by Imogen Tovey
That night they had all been invited to dinner in the hotel’s Presidential suite. Ishbel had been in a panic when they got the invitation that day. What should they wear? Would Jorgos behave? He had no table manners. Would the children behave? CJ was as bad as Jorgos at shovelling food into his mouth. What could she wear!
The meal turned out to be very informal and everyone enjoyed themselves. Maddy took the opportunity to speak to the President about the dangers whales and dolphins encounter on a daily basis, and mostly about what happens to them with the low- and mid-frequency sonar. Lucy was a great help too, and the President found that he had a very hard time justifying the use of sonar on his submarines. Jorgos and CJ had four helpings and were far too busy eating to speak much. Jorgos was very pleased he had decided to go, the food was so good.
Then, the following afternoon, when Maddy and CJ were eating their lunch, they saw on the news that the President had held a press conference and had announced that, as of today, America had stopped the use of its low-frequency sonar and he was appealing to all other nations to do the same. He said that it was time that the human race took a step back to look at what cost their lives were having on other species. He had been speaking to various experts and had decided that there was no doubt that using the low-frequency sonar was causing more harm to the animals that lived in the sea than benefit to the human race. Over the next few weeks, he would be looking into the use of the mid-frequency sonar, and if the result was the same he would be stopping its use too.
Maddy and CJ stood up and jumped for joy, and Maddy was crying when Ishbel came through to see what was going on. Maddy explained what the President had just said, and then added that on jumping up and being hugged by CJ, her bruised body had hurt. Ishbel gave Maddy a hug, but carefully so as not to hurt her more, and CJ joined them.
It was evening now and Maddy and CJ were at the dock with Indigo, telling him about what had gone on. He told them that Stone and Star had ventured out of the Gulf of Corinth and had heard no loud sonar, just a faint vibration through the water continuing at a steady interval. Maddy said that the submarines were moving away from Greece now as the NATO summit had finished a few days ago. Indigo said that he was going out in the morning, and if it was OK in the Ionian Sea then the dolphins who had come into the Gulf to get away from the noise were going to head out into the sea, and off to their home waters. Lunar was also going to head off tomorrow. The fish were pretty scarce now, as there had been lots of extra mouths to feed.
CJ was sad that Lunar would be going. He loved her and had had a great time swimming and playing with her. She was missing her pod, though, and had to go back to see if any of them had escaped. She also needed to get back to her proper diet. She needed deeper seas so that she could dive deep and find squid. She had lost a lot of weight.
Lucy turned up at this point. She was heading off back to America in an hour, but she had wanted to say goodbye to them all. There were hugs all round and promises to keep in touch. ‘Indigo, I will do everything I can to help whales and dolphins and I will make sure my dad doesn’t forget what you all did for me,’ said Lucy before giving Indigo a big kiss on the top of his head. She then put her hand on the top of CJ’s head and tousled his hair. ‘You’re a great kid, CJ. Look after your sister.’ She turned to Maddy and gave her a big hug and handed her a folded piece of paper. ‘I thought I’d let you have your letter back. I think it worked out in the end, don’t you?’
Maddy took the paper and opened it. It was the letter she and CJ had sent to the President. She had forgotten they had sent it, what with everything going on. ‘Yes, I guess it did work, didn’t it.’ Lucy walked away, but they would all meet again. Maddy was sure of it.
The next day they said goodbye to Lunar, Stone, Star, Riddle and a few other dolphins from the pod they had got to know during their morning swims. It was sad to say goodbye, but they had to go back, out of the Gulf into the open sea. CJ climbed onto Lunar’s back to give her a hug, and as he was clinging on she dived down. He held on until she surfaced. He loved that feeling and he gave her a big kiss before waving goodbye with a big tear in his eye. They all hoped that she would find her pod. Indigo swam off with them. He would leave them at the end of the Gulf to go off on their separate ways.
Indigo had a very happy feeling inside. The Keeper would be proud of him. He and Maddy had proved to be a great team. They had made a big difference. The human race was thinking a lot more about their actions. The humans and dolphins would not be working together on a level pegging as they had in Atlantis for a long while yet, but they had made a little step in the right direction together, and he was happy.
Maddy was thinking the same thing as she headed into their flat for breakfast with her brother. They had done well, and she was happy. She put her arm around her little brother’s shoulder as they walked back quietly together.
The Old Man
He was lying on his back on the wooden float which was moored out in the sea. It was a very hot, calm day and the news had just finished on the radio. The old man had been listening intently to what had been happening in Greece and the surprising announcement made by the President of America. He had passed on everything to his companion, Lucaya.
Lucaya was floating in the sea beside the old man. He was very pleased that Indigo and his little friend had achieved so much and the dolphin said as much to the old man. ‘Yes, they have achieved more than we have, Lucaya. Now I know where they are, should we need to get in touch and work together.’ The man was very hot and so he rolled off the float into the sea and joined Lucaya for a gentle swim.
