Part 61 (2/2)
”MUCH OF THE TIME WE MUST RISE TO THE SUR-.
FACE,” the voice said, ”TO FEED ON THE CREATURES WHICH RISE WITH THE ABSENCE OF THE LIGHT ABOVE.
THE SKY. MORE THAN A FEW OF YOUR KIND THINKING.
EN THAT PRESENCE HURT US, DISRUPT OUR THOUGHTS.
AND ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE ON OUR FEEDING. YOU.
MUST ALL LEAVE, OR THE KILLING WILL NOT STOP.”.
A pause, then, ”ONLY BY BRINGING so MANY OF us
TOGETHER HERE CAN WE STAND THE PAIN WELL.
ENOUGH TO CONVERSE COHERENTLY WITH YOU.”.
”Leave Cachalot?” Hwos.h.i.+en muttered.
”YES. VANISH. GO BACK TO WHEREVER YOU WERE.
Sp.a.w.nED.” Then a question. ”WHAT is 'CACHALOT'?”
”This world,” Cora explained. ”We come from a world other than this.”
”A WORLD OTHER THAN THIS? THERE ARE NO.
WORLDS OTHER THAN THIS, BY WHATEVER NAME YOU.
CALL IT.”.
So the sea-dwelling CunsnuC had no knowledge of astronomy, and had not gained any from their con- tacts with the Cetacea.
”But there are.”
”THERE CAN BE NO WORLD WHERE THERE ARE NO.
CUNSNUC, AND ALL CUNSNUC ARE HERE OR WE.
WOULD KNOW OTHERWISE. THERE CAN BE NO.
CUNSNUC WHERE THERE ARE MINDS OF YOUR KIND.”.
”Humanity has been working on this world,” Mata- roreva said hotly, leaving aside for the moment the question of the existence of other worlds, ”for hun- dreds of our years. You've never done anything to us before. Why all of a sudden this hurt, and this need for us to leave?”
”THE HURT IS NOT SUDDEN. IT HAS BEEN WITH US.
FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE SAID. BUT WE DID NOT.
UNTIL NOW HAVE THE MEANS TO RESIST.”.
Cora could believe that. For all their ma.s.s, the CunsnuC still appeared physically fragile. Only then- size and mental defenses protected them against Cach- alot's smaller but still sizable predators. They were plankton-eaters, like the toothless great whales.
”WE HAD TO DEVELOP PARTS OF US BEFORE WE.
COULD GAIN THE USE OF THE SMOOTH-SIDES' MINDS.”.
”So you could direct them to attack us,” Hwos.h.i.+en concluded.
”YES. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF WE COULD.
HAVE GAINED THE USE OF OTHER, MORE POWERFUL.
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