Woods Hole

Dave and the Professor were sitting having another cup of coffee when there was a knock on the door. Professor Edwards opened the door. Standing there was Jack Webster. The Professor didn’t speak immediately. He looked at Jack. Jack appeared drawn, tired maybe ill. After hesitating for a moment as the two men looked each other over, the Professor spoke "Hi Jack, it’s good to see you."

"Same here, Professor," came the reply. "Jack Webster told me you wanted to see me."

"Yes, yes, please come in," and Jack Sherman entered the office. "Dave, I would like you to meet Jack Sherman, the cetologist that Jack told you about."

Dave stood up, and looked towards Jack. He was surprised at his size. Jack stood at least 6' 8'' tall and had the muscular build of an athlete. He was carrying a duffel bag and a small roll bag, each with the Institute's name embroidered on them. Putting them down just inside the door, the two shook hands and Dave said, "Welcome home."

"Thanks, replied Jack, it sure feels good to be home, better than you can ever imagine." He added, "Webster told me I might be able to help you guys in your study of the current situation. What can I do?"

The Professor poured Jack a cup of coffee from the thermos decanter supplied by Webster and the three men sat down to talk. Dave started the conversation. "Jack, we have heard all the sensationalized versions of the encounter from the media. What we would like you to do is just tell us what you saw."

Jack shuffled in his seat and replied, "I'll do the best I can." Beginning by first explaining what his role was in the mission, he repeated what Jack Sherman had already explained, but in more detail, "As you guys probably know, I have been studying the effects of outside influences on whale behavior. Recognizing that the whales would be put under a lot of stress as a result of the hunt and then the interference by the Zodiacs, I asked Webster to get me an observers position aboard the Savior."

Jack went on to explain a little about the boat, the volunteers, the intercept plan and what they felt they knew about the crew. The Professor and Dave listened intently as Jack Sherman recounted the expedition. Dave glanced at his watch, it was 11:30.

Finally Jack got to the intercept itself. He explained how the Zodiacs were launched, the high speed chase, and the speed run of the Savior under turbine power. The description of the chase that followed was as detailed as Jack could remember. He did explain that from where he stood, through the binoculars the lead Humpback was the biggest animal he had ever seen. He estimated it to be well over sixty feet. Both Dave and the Professor sat up and took notice of that statement.

Dave asked, "Are you sure of your estimate?"

Jack replied, "If the later events hadn't occurred, I would hedge a little, but remember, I was impressed with this animal's size through the binoculars. Later, up close, I had the opportunity to see this animal broach, charge the whaler, kill the two volunteers. Let me tell you, this was the largest Humpback I have ever seen, and I have seen one hell of a lot of Humpbacks." Dave and the Professor just looked at each other.

Jack waited to let his answer sink in and went on to describe the chase, the high pressure water hose incident and then the harpooning of the cow and calf.

After describing the ensuing attack by the large bull, the Professor interrupted and asked, "Jack do you think the bull targeted the Zodiac with the two activists?"

Jack hesitated a moment, then answered, "Its hard to be sure, but I don't think the enraged animal was aiming for the small boat. I believe they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Remember, he made two additional runs on the whaler, never touching the other Zodiacs still in the water."

Dave and the Professor again just looked at each other.

Jack went on to explain about the other two attacks on the whaler, and how as soon as the two harpooned whales were cut free, the attacks stopped. The two men asked Jack some pertinent questions about the whales behavior prior to the attack in an attempt to see if there may have been something else they might learn. After about ten more minutes of questions, the Professor and Jack were satisfied and were about to finish the conversation when Jack happened to say, "You know, Professor, I have studied the Humpback and Gray Whales for the last ten years. I have never heard any sound as haunting as the sounds that bull made as he swam away."

"Sounds? What sounds ?" asked Dave, now on the edge of his seat.

"When the attacks appeared to be over, I went into the radio room and picked up the earphones attached to the underwater hydrophone. Never in my ten years of listening to Humpback Whales have I ever heard a sound like that."

"Like what?" asked Dave. "What did it sound like?"

"Well, it's almost impossible to describe." Hesitated for a moment, then reached into his small roll bag, searched around for a minute, then, finding what he wanted, placed a small cassette on the table. "Here, listen for yourself."

Dave jumped up, "You recorded it!"

"Well it was so unusual, that when I heard it I automatically hit record."

The Professor, now out of his seat and standing, said "I will be right back," and left the room.

Dave, fingering the cassette, discussed the sound some more with Jack, trying to understand exactly what it was like. Returning to the room with a small cassette player, Edwards gently closed the door and placed the recorder on the table. He took the cassette from Dave and inserted it into the player. Assuring himself that the tape was properly inserted, he pressed play. The three men sat in total silence, eyes staring at the small player on the table. Soon the haunting sounds described by Jack filled the room. After playing it three times, as if on cue they sat back in their chairs and looked at each other in silence. Jack had been right, neither the Professor nor Dave had ever heard a Humpback make such an eerie sound. There was no doubt it was a Humpback Whale making the sounds, but they just didn't fit in with anything either of them had heard before.

The Professor looked at Jack and asked, "Jack, it is very important that we borrow this tape. I assure you that I will return it to you in a couple of days."

Jack looked at the two men. "Okay, no problem, but if you don't mind, I'm going to leave now. I have a wife and daughter I want to go hug."

"We understand," replied the Professor and the three men shook hands. Jack picked up his duffel and roll bag as the Professor opened the door and left the room.

Alone, they played the tape several more times, each time more and more bewildered by the sound. Finally they were interrupted by the ringing of the phone. Dave, closest to the receiver, picked it up and said, "Hello."

"Dave is that you?" asked the voice at the other end.

"Hi Claire," Dave replied.

"Dave, we are getting somewhere here and I think you had better come to Boston."

"What kind of things are you getting?"

"Well, all the conclusions you had reached, well, they are correct. But it's the other sounds.....you know.....the carriers as you call them. They do have a significant meaning but it appears their order and their intensity have a significant affect. It's awfully complicated. I really think you should come to Boston."

"OK. Professor Edwards and I will be there as soon as we can."

"Good. In the meantime I'm going to run this series again. I'll see you soon."

Dave hung up, and turning to the Professor said, "Claire thinks we should go to Boston, she may be on to something."

Concurring with Dave, the Professor stood up and, placing the tape recorder under his arm, said, "Beantown, here we come!"

Before they left, Professor Edwards quietly interrupted Jack Webster to tell him where they would be. He also made arrangements to call Jack later that evening.

The two men slipped out of the building and were soon on their way. The small tape they carried would soon prove to be a cargo of immense importance.