stuck a leaf in the slit. "That leaf is a search boat," he said, holding the leaf high over his head with the bamboo pole, at the surface of imaginary water. He then paced off ten steps away from the submarine/stick, which was still laying on the sand.
"Here's the test; when I say now, each of you in turn send a picture of the submarine as it would look from our search boat atop the bamboo. We'll start with Mareena and work down the line to Dasaye."
Will took one step forward and said, "Now." A graphical picture of the real submarine appeared on the computer monitor, as it would look at the angle from the leaf to the stick. Will then walked four steps toward the stick but not directly at it. "Now", he said. A second graphical rendering of the submarine appeared as it would look from the new position. He then walked two steps past the stick, stopped and again said, "Now". This time the graphical picture showed the submarine from the other side. He kept this up until Dasaye's turn, when he stood directly over the submarine. A graphical picture looking through Will's lightly shaded head and shoulders clearly showed a perfectly detailed submarine directly beneath him.
Dasaye chuckled his low tone as the Humans looked at his picture in complete amazement. "You have the makings of an artist in you, "the Admiral mused, himself chuckling along with Dasaye's humor. Then he grew serious.
"You've all done an extraordinary job. How long will it take to teach the others how to do this? Remember, the imaginary submarine doesn't move and it's down in a deep hole and the search vessels can't see it till they're almost directly above."
"One quick recital and it's done," Mareena answered.
"Good. Divide up into traveling groups, after the recital. I'll bring maps and come over to the cove shortly. Groups will leave in different directions, you decide who goes where." He then turned and strode to the ships. "Liz, could you fly the larger spaceship straight up and out of here in an emergency, if Eddy wasn't around?"
Liz glanced to Eddy, he nodded reassuringly. "I think I'd like to look at the manual before I do it," she said.
"Good answer," the Admiral replied. "Start reading now. Oh. I almost forgot. Have you picked a name for your ship?"
"My ship?"
"You did bring it safely through the typhoon."
"Yes Sir. Thank you. I'll work on a name."
"You, too, Eddy. 'Admiral One' was an okay factory name, but it's now the fleet commander's ship assigned to Earth Base One. Your ship needs a new name.
"I'll name it 'Pioneer Frigate'," Eddy replied, without hesitation.
"Next, I'm sending you on a mission to tell the submarine crew families everyone is okay. Eddy flies Liz's ship while she stays here and practices around the landing area with the frigate. Liz, let's go organize the maps and the manual for your study."
The Admiral paused before entering the spaceship, he turned back to the Pioneers, "Clear the area around the ships for Eddy's immediate take-off. Come with us, Kevin, if you want more flight training."
Kevin gave Leona's hand a squeeze and bolted up the ramp into the ship. He joined the circle looking at a map of the south pacific islands.
"The typhoon center should be about here by now," the Admiral said, pointing to an area dotted with islands. "Your job, if you decide to accept it, is to fly low and fast into the typhoon. Then climb to a safe altitude and fly to the center, from there fly upward at an angle which suggests you came from an island further northwest, thats about fifteen hundred kilometers from here. When you are free of the atmosphere, set a course for Pacifica's Spaceport. Establish radio contact when you are a safe distance away; tell them the submarine crew is doing fine and that we will be prepared to negotiate for the submarine's return to port in four to five days. If it's okay with Eddy, you may invite Leona to accompany you as a navigator trainee, we really will need as many trained people as we can find."
Eddy nodded his agreement and Kevin went to tell Leona she could be a navigator trainee if she would like to. The Admiral wished Eddy good luck, rolled up his maps, and left to give instructions to the allies. "There's a ton of clean-up work to do around here for a few days now that typhoon left here and is raging around west of us," he told Kevin and Leona as they rushed past him up the ramp to join Eddy. "Good luck and be careful," he said, striding off toward the surfing cove.
Eddy showed them how to pull up the stairs and shut the door. Next they went through start-up routine. Leona quickly learned how to put a map of the region on the navigator's screen and trace in a large purple circle to represent the typhoon as the joy generator warmed to full power. Eddy was impressed with the professional demeanor of his crew, he turned to Kevin, "I thought our escape into the typhoon probably ended your pilot career."
"What do you mean?" Kevin asked looking up from his attempt to memorize everything about the ship controls Eddy had just shown him.
"I had the impression you were so scared you'd want to stick closer to solid ground," Eddy said with a friendly grin.
