LITTLE FRIEND
By
K. Corris
Due to severe email problems this entry for the Comic Book Contest was not received during the contest, but is being linked to the Comic Book Contest page after the fact.It has not been edited in any way by Seaview Stories. Carol aka Catfish
“Seaview to FS1! Seaview to FS1! Skipper! Come in Captain Crane, come in Sir!”
“FS1 to Seaview. If you are going to tell me you have sonar contact with a large object nearby, you should see it from here. I am actually staring at it face to face. It looks like an old dinosaur or a new sea monster. At least new to us. I must say, I feel it is as curious about me as we are about it. Somehow I feel it means us no harm. We are at a depth and location not explored before. We could be invading its home waters. Has the Admiral seen this yet?”
“We paged him, Sir. He’s on his way up here.”
“It seems to be trying to stay behind Seaview, out of view of the Observation Nose. Or maybe it’s just not interested in Seaview, only FS1. I’m transmitting my view of it. Are you receiving?”
“Yes Sir, we sure are. Here’s the Admiral.”
“Lee, this is an incredible find! Do you still get the feeling it’s harmless?”
“Yes Sir, at least for now. But we both better be prepared to scoot. I’m not worried about FS1; I can maneuver and get out of here faster than Seaview can. May be you should put some distance between it and Seaview now while it’s just interested in me. Admiral, I’m confused. I know the dinosaurs had long necks to reach vegetation in high places. Why would a creature at this depth have a long neck?”
“I have to study it further to answer that, Lee. Were you able to retrieve that transponder we missed before?”
“Yes Sir, it’s safe and secure in the front compartment of FS1. It was easy to locate because it is still transmitting the homing signal, though the signal was too weak to pick up when we were in this area before. I just had to get nearer to it. Then I just scooped it right up with the robotic arm.”
“Good work Lee. Ok, I gave the order to Chip to reverse engines. Are you seeing any reaction?”
“None at all, Sir. It is not the least bit interested in Seaview. Maybe yellow is its favorite color. Any special angle you want me to get footage of?”
“Now that we are backing up, I am getting a better view of it through the Observation nose. It may be descended from land dinosaurs but it has flippers to swim with instead of legs. It obviously took a different evolutionary path. I wish there was some way to get at least a small skin sample from it. There is only so much I can tell from pictures.”
“Sorry Sir, the depth out here is too deep for me to go out in SCUBA gear, not to mention I don’t want to be anyone’s dinner. And if I try making contact with it using any of FS1’s robotic specimen collectors, it could view it as a hostile act and attack. But I may be able to do that on the run and then get out of here fast. I’d rather wait until Seaview is further away, Sir. I don’t really want to do anything to hurt it though. It seems almost, well, friendly. In fact, I think it is actually smiling at me, Sir. How should I respond?”
“Well, you obviously can’t make FS1 smile. And while flashing that
“Very funny, Sir.”
“Lee, did I just see that thing nudge FS1?”
“Yes Sir, but it was only a nudge. Either it wants to play or it wants to see if FS1 is something edible. Or maybe I’ve just been kissed. I still don’t think it means any harm, but I don’t want to become an underwater Frisbee either.”
“Understood, Lee. I wish I could get a view of the underside of it.”
“Maybe you can Sir. I can keep it busy, play with it, while you descend a bit while going in reverse. I’ll see if I can get it in the right position for you to get footage with the telescopic camera. But the minute I feel threatened I’m out of here.”
“Sounds like a plan to me, Lee. Give me a minute to engage the telescopic lens.”
“Ok Lee, go.”
“It seems determined to stay just a few yards away from me, Sir. Are you getting any interesting pictures?”
“We certainly are Lee. The underside of it resembles that of a giant sea turtle. Could be that is what it is evolved from, but over time the need for a protective shell on top dwindled to the point where it was no longer necessary. The longer tail is obviously to help it swim better and faster. When you say it smiled at you before, did you happen to notice if it had any teeth?”
“If I didn’t know you and your scientific curiosity so well I’d think your were trying to be funny again, Sir. No, it was a closed mouth smile. And I’m not about to try to get it to open its mouth or say “ahhhhhh”. Are we almost done here Sir? Do you still want me to try to get a skin sample?”
“If you can, and then get out of there as fast as you can. I don’t think it will follow past a certain depth, it may not survive. We can pick up FS1 closer to the surface. It may not even feel or pay attention to a little scrape, judging by some of the other scrapes and scars I see on the body. And if I am right about it being related to a giant sea turtle, then I think, judging by the underbelly, it is an adolescent. Make sure you get out of here before Momma shows up looking for her offspring. You know how violent a peaceful creature can become to protect its young. I’ll have Chip take Seaview up, but we will maintain radio contact. See you on the surface, Lee. Good Luck.”
“Admiral, are you there, Sir?”
“Right here, Lee. Did you get the sample?”
“Yes and you were right, it didn’t seem to even notice. But Admiral, I can’t shake it. It stays right with me. I still think it wants to play. I don’t want to take a chance it will follow me up after what you said. It might be too young to know any better. It sure is a fast little bugger. I was wondering Sir. Do you think there is a chance it isn’t even interested in FS1, but maybe the transponder in the forward storage compartment? I know certain forms of sea life communicate using Sonar and by making other noises through vibrations on different frequencies. The transponder is still transmitting its homing signal and I can’t turn it off from in here. If I eject it, you’ll lose all the scientific data it collected. Can you send a signal to turn off the homing signal from Seaview?
“Its worth a try, Lee. Good thinking. Give me a minute.”
“Ok Lee, the signal is off. Any reaction?”
“It’s not moving at all Admiral. But judging by the expression on its face, it looks like it just lost its best friend. Gee, now I feel bad.”
“Lee, sonar reports something massive heading your way. I think Momma is here. Feel as bad as you want, but do it from up here!”
“On my way, Sir. Goodbye little friend.”
The End