Songs of Thalassa

by Brian Tissot

  Sage giggled, let go of her father, and threw out her arms. “And that’s why I want to be a Hawaiian scientist!” she said laughing, as she went spinning off into the darkness looking up at the night sky.

  As she looked at the stars from Thalassa, a bright meteorite streaked across the sky, reminding her of the games they used to play. “Make a wish, honey,” her father would say. “The bright ones are special.”

  Eyes moist, she whispered, “I wish to be home.”

  The next day, she emerged from an endless series of valleys onto a hill with a view to the south. Descending the hill, she came to a flat point lined by cliffs and was startled to see water between her and the continent. “Damn, I’m on an island.” Looking across the narrow channel, she saw the familiar coastal plain, smoldering volcanoes, and the shadows of islands offshore. “Those are Melia’s islands. I’m close!”

  Miffed at being cut off once again, she briskly walked across the flat plateau over a pastiche of red and orange lichens, looking for a way across. Silent with frustration, she approached the end of the point and looked down. High vertical cliffs lined the promontory, and the lichens indicated she was at probably 400 feet above the sea. “Shit! There’s no way down, and I’ve been following high cliffs for days.” She would have to backtrack and find a way to swim across, which would take time. Looking across the narrow, deep channel, she screamed out in frustration, “I’ve got to get to the islands before Milo returns!”

  As she calmed down and began to walk back, she noticed a marked change in the environment on the edge of the peninsula. Gusting winds mixed with the crashing of waves colliding against coastal cliffs, creating a solid wall of sound and enveloping her in a salty ocean mist. Looking down, she felt her feet moving across a soft, moist carpet. The sea mists had transformed the normally stiff lichens into a soft, pliable tapestry of colors. As the flexible lichens moved under her feet, she felt her senses come alive. The lichens’ mustardy aroma drifted in the warm sun as she stood breathless before the panoramic view of the deep-blue ocean. The vibes were amazing, and it like felt electricity was moving through her body. As a set of massive waves cascaded against the cliffs, and the cool moist spray blew through her hair under the warm sun, she held her arms out. “Thalassa, I feel your power.”

  Feeling a tingling under her feet, she stopped to explore the sensation. Something is happening that I need to understand. She lay down on her back and touched the soft lichen carpet. She relaxed and took deep breaths, clearing her mind and focusing on the skin touching the ground. As she did, her senses became heightened. A cold breeze blew gently across the tiny hairs on her arms, briny mists rained down, and the land shook as water collided with rock. Time raced by, the planet turned, and the sun inched across the sky. She felt strong vibrations in her hands and feet that began to spread throughout her body. She pulled back in surprise, breaking the connection. What was that?

  She tried again, placing her hands and feet firmly on the ground. The vibrations returned—a tiny buzz, a barely perceptible twitch. But as time passed, the vibrations grew, humming together. She looked at her hands: it was the lichens! She felt one tingling under her thumb, and another under her pinky. And although she felt the tiny spark of each one, she also felt the vibrating connections among them; one linked to the other to the next, until she joined with the entire carpet of plateau lichens. They were humming together in the sunlight, alive with the energy of Procyon and the moisture from Thalassa’s sea.

  As the vibrations washed through, her mind soared over Thalassa’s landscape, passing the ridges and valleys covered in a pastiche of red, yellow, and orange colors. Seeing the land, the ‘āina of Thalassa, her awareness grew to encompass the buzzing of the lichens on the hills and in the gullies across the planet. She felt connections to the glowing creatures in the caves on land and in the sea. The humming was low, vibrant, and intense. There was joy in their union and strength in their harmony; they were conscious of themselves and each other. With a shudder, she realized their consciousness included her.

  Probing deeper, another sound emerged, faint but strong. High-pitched energetic notes pierced the vibrating lichens. It was the Nesoi. They are part of the chorus! Listening deeper, she heard another layer of sound and energy—the songs of something she couldn’t identify—and together they joined in a melody of sparks, buzzing, and music.

