Tom and I had a few hours to ourselves, our first in days. We went back to our cabin and made love.
While he sleeps, I'm making this entry. I don't know when I'll have another chance.
Captain Creideiki just called. He wants both of us up on the bridge, I suppose so the fins can see us and know their human patrons are nearby. Even a competent dolphin spacer like Creideiki might feel the need from time to time.
If only we humans had that psychological refuge.
Time to put this down and awaken my tired fellow. But first, I want to jot down what Tom said to me last night, while we watched Kithrup's stormy seas.
He turned to me, smiled that funny way he does when he thinks of something ironic, and whistled a brief haiku in dolphin-Trinary.
* The stars shake with storms
* The waters below roll thunder
* Still, are we wet, love?
I had to laugh. Sometimes I think Tom is half dolphin.
PART ONE
Buoyancy
1 ::: Toshio
Fins had been making wisecracks about human beings for thousands of years. They had always found men terribly funny. The fact that humanity had meddled with their genes and taught them engineering hadn't done much to change their attitude.
Fins were still smart-alecks.
Toshio watched the small instrument panel of his seasled, pretending to check the depth gauge. The sled thrummed along at a constant ten meters below the surface. There were no adjustments to be made, yet he concentrated on the panel as Keepiru swam up alongside undoubtedly to start another round of teasing.