The Neptune Project

by Polly Holyoke

  WE’VE BEEN DRIVING HARD through the water for an hour when Densil contacts me. :two big boats come from the east. they move fast!:

  :Ton sees one boat heading this way from the north,: Dai tells us seconds later.

  :many fishing boats come, and they drag big nets behind them!: Sokya’s mental voice is tinged with panic. She and Ricca have been patrolling the waters to the west of us.

  Swiftly, I relay to my companions what’s happening. I hope they can’t sense the fear that’s making me tremble. Clearly the Marine Guard is determined to catch us and make us pay for the destruction of the Defender.

  :We’ll all head north and try to slip past that single ship,: Kyel declares. :Nere, call back the dolphins. We’ll need their help if this comes to a fight.:

  I ask Mariah to tell the rest of the pod to return to their human partners as fast as possible. I can hear the deep throb of boat engines in the distance, and that throbbing grows steadily louder. I bite my lip while I scan the ocean floor. All I can see in any direction is sand.

  Maybe we’ll get lucky. Maybe the Marine Guard’s sonar won’t pick us up.

  Five minutes later, our luck runs out. The first of the boats from the east cuts directly over us. I feel like I’ve swallowed a chunk of sandstone when that boat slows and begins to circle above us. We keep racing north, but a second boat soon joins the first, and then a dozen divers jump into the water with torches and powerful tows, blocking our way and creating a perimeter around us.

  :We’re going to have to fight,: Kyel warns us. :Form a circle, stay together, and try to make every spear dart count.:

  The torches grow brighter and brighter, making me squint. Then the first of the divers is on us, and I don’t have time to be scared anymore. I aim my speargun and hit the lead diver in the shoulder. As I quickly reload, I see Tobin’s first dart just miss a man. Then Ree shoots another in the leg.

  The dolphins streak down from the surface, where they went to breathe. They start biting air hoses and hitting the divers with their powerful tails. I don’t dare fire a spear dart now, but I can’t hang back and let the dolphins do our fighting for us.

  I charge forward, and Tobin, Ree, and Bria are right beside me. Tobin rips the speargun out of one diver’s hands and clubs him with it. I use my knife to cut a diver’s air hose. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Bria boldly strip the mask from another man.

  I glance upward, and I realize that one of the divers is lining up his speargun at us. But then Pani flashes by!

  :NO, PANI, WATCH OUT!: I cry, and try to send her an image of a spear dart speeding toward her, but I’m too late. She jerks as the dart pierces her body.

  Angrily, Ree fires a dart at the diver, but he’s already out of range. We’ve broken their attack. The first wave of divers is retreating.

  The spear dart must be lodged near Pani’s heart. As I watch her eyes, I see the life fade from them. I choke back a sob. She’s always been one of the happiest and sweetest of our dolphins.

  Ree’s face twists as she tries to hold Pani in her arms.

  :Nere, tell me what we can do to help her!: Bria cries, hovering next to Pani.

  :Sweetling, there’s nothing. She’s dying.:

  :little one, her heart has already stopped,: Mariah tells Bria sorrowfully.

  :Heads up. More divers are heading your way!: Kyel warns us.

  I glance up and see a second wave of divers charging at our side of the circle. The closest diver aims his speargun at me. I raise my own speargun, but I know I won’t be able to fire in time. I brace myself while I take aim, expecting to be hit at any instant.

  Suddenly, the diver jerks, and he drops his speargun. As he falls away from his tow, I see the spear dart in his back. Where did that come from?

  I spot a wild figure coming up behind the divers, and then I see it’s James! Using his homemade solar tow, he’s snuck up behind our attackers.

  Before they can react, he’s shot another man, and the rest head for the surface, kicking frantically. Maybe he’s planted some frightening idea in their heads to make them panic.

  For one brief moment, I’m left staring at my brother across twenty feet of ocean.

  :Thanks, big brother!:

  :I’ve got to surface now. Nere, watch out for trouble on your way to Dad’s colony. His message said they’ve been under attack.:

  :Has the Marine Guard figured out where he is?:

  :No, but he implied someone else is trying to destroy the colony. You be careful!: James turns his tow away and disappears into the black sea.

  :Nere, there’s a third boat up there now,: Tobin warns me.

