 
Storylines

Charlie Schick 2013

Published by Charlie Schick at Smashwords

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Me, the kirin, and the black dragon

I was in the clouds, or somewhere bright and blue, warm and in the sun, but windy. She came to me, suddenly appearing, her kirin mane of multiple brown hues glowing with red and copper highlights from the sun and some inner light and heat.

She stopped before me and spoke into my mind. They were not really words but a thick fluid current of images, feelings, understanding. I just knew, knew what she was telling, sharing with me.

She was frightened. She came to me for protection. "I did something stupid," she shared. Though I could not tell what.

As she hid behind me, an immense black dragon swept down towards us. Yet, somehow, he could not get by me. For every attack, I seemed to have a parry or a dodge to protect us.

I did not feel anything he did, nor was he able to get around me to the kirin. His threatening words were useless. His roars did not affect us. His claws and tail and wings tried again and again to cut, tear, beat, and crush us.

And I kept the dragon at bay, even when he began changing shape and multiplying.

Yet, I was not afraid until he became a swirl of menacing dark smoke, wrapping around us, whipping up the wind, beginning to suffocate us.

And then he was gone.

I had saved the kirin and she shared with me her gratitude.

Sunrise

The first light of the sun peeked over the horizon, tapping him between the eyes like a hot photon stick. He squinted, as the sun gained strength, and finally looked away, once more humbled by the power, magnificence, and life force of the sun.

He carefully walked back to the stern, blinking away the fading solar afterimage. Once, he had tripped and fallen into the water and the pod made sure to poke fun at his clumsiness for a long time. No sense giving them the satisfaction once more.

A cheeky whistle and a click was the usual "good morning" from Tsu, the leader of the pod. Once a gorgeous animal with smooth dark skin and faint white patterns on her flanks that made her look like she was as riding a wake, she was covered with scars, shallow and deep, from years of keeping the pod in order.

She'd been with him from the start. Now they both knew this just might be her last season leading the pod. But as long as he was around, she was safe and would be teacher to the younger recruits and the novices in other pods.

He signed to her, asking for a morning report. Her clicks, whistles, and movement richly described that the school was fine today, that the dolphins under her command were keeping an eye on a few ships leagues away, and that she had already chosen the fish that would be the next sample.

He knew that she'd pick a representative fish for the sample. But when she was young, she'd constantly bring him the healthiest and hence tastiest fish. As she grew to appreciate what he was doing, and why, she reviewed the school more thoughtfully and thoroughly.

In the early days, when the school was smaller, and the tuna more endangered, it was heartbreaking to sacrifice a fish for sampling school health. What's more, in those days he was often accused of being the same as the Japanese "scientists" who used to hunt Minke whales.

He nodded to Tsu, "Thank you." And she turned and dove.

She had mentioned ships within their swimming radius, so he went below to check the charts. He'd been floating in this feeding area for a few days and wondered if it was time to move the school elsewhere. And in any case, there were a few things he'd soon have to attend to in the Marquesas and might as well start in that direction.

Below deck, he pulled a chart from its tube and unrolled it onto the gimbaled table at the center of his cabin. Unrolled, the chart gradually lit up, getting a fix on his current location (the pulsing blue dot), and slowly adding the different info layers he had last chosen – sonar readings, dots representing the pod, symbols representing vessels with reported positions and vessels he had fixed a beacon to.

The beacons were a trade secret in plain sight. Friendly vessels had no problem carrying a beacon. It was how they were able to find each other and fish his school. But, the not-so-friendly vessels had no idea he had beaconed them so that he could avoid them.

He zoomed in on the nearby ships, reading their descriptions, their port of origin, destination, and, for one of them, the cargo manifest. He recognized them all, all at one time had purchased or bartered a fish from him.

Out of curiosity, he zoomed out further and further, looking for a particular vessel. He tapped in the vessel name and was finally able to locate it, a few days away, heading away towards the Marquesas.

Good.

School test

He had nursed his school from the brink of extinction. Now he had a healthy school, with a dynamic and varied set of tuna species. Not content to be a simple schooler, he made sure to use what tools he could get his hands on to keep an eye on the physical and genetic health of his school.

