Songs of Thalassa

by Brian Tissot

  One by one, family members placed offerings on a large koa surfboard, which held Sage’s ashes in a basaltic urn. Gifts wrapped in ti leaves and leis of all kinds, including small piles of food, began to pile up on the board—offerings to the gods to provide a safe journey for Sage in the next phase of her immortal life.

  As Lani and Keoki gently pushed the koa board into the center of the great circle, family and close friends were invited by the elders to speak on Sage’s behalf. Lani sat in tears as they went around the circle telling stories of Sage and how she had enriched the lives of each person. People spoke of her passion for life, her intuition as a surfer, her gifts as a child of the sea, but most remembered her unconditional love and bright aloha spirit.

  Finally, Nani spoke with sadness in her voice. “My daughter was a special child; I knew that when she was born, and my mother wanted to name her after the stars and the ocean. She had a unique destiny, as we have seen. But my husband and I wanted her to live in the new Hawaii, not the old, so we named her Sage because we wanted her to be down to earth. She ended up living in both.”

  She continued, her voice growing stronger as her daughter’s love helped push out the sadness. “But ‘Sage’ has another meaning that came to be appropriate: that of a profoundly wise person. Indeed, she was wise beyond her years. Although she didn’t know it, she was a kumu, a teacher. And as much as I tried to teach her, as did her father and her beloved tutu, she taught us more, for she had a rare gift. A love that shone so bright you could feel it near her. I miss that love, that warmth.” Her shoulders slumped as she began to break down, but she took a deep breath and stood up straighter. “But now, her life’s energy, her strong mana, is shared with all of us. For her circle of aloha was big.” She raised her head and arms to the sky. “Indeed, it is shared with the heavens, even with the gods themselves. So Kanaloa, please watch over Sage on her immortal journey. And may nā ‘aumākua guide her safely to the next stage of her life.”

  Lani opened the urn, and surfers in the circle joined hands and raised them to the sky along with the mass of people lining the beaches and cliffs. As she scattered Sage’s ashes, a fragrant breeze from the sacred mountain of Mauna Kea mixed with the rain of flowers carried the fine powder gently over the crowd. Lani and many of those in the circle were dusted with the remains of Sage’s physical existence while most fell into the sea. And as the ashes dissipated into the wind and ocean, Lani began to sing the song Sage’s father wrote for her.

  You know, life is what you do

  I know, love is strong with you

  The sea is, deep and strong

  You know, you belong

  So when I’m far away

  It’s just another day

  And if you’re missing me

  Hear my music in the trees

  The crowd joined in, their voices blending as one, the powerful song that had been played endlessly on the holoscreen ringing out across the water and up the mountain.

  No matter where you are

  Look up and see our star

  And in your dark nights

  I’ll be your shining light—

  At other paddle-outs, the ceremony included a holoscreen projection of Lani and Keoki scattering Sage’s ashes appearing in the middle of their circles. Other ceremonies had organized vigils at their schools, in their halls, and their churches across the world. All were following the emotional ceremony in real time. As the song intensified at Honoliʻi, everyone, everywhere, began to join the chorus until it appeared to one newscaster that the whole world was singing together.

  So when I’m far away

  It’s just another day

  And if you’re missing me

  Hear my music in the trees

  No matter where you are

  Look up and see our star

  And in your dark nights

  I’ll be your shining light—

  Now find out who you are

  Become one of heaven’s star

  And in the darkness night

  You’ll be the brightest light

  As Sage’s ashes sank into the blue sea, passing colorful fish and delicate corals, they dispersed as specks of dust in the vast ocean. But the dust was touched by Sage’s spirit and guided by her ancestors. Although she had passed into the unconscious realm, a small piece of her conscious mind was awake, holding on to the dust. She felt gentle hands touching her, caressing her, guiding her. She felt her father, and the many ancestors she knew by name only, holding her. And she heard the singing, which brought her warm comfort and joy. Slowly, her spirit rose from the ocean of her home world and moved through the sky. As she pulled away from Earth, she felt the songs of her global ‘ohana pulsing through her. It was the sound of love, the music of life: pure aloha.