  I can’t help looking after James. This is so unfair. I can’t believe I’ve found my brother just to lose him again.

  :Why don’t they just chuck some depth charges down on us?: Tobin asks as we watch the glow from more divers entering the water over our heads.

  The same question has been nagging at the back of my mind. :Maybe they want to take some of us alive.: The moment I say the words, I realize they must be true. :Maybe they know we’re telepaths, or maybe they’ve decided they need us to start their own Neptune Project.:

  I swallow hard as I meet Tobin’s gaze. If I’m right, being captured will lead to a future much worse than death.

  :the fishing boats are close,: Mariah warns me. :their nets surround us now.:

  Several new divers from the third boat charge at us.

  :WATCH OUT, BRIA!: I hear Kyel shout. I twist around in time to see Kyel lunge between Bria and a diver. Kyel’s body jerks as a spear dart takes him in the chest.

  Bria raises her speargun and coolly shoots the diver who just shot Kyel.

  :Ton’s mined all three boats!: Dai shouts, and suddenly he’s there, in front of me. :Send your dolphins away. The mines will blow any minute now!:

  :Mariah, you all must go! Swim right above the ocean floor, and you should be able to avoid those fishing nets.:

  :we go!: Within seconds, the dolphins are gone, racing away from the coming explosions that could deafen them. The explosions aren’t going to be healthy for us, either.

  :Everyone, swim north as fast as you can,: I call to our group.

  I turn to help Kyel, but Thom already has him in a lifeguard hold. Penn shoots the last diver in our path. We dart under the cutters before the mines detonate. I look back. Sweet Pani’s body is already drifting toward the bottom. I force myself to look ahead. I can’t bear to watch scavengers eat her.

  :We chewed up their divers so badly, I knew they’d start tossing depth charges at us,: Dai says as he swims along beside me. :The mines were the only way I could think to stop them.: He actually looks a little uncertain.

  :I don’t think you had a choice,: I reassure him. :FASTER, EVERYONE!:

  Seconds later, I see a flash behind us and hear a muffled roar. I’m spun upside down. Shock waves press on my entire body and eardrums. All I can see are bubbles in front of me. Then there’re two more flashes, more roaring, and the water tosses me about like an orca playing with a seal.

  My head is ringing when I finally regain my bearings. The night sea is so full of sediment now, we waste precious minutes trying to find one another.

  :Is everyone okay?: Kyel calls out. I can hear the pain in his mental voice. :Report in to Thom and me. We’re down here on the bottom.:

  One by one, people find their way to Kyel and Thom. Tobin takes quick stock of our injuries. Kyel’s wound is the worst. I can’t bear to look at the spear dart sticking out of his chest. His expression stoic, Kyel floats quietly while Thom cradles his head and shoulders.

  :Is everyone accounted for?: Kyel asks me.

  :We’re all here,: I reply.

  Rather than pull out the spear dart, Tobin quickly wraps a bandage around Kyel’s chest. Then he puts a pressure bandage on a knife cut Penn took along his right forearm, while Robry and Lena treat a spear dart graze across Ree’s shoulder.

  In the meantime, I call the dolphins. We’ll need their help
to travel swiftly and keep sharks away from Kyel. I ask Mariah to tell Halia she’ll be towing Ree from now on.

  :You should get going the moment Tobin’s done treating everyone,: Kyel tells us. :And put some distance between you and those Marine Guard vessels. Leave me here. I’ll just slow you down.:

  :We can’t leave you behind,: I protest.

  :You can and you will. I’m fish food anyway.:

  :He’s right, you know,: Dai says to me. His words may be callous, but I can sense that he is as upset as the rest of us.

  :We’re not going to leave Kyel here to die by himself.:

  :I can take him.: Thom breaks in on our argument. I know Thom is strong enough to carry Kyel, but Thom by himself is a lot of weight for Densil to tow.

  :If you’re determined to do this, then Ton and I can take him,: Dai surprises me by offering. :Ton’s strong enough to pull both of us for a while.:

  :I’m a waste of your time and energy,: Kyel says furiously.

  :For once, K-man, just shut up,: Thom tells him. His big hands are gentle as he hands Kyel over to Dai.