Sure, it was important data that the weak fisheries organizations liked to fawn over. But, to him, it ensured that the school grew sustainably and healthily. It also ensured that his fish would fetch high prices in the legal markets.

Tsu called out on the hull mic that she and two others were approaching with the fish. He could hear the others letting off a stream of clicks and booms, warming up their melons for the stun. He went up on deck to get the bar hook.

The dolphins pushed the stunned fish towards the stern winch. He used the bar hook to bring it close and stabilize it and then hooked the fish to the winch to haul it in and get it on deck.

On deck, he drove a pick into its heart before swabbing, scraping, and slicing the fish with the sampling equipment nearby. He placed samples of flesh in tubes, collected blood, and examined the entrails, the contents of the stomach, the tone of the muscle. He looked for any sort of parasite, any sort of wound, anything that might indicate general illness.

Once the physical examination and sampling was over, he carved up the fish. Saving some pieces for himself.

He could hear the pod of dolphins impatiently waiting for a piece. Tsu told him how many pieces to cut, specifically calling for three to be larger and saved with her piece for when the three scouts returned from investigating the far off ships.

Tsu had been with humans so long, that she was usually embarrassed by the way the pod behaved on School Test day. While in most ways, as intelligent as humans, it still surprised him how his dolphins would do anything for a piece of tuna.

It took him a few trips to get all the samples down to the analytical machines. He also placed parts of his share in the drying oven on deck and in the freezer in the galley. The tuna carcass, he dropped into a large grinder on deck that usually directly fed into the vermiculture bins. Nothing was wasted.

His compact test equipment had some rudimentary diagnostics, and was set up so that he wouldn't have to spend too much time pre-processing samples for the diagnostics. And he'd worked with engineers to build a, mostly, automated system.

He told Tsu, through the hull speaker, that they were lifting the sails. While the samples were processing, he'd get the boat ready to head to the Marquesas.

Song girl

The sailing was good, with a stiff, if moderate, wind in the rough direction he was going. The auto-pilot was well integrated into the ship's systems, the weather, and known ship traffic patterns that it was more than capable of picking out a good track to follow. That freed him up to work with the pod to keep the school in order and moving with the boat.

When he started schooling, he thought the boat would be too fast for the tuna and dolphins. But he quickly learned how fast and strong both animals were and that he'd have to tweak his auto-pilot to stay ahead of them.

And rather than dictate how the dolphins should work, he let them decide how best to use their energy, all he did was set the pace and direction and Tsu and the pod found the best way to school the tuna and keep them from wandering off.

Some days, when there was little traffic and the ocean was friendly, he'd lay for hours at the bow, watching the dolphins rotate, swimming the wake, taking a rest from the hard swimming and schooling of the fish. It was also a way for him to see how healthy the pod was, a glimpse into the social order, especially when Tsu would pop up and bump a young one out of the wake and back to work.

He was on the bow when off to starboard he saw another sailing boat approach. He grabbed his binoculars and saw that it was a fixed wing catamaran, and, a second before the binoculars gave the read out, he knew it was Jessica.

From the view, it looked like she was making to intersect with him. She knew where he was going and then some. And when she could, she'd go out of her way see him.

He went below to check the chart and see her heading. She didn't have her transponder on, publicly. That wasn't a surprise, as most schoolers turned off their public signal. Nonetheless, she had long ago allowed him to follow her private signal, for obvious reasons, so he could see it was a matter of hours before she overtook him.

She had spent her whole life on the ocean. Born in a wicked storm in the Straights of Magellan, designing boats as soon as she could draw, able to navigate without instruments, and able to extract every knot of speed from any boat she stepped on – she knew no other life.

He met her a few years back, a young teen circumnavigating the globe to raise awareness and funds to protect fisheries and to support the few schoolers at the time, including him. But, as the first schooler, he was special to her, had inspired her to think of more than just the wind and speed.

He wasn't sure if that was a good thing. Schooling was dangerous – often illegal fishing vessels were armed and ready to kill a schooler. Fortunately, she was a herder of whales, a more moribund industry with fewer encounters than decades ago.

