The Junior Nektons The Deep

Remember, Jeffrey, the Junior Nektons are our guests.

So when they get here, don't forget to smile!

Dazzling! You charmer(!)

Yes! I now have their entire schedule mapped out.

Erm, about that.

You're really sure you two can handle hosting eight-year-old kids

on your own for a whole day?

Is that a trick question?

It's just that looking after children is hard.

Ha, as if! Oh, you're serious?

And I'm just having trouble picturing you two co-operating,

-because... How do I put this?

-It rarely happens.

Please, we always work perfectly together.

-We're like two peas in a...

-Shoebox!

-Exactly.

Come on, these Junior Nektons

are going to get to see a whale migration up close.

They'll be too amazed to be any trouble.

And me personally, I'm totally relaxed.

My motto - have fun and everything takes care of itself.

And suddenly, I don't know this person.

HELICOPTER WHIRS AHEAD

Finally!

Come on, Alan, move!

Is it always rocking like this?

I can't wait to meet Fontaine!

-Very cool, Ted.

-Very, very cool, Todd.

Welcome, Junior Nek...

Welcome, members of the worldwide Junior Nekton Fanclub

to The Aronnax.

Or should I say, our home, the ocean.

A place that's filled with as much fun as it is krill.

So I just have one question for you, Junior Nektons, are you ready

to have fun?

OK...

My family are explorers.

We have been for generations.

While others look up to the stars,

we know there are an infinite number of things

that shine in the darkness below.

There are things lurking in the seas that long ago vanished into myth.

My family are explorers - and we explore

The Deep.

So, Charlie, if you have any questions

about becoming a future submarine captain, you know who to ask.

Fontaine!

Yes, Fontaine, that's who I meant.

She's just going to mingle.

Nice smile, Jeffrey!

Fontaine! I read that you love sea birds!

Oh, Ant wrote that on my profile, but really...

So I learned the calls of all 312 species of sea bird, just for you.

Number one, the red-footed booby.

SHE IMITATES BIRD CALL

You're really only eight?

Actually, I'm only seven. I turn eight next month.

SHE IMITATES BIRD CALL

Jeffrey looks bigger on his poster. Do you feed him enough?

Oh, yeah, Jeffrey eats like a little walrus.

This is delicious red kelp.

Actually, Jeffrey doesn't eat kelp.

And now suddenly you like it?

You could have told me.

Number 15, the shy albatross.

SHE IMITATES BIRD CALL

That albatross doesn't sound shy.

WHALE CALLS

Attention, Junior Nektons,

this is the moment you've been waiting for.

I present the annual sperm whale migration.

ALL: Wow!

Physeter macrocephalus in the flesh.

I was just about to say that.

Now, everyone, part of our conservation work...

Oh, please, Mum, I got this.

Part of our conservation work

involves tracking these huge mammals.

-You mean...you follow them?

-No, Ted, and/or Todd.

We place electronic trackers on the lead male.

-Or a bull, as it is more commonly known.

-Exactly.

And that is where our parents are heading right now.

We'll be back in ten. Enjoy the show! You...you've got this?

We've SO got this.

SHE IMITATES BIRD CALL

And I'll be describing every step of this fascinating process.

KIDS: Whoa!

This is the coolest...

Thing ever. Why are my ears clicking?

That clicking sound is...

The whales talking to each other.

That giant nose makes a sperm whale's clicks the loudest...

-Sounds produced by any single animal!

-Thank you, Alan!

If you look out the window,

you'll see that skilled co-pilot, Will Nekton,

is placing the tracker now.

Tracker attached to dorsal ridge.

Getting a signal, Fontaine?

-Strong and clear.

-Excuse me, should we be concerned about that?

Personally, I am.

If you zoom in, I think you'll find that that's a driftnet,

right in the path of those whales.

-A driftnet?

-How far away?

12 degrees north, 3.5 nautical miles away.

At the whales' current speed,

the lead whales will hit it in 20 minutes.

We're on our way.

-What would happen if...

-The whales hit the net?

Those nets are lethal Ted, or Todd.

Whales that get tangled up can drown.

