Page 15 - Nutshell 1

“Yes, indeed. They are made into agar-agar, the main ingredient in
several delicacies in East Asia. So they all fear falling into the hands of
the red algae harvesters. Now, when that huge mob of bacteria is packed
as tightly as the red tide, information is transmitted within it very quickly.
All we had to do was start the rumor that a fleet of Japanese algae-
scooping vessels was going at full speed across the Pacific to intercept
and capture them. That caused panic in the ranks as the story became
amplified and distorted with each retelling. Soon they were going in every
direction, making it impossible to retain their original unified formation.”
Algie shook with mirth. “I’d like to have seen that! Yet it’s hard to
believe that Rhoda couldn’t stop the dissension and desertion.”
“I’m sure she tried, wherever she was in that massive ruddy rabble.
But we took care of her with another rumor: that she had sold out the
rest of them for safe passage to the Great Barrier Reef. I don’t think she
had much authority after that got around.”
“Good job!” Bloom was ecstatic. “The entire coastline is indebted to
you. Are you going to take a victory lap?”
“No way! I like it here just fine. That was fun but exhausting. Stick
around if you like; this isn’t a bad place to hang out. Nice warm water
and plenty of nutrients.”