But, a more interesting development for him as she came of age: her admiration for him became quite physical, quite sexual.

A few hours later, he heard her approaching. She liked her music loud when she was alone and skimming over the waves. The boat's big wing gleamed bright and white in the afternoon sun. Her starboard pontoon was just out of the water, and she stood on it, holding onto a stay with one hand, hanging off the side, eyes closed, long black hair streaming behind her. More because he had seen them before, he could make out the subtle designs on the hull, painted in the same bright white of the hull.

She made a gesture and he saw the wing adjust position, and the pontoon floated slowly to the water. He watched her as she examined her boat and went below. By the time she came back up, her boat was parallel to his, matching its speed.

When she saw him, she smiled the smile that most endeared him to her – it was a true smile, no guile, full of adoration, pure and simple a smile of happiness. Like the ocean, she wore her emotions openly.

She waved to him and then deftly dove off the side, coming up holding the fin of one of her dolphins, whom he recognized as her pod leader, Jack Master, a young, fast, extremely bright male Spotted. They swam to the stern of his boat, effortlessly keeping up, and getting close enough so she could grab and swing up on the small stern deck.

Still smiling, she climbed up on the main deck. Her arms were up, hands in her hair, squeezing the water out. Her smile changed a bit – more cunning – as she watched him gawk at her in her one-piece, black maillot, stuck tight to her long and graceful body. She knew she was stunningly beautiful, and always used it well against him.

"Hello, Lukas."

He looked up into her eyes and smiled, but before he could say anything, she had wrapped her cool wet arms around him and kissed him deeply.

She pulled away and started snooping around the deck. Not one to beat around the bush, she asked, "So, you're going to make an appearance at the hearing?" The gaps between their visits might be long, but their conversations were unbroken.

He shrugged, but she wasn't looking. "I didn't want to."

"Well, I'm glad you'll be there."

"You're not going?" He didn't expect that.

"I'm afraid I'd punch that fisheries bitch and get locked up. And you know what being stuck between four walls does to me. It's not worth it. I'd rather be singing with my herd."

She went below and he followed her. "I wonder if they'll arrest me, though," he said.

"I'm sure they won't. We don't do anything illegal out here."

Lukas chuckled. "I've been doing this longer than anyone-"

"Duh, you were the first." For emphasis, she chucked a shirt of his that was lying around. He caught it and threw it in a corner of the cabin.

"I've been doing this longer than anyone, and have built up a list of, uh, transgressions, that most nations would use against me to lock me up – true or not."

Jessica shrugged. "Perhaps they'll lock you up someday. Just not this time.

"Do you have any fruit? I haven't had an orange in ages. I can't stand popping vit C pills." She opened his pantry and grabbed two limes, then pulled out a bottle of cachaça from a cabinet and started preparing a drink.

"So why are you down this way if you're not going to the hearing?"

That cunning smile again. "Do you want to know all the reasons?" The smell of lime and sugar filled the cabin as she crushed the chopped limes in two glasses.

No he didn't. He knew where it was going. But she was going to tell him anyway. So he sat at the table.

"The main reason is to make sure you do go. You know what you mean to me and everyone of my generation. But I also know what I represent to you. Don't let me down. That's all."

"You said there were many reasons."

She laughed and started humming a slow tune. "Ok, so the real main reason," _hm-hm_ , he smiled, "is it's been a while since we've been together," _hm-hm-hm_ , she walked over holding both glasses and put them on the table, tilted on its gimbal, _hm-hm_ , "and I wanted to make sure we had another chance," _hm-baby-hm_ , and straddled his lap, the smell of limes strong as she licked her fingers, then kissed him, "just in case they do arrest you."

He took her face in his hands and gave her little kisses on her nose, face, lime-flavored lips, "You're precious," cheeks, forehead, and then hugged her closely.

Story girl

Lukas woke in the middle of the night, Jessica's head on his chest. They were still sailing, and he could tell from the heeling, that the wind had let up a bt. And he could just hear her boat nearby, cutting through the water.

Jessica shifted and sighed, looked up into his eyes and smiled. The glow of the instruments and guide lights gave her a greenish tinge. She nuzzled into his chest and kissed him.

