to

Ariana Mae, our splendid envoy,

who will speak for us at the threshold of the fantastic

twenty-second century.

Alvin—the humicker nickname of Hph-wayuo, an adolescent hoon of Wuphon Village.

Asx—member of the Jijo Council of High Sages, representing the traeki race.

Baskin, Gillian—Terragens agent and physician, acting captain of the dolphin survey vessel Streaker.

Blade—a blue qheuen, son of Log Biter; a wood-carver and friend of Sara Koolhan.

Bloor—deceased photographer who discovered the secret Rothen identity.

Brookida—dolphin metallurgist on Streaker.

Cambel, Lester—High Sage of Earthlings on Jijo.

Chuchki—dolphin engineering mate on Streaker.

Creideiki—a dolphin, former captain of the dolphin vessel Streaker. Lost on Kithrup years ago.

Dedinger—human zealot who wishes all races of Jijo to devolve so one day they may be uplifted from innocence.

Dwer—son of the papermaker Nelo Koolhan, chief tracker of the Commons of Six Races.

Emerson D’Anite—a human engineer, once part of the Terragens spacecraft Streaker’s crew, until he crashed on Jijo.

Ewasx—a Jophur ring stack transformed from the old sage Asx by the imposition of a new master ring.

Fallon—a retired tracker; Dwer’s former mentor.

Foo, Ariana—the emeritus High Sage of Human Sept (retired).