Treacherous Waters

It had been a long swim. Cassandra Tomtin was finalizing the last leg of her nightly 40 mile perimeter sweep on the lookout for any last vulnerable prey. The temperature had drastically dropped in the last ten miles but Cassie hadn’t felt it, numbed by routine. She also didn’t feel the escalation of the current, which had little impact on her sleek placoid scales and 2000 pounds of pure muscle, but she did feel a twinge of discomfort snake along the 10 inch scar on her right side. It prompted a clouded memory which momentarily softened the icebox around her heart, but she instantly shook it off, and continued the last mile stretch in complete focus, before dropping to the depths of the ocean floor and retiring to partial awareness, softly floating in a deep sleep.

Trudy Hunt wasn’t following orders. First in her class at the May district academy, she was the deadliest swordsman her species had seen since captain Lucius had commanded their troops to victory against the Northern Eels and Mixed Species (NEMS) 20 years earlier. As a teenager, Trudy could already swim faster than her father, the famed winner of the most consecutive gold corals in swordfish speed-swimming and second in command to Lucius. Trudy had always wondered why speed-swimming races were only limited to swordfish, but her father had explained that other species were too dangerous and held unfair advantages. “That’s why only angelfish dance” he would explain, “they’re the only beautiful fish in the sea.” Trudy’s eyes would then fall to the sand as she felt an inexplicable bodily desire to spread her fins and experience the freedom of dance. She would then return to her drills and fantasize that her father had once loved an angelfish, but she never voiced it, as inter-species romances were strictly forbidden. Species also weren’t allowed to “cross-contaminate” the delineated jobs they each held for the underwater community. Rays read and controlled the weather and current, shrimp kept the sand floor clean, squid farmed the oysters and clams for consumption, lobsters ran the economy, crabs were the doctors, seahorses policed the communities, sea-turtles ensured the laws were upheld, swordfish commanded the armies for the dolphin-run government and shark leader (hail Shark Tomtin!) and angelfish danced. This strict conformity ensured homeostasis in every district, her father would explain, everyone was taken care of. “That eel army of the north,” he would say when he thought Trudy was too young to understand, “a bunch of sea snakes and flounder and eels thinking they could come into our district and take our jobs. They are the most dangerous threat to this community. Serve and don’t be eaten, it’s the only way.” And Trudy grew up with her father’s beliefs cemented into her being, but with a flicker of doubt occasionally igniting her lungs.

