Ocean: War of Independence
Page 9
On shore an hour later, Kimo, Alicia, and Dirk strode into the immense General Assembly Hall of the United Nations, accompanied by eleven other Sea Warriors. All of them wore business attire over their already-dry swimsuits—in Kimo’s case a white suit with a Hawaiian dress shirt, while Alicia had on a gray-tweed dress. Also fully clothed, other members, associates, and friends of the ocean-rights group congregated in the main lobby and outside in the plaza, while Gwyneth, and others who needed to remain in seawater, gathered just offshore in the East River with the whales, jetfish, and other marine life that had joined them, all within sight of the United Nations buildings.
The delegates of various nations were filing into their seats, in preparation for today’s special session. Kimo heard the tension in their voices as they spoke many languages, and saw it on their faces. They were all worried about what he would say to them, and with good reason. Many of them would not like the new declaration.
Near the curvature of steps around the raised stage, Fuji Namoto greeted him. “All is in readiness,” the slender woman said, with a businesslike smile. Bound documents and computer discs were piled on tables behind her.
Kimo picked up one of the bound copies, thumbed through it. Then he took a disc as well. Nervously, he watched as the national delegations continued filing in. The Declaration of Ocean Independence was only possible because of perceived Sea Warrior strength, stemming from their special abilities with creatures of the sea. But the document also had a large portion of bluffing mixed in, because Kimo did not know why the whales and other creatures sometimes acted on their own, and why they sometimes followed the commands of his hybrid humans.
To pull this off, to really intimidate the nations of the world into complying with the new rules, he had to make people believe that any one of his followers commanded all living things in the sea—so that there would be no advantage to arresting him and his entourage and taking them into custody. These were major points that he had already emphasized in information he’d passed on to Jimmy Waimea, for dissemination to news outlets all over the world.
Obviously the nations believed him, or he would not be standing here today. And yet, he was confident as well that if it came to an all-out world conflict, the Sea Warriors and the millions and millions of dangerous marine animals in their ranks would win the day. He just wanted to avoid all that bloodshed. The world would discover the broad range of Sea Warrior power in due course anyway, when any humans violating the rules were discovered by inspectors stationed around the world, or by marine animals reporting to the organization. So, he was not bluffing entirely.
Finally, when the delegates were all in their seats, the UN Secretary-General went to the large, elaborate lectern and opened the session. A black man from one of the African nations, he spoke briefly of the agreed-upon need to treat the ocean with more respect, and said that the United Nations had already appointed a special committee to deal with the crisis.
After he was introduced, Kimo went to the lectern, and set the bound copy and the disc on the surface in front of him. For several long moments, he gazed around the immense chamber, focusing briefly on some of the faces. The representatives had grown very quiet, except for the occasional sounds of coughing, or of shifting in their seats.
He adjusted the microphone, said, “In a few minutes, all of you will receive copies of the Declaration of Ocean Independence. Many of you have already received purported information on the contents of the document, from things that may have leaked in the last few weeks, some of it finding its way into news reports. A great deal of that is erroneous, or has been amended by our continuing meetings. The declaration is the new law of the sea, replacing all prior international agreements and proclamations of nations. Nations no longer own any rights to their continental shelves or the territorial waters offshore, or even to their shorelines and beaches. There are no longer international agreements to mine the resources of the ocean, and no right to use the sea for any purpose, and there is a no-tolerance policy on dumping in the water. There is no such thing as ‘freedom of the seas’ for human beings. The Law of the Sea, as you have known it until now, no longer exists.”
Dead silence greeted him.
He raised his voice for effect. “As you will discover in the official documents, from this day forward, there is no longer a planet called Earth, because we have renamed the entire world Ocean.”
A murmuring of discontent moved through the audience, and a few nervous chuckles.
He took on his most stern expression. “The list of transgressions committed by humans against the ocean is long and flagrant, and such acts will no longer be tolerated. As just a few examples among—literally—millions of disgusting acts, so-called ‘sport-fishermen’ catch great white sharks as trophy fish, and hang the teeth-studded heads in their dens and seafood restaurants. Or marlins—among the most graceful, beautiful creatures in the sea—are caught and stuffed, and their entire bodies are mounted on the walls. Can’t you see how grotesque that is? People in some countries kill large turtles to stuff them and sell them. Turtles, by the way, as well as crabs and other marine animals, lay their eggs on beach sand. For that reason, beaches are no longer part of any sovereign nation.
“In a forthcoming appendix to the declaration you will find a list of small islands, reefs, and atolls all over the world that are also being completely removed from any national or international jurisdiction, because they are habitats for seals, shorebirds, turtles, and other creatures that either live in the sea or live in harmony with it. Unlike human beings, who in the industrial age have not even come close to living in harmony with any aspect of their environment, be it land, sea, or sky. People are slobs, leaving trash behind them like the droppings of mice. Human beings are careless, selfish, and greedy, thinking mostly of themselves, and only rarely of others.
