The Reef

by Mark Charan Newton

  ‘You’re quiet,’ Forb said, turning to Manolin.

  ‘Hmm.’

  ‘Everything okay?’ Forb leaned in closer.

  ‘Just thinking, that’s all,’ Manolin said. ‘A lot’s been happening recently. There’s a lot to take in.’ ‘Quite,’ Forb said. ‘I can’t wait to tell the others. What d’you think they’ll make of all this?’ ‘They probably won’t believe us,’ Manolin. ‘Anyway, I guess they’re wrapped up in their own problems.’

  ‘What d’you mean?’

  ‘There was something between Jefry and Yana before we left. Something was wrong with them. I hope they’re all right.’ ‘What was that about Yana?’ Santiago asked. ‘Nothing,’ Manolin said. ‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’ ‘Already on to it,’ Santiago said. ‘We’ll have to climb slowly, and it will take a few hours for us to take in the surface air. So we’ve plenty of time together yet. Anyway, you were saying something about Y ana?’

  Manolin said, ‘Oh,Jefry and Yana were having another fight.’ ‘Did they tell you what it was about? Do you know why they were fighting?’ ‘No,’ Manolin said. ‘They’re always like it. Guess when you come away, everything’s amplified.’

  ‘That’s what islands are good for,’ Forb said, nodding, smiling.

  ‘Yes, I suppose so,’ Santiago said. ‘So you don’t know then?’

  ‘No. Why, should I?’ Manolin said.

  ‘I only wondered that’s all. I thought she had a lot on. Her and Jef are on the rocks. Guess he thinks something strange happened on the way over to Arya.’ ‘Well nothing happened, okay. Have the sirens gone yet?’ Manolin looked to Forb. The doctor said nothing.

  Santiago sighed. ‘There’s one or two still swimming around us. They can’t do anything. I’ll put the spotlight back on in a few minutes.’

  ‘Right,’ Manolin said. ‘See if you can trace the reef again, I want to take a closer look at it. I thought it was pretty fascinating. And I want to see the tremor again.’

  ‘Doubt you’ll see it again,’ Santiago said. ‘It was a one-off.’

  ‘Well, if we’re going up slowly then we might as well get some detail of the rock. If you could bring this thing up at an angle, you could keep the beam up on the coral and I can make some good sketches of the marine life at different altitudes.’

  ‘Fine,’ Santiago said. ‘That’d be pretty good to discuss back in Escha.’ ‘If we ever get there,’ Soul said. ‘How long left do we have on this island now that we’ve investigated everything?’ ‘Whoa there. We’ve only just begun,’ Manolin said. ‘We’ll be here a few weeks yet you know. Why’re you so keen to get back?’

  ‘Well, if these sirens are the cause of our Eschan ships do disappear, then it must be reported,’ Calyban said. Then, ‘We’ve got to inform the navy. It’s been a mystery for decades-’

  ‘The hell you will,’ Santiago said. ‘No one’s reporting anything just yet. All we’ve done is seen them. There’s nothing to suggest they’re to blame.

  ‘He’s right. And I don’t want the navy coming to Arya,’ Forb said.

  ‘Why?’ Calyban said.

  ‘Why? They’ll ruin the place. They’ll bring a fleet and destroy the waters. They’ll drive their ships through the reef. They’ll trash the island. We’ll lose tons of important natural resources.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Doctor,’ Santiago said. ‘No one’s coming to this island. These little runts will have to get back to the mainland without us first.’

  Calyban grunted then smiled. ‘Anyway, we can argue up there,’ Manolin said. ‘I want to concentrate on studying the coral, so if you could all please be quiet.’

  Santiago steered the Pilar at an angle to the reef so that Manolin could see through the large porthole and study the rock. Manolin made sketches, diagrams, recording the colour and estimated size of each plant or animal he saw. Forb helped him, making quick sketches of plants. Time was passing quickly in this fever of discovery.

  They had been travelling up the reef for some time before Manolin noticed the vibration in the rock. He said nothing at first, preferring just to watch. Being in such an alien environment, your imagination tended to entertain itself. It could have been anything. They ascended for an hour, and Manolin noted that the reef shook five times. Eventually, he decided to inform Santiago.

  ‘Well, it could still be tremors,’ Santiago said. ‘Doc, what do you think?’