"Yeah. Right. Tell me you weren't scared," Kevin responded. "I watched you sweating and wide-eyed trying to get control of the ship. Let me tell you, it's way worse when one is just watching and hoping the other guy figures out what up and what's down."
Eddy laughed. "How about you, Leona, were you as scared as I was?"
"I was petrified," she answered putting the finishing touches on the computer screen typhoon image.
"But you signed on for another trip, and this one's even more dangerous. People might try to shoot us down." Eddy's words hung in the air, more like a question than a statement.
"To tell you the truth," Leona responded looking seriously straight into Eddy's eyes. "I had a great job before all this. And Kevin and I were planning to get married and have a family. Thing's change when one least expects it. Now I don't even have the slightest idea what's coming next. Now I'm sitting in the cockpit of a spaceship being grilled by a young pilot who's trying to figure out the quality of his crew." Leona said this with a slightly combative tone, yet without a hint of hostility. She smiled and lowered her eyes. Her grace and manners were in equal part unassuming and overwhelming, "No offense intended,' she concluded quietly.
Eddy, as though feeling the power of her emotion, sank deeper into his seat cushion. "I may be younger than you guys," he said as he began the lift-off. "Still, I am a ship captain and I can marry you, if you want me to. This isn't the most romantic place on Earth but I have the authority to perform a wedding. Yours would be the first marriage in the world flying into a typhoon at ten thousand kilometers per hour, I hope it doesn't foretell your future."
Kevin laughed and reached for Leona's hand. "Will you marry me now?" He asked.
They lifted off the ground and blasted to cruising speed once clear of the island shore. "It's not very comfortable to look down while traveling this fast," Eddy advised. "All you can see is a blue blur. Watch our progress on the screen instead. Look at the blinking green spot, that's us, we're already closing in on the typhoon." He glanced to Kevin and Leona, they were looking at each other and not out the window. "Are you ready?" He heard Kevin ask.
Leona nodded, "Yes". She was positively beaming, happily surprised.
"We're entering the typhoon now." Eddy informed them as he began the impromptu ceremony. "Do you, Leona, take Kevin for your Husband?"
"I do," she answered, as the ship started bouncing in the wind.
"I'm starting our climb now," Kevin explained as he adjusted the controls. "And do you, Kevin, take Leona for your Wife?" He solemnly asked while using his best poker face to hide his struggle with the ship.
"I do," Kevin said reaching back and holding Leona's hand as the ship began seriously lurching in what seemed to be every direction at once.
"Then, as Ship Captain, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife." Tears brimmed in all their eyes as Eddy fought with the typhoon. They suddenly blasted out its top and into the sun, briefly, before ducking back down into the clouds.
"Land Agocean!" Leona exclaimed, putting on an accent she'd heard in a movie as a kid. "I never in my life reckoned I'd be married on a spaceship."
"While hiding in a typhoon," Kevin said, still holding her hand.
The spaceship was beyond the horizon before Inocente and Will were half-way to the cove. They might have worried about the mission a little more than they already did had they known the almost reckless abandon enjoyed by the newly bonded fighter crew.
Leslie and Rima stayed behind to clean up around the camp and change into their bathing suits. Rima was hoping Remo was still there for her to ride. Leslie was looking forward to another conversation with Ballena and her first orca ride, no matter who it was with. Liz stayed with the ship and studied the flight manual.
The delfinians all somersaulted out of the water and onto the beach when the Admiral and Will arrived. They held their still dripping bodies back a little as they inspected the map Will unrolled on dry sand.
The Admiral drew a broad imaginary circle around an area of south pacific islands with his finger, "This is about where the typhoon would be if it stayed on the course it followed when it passed us. Eddy and a crew took off with the fighter and should be leaving the atmosphere headed for Nation Pacifica about here," he pointed to the northwest line of the imagined typhoon.
The delfinians looked up from the map questioningly. Will explained they had gone to send word that the submarine crew was alive and well and that we will be ready to negotiate its release in four or five days.
"The spaceship will be tracked as it leaves the typhoon. Search and rescue vessels will converge on the area the fighter appeared to leave from as soon as the storm has passed," the Admiral continued. "If groups of ocean people leave immediately, they will arrive in the same place at about the same time. Seeing a spaceship fly out of the typhoon should lead the Use President to believe we have been made desperate by the storm.”
Sudor glanced up from the map, raising his eyes to meet Inocente and Will, "That's when ocean people start projecting images of the submarine to search vessel sensors?"
