"We have just moments ago entered the Arctic Circle. Soon we will dive for deep water and make our passing under the ice. I thought first you might like to see just what it is we are protecting in thisarea of the sea."
They turned and watched as she flipped a small switch in the same panel that opened the viewing window.
Sarah felt it first, and leaned into Farbeaux as her ears started to ring. The others felt it a moment later. It wasn't an uncomfortable sound, just penetrating. Strangest of all, it almost felt and sounded familiar, as if an old song remembered.
"The sound you hear has been ingrained in your subconscious. From the dawn of life on this earth you have carried this sound with you. It's the sound of the very first mammals, the very sound of life and of the sea. The only difference is the fact our cousins here went back to the sea, while we stayed. We are one with them." She took a step back and looked down the line of Event personnel. "You see, Senator Lee, life can be coldblooded as you stated, but in the sea is found 'the hottest blood of all.'"
As she spoke the words from the D. H. Lawrence poem, "Whales Weep Not!," a giant humpback whale swam into view. It swam slowly up to the glass, making everyone but the captain and first officer step back. The huge mouth rubbed up against the acrylic window, and the whale flipped over on its back.
"Excuse me, Colonel Farbeaux," the captain said as she moved to the center of the window and then slowly raised her elegant hand to the glass. This movement caught the whale's attention. It moved to the center of the window and started singing its whale song. The elongated flipper seemed to reach out and touch the glass right where Heirthall's hand was placed. The captain smiled, then closed her eyes.
"Amazing," Farbeaux said.
As they watched, another humpback came swimming casually through the blue waters and into the illumination of Leviathan'slights. The captain placed her other hand upon the glass, and the second whale rubbed its giant mouth against the very spot hers was placed.
"I would like to introduce you to Antony and Cleopatra. They and their pod are friends of ours."
Sarah smiled as she saw twenty whales come forth out of the waters surrounding Leviathan. She heard them singing, almost as if they were happy.
"It's as if they are saying hello," she said.
"They are, Lieutenant, they are saying exactly that. You see, once you have the fundamental mathematics down, you get the gist of what they are trying to vocalize--maybe one word in three."
"Are you telling me that you can understand what they are singing?" Niles asked as he looked from the whales to the captain.
She had her eyes closed and was leaning into the glass, allowing the whales to get as close as possible. They seemed hesitant at first; Heirthall had to open her eyes and coax them, almost looking concerned for the briefest of moments, but then Antony rubbed his snout against the glass in a gesture that made clear his nature toward the captain.
"The series of songs and clicks, like that of dolphins, is a mathematical form of communication, Doctor. It took my great-great-grandfather years to decipher their meaning, and we still haven't learned but a fraction of their language. Perhaps five percent--basically hello, good-bye, and"--she opened her eyes and looked at Antony, who was singing sadly-- "dead."
The mood was solemn, and the captain attempted to lighten it somewhat.
"There are other words also, for instance, baby, or newborn, happy, sad, man, and woman. We still have many years ahead of us," she said, stepping away from the window, and as she did, the whales moved back into the abyss.
At that moment, Yeoman Alvera stepped into the lounge and handed the captain a piece of paper.
"The damage assessment for the strike, Captain," she said as she looked toward the glass.
"Thank you, Yeoman, you are excused," the captain said, seeming to wince. She folded the report and it crumpled in her hand as she again was hit with pain.
Yeoman Alvera looked concerned for the captain. She looked from her to the Event Group, then half-bowed and left the compartment.
The captain pulled down at the edges of her coat and swallowed, looking at the men and women around her. That was when they noticed that the captain's facial features seemed to droop. Gone was the fresh face of a beautiful woman; in its place was a new one that looked tired, and the eyes actually drooped down at the corners.
At that moment Sergeant Tyler opened one of the hatchways and entered. He didn't approach the group standing at the large viewing window, but stood just inside the compartment looking at Heirthall, who only glanced his way.
"I will not lie to you. The time is past for the options I have given the world. Far past. You are here to answer questions about what your Group knows about Leviathanand her origins. That will be the duty of Sergeant Tyler; he will get the answers I need."
The complete turnaround from hospitable host to captor caught even the suspicious Lee off guard. They looked from the captain to her first mate. He momentarily looked as confused as they at the suddenness of the change, but recovered far more quickly.
"You will still have freedom of Leviathanuntil such time when security will have need of you. Answer the sergeant's questions truthfully, and you may survive your visit. Lie, and you'll find Leviathancan be a very cold place to be."
They watched the captain as she rubbed her temples and then lowered her head. She paced to the large double hatchways, and the two guards opened them.
"Until you are needed you will not be interfered with, as you have the run of my home."
Niles stepped away from the window.
"Captain, we know nothing about you or any part of your existence other than the relic we had stored in our vaults."
Sergeant Tyler smiled as he held the hatchway for Heirthall. His look told the group he was looking forward to confirming what Niles had stated.
The captain paused at the hatch and half-turned. Instead of commenting on Niles's denial of knowledge, she said, "If any of you were wondering, whales usually do not travel in pods this large. You see, they are sick, frightened, and without hope. They don't understand what is happening to them; their birth rate is down to near zero. In addition, I honestly don't know how to tell them that it's my own kind that is doing this evil thing to them. There is even greater, more brilliant, and far more ancient life that it may be too late to save." After making this mysterious comment she walked out with her guards.
Tyler again turned to the Group, smiled, and then followed the captain out of the compartment.
"The captain is ill, Mr. Samuels. I don't know if you noticed or not," Alice said, looking at the man and waiting for a reaction.
Samuels looked as if he were going to answer, but instead turned and left.
"I don't know if all of you noticed or not," Lee said as he picked a roll off the table and placed it in his coat pocket, then followed that with another. "But that little lady is mad as a hatter."
They all looked at him.
"As insane as Lizzie Borden." The senator looked around the interior of the salon. "And she has one hell of a little hatchet to play with--it's called Leviathan. And now she wants to ask a few questions after showing us that ax."
"Captain?" Samuels said, nodding for the security element to step aside. They looked at Alexandria, and when she nodded it was all right, they moved away, all with the exception of Tyler.