On this night, after a long day of taking orders, Trudy slipped through the northwestern border wall of seaweed, and like every previous week for the past year, watched the angelfish practice their dance through a veil of coral. As the angelfish spun, she would spin, mimicking their every movement with as much precision as possible, her fins outstretched and pulsing. Every fiber of her being was alive, and she relished these weekly moments of pure freedom. But on this night, after an especially long day, having just had to pierce through a vulnerable shrimp as a routine exercise of obedience, she got lost in the movement, exhilarated by the lack of thought, eyes closed and spinning, and her sword suddenly locked, straightening her body with a jolt. Without noticing, she had entangled her long sword through the seaweed and coral so tightly she had become stuck. She struggled and writhed her body with all her might but nothing moved. Her heartbeat quickened. She had needed her dance so much that night that she hadn’t realized how late she had stayed. The angelfish were finishing their rehearsal and a shadow was darkening over the ocean floor. The angelfish didn’t move. Trudy thought they had noticed her and all of her muscles tightened; this would be the end of her career and potentially her life, how could she have been so stupid? But suddenly, tens of rays appeared, flying above her in formation. Trudy had never seen rays up close, as they always operated on the outskirts of the community to capture temperature patterns on the surface and ensure outside currents were deflected. The largest of the rays spoke first. “Mary, the situation is getting worse.” He began in a deep voice. “The squid are farming beyond the green zones and now directly through eel and flounder territory. Communities are being displaced or getting completely wiped out, but it gets worse.” The angelfish named Mary, the eldest but most graceful of the angelfish, straightened out her back and leaned in closer to the ray. As she did, Trudy noticed the ends of her upper fin were blackened. “Tomtin is collecting more eels for his factory. The sharks have been rounding them up in larger numbers than usual, I think he’s close to developing whatever he’s been working on. We have to strike now before it’s too late. We can only redirect the currents for so long.” Mary nodded at this slowly, her eyes closed. After a short pause, she spoke. Trudy listened, bewildered, as she had never heard an angelfish speak. They were forbidden to, as it was said their voices poisoned the airwaves and only whales could sing. But as Trudy listened, she heard words form a musical lyricism that flowed out like sweet nectar, soft, poetic and beautiful. She was so moved that without noticing, she began to quietly cry. “I understand your frustration, Marcus, but the resistance isn’t at full strength.” Mary replied. “With the eels disappearing the communities are afraid to fight, many have gone into hiding. I need time to rile them up, remind them why their fathers fought in the NEMS war, why they’re starving and dying. My story is effective, but a lot of the fighters are second generation, they don’t remember.” Marcus nodded but didn’t seem fully convinced. “You may know the fighters but I’m in the meetings. Something is up. Hunt is more distressed than usual.” At the sound of her father’s name, Trudy felt a jolt of electricity run down her spine. Her sudden muscle tension caused her sword to clang against the coral. “What was that?” A long ray with sharp eyes abruptly turned. The rays all whipped around skeptically, but Trudy remained hidden within her entanglement. “Are you sure we’re secure?” The same ray asked. “It’s past curfew Raymond and we’re beyond the patrolled border. And Sayan did a sweep before you arrived, we’re safe.” An even more high pitched and lyrical angelfish sang. “Even so, I’d like to perform a current ring, just to be extra careful.” When Mary nodded, Marcus had the rays surround the angelfish in a circle, fin to fin. In a synchronized motion, each Ray began to flap their wings hard, and suddenly Trudy was flung out of the coral and seaweed, pirouetting out of control in a turbulent stream of force and bubbles. She tried to correct her body and swim out of the stream but it overpowered her and she continued onward with dynamism and speed until her sword suddenly pierced through a hard fleshy wall. Stunned, stuck, and out of breath, all she could see in front of her was a sparkling silver wall that transported her sideways and down to the depths of the ocean floor.

As the first rays of light hit Cassandra’s eyes, she slowly awoke from a feverish dream. Her scar had pulsated throughout the night, making her relive moments of that night: Scarlet waiting for her in the cave of the wall, her father on the periphery, the sudden sting, the crab’s claws as he sowed up her open flesh. She decided to swim up near the reflecting underside of “My Fair Lady,” a yacht stationed in the area for the summer, and take a look at her stinging side. She wasn’t allowed to wander too close to the surface, but she figured she could keep her distance and use the opportunity to survey the threats at the upper border. As she approached the reflecting underside it became apparent that something had gotten lodged in her scar. “Not another spear” she thought to herself. But as she got closer, she began to realize the appendage had a blue sheen. It had a fin. It had...eyes? In a swift powerful shake of her tail, Cassie flung Trudy out of her scar and the swordfish smacked into the underside of the yacht. She looked back at her scar and realized it had been opened, now oozing blood out of her side. “Damn it, fourth time this week, dad’s going to kill me.” She swam up closer to the reflective surface to get a closer look, and suddenly noticed Trudy, her eyes half closed, huddling close to the surface of the boat. “Who are you and what are you doing here?” Cassie asked her sternly. “You were the one lodged in my side. You know technically under law I can eat you for being out of formation.” “I’m commander Trudy Hunt fourth fleet swordfish sharmy, training captain.” Trudy slurred her words, barely conscious, but aware of the importance of these next few words. “I have basic medical training let me show you back up.” She could barely keep her eyes open. “Not in the state you’re in, I wouldn’t let you sow up a jellyfish in the state you’re in.” “I’m a dancer” Trudy whispered, before passing out.