  The love from her large ‘ohana gave her strength, and she moved as a brilliant white light through the vastness of cold, dark space. Accelerating, she converged on a brightening star. As the song from Earth grew faint, she heard another song growing in her mind. It was the song of Thalassa; the Nesoi were calling to her. As she approached the planet, she heard a chorus of words. “We’re here, come to us, we love you, we miss you, come home, we love you.” Then the song began again.

  As the blue planet grew in the darkness, Thalassa’s song grew louder, and she descended into its ocean and the crystal-clear water at frightening speed. She arrived at a white beach amid a small gathering of Nesoi. In the middle was Two-Spot, giving birth on the sand. As she approached the new matriarch of her clan, she passed through a veil and memories of her life as Sage disappeared. But her blinding white spirit was strong from all the love and passion of her previous life. Now, as she prepared to be reborn, all the aloha she had projected out into the world came back into her new life. She opened her eyes and looked at her beautiful mother, her face full of love and hope, bright with promise. Her mother whistled the newborn’s name to the gathered clan. I am home.

  Glossary

  ʻAʻā: Hawaiian name for the star Sirius.

  ‘Āina: the “land” and provider of life to the Hawaiian people.

  ‘Āina Defense Coalition: fictional non-profit Hawaii organization focused on protection of the earth.

  Amoeba: a single-celled organism that alters its shaped while moving.

  Aloha‘āina: love of the land; acknowledgement of connection to all things that fosters aloha for nature.

  Ambulocetus: scientific name for early ancestor of cetaceans (whales and dolphins).

  ʻAumākua: ancestors that has died and returned in a different form that may help, guide, and communicate with members of its family.

  Bathymetry: measurement of depth in the ocean.

  Betelgeuse: a bright red star in the shoulder of the constellation Orion; part of the Winter navigator’s triangle

  Bobbit worm: a large predatory worm with jaws that can quickly emerge from sand and capture its prey.

  Bolide: large, bright meteors that may reach a planet’s surface.

  Brah: Hawaiian slang for brother.

  Bulge: a fictious underwater shoal on Thalassa; location of the surf break called Colossus.

  Caldera: a large, collapsed volcanic crater.

  Cambrian: a geological period of time that occurred 541-485 million years ago.

  Cascades: a mountain range in the Pacific NW formed by volcanoes.

  Cassini: fictional space station located near the moon Tethys in orbit around Saturn; adjacent to the worm portal.

  Chant: a Hawaiian cultural and spiritual tradition that conveys words and emotions.

  Charger: aggressively riding a big wave

  Chopes (aka Teahupo’o): a dangerous surf spot breaking on a shallow reef in Tahiti.

  Coffin Corner: west end of Waimea Bay on Oahu with rocks and strong currents.

  Colossus Bank: fictional big-wave
surf break on the Bulge with two submarine canyons.

  Convention on International Trade in Extraterrestrial Species (CITETS): a fictional international treaty that protects or prevents trade in extraterrestrial organisms.

  Coriolis force: an inertial force that can rotate objects in motion, such as currents on earth.

  Cortes Bank: an underwater shoal off southern California that creates a large surfing break.

  Ctenophores: comb jellies; invertebrate animals that use cilia for swimming in the ocean.

  Cutten Enterprises: fictional multi-national aerospace corporation that supported Milo’s mission.

  Da Bull: name of shuttle used to journey from the Duke to the planet’s surface; named after Greg Noll.

  Deep-water swells: large, typically long period ocean swells that interact with the deep seafloor before breaking.

  Déjà vu: the feeling that one has lived through the present situation before.

  DNA: self-replicating, genetic material which is present in nearly all living organisms.

  Duke Kahanamoku: famous native Hawaiian surfer and Olympic swimmer that popularized global surfing.