  ‘I’m not a geologist,’ Forb said. ‘I don’t know how the land behaves here. To be honest, I never even knew that the reef was one large piece of rock like this. I didn’t know they could be distributed in such away. As for tremors, who knows?’

  ‘Are we rising quick enough? Manolin asked.

  ‘A little too quick,’ Santiago said. ‘We’ve got plenty of time yet.’

  ‘Good,’ Manolin said. ‘I want you to start scanning along the reef, then go up and back across. That way we can see a massive section of the coral.’

  ‘Well, we’ve got the time I suppose,’ Santiago said. ‘Sure.’

  ‘Oh, come on,’ Calyban said, in between sighs. ‘How much longer do we have to put up with your crap?’

  ‘Listen you two,’ Santiago said. ‘We’ve put up with your crap for weeks. We’re here on a research expedition, so you’ll shut the fuck up and learn something useful. Okay?’

  ‘Fine,’ Calyban said. ‘Just hurry up. And just remember who you’re addressing.’

  The submersible travelled to lighter waters, and they could feel the temperature rising. The water became a dark blue. They could see recognisable creatures passing the porthole, into the spotlight.

  Manolin continued making his notes. He stood up to get a closer look at some of the species. ‘Hold it here for a minute.’

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Santiago said.

  ‘Nothing. Just fascinated by that line there.’ Manolin indicated a thick, white horizontal mark that stretched across the porthole. ‘There’s no coral on this segment. Just lichens.’

  ‘That’s rather a long line,’ Santiago said.

  ‘There’s no coral polyp here,’ Forb said. I wonder why that is.’

  ‘Do you want me to pull back?’ Santiago said.

  ‘Sure, so long as the light is still effective,’ Manolin said.

  ‘Well, I’ll go a few feet back, and perhaps we can see what the line is,’ Santiago said. ‘Then we’ll move on.’ ‘Forb,’ Manolin said, ‘come and take a look.’ The doctor joined Manolin at the front. ‘Bizarre. There’re definitely lichens and barnacles, and it looks like rock. How far are we from the surface?’

  ‘Oh, not far at all now,’ Santiago said. ‘You could probably swim this far down, with the right apparatus. You can see the water’s lighter here.’

  They all looked at each other as they were talking.

  Then they looked back.

  ‘Bloody hell,’ Manolin said. He could feel his heart beating high in his chest. ‘What the hell is that?’ They were staring at a completely black, glossy surface, and the light of the spotlight was reflecting back.

  ‘Is that what I think it is?’ Forb said.

  ‘Bring us back, Santiago,’ Manolin said.

  Santiago sighed, said, ‘I’m trying, damn it.’ He pulled the Pilar back several feet and the glossy surface still filled their vision.

  Everyone stared, wide-eyed, speechless. Then, the tops of the black surface were brought down, the barnacle-encrusted surface sliding till they met. After a moment, they parted again.

  ‘For fucksake, get us back,’ Calyban said.

  ‘Wait a second,’ Manolin said.

  ‘Never mind a second,’ Calyban said. ‘Pull back, Santiago.

  Please-’ They could hear, and feel through the metal surface of the submersible, a thundering bass sound.

  Manolin was staring at a black eye, almost right through it. Deep within, the light found all the details to suggest this was completely animal, completely alive.

  ‘Uh, Santiago ...’ Calyban said. ‘Come on.’
/>   ‘How big is that thing?’ Manolin said. ‘It must be ten feet wide.

  Hell, Santiago, pull us back. And turn that damn beam off.’ ‘Right. .. Okay.’ Santiago turned the spotlight off. Even in the better light, they could still see the reef vibrate as they pulled back. ‘This has to be reported,’ Calyban said. ‘What in Arrahd’s name was it?’

  ‘Nothing’s being reported without our approval,’ Santiago said.

  ‘Sod your approval, this is a... a ... fucking eye. What does it belong to?’ Calyban said. ‘Let’s all calm down-’ Santiago said. ‘Calm down?’ Soul said. ‘What, with that thing?’ ‘Look, everybody be quiet and let’s review this at the surface,’

  Santiago said. ‘Review?’ Soul said. ‘It’s a beast. Whatever it is, it has to be removed.’