  Everyone seems to be waiting for me to give another order. :All right,: I say, squaring my shoulders. :We’ve got to get more distance between us and the Marine Guard. Remember, if you see a net, dive under it.:

  After dividing us into three travel groups to avoid sonar, I lead off with Sokya giving me a tow. Dai follows me with Kyel and Ton in the middle, and Tobin brings up the rear. Almost right away we find a fishing net blocking our path, but it’s not hard to slip under its bottom edge.

  After we get past the net, I ask Tobin a question, even though I’m afraid to hear his answer. :Does Kyel have a chance?:

  :No,: he replies, his mental tone somber. :That dart pierced one of his lungs. It’s amazing he’s still alive.:

  Tobin’s response hits me hard. Kyel seemed so indestructible. How can we go on without him?

  :another net ahead!: Mariah warns us.

  :Dive for the bottom!: I order. We dive to the sea floor and wait for the net dragged by two fishing boats to pass over us. I can tell the dolphins are terrified, but thanks to Mariah’s firm control over the pod, they stay with us and don’t bolt.

  When the net sweeps past us, the dolphins surface to breathe, and then we travel on, making good time, considering that Ton is towing two humans through the water. After we’re sure we’re clear of the last of the fishing vessels and their nets, we turn west.

  :Nere, we’d better stop soon. Kyel’s not going to last much longer,: Tobin warns me a short while later. I glance back and see that Kyel is looking gray, and his chest is rising and falling rapidly.

  :If Thom will take Kyel, I’ll send Ton out to find a place where we can rest and hide,: Dai offers.

  We pause long enough for our travel groups to join up again, and for Thom to take Kyel, who is barely conscious. Ton flashes off to look for a cave. Dai manages to keep up with us on his own.

  As we drive through the night sea, I look back at Kyel, hoping he can hang on a little longer.

  :Ton’s found a good sea cave,: Dai finally tells me. :It’s deep enough to hold us all.:

  When we reach the cave, Dai goes in first and clears out several eels. All of us follow him inside except Penn, who lingers by the entrance.

  :I’ll keep an eye out for sharks,: he offers. He can’t even look at Kyel. I wonder if he’s sorry now that he mined the Marine Guard vessel.

  :The dolphins will help you,: I tell him tiredly.

  :I want to see Nere.: Kyel’s mental voice is strained as he calls for me. I swim into the cave. Thom is holding Kyel, and the rest of the group is gathered around them. Bria and Kalli are crying. Ree’s face is pale and set.

  I blink back tears of my own as I go to his side. Kyel’s pain-filled gaze focuses on me.

  :You were right,: he says, his chest heaving. :Penn shouldn’t have attacked that boat. I wanted to fight the Western Collective until the day I died. Now that’s here, and everything I did and all the friends I lost, we didn’t change anything. Maybe the best way to beat them is to survive and build something more free and fair in the sea.…:

  He pauses to fight for breath. :Nere, there’s something you have to promise me. When they hold another election and choose you to lead, you have to do it this time. You’re their best chance of surviving. You’ll be a good commander. You’ll make some mistakes, but you’ll do a good job. Promise me.:

  Kyel’s eyes stare at me, compelling me to answer. Even dying, he is one of the most formidable people I’ve ever met.

  :I’ll do it if they ask me,: I promise.

  :Good,: he says, his mental voice growing weaker. :Where’s Thom?:

  :I’m here, K-man,: Thom replies, and Kyel searches for his hand. Thom reaches down and grips it.

  :This is my final order. You are going to swim away from here and leave me to the fish and the crabs. I’m dead anyway, and I don’t care what happens to my body.:

  :All right. But we’re not leaving until you’re gone, K-man.:

  :You always were one stubborn guy.: Kyel tries to smile at Thom, but he coughs up blood instead.

  :Ree? I can’t see. Are you there?:

  She bends over him and presses a kiss on his forehead, and I think he is saying something to her on a private send. She straightens up, and Kyel grimaces, as if he’s facing one last enemy. Then his chest stops heaving and his body goes slack.

  After Tobin checks Kyel’s pulse, he gently closes his eyes.

  :He’s gone,: he says simply.

  Thom bows his head, and his big shoulders begin to shake. Ree slips an arm around his waist.

