The player in the game assumes the role of Ace, an assistant to the famous private investigator, Paula Pacific.

During an introductory newscast, Ace is told that several killer whales have been exhibiting odd behaviour in the Alanamorris Strait. Ace learns that such odd behaviour in animals is often attributed to illness.

Ace returns to PaulaÌs office where s/he must search for clues to begin an investigation into the whalesÌ odd behaviour. By clicking on objects in the office, Ace uncovers clues about characters and events that will be significant to the investigation. Ace uncovers a note from Paula revealing that toxic barrels of chemicals have been dumped illegally at an undisclosed location. The hypothesis is formed that the toxins from the barrels may be linked to the whalesÌ odd behaviour and Ace is given the assignment of tracking down the location of the dumping site.

The first stop is P.O.R.P.I.S. (Pacific Ocean Research Protection Institute of Science) where Director of Research Sri Sargasso informs Ace that contamination from the barrels may be entering the food web and accumulating in the seaÌs top predators, as they eat contaminated prey. Ace learns more about food webs when SriÌs scattered food web must be reassembled in the storyÌs first activity, "Who Gets Eaten by Whom?" (Activity 1).

Ace is recruited to join a P.O.R.P.I.S. science research team to help locate the killer whale pod with the highest contamination levels. This will help determine where the contaminants have been dumped. On-board the research vessel, scientist Benny Beaufort offers Ace a lesson on how to identify differences between transient and resident killer whales. Ace gets a first-hand chance to identify a whale (Activity 2), and after comparing results with other researchers, discovers that the salmon-eating resident whales are exhibiting the highest contamination levels. AceÌs next logical step is to follow paths through the food web by examining salmon populations in the area.

Notes: The Field Guide, the Notebook and the Creature Cards are all introduced to Ace in the first section. See Important Features of the Game for more details.