Neptune Speaks

The Son of Neptune Quotes

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The Kwawaka'wakw gave us a good tip about that warship patrolling Blackfish Sound last week,: Sunny points out cheerfully,: Since Mariah and I rescued two young Kwawaka'wakw children we found adrift in a canoe several months ago, we've established a wary alliance with our closest neighbors, a small First Nation village on Eden Island. The Kwawaka'wakw, like us, aren't supposed to be living in the Broughton Archipelago. We let them know when we come across schools of salmon and lingcod, and they warn us when they spot Canadian vessels or Marine Guard ships from our former home, the Western Collective, prowling the Strait.

I know you haven't met her yet,: If it makes you feel more comfortable, I will scan her thoughts before I swim up to talk to her Most Neptune kids can only read thoughts sent directly to them, but I can read people's surface minds. I don't, though, unless I'm worried about the safety of my friends. I tell Mariah we all need tows, and our dolphin partners rush to find us.

After Sokya flashes up beside me, she rolls over on her back so that I can't grab hold of her dorsal fin. Mariah's youngest daughter, Sokya is almost like a sister to me, but one with plenty of attitude. I recently spent an hour trying to explain to her why humans say "please" and "thank you. Sokya, please, will you roll over and present your dorsal,: I say, fighting to hold on to my temper. Check in when you're ready,: I tell my patrol since I can't see them all through the hazy water. Lena, Tobin, Sunny and Ree all promptly let me know that they and their dolphin partners are ready. Dai, what about you and Ton?

Are you guys all set back there?: Dai's lived in the ocean longer than any of us, so usually I assign him the most dangerous point or sweep positions with his dolphin. So much for listening to my orders. I sigh and concentrate on not sending that retort. Kay, everyone, let's get going I tighten my grip on her dorsal, and Sokya pulls me through the cloudy sea far faster than I can swim on my own. It's weird to move so quickly and see nothing but green gloom in front of me, but I have to trust that Sokya's ability to echolocate will keep us from smashing into something. To distract myself, I reach out on a private send to Dai.

Dai is often moody. But during the past two weeks, he's been so withdrawn, he's hardly spoken to anyone at Safety Harbor, including me or the old friends he grew up with at Atlantia. Nere, there aren't any doors at Safety Harbor,: We live in a network of coves and sea caves You know what I mean,: I say, allowing some of the worry and exasperation I'm feeling to creep into my mental voice.

I do know what you mean,: I appreciate your worrying about me, but you don't need to Before I cut off the send, I sense he's keeping his mind tightly shielded. Something is definitely troubling Dai, and it's something he doesn't want me to know about, which makes me worry about him all the more. I'm sure he heard the report that a Sea Ranger patrol spotted a triangular silver sub only fifteen miles from Safety Harbor last week, and there's only one person we know who pilots a sub like that Dai's father, Ran Kuron.

A sharp, rhythmic slapping sound fills my ears, and I have to focus on patrol business. Reaching out with my telepathy, I find Tsukwani's mind at once. She's upset, and in her thoughts I catch a glimpse of a young whale terribly tangled in a net. I order my patrol. It is Tsukwani, and I think she's worried about an entangled whale calf, but I'll know for sure in a few minutes Swiftly I kick to the surface and breathe out the water in my lungs so I can talk aloud, landliver style.

Even though I've seen it before, I still admire Tsukwani's handsome canoe. She carved it with her father from cedar wood. Tsukwani is strong, pretty girl with big dark eyes. Usually she's all smiles, but today she looks frantic as she searches the water all around her. There's a humpback calf badly tangled in a fishing net in the big cove on the southern side of Bonwick Island. We've tried to help, but the baby's mother is too upset to let us get close, and the rest of its pod won't leave it.

Several Russian whalers are working the Strait, and we're afraid they'll catch and kill the whole pod if the whales don't leave soon. I thought you might have more luck getting close enough to cut that net off. You go on, and I'll catch up with you when I can. My nav system indicates that the island lies five miles to the south of here. Carefully, I take a bearing with my compass, too. I love the Broughton Archipelago, but these waters are full of rocky, tree-covered islands that all look the same, which doesn't make navigating around here any easier. After sending Tsukwani a final wave, I hurry down to my patrol and tell them about the entangled whale.

I'm not surprised when everyone, including Dai and the dolphins, promptly agree that we should try to help. After we set off again, I discuss the situation with Mariah on a private telepathic send. Can you actually talk to the whales for us and tell them we want to help?: Even baby humpbacks can be the size of a big pickup truck, and I'm worried that a frightened calf could hurt or crush us. If its mother got upset with us, the situation could become a hundred times more dangerous.

