The Shipping Forecast

Rockall - Part 13

Qi'tik came back to the present, the rushing wind and scudding clouds and the surface of the object now shimmering with rainbow colours as Sol-light caught its surface. A low hum, something felt more than heard, was slowly rising in tone, The hu'man had gone.

She knew now what it had done, and why the Nam'bia had been called north to this desolate place with its storms and cold brine. The poor Eur'opan; her sisters and brothers and pod-shoal kin, had been subjugated long before they had ever been called to join them. The power of the two pod-shoal nets had been used to bring this long forgotten relic up from the deep where it had lain forgotten for so long - no memory at all of such a thing passed down through the stories of old! - and now repurposed by the combined Bastion-nets of the Nam'bia and Eur'opan against them.

A swell, larger than most, washed over the surface of the Kr'aken and for a moment she spun and tumbled in its foam before being stranded once more. Another followed, and another, and then she was sliding, falling down, back into the welcoming brine. She let herself sink beneath the waves, sinking alongside the flank of the ancient weapon, its eerie paleness like that of bleached, dead coral. The hum it was making had reached middle tones, the noise hurt her head. She could feel it thrumming though her body, a sense of power and energy unlike anything she had ever known. She continued to drift downwards, too hurt and exhausted to do anything else.

A shape, long and grey and motionless, appeared beneath her.

It took Qi'tik several moments to realise what it was, and it was only when she came much closer did she recognise Wesafricanezsong. The Bastion was motionless, but hundreds of octs writhed across his back and flanks, a frenzy of activity and motion unlike anything she had seen before in a full net, let alone a singleton. She wished Mil'pek were there to explain what was happening. Her heart lifted at seeing Wesafricanezsong alive, but wondered what was keeping his octs from descending into random chaos. It shouldn't be possible, but as she came closer, it was clear to her that whatever Wes's net was doing, it was highly organised.

Then she saw a line of octs; a long, thin line, stretching between Wesafricanezsong and a small hole in the side of the Kr'aken. The octs were writhing, their tentacles twitching in a rapid staccato - information being passed too and fro at a rate far beyond anything Qi'tik had ever seen before. The great Bastion himself seemed to be in a trance, not moving at all, and silent. Was he in fact linked to his octs? How could he not be? Qi'tik sank down lower, wanting to get closer and try to communicate with her pod-kin. A dark shape cruised in sight, blocking her way; an Orka, large and menacing. It turned upwards, pointed its dark head in her direction, a line of white teeth showing from open jaws. The shadow-fish called to her, its staccato spake, deep, sharp and loud.

"You again, cousin. Will you dare come closer? If you do, you know I must finish what I started before. What is done is done is done. You cannot be allowed to interfere, pod-martial. I will not allow it."

Qi'tik paused, noting the way the Orka repeated its words, just like the hu'man had spake. "You are lost too, I see. Therefore, I forgive you, cousin." Behind the Orka, Qi'tik saw Wesafricanezsong roll slightly, bringing his eye to bear on them both. Had he heard her? Was he aware of what was happening? A small gleam of hope blossomed in Qi'tik's heart.

"One must change direction. The future is in one's power. One must change that future."

The Orka turned its head slightly, a gesture very like the hu'man, confirming the suspicion that Qi'tik had that it was the hu'man she spake to through the shadowfish. A convulsive shudder ran through Wesafricanezsong, the octs all pausing in their coding for a heartbeat, before returning to frantic activity.

"That is exactly right," spake the hu'man Orka. "I am changing the future. My revenge; turning things back to how they should. I'm glad you accept what must be."