When Trudy awoke she felt sharp strings against the back of her fins. “Where am I?” As she opened her eyes, she suddenly realized she was locked in netting. She immediately began her anti-net training, rubbing the sharp angles of her fins against the rope to cut through it. “Hey, little dancer, I’ll take you up on your training now.” Cassie’s wound had opened up further, and blood was pooling out of her. She had gnawed a hole through the net but was unable to swim through. “You nicked my artery, we’re going to need an eel to jumpstart it. Sow me up for now.” Trudy was confused by her comment, need an eel? She considered swimming through the hole Cassie had made and escape, but it was too close to her mouth, she could easily get eaten and they were both rapidly ascending to the surface. She also couldn’t help but notice a shimmer in Cassie’s eye that she’d never seen in a shark before, a pinkish red hue that reminded her of the angelfish. “Ok, hold tight, I’m going to use some of this netting to sow you in with my sword.” Trudy swam up to the hole Cassie had made and started to sow off one of the strings hanging loose. “I’m not a dancer, by the way, I wasn’t conscious, I didn’t know what I was saying.” Trudy continued to work on the net, looking straight ahead. Cassie whispered “Hey, you have kind of a beautiful backfin. Royal blue, perfect arc. I’m sure you command a lot of respect with a fin like that.” Cassie was staring right at her. “I’m sorry?” Trudy looked into Cassie’s large eye and watched the pinkish red dance across like floating tissue. “Did I say that out loud? I must be losing a lot of blood.” With the loose net finally cut free, Trudy swam back toward Cassie’s wound and began threading the skin together with her nose sword. Cassie winced “Don’t think you’re off the hook yet little dancer, I can still eat you if I want to.” Trudy continued to sow methodically, exactly the way her training had taught her. Of course, she had never sowed up something so big, and her entire face sometimes penetrated the skin. “You’re doing really well, you’re brave and strong. Stay calm, help is coming.” Trudy recited her medical training mantra. “Stay with me, I’m right here.” “Hey Trudy, fleet commander, I’m not dying, and help is coming but not in time to get us out of here so hurry up will you.” Trudy moved a little more swiftly, and with one more flick and spin, she tied the end of the net into a knot to hold the stitch into place. “Done. What help is coming?” Cassie ignored her “Ok great I still can’t move though and I can see the surface so I need you to cut the net beneath me so I’ll fall out, do you understand?” Trudy nodded and swam through the hole then turned underneath Cassie. She hesitated a moment, thinking about swimming away, but felt a sudden sense of duty, turned around, and started sawing the net beneath Cassie’s body. The net was ascending higher and higher with Cassie in it, the surface more visible, and loud voices could be heard beyond the surface layer. “Just one -more -“ Cassie’s tail breached the surface, they heard cheers aboard My Fair Lady, “there!” And suddenly Cassie’s body fell back fully into the water, falling like a brick into the depths, further and further down, with Trudy pinned underneath her, until both fish hit the sandy surface with a thud.