I hope you're right.: Saving whales is not officially part of my job as patrol leader, but keeping every member of my patrol safe is. Still, I can't just swim away and leave a pod of humpbacks to the mercy of whalers. When the dolphins are sure there are no boats nearby, we surface to make better time.

Skimming over the swells, our bodies create less drag for the dolphins. The sky has a strange yellowish tinge to it from the terrible forest fires burning inland. Today's hot July winds must be fanning their flames. Through a break in the islands I catch a glimpse of the rugged coastal mountains on the Canadian mainland rising in steep blue layers, their southern portion shrouded in gray smoke.

Even here in the Northwest, each summer is hotter and dryer than the summer before. How many more species will go extinct and how many more people will die before we manage to stop global warming? I'm distracted from my worrying when a pod of mottled gray Risso's dolphins join us. Clearly they have never seen dolphins towing humans before, and they swim all around us in great excitement. The Risso's are much larger than our of Pacific white-sided dolphins, but I think Mariah and her family are prettier because of their dramatic gray, black, and white coloring.

Tisi joins some of the younger Risso's as they leap and play in the waves. I laugh when the calves startle a flock of gray gulls resting on the waves and send the disgruntled birds flying. A half-hour later, we reach Bonwick Island, and the wild dolphins leave us. The moment we round its southeastern tip, I hear the whales. Male humpbacks are famous for the songs they sing at mating time, but females are capable of plenty of vocalizations, too.

Right now the waters are full of their distressed bass groans and grunts. When we reach the mouth of the big cove, three kayaks float nearby. As we draw closer, I sense the Kwawaka'wakw men in the boats are relieved and pleased to see us. The fact we've been genetically engineered to live in the sea doesn't seem to faze them. Still, I tell the rest of my patrol to dive and remain where it's safer for us under the waves. Please find the calf,: I ask Sokya and Mariah,: I swim up to the closest kayak. Tsukwani's father Hemasaka, his face weathered from fifty years of wresting a living from these waters, raises a hand in greeting.

A small whale breaks the surface, thrashing wildly. A black net is wrapped completely over its head and flukes. I don't think it has much time left before it drowns. We tried to get in close to cut that net, but every time we paddled near the calf, the mother got aggressive. She almost smashed our boats last time. As I study the churning waves created by the distressed whales, my mouth goes dry. Let's hope the dolphins can convince them that we're here to help. I nod to Hemasaka and slip under the water again. At least the visibility on this protected side of the island is better than it was out in the Strait.

I can see twenty feet ahead of me now. Sokya reports in, her mental voice filled with worry. We have to get in close and start cutting that net, but will her mom let us? She almost smashed the Kwawaka'wakws' boats. I really don't want her smashing us Mariah streaks up to me, Tisi right at her side. I turn to my patrol and outline Mariah's plan to the others. When I finish, I look at Dai. Will you come with me? I'm not going to order you, but you're the strongest member of this patrol and our fastest swimmer Which means I can get out of there faster if mama whale gets mad at us,: Dai says with some of his old arrogance.

Yeah, I'll do it I swim fast, too,: Tobin speaks up, his green eyes full of his concern for me. Patrol leaders don't always have to assign themselves the most dangerous job, you know I pause for a moment to make sure my choice is sound. I swim quickly, my dolphin handling skills are better than yours, and I'm a stronger telepath which may help me communicate with the whales.

Dai and I are the best choices for this job.: My tone is curt, but there's no time to argue if we want to save that calf. It can't hurt to try,: If the mother does let us help the calf, we all may have to pitch in to cut that net, so be ready I call Sokya, and she appears by my side.

Stay close and be ready to tow me out of here if that mother gets mad at us I hope you don't have to prove that in the next few minutes,: I say, my stomach starting to twist. Suddenly, a big whale appears out of the murk. Its head is HUGE and crusted with barnacles. My heart races as the mammoth creature surges past us.

A second later, I'm spun upside down, and all I can see are bubbles as I fight against crazy currents. I struggle to get my bearings again.

We must have gotten hit by the slipstream created by the whale's passage and its massive tail. I strain my eyes, afraid more upset mother whales are bearing down on us. For now, no more of them appear out of the cloudy green water. Whoa, there was some serious power there,: Dai says, sounding much less brash all of a sudden.

Testimonial: Richard Allen – Neptune High School

Mariah swims up on the other side of us. I have tried to tell the old one we mean her calf no harm, but she is scared and very angry. Sokya leads us closer to the calf. My ears fill with the groans and creaking vocalizations of the agitated mothers. Occasionally the frightened calf gives a high-pitched squeal. A huge, dark shape looms out of the gloom again, and a whale blocks our way.