  As she basked in the vibrant energy flowing through her body and mind, a low, dark hum emerged, spread, and muted her connection to the vibrations. She felt a dull throb cut through her feelings of joy as sinister energy swept through the lichens. What’s happening? She stood up, and the feeling faded away. Then she heard the sound of engines as the Duke flew overhead toward the offshore islands.

  She ran to the edge of the cliff and yelled across the channel to get their attention, but the ship kept going. She had to find a way to reach them! She looked at the narrow channel and the sea below her. The other side was tantalizingly close, but it was a long way down. Jumping is the only way. Then, looking down the vertical cliff face, she hesitated. It’s too far; it’ll kill me. She remembered jumping off Rainbow Falls in Hilo. “That was only 80 feet, but it hurt like hell. But, wait the gravity is less here, right? What did Byron say—35 per cent of Earth’s gravity? So just maybe…”

  Despite the logic of the math in her head, she stared fearfully at the dark ocean far below filled with turbulent waves, shaking her head in disbelief. “I don’t have a choice if I want to get home.” As she spoke to herself, dread rippled through her body. She knew it was a moment of truth, like her mountainous wave on the Bulge. Again, circumstances had converged to test her courage. “If I don’t do this now, I’m stuck here forever. What I have I got to lose?” Looking down toward the water, she tried to smile as she approached the ledge. “Here’s to going home,” she shouted, then leaped.

  Chapter 30.

  Songs of Thalassa

  Sage’s fear evaporated as she accelerated through the air and realized her fate was out of her control. Her feet hit the surface with a tremendous force, and she plummeted deep into the cold, dark-blue water. Pain shot through her feet and legs and her ears popped as she descended far below the surface. Looking up, she saw sunlight streaming toward her. I survived the fall! Surfacing on the turbulent sea, she took a deep breath as a strong current pushed her across the narrow channel toward the towering cliffs of the mainland. Swimming to avoid the cliff, she recalled her dream of an all-powerful, dark, stormy sea. This time she relaxed, stopped swimming, and accepted the current for what it was: her path forward. Wherever it led, she would go.

  The ocean blasted her directly toward the hard, steep wall, and she braced for a collision. But as she neared the rocky cliff, a sinking current pulled her beneath the surface. Pitch black and cold, her heart pounding in her chest, she began to struggle for air but felt only rock above her. There’s no way out! As she recalled her free diving training, she relaxed, calmed her heart, and let the current carry her along. She had learned that the science was simple: if she didn’t silence her fear and slow her heart, she would suck up too much oxygen and die. Drifting along in the darkness, she awaited her fate.

  Seconds later, she emerged in an air pocket and took a deep breath in a small dark cave. Her respite was brief as the current propelled her through a low, narrow passage. She thrust her hands above her head and felt the cave roof dropping lower, eventually forcing her to submerge into the darkness. As she plummeted deep underwater once again, her ears popped and she tumbled helplessly deep into the blackness. She relaxed and cleared her mind. On the edge of fear, she accepted her path. She could feel the long repeated submergences altering her perception as she teetered on the edge of blacking out. I’m in Thalassa’s womb, she thought. The feeling was primal—die or be reborn—and she surrendered to the power of the sea.

  A light caught her eye in the darkness as she saw a narrow vertical shaft filled with brillian
t beams above. She swam toward it and noticed countless creatures floating peacefully in the narrow space: dime-sized versions of the green amoeba-plankton, copious jellies, and innumerable tiny transparent pika, and larval mantis squid bristling with appendages pulsing through the water, and a whole array of small creatures she’d never seen before. As she ascended toward the light, the living soup of creatures gently brushed against her. Surfacing inside a massive cavern, she took a huge breath. After her long submergences, it was a breath of life, and she felt resurrected into a new awareness.

  Looking up, she saw rays beaming down from a skylight in the roof of the cave. Replenished and curious, she dove underwater and floated among the myriad current-flung creatures gently swirling around her; mixed in a sea of fine bubbles, their touch was an intensely personal experience. Here, in this moment, she was one creature among many and felt fully connected to the Thalassian sea and its life. All were one, just like the lichens, and they were aware of her. They’ve accepted me! Her hands moved gracefully through the crystal-clear water as animals spun softly around them. Her hair entangled with sea life, and her feet created eddies, with small creatures circling in the whorls. It was her harmonious dance with life.