  Duke, the: fictional spacecraft designed and owed by Milo; named after Duke Kahanamoku.

  eDNA: organismal DNA found in the environment; can be used to detect and identify new species.

  El, the: the fictional space elevator; earth to space transportation system.

  El Niño: a complex climatic event associated with warm water and large storms in the Pacific Ocean.

  Fermi paradox: the apparent contradiction between the lack of evidence for extraterrestrial civilizations relative to their likely existence.

  Forecasting model: numerical simulation of breaking swells; used by surfers to predict where to find good waves.

  Gas giant: a large planet primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, such as Jupiter.

  Geomorphology: the physical features of the seafloor and how it determines breaking waves.

  Geostationary orbit: a high earth orbit that matches a planet’s rotational speed; used to maintain position over a specific portion of a planet.

  Gravitational scan: measurements of an unseen object’s gravitational forces.

  Greg Noll: big wave surfer in the 1950s and 60s famous for his aggressive, big-wave surfing.

  Gun (surfboard): a long board designed to ride big waves.

  Haole: a non-native Hawaiian person; a person of Caucasian descent.

  Hiapo: Hawaiian word meaning first-born or oldest child.

  Hina: a Hawaiian goddess, sometimes associated with the moon.

  Hōkūleʻa: Hawaiian name for the star Arcturus.

  Hōkūpa‘a: Hawaiian name for the north star, Polaris.

  Holoscreen: fictional virtual reality experience with visual, aural, tactile, and olfactory dimensions.

  Holosphere: global holoscreen viewers.

  Honi: to touch noses and share the divine breath of life, the Hā; an expression of aloha.

  Honoliʻi Beach Park: surf break located near Hilo on the island of Hawaii.

  Huli Huli chicken: a style of Hawaiian barbeque where chicken is rapidly turned over hot coals.

  Inoa pō: a dream name; the name for an infant received in a dream or vision.

  Island arc: a chain of islands that forms from volcanic activity along a subduction zone.

  Jaws: famous big wave break located off Pe’ahi on Maui.

  Kāhuna: a Hawaiian word for a wise person, priest, or shaman; a respected person with moral authority.

  Kākū ʻai: a religious Hawaiian ceremony that dedicates the dead to become a family protector or ʻaumakua.

  Kamaʻāina: native born; a child of the land.

  Kānaka maoli: native Hawaiian; indigenous people of Hawaii.

  Kanaloa: one of four major gods in traditional Hawaiian religion; ruler of the ocean, often symbolized as a squid or octopus.

  Kekoa: name meaning “brave one” in Hawaii; the name of Sage’s Koa surfboard.

  Ke Kā o Makali‘i: a Polynesian constellation consisting of five stars in a curving formation in the shape of a bailer from the canoe that discovered Hawaii.

  K-Geo (Station): name of a fictional space station in geostationary orbit anchoring the space elevator.

  Kīlauea: the most active of the five shield volcanoes that constitute the island of Hawaii.

  Killers: famous big wave break located on Todos Santos island in Baja California, Mexico.

  Kiribati (Station): name of a fictional base anchoring the space elevator; located in the country of Kiribati in the central Pacific.

  Koa: wood from a tree endemic to Hawaii; Sage’s old surfboard is made from Koa.

  Koholā: humpback whale.

  Kukui nut oil: extract from the Kukui nut tree; used to waterproof wood.

  Lagrangian point: positions in space around two large objects in orbit that allow a smaller object to maintain a stable position relative to the large object; used as parking locations in space.

  Lander (aka “Da Bull”): shuttle used to journey from the Duke to the planet’s surface.

  Lava tube: a natural tunnel created by flowing lava during an eruption; after the lava flow has ceased, the cooled rock creates a long cave.

  Lichens: a composite organism; algae living in a fungus in a mutualistic relationship.

  Light year: the distance light travels in one year; equal to 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

  Lip (of a wave): edge of breaking wave.