“Hereafter, when it comes to the world ocean, zero tolerance is the rule of the day, and punishments will be severe. With our special linkage to all marine life forms, we have ways of detecting violators, and of taking severe measures against them. Access to the world’s ocean is not a right; it is a valuable privilege, and my Sea Warriors are the gatekeepers. Any privileges we grant henceforth will be far diminished from anything you’re accustomed to.”
He paused, while the assemblage shuffled nervously in their chairs and muttered their discontent. Then he said, “A new day has arrived, a new dawn on the world’s seas.”
Alicia and the other Sea Warriors in the hall began to distribute both hard and electronic copies to each delegate. While this was going on, he said, “This document is only the first edition; there will be future versions, containing reasonable changes. Some revisions will be the result of constructive comments from your various nations, and from individuals and organizations. But no lobbying will be tolerated, and the only suggestions that will result in changes will be those that are not self-serving.”
“What about common products that have been derived from ocean plants and animals?” the French delegate shouted. He had risen from his chair, several rows back from the front. “Not just minerals, seafood, and edible plants, such as seaweed. I’m talking about cosmetics, lubricants, toothpaste, dyes, shampoos, and hundreds of other products.”
“For the most part, you’ll have to make those products with land-based materials,” Kimo said. “Human beings are highly ingenious, so I’m confident you’ll find a way. We will, however, consider legitimate medical needs, such as medicines that can be developed from sea organisms, as well as emergency situations, such as the need to rescue the passengers from foundering vessels or downed aircraft. If you study the Declaration of Ocean Independence carefully, you will see that a number of privileges can still be earned by humans. Swimming and scuba diving in the sea, for example, but only by people who behave like careful, considerate guests in the water, not like people who think they own it. A panel of Sea Warriors and other experts will be the final arbiters. There will be no appeals process.”
Kimo stiffened. “I’m not surprised by your attitude, because the United States is the worst offender on the planet, committing more offenses than fifty other nations combined. Madame, it is not likely that anything you say will be reflected in future editions of the declaration. You and others like you need to completely rework the way you think. Get this into your heads: The only right you have involving the ocean from now on is to stand somewhere on the land and gaze out upon the majestic, spectacular beauty of the water. You can look, but don’t touch—not unless we tell you how you can touch it.”
The woman sputtered a protest, and sat down indignantly.
“For 30 days,” Kimo said, “we will accept suggestions from national delegates, and will make any changes that we see fit. After we produce the second edition of the Declaration of Ocean Independence, with more detailed timetables for compliance, each nation on the planet will have one hundred and eighty days to get into full conformity with the requirements and timelines. On a schedule that is to be determined by a new Ocean Management Authority—the OMA—there will eventually be no power boats on the ocean, and you will only be permitted to take sail- or human-powered boats on the water, if you receive permits from us.”
“So, Roman galleys with slaves at the oars would be legal?” a man shouted. “And kiddy paddleboats?”
Ignoring the interruption, Kimo said, “Effective immediately, all motorized ocean navies—being hazardous by nature and detrimental to the seas—are declared illegal, and will be destroyed by the Sea Warriors if they are found on the ocean. And in time, there will be no sewage dumping and brown water offshore, no barges of garbage hauled out of big cities and dumped in the ocean, no plastic bottles and bags floating in the water and killing marine animals, no oil spills covering birds and fish in black goo, no dead creatures washed up on beaches….”
Paying little heed to the restlessness in the assembly hall, Kimo continued. “Effective immediately, there will be no fishing, hunting, or gathering in the ocean or on the beaches, and no crabbing, lobstering, or oystering, just to mention a few things. Fish farms will be permitted, but only if strict controls are put in place to contain fecal waste, and to prevent farmed fish from escaping and contaminating wild gene stocks. There will be no more dolphins trapped in tuna-seining nets, because no one will be permitted to fish on the high seas at all, under any circumstances. All of you must and will learn to think differently about this planet, whose health is dependent upon the health of the ocean. Your personal wishes are no longer important. This is not about human wants or selfish interests; it is about necessities—survival necessities for every ocean animal on Earth.”
The delegate from Japan leapt to his feet, shouting in English. The stocky, irate man waved the bound declaration in the air. “No more whaling factory ships, no dolphin roundups, no tuna fishing or shark fishing? We will not tolerate that! Our people demand the products from these animals!”
“From now on, your people will have to change, setting up OMA-approved fish and other aquaculture farms to serve the needs of your people.”
“We cannot grow whales in pens!” the man shouted. “Or sharks. We have a big business exporting shark fins to China.”
“That is your misfortune. There have been too many abuses, such as cutting off shark fins and discarding the rest of the animal. And for what? A bowl of shark-fin soup? Can’t you see how crazy that is, how wasteful? Can’t you see how abusive and disrespectful that is to the animals of the sea? These are our terms, and you have no choice but to accept them.”
“This is a radical left-wing document! It is not reasonable!”
