to Toshio. “You still have those artifactsss that selected, young hunter?”
“Yes, sir, I …”
“You will please lend them to Biologist Sudman and Race Speaker Sah’ot before you retire. When you’ve rested, collect them again, along with the specialists’ recommendations. I will examine them myself during supper.”
Toshio nodded. The captain flipped to face Dennie.
“Before I give permission, you must have a plan. You’ll get little material assistance, and will be recalled at any sign of danger. Can you accept these conditions?”
“Y-yes … we’ll need a monofilament cable to the ship, for a computer link, and …”
“Talk this over with Keepiru, before he rests. He must help you come up with something militarily acceptable.”
“Keepiru? But I thought …” Dennie looked at the younger dolphin, and quickly bit back the tactlessness she had been about to utter. Silently wearing his breather, the pilot seemed unhappier than ever.
“I have my reasons, femsir. As a pilot, he is of little use while we are immobile. I can spare him from work here, to be your field liaison … if I agree to your plan.”
The captain’s attention made Keepiru hunch slightly and look away. Toshio put a hand on Keepiru’s sleek back. That, too, was a change. The two had never struck Dennie as fast friends before.
Creideiki’s teeth shone in the bright lights of the bay. “Is there more comment-t?”
Everyone was silent.
Creideiki thrashed his tail, then whistled the phrase of command termination. He arched and sped away with rapid, powerful strokes. His aides followed in his wake.
Keepiru watched until his captain passed out of sight. Then he addressed Dennie and Sah’ot.
* At your service, you will find me—
In my quarters, floating, breathing—
* After seeing Toshio resting.… *
Toshio smiled when Dennie gave him a brief hug. Then he turned to swim away, arm over Keepiru’s back, keeping to the fin’s slow pace.
Just then one of the intrahull lift tubes opened, and a blue and yellow shape bulletted out of the tube. A joyful racket filled the chamber as the ship’s other midshipman speared past Keepiru and the boy, then zoomed around them in ever-tightening circles, chattering excitedly.
“Do you think Toshio’s going to get any sleep?” Emerson asked.
“Not if Akki makes him tell the entire story before supper with the captain.” Dennie envied Akki and Toshio their fellowship, as constant and intense as any star. She watched the boy laughing as he fended off his friend until they disappeared into the tube.
“Well, sister,” Emerson D’Anite grinned at Dennie. “It appears you have a science command. My congratulations.”
“Nothing’s decided yet,” she answered. “Besides, Keepiru will be in charge.”
“Keepiru will have military command. That part confuses me a bit. I don’t know where Creideiki’s aiming, assigning Keepiru after the way I hear he behaved out there. My guess is it’s his way of getting the poor dollie out of his hai … hide.”
Dennie had to agree, though she thought it a bit cruel.
She suddenly felt a smooth, flat touch on the inner part of her left thigh. She yelped and whirled around with her hand at her throat, then sighed when she saw that it was the neo-dolphin anthropologist, Sah’ot, who had slipped in his left pectoral fin to goose her. The Stenos gave her an uneven grin. His rough teeth shone brightly.
Dennie’s heart pounded. “Shark-breath! Doggerel-rhymer! Go make love to an unwashed specimen bottle!” Her voice cracked.
Sah’ot reared back, his eyes momentarily white-rimmed in surprise. Apparently he hadn’t expected Dennie to be so high-strung.
“Aw, Dennie,” Sah’ot sighed. “I was jussst trying to thank you for interceding with Creideiki. Obviously your charms are more persuasive than any arguments I might raise. Sorry if I sstartled you.”
Dennie sniffed at Sah’ot’s double-edged apology. Still, her reaction might have been overdrawn. Her pulse slowly settled. “Oh … never mind. Just don’t you sneak up on me like that!”
Without even turning around, she could feel Emerson D’Anite grinning behind his hand. Males, she thought. Do they ever grow up?
“Um, Dennie?” Sah’ot’s voice crooned like a string trio. “There is one small matter we have to discuss, if we are going to be going on this expedition to the island together. Will you be churlish and let Creideiki choose the science commander on the basis of prejudice? Or will you give me a chance? Maybe we can wrestle for it-t-t?”
D’Anite started coughing. He turned the other way and cleared his throat.
Dennie blushed. “We’ll let the captain decide what’s best. Besides … I’m not sure both of us should go. Charlie told me his analysis of