Songs of Thalassa

by Brian Tissot

  Milo was incredulous “You too, Georgia? I expected this from Sage, but you? You owe me your loyalty. You owe me for all the funding I’ve given you.” He motioned to Moshe who came over and stood next to him in support, his face unreadable.

  Enraged, Georgia shot back, “I don’t owe you shit! I’ve worked for every goddamn dime you’ve given me and then some, and you—”

  But her words were cut short as the sunlight dimmed, grabbing everyone’s attention. Expecting to see clouds, or even the Duke, instead Sage saw the moons eclipsing the sun. The small black disc of Lona moved slowly across Procyon, dimming the light. The larger and faster Hina, a black disc larger than the sun, slid in front of them. Darkness descended on the planet.

  “Mother of god!” Georgia said. “It’s a double eclipse!”

  As they stared in awe at the developing eclipse, the sound of the Duke in the sky caused them to swivel around to see lights approaching from the north. Milo was controlling it with the remote, brought it in toward them, and gently landed it on the plateau 20 feet away.

  Milo glared at Sage. “So are you with me or not? If you are, let’s go home. But I’ll hold you to it.”

  Sage looked confused for a second as she thought about her choices but quickly decided. Tears spilled down her face in determination. “No. There’s no one else to defend them. It has to be me. Who else understands their beauty? For the love of god, Milo, we can deal with this on Earth.”

  Milo face twisted in anger and frustration. “That’s the problem, Sage.” He moved toward her with Moshe close behind him, forcing her to back up to the edge of the plateau. “I can’t take the chance of you ruining things.”

  Georgia let out a tense laugh. “What are you going to do, kill her? Don’t be ridiculous.” As Milo edged closer to Sage, nearly backing her off the cliff, Georgia stepped between them. “You’re crazy, Milo, you know that? You’re fucking crazy. Back off!”

  Suddenly, they were all thrust into total darkness as the moons fully eclipsed Procyon. Day turned to night and stars emerged through holes in the clouds, while the vast sea glittered in the dim starlight. For a moment it was calm, tranquil, and they all froze at the rare, remarkable sight.

  But on the far horizon, Sage saw a disturbance in the water; a roughness on the surface that spread outward in all directions. She could see the ocean coming alive as creatures emerged from the depths and thrashed on the dark surface. Massive creatures were extending limbs, jaws, and tentacles into the air, many leaping out of the water and landing with a splash, creating a boiling maelstrom.

  Sage tensed at the sight as a bolt of primal fear shot through her body “Oh my god!” she cried. “The deep-sea creatures are surfacing in the darkness!” She shook with fear at the horrifying mix of small and gigantic mantis squid, pika of all sizes, anemone worms, and other large dark shadows beneath the surface, all battling together with some of the green river chimeras in the mix. She tried to back away from the edge while holding onto Georgia. “Let’s stop messing around and get out of here. We need to leave quickly!”

  But Milo blocked their way, his face twisted in wrath in the darkness. “No. I can’t allow that!”

  Suddenly, an earthquake shook them, knocking Sage to the ground and over the edge of the cliff. Georgia grabbed her as she fell, and they both slipped over the edge together, but Sage managed to hang on to a rocky outcrop, dangling just above the madness of the water.

  “Milo!” Georgia screamed while he stood watching. “What the hell are you doing? Help us!” Seeing no response, she glanced at Moshe. “Moshe. For god’s sake. Help us!”

  Moshe reached down with his hand. But Milo, with a sickening grin, held Moshe back and said, “Leave them. Unless you want to stay here.” He turned to walk toward the Duke, shouting over his shoulder, “Enjoy your life together, or what’s left of it.”

  Sage couldn’t believe it when Moshe, cringing, turned to go with him. “Milo, Moshe, no!” she shouted. “Help us!” Gritting her teeth at the effort, Sage couldn’t hold on anymore and slowly lost her grip on the rock. She slipped into the boiling water with Georgia, screaming as they fell.