Fontaine - fun, remember?

Did you know that sperm whales sleep vertically?

I tried sleeping like that once.

-I fell over.

-Yeah, onto me!

Can you cut through it, Dad?

We have got power shears and the rover's arms.

We should be able to.

But we don't have much time.

We need to remove it before the whales get there.

That doesn't look right.

BOTH: Are those...lobster pots?

The baby one can't reach the surface to breathe.

I get asthma, so I can relate.

Two whale emergencies at once?

-Really?

-Shall we call...

-Your parents?

-No, they've got their own whale emergency.

Hey, we can handle stuff, too.

And I'm staying here with the Junior Nektons, because...?

That baby needs help right now and a knight is our best option.

And also cos I'm faster than you.

The lobster pots look like they're wrapped really tight.

She understands I want to help.

Steady, little guy. It's going to be OK.

We just need to get these ropes off of you.

-WHALE SCREAMS Ah!

-Ant, are you OK?

Ant, can you read me?

Ant!

Ant, Ant, come in. Do you read?

Is there some alternate holiday package for us, if this turns ugly?

Fontaine, I'm OK.

The baby didn't understand what you were doing.

I still have to try.

Driftnets are totally illegal here.

This one looks huge.

It's worse in person. Look.

These fishermen just don't care what they catch.

Dolphins, sea lions, whales.

-Sometimes I...

-I know, me too,

but we have eight minutes before the lead whales arrive.

This calf needs oxygen and it can't reach the surface.

I think I've got it.

Got what?

You know how some of my best plans involve an element of risk?

Your worst ones, too.

Make sure the moon pool door is wide open and the harness is ready.

You're kidding. You're bringing it aboard?

The calf won't like it and the mum will hate it,

but it's the only place it will get air to survive.

That will be so much fun!

SHE IMITATES BIRD CALL

-Can we help?

-Why not?

You won't like this, but it's for your own good.

It'll be OK, little guy.

Come on, come on.

Fontaine, harness, up, now!

Close the moon pool. Hurry!

-Are we sinking?

-No, it's the mother whale.

She's trying to get the calf back.

We have to hurry. The mother isn't happy.

-Ted and Todd, grab the hose.

-BOTH: Yes, Fontaine!

Stay back, but keep the calf hydrated.

The calf, not me!

BOTH: Sorry!

Alan, on that monitor.

That device will give you a read-out of the calf's vital signs.

Is that pulse and blood pressure? Whoa! They're all over the place.

At least he can breathe, I'll try to make this quick.

-Fontaine?

-Can't talk right now, Mom.

We've got a whale aboard.

-Did you say, whale?

-Just a baby... We can handle it.

-A baby? What?

-She did say whale, right?

-She did.

-How long have we got here?

Maybe three minutes.

Fontaine, I want details.

And you'll get them.

-Guess what this is.

-SHE IMITATES BIRD CALL

Charlie, do you want to get squashed?

-Stay back.

-What? Who's getting squashed?

Nobody. Got to go, mom.

Calf's getting faster vitals.

Do we have any anti-nausea medication?

-Not enough for a whale.

-I meant for me.

Charlie.

-Fontaine.

-No!

Please obey instructions, young lady.

-Move away.

-But I...

All these numbers keep dropping.

Right. Let's get you back in the water.

It's damaged. It won't open.

So, how do we get the calf out?

I really don't...know.

Will, we're out of time, look.

I'll pull the net tight, you start cutting.

OK, Will, now.

What's that?

This is how I find the owner.

Boys, be careful in here. That button floods the moon pool.

BOTH: Sorry.

All of the calf's vital signs are way down in the red zone.

BOTH: Why can't we hear the mother any more, Ant?

The mother can't hear the calf's call any more,

so she's returned to the other whales without him.

-Right, Ant?

-And this little guy will never survive

without his mother's milk.

-Where's Charlie?

-She ran off.

She was making these sad little bird noises.

She was upset with you.

Oh, no.

Come on, moon pool. Open up.

Rover to Aronnax.

-Ant, are you there?

-Here, Dad.

And things aren't going too well.