"Exactly. The Use navy should find the first one in a deep ocean canyon where it's difficult for them to be certain it actually has been located. That will keep them busy in one area and ensure that other search vessels keep looking in other places. Ocean people will be looking for search vessels while the search vessels look for the submarine. Every search vessel we find will then find another submarine."
"What will happen at War Human Headquarters?" Cecric asked with a smile.
"It should tie them in knots," Will actually laughed out loud when he answered.
The Admiral appeared satisfied, he gazed into the distance for a moment and visualized complete bureaucratic pandemonium, "This should swamp their president, he will become completely preoccupied. That's the idea, anyway."
"Some ocean people should remain here," Cecric commented.
"We agree on that, too," Will said. "Their should be representatives from each cetacean family here."
"Including a delfinian or two," the Admiral concluded. "Ocean people should direct new recruits here for the next month or so. After that, the number of ocean people and travel distances will become too great for Earth Base One, we will need another base."
"Sudor and Dasaye have become inseparable friends and they both want to go," Cecric said. "Perko and I have volunteered to stay here with you and the cetaceans so Landra and Dawn can go, too."
"Okay. Let's find out if anyone will ride us out to say good-by to the troops," said the Admiral, as he stood up, stretched, and then walked to the water line.
"Wait for me!" Liz cried, running toward them.
Will watched her progress and once again couldn't help admiring how stunningly beautiful all the fair maidens on their team were. He got another reprimanding but gentle elbow in the ribs for it, too.
Liz saw it happen as she approached and suddenly felt a little shy in her bikini top and cut-offs. "Don't worry about him," Leslie said as Liz joined the group. "He's just a normal, every-day-old-dad, they're all the same."
"We thought you were going to stay and study the ship manual," Will said using the most fatherly voice tones he could muster, and successfully suppressing an urge to laugh. Grace laughed for him, she protectively put her arm around her dad as they called for a ride. Will beamed with fatherly pride.
Rima was thrilled that Remo and a half dozen other orcas would remain at the island on guard duty, and Remo was also looking forward to surfing and riding Rima around on his back. Like Sudor and Dasaye, Remo and Rima had become fast friends.
A procession of five humans, five delfinians, four orcas, and one young sperm whale wound its way through cheering throngs of ocean people. Each traveling group was organized into larger groups destined for different pacific regions. The Admiral stopped in front of each group, he delivered the same message over and over again, until all had heard.
"You are going forth to stop War Humans non-violently. Your bravery is unsurpassed by any army that has gone into battle, for you carry neither weapons of mass destruction nor weapons for self defense. You carry only the love in your heart for Mother Earth; and that shall bring you victory and the ancient promise that the meek shall inherit this earth."
The Admiral's voice gave out when they arrived at Sudor and Dasaye's group. The fondness he felt for his friends clearly showed in his eyes and he whispered his tired voice, "Do your best, my friends. You are bearers of much responsibility."
Sudor didn't say anything in answer. He searched deeply into Inocente's eyes with his own. A bolt of consciousness snapped between them, then Sudor winked, slowly and deliberately. He then turned to Ballena and asked her to call across the sea to every sperm whale. "Send the first to find me and have the rest join with the traveling parties."
"What is your idea?" the Admiral asked.
"Dasaye says that sperm whales have a special sound weapon inside their large heads. I'm sure we'll find a way to use it."
The Admiral then stood up, those who remained behind watched the grand departure until it disappeared from sight.
Less than a hundred ocean people had stayed behind and the cove seemed empty, lonely, and too quiet.
"I'm going surfing," Grace whispered.
"Let's have some fun around here," Will shouted. He, Grace, and orca friends took off for the surfing point.
Although it's sometimes elusive, ocean people really do live every moment for fun. It wasn't long before Grace's impulse spread throughout the cove, everyone was dancing with joy. The seriousness of their struggle to save Earth from war and pollution did not stop them from enjoying the day's beauty. The Admiral even cruised around cross-legged on Pito's back for awhile, though he did feel a weariness upon him and soon tired.
"Pito, my friend, please take me to shore. These old bones need a little rest."
Pito chuckled a low tone that the Admiral felt buzz through his entire body. He found it surprisingly rejuvenating.
"Job well done," Pito then said, shyly. "I thought I should tell you, in case no one else does."
"Thanks Pito. I needed to hear that boost from a young person even though I didn't know it until you said it," the Admiral appreciatively patted the back of Pito's head as they swam toward the beach through frolicking fun like he'd never imagined in his long elder's life.