The Neptune Project (15 page)

KYEL CALLS A MEETING
in the wheelhouse so everyone can hear about the patrols. Thom, the official leader for our patrol group, matter-of-factly reports what happened to Ree. Robry and I receive some curious looks by the end of his report, and Dai gives me a mock salute. After Thom finishes, Kyel nods to Robry and me.

:Nere, Robry, that was quick thinking. Now we know we need to watch out for fishing nets. And Ree, now you know you've got to stay with your travel group.:


Then Penn reports in for his patrol, and it's clear from the start that he's excited about something.

:We found a Marine Guard vessel anchored in a natural harbor ten miles to the west of here. It's the
Defender
, the same one that chased Sara, Kalli, and me out of Oxnay. She has at least twenty crew aboard her.:


I draw in a breath. It is
not
good that a Marine Guard vessel looking for Neptune Project kids has turned up here.

:I think we should go back there tonight and sink that ship with a mine,:
Penn declares, his dark eyes smoldering with hatred.
:I bet they won't be watching for us on their sonar scopes at night.:


:You might as well walk right up on the beach of Santa Cruz and tell the Western Collective that we're hiding out here,:
Tobin speaks up.
:The Marine Guard knows we have mines now, and if we sink this ship, they'll guess we did it.:


:But these are the same men who killed Sara,:
Penn says angrily.
:We can't let them get away with murder.:


:This is an excellent chance to strike at our enemy with only a small possibility of casualties,:
Kyel adds, so calmly that a chill goes down my back.

:But that's not our job,:
I burst out.
:Our job right now is to learn how to stay alive down here. We can't fight every Marine Guard vessel we come across.:


:Penn, I know they killed Sara, but sinking this ship isn't going to bring her back,:
Lena adds quickly.

Ree straightens up and crosses her arms.
:Kyel,
mi amigo
, you're not leading some guerrilla group that's dedicated to bringing down the Western Collective anymore. Me, I'm dedicated to staying alive for another twenty-four hours, and based on my mess-up with that net, survival's a big enough challenge for us right now.:


:I agree. Going after Marine Guard boats is a crazy idea,:
Kalli adds.

:Have any of you actually read the information in our seapacks?:
Robry asks, his expression earnest.
:The mission of the Neptune Project is not to attack boats or to try to topple any government. Our mission is to establish a colony in the sea and build something new and better under the waves. We risk all that if we try to fight the Collective's ships while there's still so few of us.:


Kyel's face is impassive as he considers our words.
:My primary mission has been and will always be to take down the Western Collective. It's a corrupt, rotten regime responsible for the careless deaths of millions. We'll head out for the
Defender
as soon as it's dark.:


The fanatical light in his eyes seems oddly familiar to me, and suddenly I remember the way my mother looked when she was talking about the Neptune Project.

:Kyel, I'm sorry,:
Tobin says,
:but you and Penn are dead wrong to go after this Marine Guard boat. If you're determined to ignore us, I propose we hold another election for leader right now.:


He looks at each of us and adds,
:And I nominate Nere Hanson.:


I stare at Tobin. My stomach starts twining and twisting like an octopus. Is he crazy? I can't possibly lead this group. If Kyel, with all his years of guerrilla training, has difficulty getting this group to follow orders, I don't stand a chance. I have problems just leading a lesson on how to work with dolphins.

:I think Nere would be a good leader for the following reasons,:
Tobin declares.
:She thinks fast, she has the guts to act on her decisions, she knows the ocean, her dolphins give her vital information that has already helped save lives, and, most importantly, she understands that our survival in the sea comes first.:


:I second that idea.:
Lena stuns me by agreeing.
:She knows more than any of us about the sea, and she has the common sense not to go around blowing up boats.:


I look across at Dai, hoping he might volunteer to lead us, but he's just watching our heated exchange and smiling as if we're entertaining him.

Then I glance at Kyel. His expression is cool, but there's a muscle ticking in his cheek.
:I agree to another election. I don't want to be your leader if I don't have the support of the majority,:
he says tightly.

:You don't need to hold any election,:
I say before this craziness goes any further.
:I'm sorry, Tobin, but I couldn't possibly lead this group. Kyel has already shown he can lead us and make sound decisions in pressure situations.:


I force myself to meet Kyel's gaze.
:Up until now, I think you've been doing a good job. I just don't think we should be attacking the Marine Guard.:


:So, if we elect you, you really won't act as our leader?:
Tobin says.

I have to look away from the disappointment in his eyes.

:You'd be making a huge mistake,:
I say.

:I don't believe that for a minute,:
he counters.

:Maybe
you
should be our leader,:
I suggest.
:You always seem to know how we feel and what we need.:


Tobin's mouth twists.
:Kyel's a better choice than me. If I had to decide in some tough situation who has to risk his or her life, I'd hesitate until I got us all killed.:


:I don't believe that for a minute, either,:
I say, remembering how decisive he was when he was fighting to save Sara's life.

