He yawned.

"Let's find breakfast."

We did that.

When I was young I thought that being born a sea creature was thefinest choice Nature could make for anyone. I grew up on the Pacific coastand spent my summers on the Gulf or the Mediterranean. I lived months of mylife negotiating with coral, photographing trench dwellers, and playing tagwith dolphins. I fished everywhere there are fish, resenting the fact thatthey can go places I can't. When I grew older I wanted a bigger fish, andthere was nothing living that I knew of, excepting a Sequoia, that came anybigger than Ikky. That's part of it....

I jammed a couple of extra rolls into a paper bag and filled a thermoswith coffee. Excusing myself, I left the gallery and made my way to theSlider berth. It was just the way I remembered it. I threw a few switchesand the shortwave hummed.

"That you, Carl?"

"That's right, Mike. Let me have some juice down here, youdouble-crossing rat."

He thought it over, then I felt the hull vibrate as the generators cutin. I poured my third cup of coffee and found a cigarette.

"So why am I a double-crossing rat this time?" came his voice again.

"You knew about the cameraman at Hangar Sixteen?"

"Yes."

"Then you're a double-crossing rat. The last thing I want is publicity.'He who fouled up so often before is ready to try it, nobly, once more.' Ican read it now."

"You're wrong. The spotlight's only big enough for one, and she'sprettier than you."

My next comment was cut off as I threw the elevator switch and theelephant ears flapped above me. I rose, settling flush with the deck.Retracting the lateral rail, I cut forward into the groove. Amidships, Istopped at a juncture, dropped the lateral, and retracted the longitudinalrail.

I slid starboard, midway between the Rooks, halted, and threw on the