My whole body vibrates from her bass groan of warning. I swallow hard as I stare at her massive head. When you're close to a humpback in the water, you realize just how enormous they are, and how puny we are. I take in a deep breath. My pulse pounding, I edge closer and hover where she can see me.

Her pupil narrows as she studies me. I try to broadcast feelings of calm and send her an image of us cutting the net and setting her calf free. I'm hoping she might be able to read a visual message the way my own dolphins can. With another low grumble, slowly she shifts out of our way. Did she receive my image and understand it? I feel her watching our every move. When Sokya and Ton dart toward the calf, the whale groans again and blocks their way with her head.

I say, trying to sound confident. I glance at Dai. His face is pale but he stays right at my side as we swim slowly toward the calf. Engulfed in the folds of the heavy black net, the calf strains to keep her head near the surface. A cable stretches from the underside of the net and disappears into the dark waters below.

My heart lurches when I stare into the eye of the frantic calf. Even without using my telepathy I can sense she's hurting and terrified. Sweetheart, we're here to help.: Gently I touch her side and try to broadcast feelings of calm and reassurance, but it's hard not to feel overwhelmed. She's so tangled in black strands, I can't decide which part to cut first. I start with a line that seems to be holding the top part of the net together. The rope is thick, but my dive knife is sharp, and soon the line parts. The net relaxes a little, but the next line I really need to cut runs within a foot of the calf's eye.

I move cautiously towards her head. When I reach out with my knife, the mother lunges toward me, and I freeze. She could crush me in a heartbeat against her baby. I stare at her, willing her to understand that I have to do this. Grumbling, she backs off again. My hands are shaking as I set to work sawing through the second line. The moment the last strand parts, several feet of net fall away from her, and the calf manages to fight her way to the surface to breathe.

One fluke, her back and her tail remain tangled in the section weighted down by the cable. She's putting too much tension on the cable for me to be able to shift it,: She needs to raise her head and lower her back I gaze at the frightened calf. How can I possibly get her to raise her head?

I bow and raise my head and shoulders, hoping she might mimic me the way the dolphins do, but she just stares at me helplessly. Then I remember the time our pod played with some humpback calves during our long journey from the Southern Sector to Safety Harbor.

Several times the playful calves tried to copy the dolphins' spins and rolls. Moments later, all three of us are bobbing and ducking like crazy. The calf watches us, and I imagine how puzzled she must feel.

I try sending her a visual image of her raising her head. Then she does it! I call out to her, even though she can't understand my words. But I hope she'll sense the warm feelings I'm trying to send to her. Are you all right down there?: I just picked up a flash of pain from Dai, but then he closed his mind to me. The calf lunges to the surface and takes a long breath. She's still tangled in the net, but at least she's not in immediate danger of suffocating anymore.

I'm relieved when she doesn't try to swim away. Dai appears beside me and studies the layers of net still wrapped around her. Guess we have some more work to do I glance at him quickly, wondering about his flash of pain I sensed, but he seems to be okay. Together the two of us begin to pull and cut sections of the net away from the calf. It's such slow going that after a few minutes, I reach out to Mariah.

Please see if the mother will let the others join us now. This will go much faster if the whole patrol can help As Mariah flashes away, I ask Tobin and the rest to follow her back to the calf. In the meantime, I send to the big mama whale hovering nearby an image of the six of us working carefully to set her baby free. I wince when I notice a terrible, deep, round scar high on the mother's side.

It looks like someone harpooned her. No wonder she doesn't trust humans. When Mariah returns with the rest of the patrol clustered behind her, the mother humpback makes a high crooning noise and actually retreats several feet. I take that as an encouraging sign and wave my friends forward. Once the six of us set to work, we make real progress. The dolphins help, too, pulling and tugging at portions of the net when we ask them.

Soon half of the net hangs below the calf. I worry she might bolt before we're done, but she seems to understand that we are helping her. Finally, when Tobin cuts through a line wrapped around the baby's belly, the whole net slides away from her and my friends cheer. I ask the dolphins to drag the net to shore where the Kwawaka'wakw will likely recycle parts of it and safely dispose of the rest.

The calf flicks its tail once as if to make sure it really is free and races to its mother. My patrol gathers around me, and we watch the mother and calf nuzzle each other so tenderly, my throat tightens up. Then the calf begins to nurse. The calf is bleeding from where the lines cut into her skin,: I hope orcas don't get her At least she's with a loyal pod,: The other mothers wouldn't leave her. Hopefully they'll keep looking after her while she heals.: I lead the others toward the mouth of the cove, but I pause when three adult whales appear out of the cloudy water.

