Drake clapped his hands over his ears in an attempt to block out the scream. He forgot that Seafolk often had this ability, particularly in their women. It was a self-defense mechanism, particularly effective against predatory aquatic species. [i]Species like me[/i], he thought. Water is quite the medium for sounds to travel through. One could literally communicate with someone across the ocean, given enough energy and time; a call from Leviathan in 1997 had been picked up on hydrophones leagues away when he was wounded by an enemy. Friends in the NOAA had recently covered it up by claiming it was the sound of ice breaking, after a fictional story on mermaids misled people into thinking that Seafolk were real.

A sonic blast like Suba's was meant to stun nearby enemies, as well as warn any of their kinfolk to remain clear of the area, or come help. But no matter what, this sound affected Drake in the same way. His instincts told him to run from the noise. However, he held still.