  Surfacing again, she felt the primacy of a deep, life-giving breath and her connection to the ‘āina of Thalassa. The sun warmed her face amid the cool mist of the cave; the warm fragrance of the land floated down, mixing with the cold, sharp scent of the sea. The whistle of the wind blowing outside blended with the water lapping against the walls of the cave and the distant sound of waves crashing against cliffs. Tasting her salty fingers, she remembered foreseeing this moment when touching the holoscreen: spiny creatures pulsing through crystal-clear water. It was a primal moment—it felt electric—as the energy of the sun, the wind, and the waves, all washed through her and the creatures touching her. She felt their living sparks, their spirits, as she had with the love and music of the Nesoi. Each creature had its own soul; each unique but connected by a web of energy, a galactic fabric of consciousness.

  I belong, and I’m connected. This feeling is what I’ve missed. This feeling is what I’ve yearned for deep in my heart. I lost this from my Hawaii ‘ohana. But here I am at home. Here I feel complete, whole, and vibrant. We are all connected; these are my ‘ohana. We are from the same source, all born in the same universe. And here on Thalassa, I am part of that, just like on Earth. The web of life is much bigger than any human could have imagined.

  Looking down on the water’s calm surface, she saw her reflection and her old self. As she opened her heart to the power of her new awareness, she saw the shadows of her past for what they were. But now I’ve said my goodbyes and made peace with my regrets. Now it’s time to move on.

  Treading water, her breaths deepened as she grasped the reality of her new path. I have to let the negative feelings go and live in love, and embrace the passion, the aloha, bottled up inside me for so long. My god, how I’ve missed these feelings, this love for everything. My heart was empty, but now it’s full of light, of love, of hope, of connection. I’m full of joy for this planet. I want to give my aloha; I want to give everything I have to the Nesoi, to these creatures, and this world. I belong here. This is my path. Thalassa is my home. I embrace that.

  Everything was singing in this cavern of light. This sanctuary for life was a cathedral that honored the sacred consciousness of Thalassa. Sage felt that the veil between the physical and spiritual realms was thin here. Here I almost see the pulsing fabric of the universe; I feel it flowing through the water, the rocks, the wind, the web of life, and through me. Despite all the hardships she had to endure to get here, she felt like the luckiest soul in the galaxy. And she wouldn’t have made it if not for the Nesoi. Wow, through their songs and spirit they symbolize the glory of the planet and its place in the universe. And I’m part of their ‘ohana, and I feel their aloha. All these creatures are special, and Thalassa is extraordinary.

  She began spinning joyously in the water as the creatures swirled around her like a cloud of life. My path led me here. This is my home, and I embrace the planet and its life. Then she stopped. Looking up at the warm, brilliant light she reflected on the significance of her decision. But I may never see Earth again. She felt her heart breaking as she thought of her beautiful home island, her mother, and her ‘ohana. I’m sorry, Tutu; I can’t protect the ‘āina of my home world. I can’t pass on the old wisdom and save Hawaii. My destiny is my own, and it’s here. I will live among these creatures in joy and love, and I will protect them. Yes, by nurturing and caring for them, through mālama ‘āina, I will stay and guard them with my life. There is no one else!

  Accepting her life’s path, she screamed in joy, “I am Thalassian!”

  As her voice echoed through the cavern, suddenly, as if to answer her call to the planet, a sound emanated from the water, and she felt it move through her body. Its source was far away and faint, an eerie sound, deep, mournful cries pierced by the high-pitched wails. It was like the Nesoi but richer, deeper, stronger. The sounds were so powerful it overwhelmed her as she floated in the tranquil cavern among the sea of creatures. She held her head underwater, afraid to move lest the sounds stopped. As the song grew in intensity, she became dazed by its beauty as a wave of bliss swept through her body. Although she didn’t understand the words, she felt its meaning. It was the sound of love, if such a sound could exist, and yearning for lost love. To her, it was the sound of her dreams—pure aloha.