With slow majesty, they lower their heads and emit gentle squeals and crooning sounds. We raise our hands and wave, Sunny takes another picture, and the mothers swim away. I check in with Hemasaka before we leave the cove. Tsukwani is with him, and I smile at her. Warmed by his words, I dive to share them with my friends.

I blink when I notice that Tobin, who is a medic, is busy bandaging Dai's hands. Ton, Dai's big dolphin, hovers nearby and appears to be watching Tobin's every move. Oh, Dai, what happened?: With a guilty start, I remember the flash of pain I sensed before he blocked me. That cable was sharp and he had to grip it pretty hard to move it,: Tobin answers for him. It shredded the skin of his palms I stare at the bandages that cover his hands now.

You should have told me you were hurt,: I say to Dai. So much for being aware of the welfare of everyone on my patrol. Vival is the head of our Sea Ranger program, and she's all about her rangers following rules and using the proper equipment. She probably isn't going to be muy thrilled that we risked rescuing a whale, either,: I don't think she'll see that as proper patrol business Vival I can handle.: I say with more confidence than I feel. I've gotten to know Vival better during this past year I've lived at Safety Harbor, but there're still times she scares me. At least we have a great story to tell the rest of the Sea Rangers tonight in the mess cave.: Lena brightens at the thought.

When Tobin finishes putting his med gear away, I keep Dai in the middle of our travel formation and ask Ree, who is a capable fighter, to swim sweep just in case sharks pick up the scent of blood from his hands. They hurt worse after he smeared his slimy ointment all over my palms.: Dai shoots Tobin a dark look. He and Tobin have never been friends. I must be looking stricken because Dai adds,: I heal so fast, though, they should be fine again in a few days It was worth it,: Dai says with a smile lighting his brown eyes. That little whale was such a fighter.

I'm glad we gave her a chance to grow up Warmed by Dai's words, I call the dolphins. Once Mariah and the rest of her pod surround us, we start the long swim back to our colony. As we travel, we watch constantly hungry sharks and for surface boats. Late in the afternoon, I finally spot the shimmering bubble wall that protects Safety Harbor.

I draw in a deep breath. Despite what I said to Ree, I'm not looking forward to telling Vival about the risks we took rescuing a humpback whale calf today. A s we kick our way through the barrier that surrounds our colony and keeps out predators and scavenger fish, small silvery bubbles tickle my cheeks and fill my vision. I always feel like I'm swimming through a can of soda when we cross through this,: Sunny says brightly as she reaches out and tries to catch a particularly big bubble.

We enter Safety Harbor's main inlet which is lined with caves and coves. I smile as we swim past steep rock walls carpeted with scarlet corals, feathery pink sea fans and white sponges. Beyond the girls' and boys' dorm caves, we enter the wide cavern that serves as the Sea Rangers' headquarters. As I kick off my travel fins and rack my spear gun, I'm relieved Vival's not around. The others leave to hang out with friends, but I have to stay to file our patrol report.

Even though I'm tired and hungry enough to eat a whole king salmon, I make my way to a keyboard and screen set into the cave wall. I key in an account of our patrol and our efforts to save the humpback calf. Soon, I pick up irritation radiating from someone behind me. Vival is reading the report over my shoulder through her scuba mask. A stern woman with short gray hair, Vival was an army officer for many years before she volunteered to join my father's helper staff.

She frowns as she reads what I've written. I hear her words clearly through tiny earbuds we all wear. Humpback whales hardly constitute a danger to this colony or a worthwhile use of Sea Ranger time. I'm not sure Vival's ever forgiven me or my friends from the Southern Sector for passing our first Sea Ranger Simulated Patrol Challenge by bending her equipment rules.

Still, she keeps assigning me to lead patrols, which means I must be doing something right. I turn to face her. At our last Ranger meeting, you did say we should try to keep improving our relations with the Kwawaka'wakw , I key into the computer on my wrist. My words will appear on a screen inside her mask. It's an awkward way to communicate, but most of the helper staff at Safety Harbor aren't telepaths. Hemasaka asked us to help the whales, and he was very pleased we succeeded. Those whales could have crushed or crippled every one of you. Our dolphin partners never would have let that happen, but there was some risk, which is why only Dai and I approached the whales at the start.

I force myself to hold her gaze after I key in my reply. Because he's Dai, I long to retort, but I manage not to key those words into my wrist pad. Instead I type, I have discussed his injury with Dai, and I think he realizes now he should have been wearing his gloves. I let go a long breath and turn back to the computer to finish my report. There was a second worthwhile outcome from our patrol today, but I doubt Vival will believe it.