  Sage saw the ship take off and shoot diagonally into space. But there was no time to mourn. As she trod water, terrified and holding on to Georgia, creatures erupted around them and bumped them below the surface. Without warning, Georgia was pulled out of her arms into the foaming black void and disappeared. Sage dove down to find her, but violent bumps and the sharp bite of teeth drove her back to the surface. Sobbing as she bobbed uselessly and waited for her life to end, she felt the comforting fur of a Nesoi. In the dim light, she saw a defensive circle forming around her, protecting her from anything that came near. Warmth briefly spread through her body as she was overwhelmed with gratitude and cried out into the darkness. “Oh my god, thank you.”

  Closing her eyes in relief, she reached out with her hands to stroke their fur as they swam past, silently wishing they would save Georgia. However, another painful nip of teeth on her legs broke her trance, so she swam over to a rocky ledge on an adjacent cliff and pulled herself out of the water and away from the madness.

  Barely hanging on, surrounded by the turbulent blackness, she descended into hopelessness. Everyone’s gone, she thought. Dina…Georgia. There’s nothing left. Milo will tell everyone I’m dead, and I probably will be soon. Even if I survive, it will be a short hard life on a miserable planet.

  In the darkness, the worst moments in her life flashed through her mind: the loss of her father, the severe beatings from the ocean, the collapse of her career. Then, her tutu died, pushing Sage on with her last breath. What was I thinking coming here? The woman in the light was just a fucked-up dream. There’s no reason to live.

  There was nothing left for her but to give up. I wish I were dead. Focusing her mind on her pounding heart, she screamed into the blackness, “Break, damn you, break! Break wide open. Take me. Take me, for god’s sake. I don’t want to live anymore. I’m done!” She screamed and sobbed and went limp on the cold, rocky ledge as unseen creatures leaped up to bite her. In the darkness, the light went out of her eyes.

  But something inside of her wouldn’t die. A powerful spirit kept her alive—a ray of hope. A piece of her deep subconscious called out. It was the voices of her ancestors, her ʻaumākua; she felt the spirits of all of those who had come before her. In the cold she felt their warmth; in the dark she saw their light; in her anger she felt their love; and in her pain she saw their enlightenment. She heard their message—not in words, but she understood nevertheless.

  Honor those who died for you! Honor those who believed in you! Respect their memories. Mourn the departed, yes, but transcend the pain. Live not in their deaths or your self-pity, but in the spirit of their lives, for they live within you. You are their future. Come into your powerful self. Live your life with purpose. Become who you were meant to be.

  In the darkness, hanging perilously on to the rocky ledge, she opened her eyes and saw Sol, Earth’s sun, beckoning to her through the clouds above her. It was a vision of her dreams on Thalassa. But now it was just one bright yellow star among countless others. So far away. And yet near that star, there was a speck of dust—Earth—and Hawaii, her home. Across the vast distance, she felt the spiritual connections to Hawaii in her soul; she felt her connections to the ‘āina and love of her ‘ohana. The love shone bright in the darkness.

  Despite her exhaustion and emotional trauma, she crawled up the slippery bank to a high ridge. Hearing guttural noises, she looked back and saw a large chimera following her in the dim light, its mouthparts twitching as it advanced toward her. She saw a bloody scar on its head and realized this was the creature that took Dina. Fear shot through her body as she stumbled up the hill. When she reached the top and prepared to run away, she saw a turbulent river and flowing lava blocking her only avenues of escape. Trapped, she dropped to her knees and extended her a
rms toward the sky, prepared to meet her fate. Facing death once again, she thought of her father, the one person that was always there for her as a child. With his support, she could do anything. She reached out to him with her hands, reaching for hope. Please, Dad, help me. I don’t want to die. I will honor my ancestors. The creature advanced toward her with its mouthparts foaming in anticipation.

  At that moment, bright sunlight flooded down as the moons moved and the eclipse ended. The creature shrieked and scurried back into the river. But her respite was brief as the lava advanced toward her, forcing her to decide her fate: burn or jump in the river. She screamed in frustration. “Come on! You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” In the raging brown river, she decided, she had a chance. “What the fuck!” She slid down the bank, plunged into the river and was carried off in the violent current.