  ‘Removed? The hell you will,’ Santiago said. The Pilar shuddered as he turned the vehicle away, and steered it towards the surface. He wiped his forehead. They fell backwards into their seats as he tilted the craft.

  Manolin tired to not be distracted by the arguments. He was utterly amazed at what he had just seen. If that was an eye, exactly how big was the rest of the creature likely to be? And what was the creature likely to be?

  ‘I don’t care what you say, that is a danger. Everything down there is,’ Calyban said.

  ‘We must calm down and rationalise this,’ Santiago said.

  ‘What’s to rationalise?’ Calyban said. Then, ‘It must be destroyed.’

  ‘We don’t even know what it is yet,’ Manolin said.

  ‘Nothing is being destroyed,’ Forb said.

  ‘We must return to the mainland immediately, Santiago,’ Soul said.

  ‘We’re not going anywhere.’ The Pilar shuddered as Santiago turned off the motors and the vessel cruised through light waters again. Sunlight filtered through he sharp waters, filled the portholes. Prisms of blue stretched away.

  ‘Right,’ Santiago said, ‘we’ve to stay here for an hour until the pressure is changed and the air is safe. Do I make myself clear? If you don’t, you will die. It’s as simple as that. So we’ve an hour, one hour, in which to discuss exactly what we did and did not see.’

  ‘Okay,’ Manolin said. ‘Whatever that was, it hasn’t harmed anyone. No one has been affected since their stay on the island. We’ve been down there and back, and we’re perfectly safe.’

  ‘This has to be reported,’ Soul said.

  ‘You can’t report anything,’ Forb said. ‘I don’t want any navy coming to the island. There’s too much to lose. You can’t destroy something in nature that you don’t understand.’

  ‘What’s to understand?’ Calyban said. ‘There’s something enormous down there, and those sirens are sinking Eschan ships. It affects our government.’

  ‘How can you possibly know any of this for certain?’ Manolin said.

  ‘Either way it has to be investigated,’ Calyban said.

  ‘We can do that,’ Manolin said.

  ‘No, I mean by the government,’ Calyban said.

  Santiago stood up. He had a pistol in his hand. ‘Fuck the government. When has a government done anything to help nature or science?’

  Calyban and Soul both looked at the pistol, then at Santiago. Manolin watched his old mentor move with purpose, precisions, in away that told him he wasn’t unfamiliar with these situations.

  ‘Might I remind you that it’s our responsibility to report our findings to our government,’ Soul said. ‘Should anything happen to us then the navy will be here.’

  ‘And how’re they going to know if anything happens? Eh?’ Santiago said.

  ‘Santiago, put the pistol down,’ Manolin said.

  ‘You can shut up too.’

  ‘Santiago?’ Manolin said, frowning. ‘What the hell are you saying? Don’t be stupid, and think about what you’re doing. No one is going to be shot. Put that thing away.’

  ‘We’ll discuss this on the island,’ Forb said. ‘We’ll take a break, have some food and relax. When we’re all calm, then we can discuss the matter clearly and logically.’

  ‘Those boys,’ Santiago said, indicating the agents with his pistol, ‘don’t do logic.’ ‘Santiago, you’re not helping. Come on, let’s sit down and be civilised. Okay?’ Manolin said.

  ‘Right,’ Santiago said.

  ‘Good,’ Manolin said.

  ‘Fine,’ Santiago said.

  Twenty-Two

  The afternoon sun had burned away people’s energy leaving them lethargic, tired. It was dusk, and a cool breeze came from the north. Life emerged once again. In the forest the birds were boisterous. You could smell the fragrance from the trees further up the island. DeBrelt’s crew, Calyban, Soul, the villagers and several ichthyocentaurs had gathered around a large fire built alongside the lagoon. For a while, everyone talked amongst themselves. Some of the villagers were sitting cross-legged at the front of a circle.

  One of the ichthyocentaur women was carrying a baby, and Manolin and Forb were paying the young creature attention. Manolin beckoned the others forward. Becq came, and Santiago, but Yana and Jefry did not move. They were sitting next to the fire, staring at the infant from a distance. Jefry tried to move Yana, but she was reluctant. He held her arm. Her eyes were round and red. She mouthed some words Manolin couldn’t hear. All Jefry could do was squeeze her hand whenever she gripped it. Yana was still cold, silent, but she would talk only with Jefry. Manolin supposed that their relationship was deeper than either had realised.