I'm almost certain I was communicating with the mother humpback and her calf, at least on a very basic level. That's news I'm eager to share with our marine biologists.

A DATE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS: NOTES FROM NEPTUNE

By the time I finish my report, I'm starving and head to the mess cave for dinner. I pass through a line where Neptune kids supervised by an adult helper in scuba gear hand out white containers of food. Then I join a group of my old friends from the Southern Sector and several of Dai's friends from Atlantia. Dai is looking a little strained, and I send him a sympathetic smile.

Because both Dai and I are strong hereditary telepaths, mealtimes in the mess cave can be rough for us.

The Son of Neptune Quotes by Rick Riordan

Three hundred kids between the ages of ten and sixteen all sharing stories of their day create an intense babble of psychic noise. I let Ree and Lena tell everyone about our humpback rescue while we dig into a delicious supper of king salmon and wakame mash. Kalli, a slim, brown girl with a warm smile, looks at me when they finish and shakes her head. So now you're into rescuing whales. The legend of Nere Hanson keeps growing I make a face at her.

Our whole patrol rescued that calf, and Dai was the one who got his hands chewed up in the process Maybe we need to design some sort of lightweight saw or clippers you Sea Rangers can add to your equipment. A cutting tool could have saved your hands today Or, the spongebrain could have worn his gloves like he was supposed to,: Bria, Tobin's little sister, smiles at me, her big brown eyes shining with excitement.

Nere, I bet you did manage to communicate with that mother whale. Think of how amazing it could be if we figured out how to talk to more marine mammals. We could help them, and they could help us If any of us learn how to effectively communicate with other sea mammals, it will be you,: The dolphins love you, and you're doing a wonderful job with Tisi.: She's been teaching Mariah's calf new behaviors and new words in English. He gives her a quick hug and listens patiently while Bria tells him all about her training session with several young dolphins today.

When Bria finally turns to talk to Robry, I meet Tobin's gaze. By the way, thanks for volunteering so quickly to help the whales this afternoon I meant what I said out there,: Tobin says as he crosses his arms and frowns at me. You don't always need to assign yourself the most dangerous job.: Usually Tobin's easy-going, but right now, I can tell he's truly angry with me.

I do know that, but today I honestly thought I was the best person to approach the whales, and this time, anyway, I was right I'm relieved when Tobin stops lecturing me and talks about the emergency medical care course he's taking with our friend Rohan. Someday all twelve Neptune colonies around the world will become completely independent of their shore helpers, but that means we have to learn skills like how to care for ourselves when we're sick or injured.

I still like not having to do kitchen patrol,: Thom says to me as he tips his food box into the nets. Yeah, we may have to clean a lot of barnacles off our boats, but at least no one has to wash dishes at Safety Harbor,: Instead, small crabs and fish scour our eating utensils clean. I make a point of leaving the mess hall when Dai does. His expression is closed and distant again. A shiver goes down my back as I picture his father, Ran Kuron, the cold, cruel man who held me and my friends prisoner and plotted to take over Safety Harbor. None of us have seen or heard from Kuron since the Sea Rangers destroyed Atlantia, his undersea base, a year ago.

There's a chance he was killed in that attack, but my father's security staff monitor a radio frequency that Kuron's network used. Transmissions there are coded, but their frequency has increased ominously in the past few months, and that fills me with dread. How do your hands feel now?: I ask Dai while I carefully shield my worries about his father from him. We fall into an easy rhythm, kicking through the water side by side to the sea cave that leads to our topside facilities.

I laugh and show him a brilliant little red Irish Lord fish trying to hide under a white sponge, and Dai points out a rare lavender coral he discovered last week. Even though it's almost nine o'clock, the water has yet to darken because the sun sets so late this far north in the summer. When we reach the cave, I swim to the base of the metal ladder set into its rocky wall. I turn towards Dai, sensing he has something he wants to say. I really hope he doesn't want to talk about us.

Things have been complicated this past year. I know Dai cares about me. He's risked his life to save mine, and he betrayed his own father to save all of Safety Harbor. I care about him, too. This time, I just read your face. I've gotten better at that since living here. I am trying not to read people's minds unless they give me permission I know you're working hard to live our way,: I say, and he has. Strong telepaths at Safety Harbor are supposed to respect the privacy of weaker ones, but back at his old home, Dai's ruthless father expected him to read minds.

Obasanjo fetes Erelu Abiola Dosunmu

He stares at his feet and tugs on one of his black braids. They reach past his shoulders and make him look wild and very different from everyone else at Safety Harbor. I am glad we helped those whales.

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