  Lona: a female Hawaiian moon deity; name for Thalassa’s smaller moon.

  Lo-g: low gravity; Thalassa is a smaller planet and has 35% the gravity of earth.

  Lumpia: type of spring roll common in Hawaii, commonly of Philippine origin.

  Makali’i: the navigator of the canoe that discovered Hawaii; name for the star cluster known as the Pleiades; used for navigation.

  Malama‘āina: care for the land; acknowledgement that by nurturing the land we take care of ourselves.

  Manapua: a barbequed pork filled bun of Chinese origin.

  Mantis squid: fictional animal on Thalassa with features of a squid and mantis shrimp.

  Mauna Kea: the highest of the five shield volcanoes that constitute the island of Hawaii.

  Mauna Loa: the most massive of the five shield volcanoes that constitute the island of Hawaii.

  Mavericks: famous big wave break located off Half Moon Bay in California.

  Menehune: mythical dwarf people in Hawaiian tradition; name of a Hawaiian surf context for children.

  Microbes: microorganisms; single celled organisms such as bacteria or amoeba.

  Microdrone(s): tiny remote-sensing drones used to film wave riding for the holoscreen.

  Motoboard: fictional surfboard motors used to propel surfers through water and to catch waves.

  Nāmāhoe: Hawaiian name for the twin stars in the constellation Gemini.

  Nazaré: famous big wave break located in Portugal.

  Nesoi: fictional name for cetacean-like animals on Thalassa; Greek for goddesses of islands.

  North Shore (Oahu): stretch of coastline known for big wave surfing, includes Waimea Bay.

  Oceanid: supernatural daughters of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys in Greek mythology; Melia was an Oceanid.

  Off-the-lip maneuver: turning the board quickly off the top of the wave.

  ‘Ohana: extended family or clan in Hawaii.

  Olympus Mons: largest shield volcano on Mars; about 2.5 times higher than Mt. Everest.

  Orion: star constellation shaped like a warrior; a hunter in Greek mythology.

  Outer Space Treaty: a United Nations treaty governing activities in space.

  Over the falls (wave): to be propelled in the lip of a breaking wave towards the bottom.

&n
bsp; Paddle-out ceremony: an ocean-based ritual used to honor the life of a decreased surfer.

  Papahānaumoku: a Goddess and Earth Mother in ancient Hawaiian religion and mythology.

  Peʻahi: name for town near Jaws surf spot on Maui.

  Phobos: larger irregularly shaped satellite of Mars.

  Physical oceanography: science that focuses on the physical properties of the ocean, such as waves and currents.

  Pika: fictional name for fish-like organisms on Thalassa.

  Pikaia: scientific name for extinct animals related to the ancestor of vertebrate animals.

  Planetary Protection Protocol (PPP): protocols established by the Committee on Space Research to prevent biological contamination from spaceflight.

  Pono: right behavior; righteousness, goodness, balance, caring; a spirit of fairness.

  Procyon: binary star system located 11.46 light years from earth.

  Proxima (Colony): fictional space colony on planet orbiting the star Proxima Centauri.

  Proxima Centauri B: planet orbiting the star Proxima Centauri.

  Puakenikeni: fragrant flowers used to make leis in Hawaii.

  Puana: Hawaiian name for the star Procyon.

  Pulse motor: solar and battery powered motors that propel a surfboard through the water; controlled by foot and ring controls.

  Puna: district on the island of Hawaii.

  Quiver: a selection of surfboards for varying wave conditions.

  Red Giant: a bright giant star in the late stage of stellar evolution.

  RNA: cellular material acting as messengers with DNA to guide protein synthesis.

  Rogue planet: a free-floating planet traveling through interstellar space not associated with a solar system.

  Ross (Colony): fictional space colony on planet orbiting the star Ross 128.

  Ross 128 B: planet orbiting the star Ross 128

  Sandalwood: fragrant wood in Hawaii; traditionally used to build surfboards.