Ocean: The Sea Warriors by Brian Herbert, Jan Herbert Read Free Book Online

warm enough inside the jetfish pod? Will we need multiple pods, or–“
    “So many questions!” he exclaimed. “Jetfish can amalgamate into small or very large pods—as long as an ocean liner, if we wish, although we will not need one that big for our list. One pod is preferable, so that I can guide it. Don’t worry, it will be nice and warm inside, with plenty of oxygen and places to lie down on the soft skin of the jetfish.” He laughed. “It’s not smelly inside, either. It’s not exactly first-class, but is quite tolerable, really.”
    “I’m looking forward to the experience.”
    “And for food, I have a well-to-do cousin, Danny Ho, who provides packaged meals for the military in the Pacific region, and for expeditions into remote areas. I’ll talk to him about donating supplies for our expedition, which is a worthy cause. I think I can talk him into it. He’s not filthy rich like your grandfather, but providing a few days of food is something he might be able to do for us. And I have a couple of contractors in mind who might be able to donate portable toilets—sealed units with holding tanks.” He thought for a moment. “And backup holding tanks. We’ll have a lot of people onboard, if this goes according to plan.”
    “Wait a minute, wait a minute,” she said, laughing. “I’m the one from a wealthy family, and you’re coming up with all of this?”
    “Lots of cousins,” he said with a grin. “But if you want to ask your grandfather again, be my guest.”
    “No, he’s hopeless. We’ll do it your way.”
    Kimo moved his bare feet in the sand, then said, “For the short trip to Honolulu, we could swim, but it might be faster if you could arrange a wave that carries both of us. Could you do that?”
    “Maybe, but why not ride your jetfish?”
    “It will take around three or four hours to assemble them and have them generate a pod.”
    “OK, I’ll try the wave method. Shall we depart now?”
    He gave the go-ahead. Alicia donned the backpack, and in the water she generated a new wave. After several attempts, she found that only she could stand on it, but Kimo couldn’t. So, setting a wave at a moderate speed, she rode atop it, and towed Kimo behind her on a surfboard. On the way to Honolulu, Kimo arranged for a spectacular escort of leaping fish on both sides, some of the largest blue marlins Alicia had ever seen, each of them at least fifteen feet long and half a ton in weight.

    Soon, Waikiki, Diamond Head, and the buildings of Honolulu came into view. Shouting to her, Kimo told her to land at Ala Moana Beach on the south shore. As they trudged across the hot, sun-bright sand (with Kimo carrying the surfboard), Alicia saw a dark-skinned Hawaiian man waving to them from the road. Jimmy Waimea stood by a battered old pickup truck, grinning. A small man in his sixties, he had a creased, deeply tanned face and intense brown eyes that seemed to dance with life.
    “Hey, Cousin,” Kimo said, hugging him.
    They completed introductions, and then Jimmy said to Alicia, “I’ve heard about your interesting talent, young lady, but I was uncertain of its authenticity until I saw you riding in on that wave, towing Kimo behind you. Kimo also tells me that he can heal sea creatures, and that you both have gills, enabling you to swim long distances underwater.”
    “It’s all true,” she said. “And a lot more.”
    “Jimmy,” said Kimo, “we know that you must have more proof before doing any publicity.”
    He smiled. “You are very astute, Cousin. The responsibility of the press is at the core of my being. It is what I teach to my students; it is what I think about every day.”
    “OK, now we’re going for another swim,” Kimo said, pointing toward the water.
    Alicia stowed her surfboard and pack in the back of the pickup and followed Kimo back into the water. “We’ll show you some of our skills now,” Kimo said. “Jimmy, please note that we have no breathing equipment. Are you