  Tumbling along in the brown foaming madness, she bumped into the walls of the river. She felt a tail wrap around her leg and teeth bite her body and screamed in terror. Suddenly, the pain lessened, replaced by the reassuring touch of Nesoi swirling around her. As she struggled to hold her head above the dark foaming water, she sighed dejectedly at her fate. Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m gonna die just like my father!

  After an agonizing minute, Sage and the fighting horde tumbled over a waterfall and fell into the chocolate-brown sea. As she plunged below the surface and was pushed along in the rapidly receding tide, blackness filled her mind.

  Chapter 27.

  Visions

  Dark. Lost to the world. Her mind and body sharp with pain. On the edge of consciousness. Aware of her surroundings but submerged in the deepest recesses of her mind. It was cold, and she could hear pounding rain and feel the ground shake. Her heart ached as her breaths came in deep sobs. Am I dead? Am I forever alone in the dark? Pelting rain and angry thunder echoed through the caves as the storm outside matched the tempest rising inside her. No!

  Slipping in and out of consciousness, she heard voices in the distance mixed with whistles and grunts. In a dream, she was on Earth, in one of Hawaii’s sacred valleys. She could see the towering green cliffs and feel the power of the consecrated land, the ‘āina. The valley was noisy and bustled with activity. She heard clicking and rolling sounds and fragments of Hawaiian chants, but she couldn’t make out any words. A screaming wind and whistling woke her, and she cracked her eyes to see the dim outlines of a massive cave. As the storm turned into a gale, she returned to her dream. My ancestors are speaking.

  Another vision, this time more vivid and powerful: a vast field teeming with people; it was a veritable sea of humanity. The throng milled around in the dark, the air filled with angry, violent sounds. Lost and disoriented, they moved in random directions with no logic to it, all seemingly adrift. A massive, steep volcano on the horizon dominatied the landscape. Without warning it erupted, lava exploding into the air and pouring down its flanks. Everyone stopped and stared in awe at its power as they listened to its sounds and tried to understand its message. Pulling back, she saw the whole world—an entire planet of people, all staring at the erupting volcano.

  A stormy sea surrounded the volcano; she saw it as the dark waters of her fear, the deep sorrow of her regrets, and the turbulence of the world’s burning anger. It was the shadowy sea she had feared all her life: the unknown, the future, her destiny. As the power of the volcano humbled the sea, everyone became quiet and still. Calmness descended from its flanks and spread through the people and over the raging ocean, flattening the waves, becalming the water into crystal-clear glass, encompassing the world. Zooming out, she saw a world of peaceful people singing in joy and staring at the volcano. They were overwhelmed by the volcano’s power and surprised by the unity of their song and the sudden calmness of the turbulent and once mighty ocean.

  As she zoomed out further and moved through cold, dark space, her fear of leaving home shattered her heart. But she heard the song and felt its love, for the mighty chorus was pure aloha. She felt it despite the blackness, for love was strong and eternal. Bright lights emerged in the dark as innumerable shiny beacons surrounded her in their light, radiating warmth, love, and understanding. They were her ancestors her ‘ohana. They embraced her in a blanket of love and compassion. At that moment, she realized she was not alone and never had been; they had always been with her. As a whistling sound interrupted her thoughts and the dream began to fade, she turned around and saw streams of light, a river of beings, extending into space and eternity, all immersed in music. The message was clear: Aloha connects all things. I am not alone!

  Her mind went blank, and she awoke on a cold, hard floor. Though she felt close to death, she drew from the strength of her culture and the memory of her ancestors’ voices, and she pushed back into her body. Sharp pains pulsed through her frame, and her limbs ached. Ominous sounds filled the dark cathedral-like setting, and she could hear the wind whistling outside as a conch-like sound emanated from a cavern above her. In the dim light, she saw high ceilings with caves branching off in many directions. Sitting in the sonorous cave, she was completely exhausted, and injuries seemed to cover every inch of her body. She remembered her ordeal and tried to sit upright, only to be stopped by piercing pains and achy joints. Drinking from a pool of water, she felt a cool breeze on her face and smelled a strong fishy odor. Nesoi lay around her.