“You say it’s left,” Kimo answered calmly, “but I say it’s right. It’s the right thing to do! Do you think we expected human beings to do the right thing on their own, when they have been greedy and careless for so many centuries? We don’t expect some of you to understand the morality or necessity of this document today, but eventually you will, and your nations will come to appreciate that the ocean is a blessing that a higher power has placed on this planet. It is something to be treasured, to be treated with love and respect. It is my fervent hope, sir, that your children and grandchildren will come to understand this, even if you never do.”
The Japanese delegate sat down in a huff, slamming the declaration angrily on the writing surface in front of him. Near him, the Chinese delegate (a tall, elegantly dressed woman) said nothing, but she also looked very unhappy.
“I can put the spirit of this document into a few sentences,” Kimo said. “No harm may be done to the ocean or its inhabitants. Without our permission, you may not touch or tamper with anything to do with the ocean, not even with seawater itself. Until humans treat the oceans properly, you may not even dip your toe in the water without permission.”
Now a number of other national delegates rose to their feet, shouting at the same time, asserting that their economies would be ruined by the severe conditions of the declaration. An elderly delegate from Venezuela said his country would ignore the Declaration of Ocean Independence and would continue drilling for oil offshore, and in Lake Maracaibo, which was a salt water lake connected to the sea.
“Then we will remove your illegal drilling rigs ourselves,” Kimo said, “just as we demonstrated we can do off the California coast.”
“No you won’t, because we will find ways to keep you away, such as at the narrow inlet to Lake Maracaibo.”
“Your methods will not be able to stand the massive tidal waves we will hurl at your entire coast, and at any barricade you attempt.”
The man did not return to his seat. Instead, he tossed the declaration aside and stormed out of the building, pushing his way past other delegates.
“We’re going to sue you!” he shouted at the door, just before exiting.
“Yes, we’re suing the Sea Warriors!” another man shouted, in the Queen’s English of a formal British accent.
“Your courts have no jurisdiction over us,” Kimo countered. “They are courts of the land, not of the sea—and land power no longer extends to the ocean. Your courts seek to drain ocean resources and move them to the land, the same thing that imperialistic, colonial nations have historically done to third-world nations. Your courts are puppets of human business interests.”
“Then we’ll take you into police custody,” the man said. “You and all of the others gathered around this building.”
“But we have many more members in the sea,” Kimo said with a steely smile, “and our operations will continue. The ocean will be cleansed, ships will be sunk, sailors, fishermen, and oil-rig crews will die if necessary. From the smallest creatures in the sea to the largest, we have billions and billions of fighters on our side. You have no idea of the havoc we can cause. You have seen only a sampling of our potential.
“Try to swim in the sea without proper authorization, and you will be attacked not only by the box jellyfish, stingrays, and needlefish you’ve heard about, but by razor-beaked, hyper-fast squid, by praying-mantis boxing shrimp that can deliver bone-breaking blows with their front claws, by sea spiders that suck blood like vampires, by sea anemones that fire stinging, toxic barbs to penetrate any wetsuit, by lampreys that can attach to a human face with suction and digest it, and by small cookie-cutter sharks that can attach to the skin of the human torso and cut off large, neat chunks of it. We have conger eels, large clams, octopuses, and squids that can clamp onto sw
immers and hold them underwater until they drown. We have animals that attack aggressively and savagely in packs, such as killer whales. Our great white sharks, giant octopuses, and other aggressive animals feel little or no pain when they are injured, and will continue to attack, refusing to give up any fight, short of death.
“Make any attempt to put your ships in the water and you’ve already seen what we can do to them with powerful waves and large marine animals; you have no idea how many ways we have to sink them to the bottom of the sea if necessary. All manmade structures on the shorelines of the world can be destroyed by waves if necessary, and human beings will fear the ocean and its ‘sea monsters’ more than ever—because now the stories will not be myths. They will be a horrific reality. You are vastly outnumbered and outgunned, and you cannot win this fight. Imagine the guerrilla strikes we can make all over the world, and the impossibility of hunting us down. Imagine the scale of the environmental protests if you attempt any wholesale slaughter of marine species. All you can do is to accept the new reality, and adapt to it. Human beings are the most adaptable animals on the planet; I’m sure you will find a way to survive.”
“So now you aren’t even human,” the man shouted.
“Oh, I’m still human, but I’m much more than that, too, as are my companions. We have the passion of human beings who care about the environment, but we are also creatures of the sea.”
“You are hoodlums of the sea!” a female delegate shrieked. With a caste mark on her forehead, she appeared to be from India. “This is blackmail on a massive scale!”
“Call it what you like,” Kimo said. “Your courts, legal terms, and even your insults, have no meaning to us, because they only serve to benefit your selfish business and national interests.”
With that, Kimo turned abruptly and left the podium, then marched out of the building toward the East River, followed by his entourage and then by the other hybrid Sea Warriors in the main lobby and plaza. Several police officers watched, along with a large crowd, but no one interfered with the ocean-rights activists as they stripped down to their swimsuits and dove into the water.