Trudy dug herself out of the sand crater beneath Cassie’s body and did a quick self-assessment. The last 12 hours had been one protocol breach after another, and Trudy was mentally and physically exhausted. She swam to Cassandra’s side, saw that she was breathing, and turned to begin her long swim home. “Hey, little dancer, you’re just going to up and leave me now? You haven’t saved my life just yet.” Trudy turned around to face Cassie. Her tone was upbeat but she could tell Cassie was suffering by the lines beneath her eyes and her slightly sunken mouth. “There may be some predators lurking around looking to take advantage of a vulnerable immobile shark, we’re beyond state lines. Will you be my army commander for a few moments longer?” Trudy sighed realizing Cassie was right. They were miles outside the border and there could be eel insurgents close by. According to the stories, eels would parade around the heads of defeated sharks during the NEMS war. “Alright, I’ll be on the lookout for eels, just until you get your strength back.” Trudy said, positioning herself in front of her. “Eels aren’t the biggest threat, you know.” Cassie said, slumping her body a little more to the side with a small whimper. Trudy looked back in astonishment “We’re too far down for the humans to net us, and eels are the second biggest threat to our ecosystem, they want to kill us and take our jobs and parade our cut heads through the passageways.” She said triumphantly. At this Cassie burst out laughing, a full bodied laugh that began in her tail and ended in her open mouth, blowing out bubbles of water that surrounded Trudy’s body. “I’m sorry” she kept laughing “but you can’t seriously believe that, can you? First of all, have you ever met an eel?” Trudy felt her cheeks get hot. No, she had never met an eel, but this was basic enemy knowledge taught in all the schools and at the highest level of army training, who was this shark to dismiss national teachings? She could go to jail for her laughter. Cassie noticed Trudy’s scowl and stopped laughing. “Look, I’m sorry. You’re looking out for me and I’m making fun of you and it’s because you don’t know any better. But in reality eels are not a threat. You’re just made to believe that because they’re the most likely to revolt. Eels are the backbone of the May district. They create all of the electricity that keeps us running and perform the jobs no one else wants to do. But they do it under-sand, in tunnels where no one can see them. The ones on the outskirts refuse to serve, so they’re subject to the same punishment as anyone else who tries to defect. Ever wonder why May is the only district that has light?” Trudy had only been out of district once before this eventful day, and that was only to visit an enemy eel training camp that commander Lucius had defeated, in order to show the army trainees the threat of the insurgents. She didn’t realize other districts existed. She suddenly became aware of her ignorance and became embarrassed and defensive. “What gives you the right to denounce our district and teachings? I could have you arrested for your talk.” Trudy used the sharp tone she reserved for disobedient cadets. Cassandra’s face suddenly hardened and a dark veil clouded over her “I thought I could trust you Trudy. Do you think I would be telling you this if i didn’t know I could eat you and your family at any time i please? Be careful with your threats.” A shudder ran down Trudy’s scales as she looked over and noticed how close Cassie’s face had become to hers. Trudy had inadvertently drifted right in front of her, and they were now face to face. So close, now, Trudy could see there were thousands of small specks of blue, silver and white shimmering under her gills, creating abstract patterns that flowed like waves down her face. She had never seen such beautiful patterns in her life, the way they circled and twirled. Cassie noticed Trudy’s eyes wandering down her face and smiled slowly. “I see you found I have some blue on me too.” Trudy quickly turned and swam away, resuming her duties as a watchman. “I’m just here until the help comes that you mentioned,” Trudy said, her eyes darting around them for any sign of danger, “if you kill me now, even a wondering flounder could eat you for dinner, so you need me. What kind of help is coming? Why are you so certain they will come?” Cassie half-smiled, admiring her courage and command “I have a location sensor, everyone in my family gets one implanted. Beyond the border it emits sonar.” Trudy had heard about certain dolphin diplomats using sensors, but didn’t know much about them. “Don’t worry your pretty blue fin, sword princess, they should be here any minute.” “Hold on did you say sonar?” And as she said it, Trudy suddenly felt a rush of current against her fins and looked up to see a fleet of 50 giant killer whales approach them like a pack of submarines. Behind them, 40 sharks with scars down their bodies and soulless black eyes followed in perfect synchronization, forming a circular enclosure. Within them, captain Lucius swam with his top commanders, including Trudy’s father, peering at her with contempt. The seahorses formed an even smaller circle inside them with a small army of crabs, and in the center, she couldn’t believe it, swam Leader Tomtin himself. “Oh, by the way” Cassie mentioned “My name is Cassandra. Cassandra Tomtin. Thanks for saving my life, little dancer.”

The barn owl startled herself awake. “Cassie, hey Cassie!” Trudy’s feathers ruffled as she pecked her wife. “Wake up, I swear the fish we ate put a spell on my dreams.” Cassie grunted twice, pretending to acknowledge Trudy’s usual fantastical storytelling. “It replayed how we met, when you were caught in the netting, and I fought off those vultures, remember? How can you forget, I was such a star. Except we were fish! Are you listening Cassie?” Now fully awake, Cassie let out her loudest roar in frustration. Un-phased by this typical flaunting of strength, Trudy just flew onto Cassie’s head and started scratching. “Now, now, my fierce lioness, don’t you want to hear how you were portrayed?”

“Cassie wake up!” Trudy patted her hands across her face and into her hair. “Shhh love.” Cassie threw her arm over Trudy and dug her head deeper into her pillow. Outside, Trudy could hear the troops marching.