At sea, searching for EGOS, Eiko makes a breakthrough communication with the strange creature. Her father's consciousness survives in EGOS, as a part of the sum total of human thought. EGOS is evolving into a collective conscience of the human race -- an enigmatic and unknowable creature, with unfathomable motives. For EGOS' own purposes, the weather patterns begin to change, and all sorts of marine mammals begin to congregate at the barrier reef, responding to a signal only they can hear...