Part 41 (1/2)

Dawn?”

”Those are vacuum cylinders.” Her voice was low,

almost trembling. ”They would hold fragrance extracts

and spices: town cargo.”

Mataroreva glanced over at Cora. ”Do you think they're salvaging that stuff to put the proceeds of sale into an account benefiting surviving relatives of Vai- 'oire's dead? Or maybe to raise a memorial to them?

Look how fast they're working! They're pus.h.i.+ng them- selves to finish before the first official observers arrive.

175.

”It makes sense now. Our first guess was right. We suspected either whales or men, but not both function- ing in tandem. Somehow these people are controlling the cetaceans. I can't believe the whales are working for them of their own free will. They have nothing to gain.

”First the whales, their activities somehow coordi- nated by these vultures, destroy a town. Then their human Svengalis rush in and rake up anything of value. If anyone happened to stumble in when a town was under attack and get safely away, the cetaceans would get the blame.”

”I can't imagine,” Cora muttered, ”how anyone could control and direct a large group of cetaceans like that.”

”Neither do L But I will find out.”

”What do we do now?” Rachael asked.

Mataroreva continued to study the busy operation.

”There appear to be about twenty crew per s.h.i.+p.

Many of them are diving. Maybe we can take one of the s.h.i.+ps. Even if we can't get away, possibly one of us might make it to the s.h.i.+p's transmitter. We could at least explain what's been happening. That would doubly alert all the .other towns. Might even frighten these people off. We have one advantage anyway.”

”I'd trade all our advantages for a beamer,” Mer- ced murmured, his right hand tightening around an invisible one.

”We know the reef,” their guide continued. ”We've been swimming over and through it for days. We'll head for the nearest foil at dusk. In the dark, we'll glow just like those pirates. They'll still be diving after the sun goes down, as anxious as they must be to fin- ish up and clear out of here. If we can just get on deck before someone raises the alarm, we should at least have a good chance at their transmitter.”

”I'm for the transmitter.” Dawn looked eagerly at the nearest bobbing vessel. ”I know communications.

176 CACHALOT.

I bet I can get off a signal faster than any of you. In

the dark, if need be.”

”Sounds good. We'll take the boarding ladder the last diver uses. I'm up first.”

”No. Let me go.”

Mataroreva stared in surprise at the soft-voiced

Merced.

The little scientist continued with gentle relentless- ness. ”They may not have any oversized specimens in their crews,” he explained. ”Your suit glow will be the same, .but your ma.s.s will not. I'm more normally built and less likely to be noticed than any of you. Also less intimidating.”

Mataroreva considered, then nodded slowly. ”You make good sense. Now, what about weapons? We can't chance jumping one of their divers. They'll prob- ably work in pairs or trios, and one would be sure to sound a warning.”

”There are some blue echinoderms on the bottom,”