  I bite my lip when I realize that everyone else is looking at me now.

  :I NOMINATE NERE to be our new leader,: Robry says, his mental voice sad but firm.

  Ree gives me a resigned look. :I think Kyel nominated her first, right before he died.:

  :Let’s put it to a vote, then,: Tobin says. :All those in favor of Nere taking over as our leader, raise your hand.:

  The vote is unanimous. A heavy weight settles on my shoulders. Is this how Kyel felt every day? I still believe that they are making a huge mistake, but I have to honor the promise I made to Kyel.

  :All right, I’ll do it,: I say numbly. :I know I have to make the hard decisions, and in emergency situations, you have to follow my orders. But I also want to hear your suggestions. I can’t do this quite the way Kyel did. We’re still figuring out how to make this work down here, and I know you’re all going to have good ideas.:

  As acceptance speeches go, it’s pretty lame, but I’m too sad and weary to think up anything better. I look at Penn’s averted face. With a sigh, I realize he’s one of the first problems I’m going to have to solve.

  :Thom, please go through Kyel’s seapack,: I say, trying to sound sure of myself when I’m really just winging it. :Divide and pass around his equipment. I know Kyel didn’t want a full burial, but I think we should do something for him before we leave here.:

  I look at Ree’s set face, and I add quickly, :Ree, you can help Thom if you’d like.:

  Ree sniffs and nods.

  :And keep an eye on Thom for me, will you?: I add on a private send. :If he looks like he’s about to go for Penn, don’t let him.:

  :All right, but I’d like to pound Penn’s face in myself. Kyel’s death is all his fault.:

  I close my eyes. I can picture big rangy Ree taking apart Penn, who is slight for a guy. :Try not to, okay? I think Penn understands that Kyel is dead because of him, and that’s not going to be an easy thing for him to live with.:

  :At least he gets to live. Kyel and my querida Pani didn’t,: Ree says bitterly as she goes to help Thom.

  Starting to get a headache, I decide that our next order of business is eating. :Dai, I want you and Ton to go find us some food.:

  :We’re on it, boss.: Dai salutes me, but I don’t think he means the salute disrespectfully. I realize now that Dai mocks everyone equally. :I think shark’s probably o
n the menu,: he adds with a meaningful look at a large mako that is circling outside the cave mouth.

  :Good. Everyone else, stay in the cave and try to rest up. We’ll head out in a half hour.:

  I swim over to the cave mouth. The sea has started to lighten. It’s morning now. Robry comes to float beside me. I watch as Dai kills the mako with a single shot through its right eye. After the shark stops thrashing, he tows it away.

  :Thanks for the nomination, kid,: I tell Robry on a private send. :Remind me to do the same for you someday.:

  :I know you don’t want to do it, but Kyel was right. You’re the best choice for the job.:

  :Well, I meant what I said about the suggestions, especially from you. You’re twice as smart as I am.:

  Robry snorts at that. :I’m smart enough to know you’re going to make some mistakes, and you’re going to beat yourself up over them.:

  :I’m counting on you to give me good ideas, and then maybe I won’t make as many mistakes. So:—I force myself to add on a lighter note—:did I sound leaderlike just now?:

  :Absolutely, Commander Nere,: Robry says with a grin. :I almost saluted you, too.:

  :I’m really glad you’re here.: I want to give him a hug, but I know that would embarrass him in front of the others, so I punch his shoulder lightly instead.

  :I’m glad I’m here, too,: Robry says. He looks away from me and studies the sea floor beyond our cave. :You know, it’s been harder down here than I thought it would be, but it’s also more beautiful.:

  I follow his glance. The early morning sun shines down in rippling gold and greenish beams through the water, highlighting a rare group of purple hydrocoral growing on the rocky sea floor. A school of ocean whitefish swim by, their yellow tails glinting in the sunbeams. I’m glad Robry helped me to see how pretty this place is. I needed to see something pretty right now.

  I call the dolphins and check them carefully for injuries. Kona has a spear-dart graze on her tail that I treat with antiseptic cream from my seapack. The dolphins are in a subdued mood.

  :Mariah, I’m so sorry about Pani,: I say.

  :I miss her. we all miss her,: Mariah says as she rests her head on my arm, and Tisi crowds in close for a rub.