  She whispered, “Thank you. My god, thank you so much for saving me.” Whistles and guttural sounds filled the air as one Nesoi raised its head among the crowd. “Melia! Oh, thank you, sweet mother, you protected me from those horrible things.” Sage rubbed Melia’s face before wincing in pain, then lay next to her, slipping back into a deep sleep, still in shock from her ordeal.

  In her mind, she mourned the loss of Dina and Georgia. As she lay in the cave listening to the relentless showers, she reminisced about Dina and felt her spirit, her boundless energy, the joy she found in surfing, with friends and family, her love of adventure and impossible challenges. Remembering Dina’s spirit, Sage held it within herself and vowed she would honor her mentor’s dedication to discipline and perfection. Recalling how she died, Sage forgave herself for what had happened. She chose to save me. I would have done the same for her.

  Then she thought about Georgia and their brief time together. At first, she was a stubborn, aloof scientist, and they could barely hold a conversation. But as they worked together, as they learned of their families and shared their joy in the discovery of Thalassa’s secrets, they took delight in their shared passion for science. And as the planet descended into chaos, they became close friends, reminding her that their deep connections to family form strong bonds. I will honor your passion for science.

  Later, when Sage opened her eyes to blackness, Melia had departed, but many Nesoi remained. Standing up, sharp pains coursed through her arms and legs from the bites and bruises covering her body, and she collapsed back on the cave floor. Miraculously, she felt her backpack clinging to her back. She pulled out her first aid kit and poured antibiotics on her wounds. After carefully inspecting her injuries with her flashlight, she realized she was lucky, with no deep, life-threatening cuts or broken bones.

  For the first time, she thought about her new situation. Damn, why did I confront Milo? I should have waited until we got home. But no, not me, I had to get in his face. And now Georgia is dead, and I’m stuck here. Probably forever. Then she remembered what he said about coming back to capture a Nesoi. One last chance to get back to Earth.

  Standing unsteadily in the dark cave she developed a plan to hike back to Reunion Island and wait for him; surely he’d start there. She would apologize and make amends and somehow stop him from taking a Nesoi. Maybe I can convince him to capture a mantis squid instead? No, that sucks too. I’ll think of something. Shit, I’ll admit he had the biggest wave—anything to get home. Taking a few steps, she winced in pain and sat down as she realized she wasn’t going anywhere just yet. Her body needed time to heal, and s
he could hear the pounding rain and the surging tides in the caves. Yes, I have time because Milo will sit it out until the tides subside. So I’ll rest and be ready to go, then I’ll get off this damn planet.

  Chapter 28.

  Love & Light

  As the days passed, she listened to the tides surging loudly through the caves below her as water funneled in and out of the Nesoi’s massive cave system. At first, the high water nearly reached their refuge, but she saw it dropping lower each day. As the tide receded, she could see a large cave hundreds of feet below that connected to the ocean. The Nesoi had chosen their refuge well, and she marveled at the complex network of intercepting lava tubes that created their home cave. Through a small hole in the cave, she could see sunshine during breaks in the dark clouds.

  Slowly, she began to walk and explore her refuge, looking for a way to the surface. As she moved through the tunnels, creatures lining the walls lit up in the darkness like she was being led through a maze. At first, she thought they were just responding to her movement, but after several attempts to stumble through dark caves, she realized that, somehow, they were guiding her. Oh my god. This place is incredible!

  The rain dripping from the roof and walls of the caves reminded her of rainy Hilo and her lost ‘ohana. Wandering through the vast network of caves, she felt cold and bare, like how her life had been after her father died: awash in a sea of virtual love but empty of true meaning. She knew she was searching for something important but didn’t know what that was. Perhaps it was a way out of a dark memory, one that clung tightly to her soul. The thought made her stop and lean against the red cave walls.