The Shipping Forecast

Rockall - Part 5

Early the next morning, when all was calm and Mil'pek had reported the state of things, Qi'tik went to see the Queen. The ranging had slowed almost to a stop while members left the shoal-pods to feed. Sol'tar had risen in the east and its rays were alighting on the waves above, sending golden beams of light dancing through the grey-green water to dapple the backs of the Queen and her brood. The smallest of her daughters was shy, swimming closely alongside her mother, touching gently all the time; a gesture that was returned without conscious awareness. The other, older, royal daughters took station a respectful distance astern, playing and whispering and giggling to each other about their visitor.

"What news today, ranging-guide? I heard there was some trouble in the night." The Queen had a keen mind, one trained from birth to be the leader of a diverse group of denizens that made up the greater shoals of the Nam'bia. Her skills in politics and negotiation were honed through years of experience. That experience included a deep understanding, oft forgotten or ignored by lesser selfs, that sometimes it was best to trust others to make the important decisions. The real skill was to know when that time had come.

"A spat between the nets, my Queen. It has been dealt with."

Several heartbeats passed before the Queen spake again. "And so. Yet I hear the nets are near broken and like to fail again. That would be an unenviable position to be in. We are half-way to our destination, more or less. Are we to carry on, or turn for home?"

"As always, your majesty is well informed and straight to the point." Qi'tik quarter rolled to display due deference, then nodded her amusement. It was a sign of the explicit trust that existed between the Queen and her matron-martial. The Queen replied in kind and her daughter, now swimming between them both, mimicked the gesture.

"Tell me about the nets. Why do you think they failed?"

"Failed is a strong word, your majesty. They have been temporarily separated for their own protection. Mil'pek and Tounez say the instability was caused by each net arguing a problem that was given to them before we departed. Unusually, the weight of argument was equal between the three, and strangely, none would bend to the other's reasoning. A dispute arose that became an impasse. The octs reacted with base emotion. A rare thing."

"A rare thing indeed. And the Bastions?"

"Each took the side of their own net. Another few moments, and we would have lost them. They were confused, upset and about to turn on each other."

The Queen's daughters stopped playing and followed in silence, attuned to the seriousness of the subject and formal manner their mother had assumed. "The problem they were working on..."

"The problem that caused the schism was the question of the nature of the journey, your majesty. This was their prime focus, alongside the more mundane management of the other shoals and liner regiments. In simple terms, the question was: 'What does the message mean?' For a number of brights now, the net was forming a conclusion. Then the schism began. The sub-net of Grehnapnaize settled on the message being that of opportunity. Namericasonn's sub-net decided the message meant revelation. And Wesafricanezsong's sub-net thinks the message means ... trap."

"Trap?"

"Trap, your majesty. Unfortunately, due to the way the net works, we cannot infer the details without the full net in harmony. The sub-nets work in abstract ways when independent of each other. The Bastions themselves helped us gain this intelligence."

"I see. So, we come back to the question. Three potential outcomes, one choice. Two outcomes speak for good; opportunity and revelation. The other makes me shudder to contemplate. Your thoughts?"

"We had considered this outcome, your majesty. It is why the liners accompany us in such numbers. We ... I ... thought a martial force might come in useful, for defence as much as offence. My only worry is that now, without the full net working in harmony, the liners might become hard to control in such numbers."

The silence stretched once more between them. Qi'tik knew her Queen was waiting for an answer, but she found the words hard to find. Eventually, Qi'tik spake; "I say go on, your majesty. But perhaps you and the royal family should return home with an escort."

The Queen laughed and moved closer to Qi'tik, her little daughter moving back and joining her sisters. "Leave? No, I think not." The Queen gave Qi'tik a gentle nudge; a signal of trust and affection. A rare thing between royalty and a lowborn self from the greater pod-shoal. "If you say 'continue', I go too."