:You should,:
Tobin counters.
:Medics are all about saving lives, not deciding who might have to die.:


Then Tobin addresses the entire group.
:New plan
—
Kyel should continue as our leader, but we vote on whether or not we attack the Marine Guard ship. At the start, we agreed that we would vote on the really big, important issues.:


After hesitating briefly, Kyel nods.
:All those in favor of trying to sink the Marine Guard vessel, raise your hands.:


I look around at our group, and only Penn and Kyel raise their hands. Kyel glances across the wheelhouse at Thom, clearly expecting him to raise his hand, too.

:K-man, I hate the Collective as much as you do,:
Thom says with a shrug,
:but I'm tired of fighting. Maybe the best way to beat them is to make something really good down here.:


Kyel swallows, and I can tell Thom's vote has shaken him.
:All right, who wants me to continue as your leader?:


We all promptly raise our hands except Dai. Kyel looks around, and when he realizes the vote is almost unanimous, his face relaxes a little.

:Right. I will continue to serve as the group's leader, for now. Kalli has the next watch. My patrol brought in a fresh grouper everyone can eat for dinner. This meeting is adjourned.:
With that, Kyel swims from the wheelhouse all alone. Thom looks after Kyel, his expression troubled. After shooting me a quick grin, Ree follows Kyel.

The rest of us head for the crew's mess, where we cut up Kyel's grouper and a bunch of seaweed Kalli gathered for us. Swimming hard works up an appetite, but I can't get excited about more raw fish and seaweed.

:God, I miss bread,:
Lena says after she takes a nibble of green wakame. Clearly she has finally run out of fish bars from her seapack.

:I miss milk and cake,:
Bria chimes in.

:I miss ice cream,:
Robry says with a sigh.
:I only had it twice, but I'll never forget it.:


:I miss eating without fish trying to snatch my food from me,:
Kalli says as she shoos away a persistent little rock wrasse.

:Get this. When I was a little kid,:
Thom tells us,
:I loved sushi more than anything. My Japanese grandma used to go down to the docks and trade the vegetables she grew for fresh fish. She could make flowers and shapes out of that fish, some seaweed, and just a little bit of rice. It was such a big deal when we got to eat her sushi that I used to wish I could have it every single day.:


:So, I guess they're right when they say, ‘Be careful what you wish for.':
Tobin grins at him.

:That's pretty much what I think every time I eat down here now,:
Thom replies, making such a wry face at his grouper that we all end up laughing.

After we eat, I swim closer to the surface to visit with the dolphins before night falls. I check each of my friends to make sure they haven't picked up parasites or cuts. I've just finished looking over playful Pani when Dai swims up to join me. Suddenly I feel breathless, which makes me furious.

I glance at Dai, and then look away. He reminds me of a statue of an angel I saw once in an old chapel. He has the same severe, beautiful features. Except that I can't imagine an angel looking as disdainful or mocking as Dai can look.

But I sense that he isn't in a mocking mood now.
:You should have said yes today when they wanted to make you their leader,:
he says bluntly.
:Tobin was right. You would do a better job of leading this group than Kyel does.:


:I told everyone the truth. I don't want the job.:


I'm very aware that Dai is studying me.
:You really don't think you could do it, do you?:


:Isn't that obvious?:
I say, refusing to meet his gaze. Instead I call Densil and start checking him for parasites.

Dai keeps after me.
:But this is what you've been training for all your life.:


:Maybe my parents did train me to live in the sea, but they didn't train me how to lead anyone, much less a group like this. I can't tell experienced fighters like Kyel or Thom what to do. Until this afternoon, Ree would have beaten me up if I'd given her an order, and Lena probably would've laughed at me.:


:But after what you did for her today, Ree won't beat you up, and Lena wanted you to take over Kyel's job.:


:You don't understand!:
I turn to face Dai, frustration boiling up inside me.
:I'm used to being nothing in the village where I lived, and nothing at the school where I went. My parents were so focused on their precious research, sometimes I was nothing to them, too. I barely know how to talk with people my own age, much less get them to follow my orders.:


:You'd be surprised how well I do understand,:
Dai admits.
:But you're wrong if you think you aren't important to this group. You may not talk much to the others, but they like and trust you already.:


:If you say so,:
I say with a shrug, trying not to show how much his words mean to me.
:I'd really rather talk about you now, instead of me.:


:What do you want to know? I'll answer exactly five questions,:
Dai says. His expression is wary, but there's a hint of a smile in his eyes.

:So, number one is, who are your parents? You already know all about mine.:


:My father is a marine biologist,:
he replies, looking bored.
:My mother was a geneticist, but she died when I was so little, I don't remember her. I've lived on research vessels most of my life, which is why I don't always know the right thing to say to people, either.:


I study Dai as he talks. He's shielding his emotions, and I get the strong impression that he's choosing his words carefully.

:Okay, here's question two. When did you find out you were actually a part of the Project?:


His eyes narrow at that, and for an instant, his shields waver. I sense the sharp, sudden pain my question causes him.

:You're just like me. It hurt to find out you'd been bred for a purpose,:
I say softly.

He smiles, but there isn't any humor in his eyes.
:I shouldn't have been so surprised. The sea has always come first with my father. I found out when I was ten, though, so I've had some time to get used to the idea.:


:How did you know where to join up with Kyel's group?:


Dai raises one eyebrow.
:That's three. You only have two left.:


:Technically, I answered part of the last one for you, so we're still on two.: