Part 57 (1/2)

The suprafoil followed. Whale backs rose and fell in regular, symmetrical curves against the horizon.

Two days later they were startled by an announce- ment from Wenkoseemansa. He was cruising along- side, easily keeping pace with the s.h.i.+p, when he shouted in surprise, ”Painnn!”

”Mind-pain?” a concerned Cora asked the moment she reached the railing.

”Yess. But it is not bad, not unbearable. Feeding it too arre the catodons, feeeling it and rremarrking on itttt.”

”How bad is it affecting them?” Mataroreva stared over the bow. Only curved spines and open sea met his stare.

”Not oven-much. Morre surrprrised thhan hurrt they arre, morre currious thhan injurred. A feww swwam into each otherr, but to no real hurrt. Thhey arre resistingggg.”

”The mind control. But it's not working on them.

That explains why there were no catodons, or orcas or porpoises, partic.i.p.ating in the attacks on the towns.

Their minds must not be as malleable as those of the baleens. They can fight off the effect.”

”We still don't know who's behind this.” Merced

241.

spoke from nearby. ”We only have a meaningless word.”

”I do.”

They looked over their shoulders. Yu Hwos.h.i.+en stood there, hands behind his back, staring specula- tively over the side at the sweeping backs and con- sistent spouts of the pod.

”I've devoted some considerable thought to it,” he continued. ”Off-world agents. Some group or or- ganization that wants all humans off Cachalot.”

”The AAnn?” Cora suggested, s.h.i.+vering a little at the thought that humanxkind's persistently probing reptilian adversaries might be involved.

”It's possible. But not certain. We might be dealing with another group of humans who think they can slip down here and glean the wealth of this ocean world without any interference or supervision once the existing operations are wiped out. Hazaribagh's type, only on a much more extensive and smarter scale. Or some organization with motives we are not yet aware of.”

”Won't they try to escape now?” Rachael won- dered, cuddling her instrument protectively. ”They must know that we're hunting them, that their control over these four fins has weakened. They try to com- pensate by taking control of the catodons, but that isn't working.”

”I considered that,” Hwos.h.i.+en said. He permitted himself to sound slightly pleased, a break in his usual mood. ”Two independent monitor satellites have been tracking us ever since we separated from Haza- ribagh. As soon as we began following our new guides, I ordered a Commonwealth patrol s.h.i.+p to join the watch.” He jabbed a thumb skyward.

”It is up there now, waiting and in contact with us.

Anything that attempts to leave the surface within a radius of a thousand kilometers of this s.h.i.+p will be picked up and intercepted. If they try to escape by

242 CACHALOT.

traveling under the sea or by skimming its surface, the satellites will eventually locate them and direct the patrol to their flight path. All surface vessels of known origin have already been plotted and ac- counted for.

”Yes, they will try to escape. But they will not.”

He considered a moment, added, ”It would be better for them to surrender to us and take their chances with a court before the catodons find them. Or any of the locals.”

It was an evaluation none commented on. They didn't have to. The proof was visible for all to see in Dawn's eyes.

XVI.

Another day pa.s.sed before the fins began to show signs of slowing down. The catodon pod slowed with them.