The Solar Wave was right on time. Mara put on a wet suit and prepared to help the others board. The evening sun was fading in the west and a cool breeze was blowing, causing the waves to kick up. Nova held the sub steady about one atmosphere below the surface waiting on the Sea Grinder to arrive.

"Something must have delayed them," she said. "Make sure the radio is on this time, Nova."

"It is, unless you've switched it off again," Nova thought. He was worried now that Tajlon was leaving Beldora with Jejliard and Widhbo. Not for his safety as much as his sanity. There'd be no one he could talk with.

The sonar unit registered a faint blip and Nova let out a sharp cry to get Mara's attention.

She rushed over to look. "It has to be them." She hailed the Sea Grinder on the radio.

Greyla answered. "Almost there."

"Yes. We're picking you up on the screen now. I'll ask Nova to surface. Prepare to load from your dingy. We need to do this as fast as possible."

"Affirmative. We're packing it up now."

Mara took lanyards to attach for safety lines. Nova brought the sub to the surface and adjusted for the ocean current. The Sea Grinder looked small and vulnerable beside the larger vessel. Greyla rowed across in the dingy and carried a heavy cable to link with sub temporarily. She looped a guide rope for the dingy over the cable and began the task of moving people and supplies.

De'Marc was the first to come aboard the sub. HIs face was flushed, and he walked with a limp, favoring the injured leg.

"Let's get you below. The others can handle everything," she said

"I knew it. You're going to treat me like an invalid," De'Marc fussed. He reached for his bags and Mara stopped him.

"You are not well. Lie down."

"Please Grandpa, don't wear yourself out," Greyla said. She took the dingy back to ferry Danlea and Ben across next.

"Who's that you have with you?" Mara asked on seeing the boy.

"Our new cabin boy, Ben," De'Marc said. "A damn good one. We ran into some trouble and wouldn't have gotten past it without his assistance."

Ben beamed at the compliment and clutched his turtle close to him.

Mara looked at the turtle. "I see you have a little extra luggage."

"Please, miss Mara, let him on the boat. He'll die so far from shore."

"I don't want it running all over. Keep him contained."

"I promise. You won't even see him."

Mara handed the boy down beside De'Marc and they disappeared into the sub.

Mara helped Danlea to the deck, attached a lanyard to her belt and stationed her near the hatch.

"We'll make a line and pass all your gear and supplies. I don't want anyone falling in."

The sea was growing rougher with four-to-five-foot waves breaking across the bow of the sub.

Raemolle and Greyla made a couple more trips and it was done. Mara started to cast off the line.

"Wait. Grandpa told me to set the boat's wheel to tutn in circles until she runs out of fuel," Greyla said.

"I'll get it," Raemolle said. Back on the Sea Grinder, he climbed to the bridge, tied the wheel off to one side, and prepared to put the engine in gear.

"Set her on the lowest speed," Greyla advised.

Once it was dose Raemolle ran to the dingy and rowed back across to the sub. The Sea Grinder was swinging around and would soon cross their path.

"Hurry!" Greyla had loosed the cable and tossed it wide as soon as Raemolle was securely aboard. She scrambled down the hatch after him and Mara, closing it behind them.

"Nova, take us down fast." Greyla shouted.

There was a sharp drop and the sub plunged below the sea level. Greyla joined the others on the main deck below.

Ben was plastered to Danlea, pale and trembling. "We're going under?"

"It's alright Ben," Mara said. "It is designed to run below the surface. That's why it's called a submarine."

"Let me introduce you to our pilot, Nova," Greyla said hoping to distract him. "He's a big leopard, but our friend, so don't be frightened."

"Where?" Ben asked.

"Over here." Greyla led Ben around to the pilot bench Tajlon had custom built for the leopard. Nova was working the controls and bringing the sub to running depth. The sonar glowed green in front of them with the sweep of its beam raking across the fluorescent screen.

Ben was mesmerized. "I've never seen a leopard before. And he's a pilot too?"

"Well, remind me to check that off my list of firsts," Raemolle said. He'd witnessed so many strange sights since arriving on Novaland, he took this one in stride.

They put their gear away and were glad to be underway. Ben sat down next to Nova, engrossed with the highly technical dials and instruments before him.

Nova heard a familiar resonance in his mind, like a whisper. He reinforced it through his chip and amplified the wave form. There was no doubt. He was reading Ben's mind. He wasn't sure how because Ben certainly did not have a chip.

"I can teach you to pilot the sub," Nova said to Ben.

* * *

"Where's Soshe?" Greyla asked.

Mara hesitated. "She didn't come. I don't know where she is, but she refused to stay on the sub. Sorry, Dane. I told her she could take the Casgora Wind."

"I won't be needing it anymore," De'Marc said.

"Don't talk like that," Mara chided him. She unwrapped his leg to examine the wound and apply a poultice she had made.

"But she'll be exposed to the radiation," Greyla said. "Unless the Sora picks her up."

"You know how she feels about the demon ship," Mara said. "She won't get on it."

"Why did she leave the sub? Why did you let her?" Greyla asked. "It doesn't make sense."

"It did to her. She was upset about Tajlon leaving without her."

"But you just said she wouldn't go on the Sora. It was her choice not to join him."

"Soshe sees it as his choice to leave. You'll recall I forbade him to step foot on the wreck. He should be on the sub with us."

"So you're mad at Tajlon too," Greyla said

"I'm not mad at anyone, dear. I'm worried for us all."

"What can we do about it?" Raemolle asked.

"If the bomb drops in the morning, nothing," Greyla said.

De'Marc winced with pain as Mara finished wrapping his leg. "All we can do is try to intercept Soshe and convince her to join us. This sub is damn fast. We may have a chance. I'm sure Jejliard is doing everything in his power to stop Colberton." He looked around for Ben. "Where's the boy?"

"He hasn't left Nova's side," Greyla said. "He parked the turtle with me." She pointed to a box behind her bench.

De'Marc laughed "No match for his new leopard friend, eh?"

"I could swear he was talking to Nova," Greyla said "Sound familiar?"

"Just like Tajlon," Mara said and laughed. "Dane, the wound looks clean. It should get better."

"Well, my fever seems to have broken. Time will tell."

The radio popped and Tajlon's voice came through.

Greyla ran to pick up. "Tajlon, we made it."

"Good to hear, Greyla," he said with relief. "We had faulty information. There should not be a strike in the morning."

"That’s the best news we’ve had. What's the status there?" she asked.

"Situation is still serious. Hal's out on the Luca Luna. You need to find him. He'll have a friend with him."

"What about Soshe?"

"Colberton's men have her. They intercepted the Casgora Wind. We're negotiating for her release in the morning."

"They just took her for no reason?"

"Well, not exactly. We took Colberton hostage. They took Soshe for trade."

"That would explain it. Is she alright?"

"As far as we know. We plan to take her into protective custody on the Sora."

"Soshe would never go aboard the Sora voluntarily."

"I know. She'll be furious with me." Tajlon replied. "I have to go. Things are a little crazy here. Call Hal and arrange to pick him up at sea. He has weapons."

"By that you don't mean rifles?"

"Several pay grades above rifles."