Charlie, I'm sorry I told you to go away. Charlie?

Dad, the iris still won't open.

Use that overactive imagination of yours, Ant,

you will find a solution.

Maybe. Maybe not.

This calf has a very low life expectancy,

so what are you going to do?

You've got all the answers, Alan, why don't you tell me?

I-I...

I just know what I read in books.

I'm not like you. You solve things.

Yeah, sometimes.

Remember when you rescued the albino megamouth shark

from freezing in the fjord?

-Or when you escaped that collapsing underwater cave?

-Yeah.

Remember when you single-handedly steered

the Aronnax out of that whirlpool?

How do you remember these stories?

-I remember every Ant Nekton story.

-Ant Nekton is my hero.

Ant, you're the reason I became interested in

the ocean in the first place.

If there's one thing Ant Nekton has taught me

it's that you've got to have faith in the fish.

BOTH: Yeah! Have faith in the fish.

Although it is a whale,

so the correct motto is "Have faith in the mammal".

Watch that button.

It floods the whole... Ted and Todd, one of you has given me an idea.

We should flood the room.

Charlie?

Charlie, I'm not great at apologies.

I never really have to apologise to Ant.

He's always wrong. But I'm sorry.

Today I learned how hard it is to raise kids

in this fast-paced modern submarine.

I learned this.

SHE IMITATES WHALE CALL

Wait. Is that the mother whale?

Would you like the baby, too? Listen.

SHE IMITATES BABY WHALE CALL

Charlie.

You may have just saved the day.

OK, Alan, fill the moon pool up to here.

We need to create enough pressure to force the door.

Are we going to need scuba gear?

Yeah. That might be a good idea.

OK, Charlie, before the mother whale gets too far away maybe we can bring

her back, by using your whale sounds over the exterior speakers.

Does that sound like a plan?

SHE IMITATES WHALE CALL

OK. I'll see if we can use the extra pressure to force

the other door open.

Come on! Hmmm.

The laser cutter.

SHE IMITATES WHALE CALL

I love this girl!

Mom, Dad, can you see the mother whale?

Nothing here, Fontaine.

We'll turn back and see if we can find her.

Just need to straighten this a bit more.

Yes!

Alan, try to open it now.

Awesome! It worked!

Oh, no. Careful.

We created a whirlpool from the pressure.

Hang on tight.

THEY SCREAM

No!

Fontaine, we have a problem.

Ant, the Junior Nektons are in the ocean?

I know, I know, I'm trying to fix this.

Gotcha. Got them, Fontaine.

The calf, it just doesn't know what to do.

It's lost and it's not going to make it without the mother.

Can you see the mother whale?

No, no sign.

SHE IMITATES WHALE CALL

Oh, this isn't good. The calf won't survive alone like this.

Oh, no.

SHE IMITATES WHALE CALL

Huh?

Charlie, you did it!

Is that a hostile expression?

No-one move. Just stay calm.

This is OK.

I think she knows that we are friends.

Guys, hold on.

Is that what I think it is?

Are you seeing this?

She's bringing them back!

Woo-hoo, all right!

She's bringing them home.

OK. Let go.

You're welcome.

I used this to track down the fishing company.

They were nice enough to collect that net in a hurry.

Bye, Mr and Mrs Nekton.

-We'll miss you.

-We'll miss you, too, Ted.

-Was that Ted?

-Uh, no idea.

SHE IMITATES BIRD CALL

And that was number 24, the city shearwater.

Wow. All right.

Pity I never got to hear all 312.

-I could put them all on a CD for you.

-That would be great.

You know, a couple more whale rides and you'd make a great Ant Nekton.

Oh, thanks.

But I'll stick to being me.

Plain old Alan Maximus Lobonof Vrstofski III.

Lord of Frombork.

That's your name?

See you later, Jeffrey.

Be good. Wow.

Look at that smile.

I know, it's dazzling, right?

So charismatic.

Have faith in the fish!

Have faith in the fish.

Ant, look.

So, you still think taking care of kids is easy?

You are so lucky you've got us.

We must make your job so simple.

BOTH: What?