  For a minute she just floated, quietly grabbing a breath then slipping underwater, intensely focused on the song, fascinated by its depth and complexity as it grew in volume. A few notes sounded familiar, and an idea began to crystallize in her mind about their meaning, but when she surfaced, she heard something exhale loudly behind her in the large cavern. Turning around, she was awestruck by the sight before her: a large whale, dark on top with a white underbelly. It was massive, easily 50 feet, and filled the cavern. Studying the creature, she saw teeth lining its long jaws, webbed front and hind flippers, and a long round tail. The whale nudged closer, apparently curious at finding Sage in her cave. Then, turning her massive head, an eye came into view as the whale observed Sage up close. After a minute, it rolled on its back and emitted a low groan pierced by a sharp wail. It sounded to Sage like a greeting, and an affectionate one at that. “Hey there!” Then, almost as suddenly as it appeared, the leviathan left with a short squeal. “Bye!”

  Wanting to see more, she followed the massive dark shape underwater as it swam away through a large tunnel. She lost the whale in the cave but emerged into the ocean over a dark, chilly abyss; she shivered in her tattered Lycra suit. Looking down into the seemingly bottomless depths, she was startled by a dark figure rising out of the blackness. Although she felt a stab of fear, it dissipated as she recognized the creature, a whale like the one she had seen, rising toward her with a large mantis squid in its mouth. As it surfaced, it took a huge breath, shook the prey across its teeth, then submerged with a massive splash. The creature took another breath, glanced briefly at Sage, then dove down and headed into the depths.

  As she watched in silence at the amazing event, the current swept her around the cliffs and down the coast toward the Nesoi islands. After a minute, the current slackened, depositing her in a small pocket beach lined by cliffs that sloped gently up to the coastal plain. The beach was covered in debris: dried fronds, white sheets in balls, bleached lichens crusts, slug spikes and empty bug carapaces, dead pika and mantis squid of all shapes and sizes, and bones large and small. For some reason, the beach appeared to be capturing a ton of flotsam—including her.

  When she stood up, pain shot through her legs, and her feet were tender and deeply bruised. Despite that, she could walk, and she gingerly started to make her way up to the cliff. Something caught her eye, and she spotted a brown object piled among the debris. “Kekoa! How in the hell did you end up here, old friend?” She examined the board
, and it was intact despite being banged up. She touched the tail control and heard the pulse motors come to life. Thanks, Dina. Remembering the Duke had passed overhead a while ago, she placed her board in the water and zipped briskly down the coast toward the islands. I’ve got to stop him!

  Chapter 31.

  Crossroads

  As she approached Reunion Island, she developed a plan to deal with Milo. I’ve got to get him to leave without taking a Nesoi. Maybe if I tell him how special they are? No, that won’t be enough to get it through his thick skull—he thinks he’s the most special thing in the galaxy. But I don’t think they can even survive the trip! Gunshots cracked through the air, cutting her thoughts short. “Goddammit, Milo, are you shooting at them? Are you fucking crazy?!”

  Powering up to the island, she jumped off and ran to the ocean side. As she emerged on the beach, she saw the Duke take off and head south, flying low and slow. Her heart sank as she saw several inert dark shapes surrounded by bloody water in the shallow surf. There were large footprints on the beach—Moshe’s—and marks made by a net.

  Running into the water, she found two adult Nesoi, each shot in the head. “No!” Sage screamed. “How could they do this?” Tears appeared in her eyes as she touched the beautiful animals rolling in the surf. “Damn it! I’m so sorry. I should have been here to protect you.”

  She shook her head in confusion. Why would he shoot them? I thought he wanted to capture one. Looking closely at the animals, she recognized them as part of Melia’s family, her sisters. He must want a little one. He’s after Maka, and her family is protecting her!

  She realized that Milo was following them to Home Cave. Despite her injuries, she sprinted down the beach. When she reached the channel to the next island, which was wide with a strong current—but no jellies—she ran into the water and swam furiously across to the next island. The current pushed her far into the surf, but she swam hard back to the shore and alternately hopped and bounced down the long beach toward the next channel. Hours later, fatigued and close to exhaustion, she approached the end of the island and looked over at Melia’s Home Island.