  Forb was signing to the mother, who, with her hands full, couldn’t reply properly. Manolin offered to hold the baby. She handed her child to him carefully. Manolin was surprised at how heavy it was. The creature’s grey skin was tough. Manolin smiled when he saw the stub of what would become the tail. He made faces at the baby, and it imitated him after a few different facial contortions. The mother grinned and Forb laughed. After the conversation, Manolin reluctantly handed the baby back. The little creature was smiling.

  ‘What a little gem,’ he said to Forb.

  ‘I think you’re accepted by this lot,’ Forb said. ‘She let you hold her baby. That’s pretty good going.’

  Manolin signed, Thank you. Good luck, to the female. She nodded. It was nice to feel accepted, especially by something so exotic. In the streets of Escha, people would seldom accept you. They would walk on by, struggled to make eye contact. Occasionally someone would speak, blurting out some kind of offensive madness, or try to sell you something, pawing at your clothes. Groups tended to keep to themselves, never wanted to integrate.

  Becq sat down by Jefry and Yana. Manolin sat on her other side. The opposite side of the circle, Myranda was sitting with Lewys. There was a sense of excitement as people chattered because they had been summoned. It was as if they had never been gathered for anything like this before.

  Santiago and Forb moved to the centre of the crowd, by the fire. They looked out to the orange and pink horizon, and the darkness of the sea against it. Everyone stood or sat on the sand, in a circle around them. Silence descended, and the fire could be heard crackling. Manolin felt the tension, even though he knew what they would be talking about.

  ‘Right,’ Forb said. ‘We’re going to give some feedback on our trip down the reef.’ He signed to the several ichthyocentaurs as he spoke.

  ‘Absolutely,’ Santiago said. ‘Now, as you mayor may not know, we travelled some way down in my submersible and we think we’re at the bottom of our mystery.’

  Forb continued translating for the ichthyocentaurs.

  ‘This afternoon, for several hours, we followed the reef down. We didn’t expect the reef to be so deep. Now, we’ve basic technology, but we got to the bottom. Somewhere down there,’ he indicated the ocean, ‘is a city. We saw a construct, possible made out of the coral, or indeed caves, but we couldn’t be certain.’

  People in the crowd were muttering. Santiago palmed the air. ‘Now, let me continue. It was illuminated by some sort of bioluminescent life form. Quite common in dee
p waters, but I never expected to see them in such quantities.’

  Everyone was silent. He tuned to Forb. ‘They any idea what I’m talking about?’

  The doctor said, ‘Stay away from the technical details.’

  Santiago nodded, placed his hands on his hips. ‘Basically, there is a community of sirens. And the reason they are killing these chaps, I believe,’ he indicated the ichthyocentaur group standing between the villagers, ‘is to breed. They are taking their sperm. This is quite likely as, when you think about it, they’re all female, by the looks of it and couldn’t reproduce on their own. Or at least, one would not assume it.’

  The crowd muttered.

  ‘What doest thou mean?’ a villager said.

  ‘What I mean is that your ichthyocentaur men are being raped, for want of a more accurate word. They are being raped so that the sirens can reproduce. Our mystery, therefore, is solved.’ ‘Tell ‘em the rest,’ Calyban said.

  Santiago looked at him. Forb was no longer signing, but turned to stand by Santiago. The two agents stood up, stepped over the semi-naked bodies on the sand, to the centre. ‘There’s more, isn’t there?’ ‘No. These simple people don’t need to know anything else,’ Santiago said.

  ‘Why don’t you tell ‘em? Eh?’ Calyban said.

  ‘Now would be a good time to take this elsewhere, gentlemen.’ Santiago nodded slowly, eyes wide. ‘Don’t you want them to know,’ Calyban said, ‘that there’s something under the island?’

  ‘No.’

  Forb looked across to Santiago. ‘We could tell them, you know.’

  ‘No. Now gentlemen, if you want to take this further-’

  ‘What doest he mean?’ a villager said.

  Santiago turned to the villagers, who were looking at him, their eyes wide and bright against their dark skins. ‘There was ... Well, we saw something else.’