Read Online Children of the Old Star by David Lee Summers - Free Book Online
Authors: David Lee Summers
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pod of younger whales, spraying as she went.
Just as Ellis’ shoulders sank, a third whale head appeared near the boat. Again, he was drenched by spray. This whale had a slightly wrinkled brow, making her look more matronly. “The cycle continues,” she said.
"The cycle continues,” repeated Ellis solemnly.
"You are looking for one of our kind,” she clicked.
"I look for the old bull, Richard.” Ellis brushed wet hair from his forehead.
"The one the humans call Richard is 47 miles afin port,” said the matronly whale. “The cycle resumes,” she said, giving another spout. With that, she dove under the surface, her tail raised in the air, waving to Ellis.
"The cycle resumes,” said Ellis as he looked at the general direction of the adult whales. Using their fins as a pointer, he aimed his tiny craft where Richard would be.
Passing by the pod of whales, Ellis heard snippets of stories told to the young whales. The stories were of the old times, when the violent chattering land apes came hunting. According to the stories, the apes were so stupid, it took them nearly seven hundred years to learn to talk. Even then, they had to use devices like the ones Ellis wore. As Ellis continued out to sea, he felt the old twang of guilt that came when he considered that his ancestors made their fortune hunting one of the other intelligent species of Earth.
Continuing toward Richard's hunting grounds, Ellis returned the boat to the water to increase its speed and again stepped below, pondering the fact that Earth was unusually blessed by having three fully self-aware species; the sperm whale, the humpback, and man. Even in the thirtieth century, most people did not fully understand the subtleties of whale speech. To most, the words “the cycle continues” and “the cycle resumes” were a simple litany, or at best, a greeting. In fact, embedded in the litany were calculations based on temperature, density and salinity factors that determined just where the giant squid and fish were that the whales hunted for food. The hunt is the art.
Humans owed a great debt to both intelligent species of whale. If humans had hunted them to extinction, they likely would not have developed interstellar travel. Just as Newton realized the existence of gravity by being bonked on the head with an apple, Quinn had realized the nature of gravity and its dimensionality by listening to humpback whale speech and understanding the wave patterns produced.
Again, rummaging through his plastic sea chest, Ellis found dry clothes and a yellow rain slicker. Peeling himself out of his dripping clothes, he pulled on a warm, red flannel shirt and blue woolen pants. He replaced his drenched leather shoes with dry socks and rubber boots. Returning to the deck, he scanned the horizon. After only a few minutes, he saw a lone spout, almost nearer than he expected.
As he approached, he saw the great, bifurcated tail go below the surface of the water. Again, he took the boat an inch out of the water, letting it sit silently. Donning the slicker, he waited nearly twenty minutes, watching white clouds build on the horizon.
With a crash, like thunder, he saw a dark gray form lift itself clear out of the water pointing skyward. A waterfall streamed off the glistening body. Ellis caught his breath and held the ship's railing tightly as the body arched and fell back into the water. A spout of water and air buffeted the boat along with a mighty clang. Through the noise, Ellis heard clicking and, “The cycle continues, old friend!"
"It has been a long time, my friend,” said Ellis as he watched the 62-foot long spermaceti whale swim alongside the boat.
The whale's eye emerged from the water. “You are alone, young Ellis. Where is your father?"
Ellis took a deep shuddering breath. “Dead, killed in space by something we call the Cluster."
"I shall mourn him,” said Richard. His head went below the waves, revealing a wrinkled back. The great tail rose from the
Just as Ellis’ shoulders sank, a third whale head appeared near the boat. Again, he was drenched by spray. This whale had a slightly wrinkled brow, making her look more matronly. “The cycle continues,” she said.
"The cycle continues,” repeated Ellis solemnly.
"You are looking for one of our kind,” she clicked.
"I look for the old bull, Richard.” Ellis brushed wet hair from his forehead.
"The one the humans call Richard is 47 miles afin port,” said the matronly whale. “The cycle resumes,” she said, giving another spout. With that, she dove under the surface, her tail raised in the air, waving to Ellis.
"The cycle resumes,” said Ellis as he looked at the general direction of the adult whales. Using their fins as a pointer, he aimed his tiny craft where Richard would be.
Passing by the pod of whales, Ellis heard snippets of stories told to the young whales. The stories were of the old times, when the violent chattering land apes came hunting. According to the stories, the apes were so stupid, it took them nearly seven hundred years to learn to talk. Even then, they had to use devices like the ones Ellis wore. As Ellis continued out to sea, he felt the old twang of guilt that came when he considered that his ancestors made their fortune hunting one of the other intelligent species of Earth.
Continuing toward Richard's hunting grounds, Ellis returned the boat to the water to increase its speed and again stepped below, pondering the fact that Earth was unusually blessed by having three fully self-aware species; the sperm whale, the humpback, and man. Even in the thirtieth century, most people did not fully understand the subtleties of whale speech. To most, the words “the cycle continues” and “the cycle resumes” were a simple litany, or at best, a greeting. In fact, embedded in the litany were calculations based on temperature, density and salinity factors that determined just where the giant squid and fish were that the whales hunted for food. The hunt is the art.
Humans owed a great debt to both intelligent species of whale. If humans had hunted them to extinction, they likely would not have developed interstellar travel. Just as Newton realized the existence of gravity by being bonked on the head with an apple, Quinn had realized the nature of gravity and its dimensionality by listening to humpback whale speech and understanding the wave patterns produced.
Again, rummaging through his plastic sea chest, Ellis found dry clothes and a yellow rain slicker. Peeling himself out of his dripping clothes, he pulled on a warm, red flannel shirt and blue woolen pants. He replaced his drenched leather shoes with dry socks and rubber boots. Returning to the deck, he scanned the horizon. After only a few minutes, he saw a lone spout, almost nearer than he expected.
As he approached, he saw the great, bifurcated tail go below the surface of the water. Again, he took the boat an inch out of the water, letting it sit silently. Donning the slicker, he waited nearly twenty minutes, watching white clouds build on the horizon.
With a crash, like thunder, he saw a dark gray form lift itself clear out of the water pointing skyward. A waterfall streamed off the glistening body. Ellis caught his breath and held the ship's railing tightly as the body arched and fell back into the water. A spout of water and air buffeted the boat along with a mighty clang. Through the noise, Ellis heard clicking and, “The cycle continues, old friend!"
"It has been a long time, my friend,” said Ellis as he watched the 62-foot long spermaceti whale swim alongside the boat.
The whale's eye emerged from the water. “You are alone, young Ellis. Where is your father?"
Ellis took a deep shuddering breath. “Dead, killed in space by something we call the Cluster."
"I shall mourn him,” said Richard. His head went below the waves, revealing a wrinkled back. The great tail rose from the
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