"Do you love me?" she asked, looking up again.

His heart skipped a beat. "I love you like the bestest friend, someone whose happiness is important to me, someone I'd die for."

She nodded. "I love you in the same way, but..." she took a shuddering sigh, "I love you as: my whole universe, as: I-can't-stand-to-be-apart, as: I want to make and bring up amazing children with you, as: indispensible as the air I breathe."

They were quiet.

He felt a tear fall onto his chest. "Sing for me," he asked softly. "Please."

Almost inaudibly, she began humming. She took long inhales and hummed as she slowly released her breath, only to pause to inhale, before starting the next phrase. Her vibrations buzzed through his chest, almost like they were seeking out his heart.

Lukas caressed her hair, pushing it back from her face and behind her ear. It was soft and straight and warm. "You need someone your own age to get old with. I'm old and, with me, you would miss growing up, and chances to make the mistakes that young folks do."

She continued to hum, and now it was smoother and almost unbroken.

"Sweet Jessica, it's those mistakes that enrich us as we age, and it's best to make those mistakes with someone learning along the way with you."

She stopped humming. "Will you not be able to love ever again?"

He said nothing.

She sighed. "Two years ago, one of my cows lost a calf. You know how I like to listen to the herd sing? I almost turned off the speaker. The cow sang with such sorrow and loss, I cried with her for days.

"And whales have such a different sense of time, so much slower than us, so she sang for so long and with such deep bass and long phrases and I couldn't bear it and," she took a shuddering breath. "Oh, Lukas, tell me, once more, how wonderful you wife and children were."

"You remind me so much of my daughter. She would have been just like you. She had such deep emotion, was so bright, loved all living creatures, and had a keen sense of the essence of our gift of being humans."

"And your son, he was like you," she said, looking up and smiling. "Tempestuous, hard headed, but a kind and gentle soul who believed in truth and honesty and the power of love."

Lukas nodded, "And their mother was the rock of the family, hard-working, the pelican mother who would sacrifice everything so that her children would have a bright and happy future."

"And she knew that love was infinite," Jessica added. "Would she want to think that she was selfishly holding on to all of your love?"

She put her head back down. "The cow cried and sang for months. The low notes she sang, could be heard from far away. I know this because a North Atlantic bull showed up one day. For many weeks, before he showed up, I thought I heard a new song, meshing with the cow's. It was this bull's.

"And, Jack Master, ever the socially aware pod leader, since he'd normally chase a bull away that wasn't mine, made sure my other bulls and bull calves would leave the new bull alone.

"The bull kept singing with the cow and over many weeks, the song began to change. I don't know this bull's story but he connected somehow with my cow, shared in her grief, and helped her move on." She sat up and looked at him. In the partial light, she was even more beautiful. "Jack Master tells me she's expecting twins."

She smiled, and leaned forward to kiss him, and then hugged him tightly. "Sweet Lukas. You're the one who needs someone old to get older with, someone who will teach you once more of infinite love. Someone to make the mistakes old people make that help them continue living life in love."

Mustard seed

We were on land. I could not remember if I'd ever been on land with Jessica. Concerned, I looked at her to make sure she wasn't swallowed up by the ground. She didn't seem afraid. Indeed, she was marveling at the rows and rows of grape vines, rippling in the warm, dry, breeze.

"Please hold on to me," she whispered as she took my arm. She was in her cutoff short shorts and a bikini top. As usual, she had no shoes, and her feet were red with dry dust.

I was also wearing cutoff shorts, and a white t-shirt. Why I was wearing white on this particular day, I do not know. And the earth between my toes felt soft and warm. I could not remember the last time I'd ever been on land.

Jessica called me from down the row, he dark hair floating and her beauty glowing bright, hungry. I could feel it from where I stood.

She said, "No, silly, they aren't here." I knew my wife and children weren't there. They were back at the marina selling tuna. Jessica hugged me tight, and intense warmth enveloped me.

"A man lost his family," she said as we strolled, hand in hand, up and down the vineyard rows. "And two angels were waiting for him as he returned from the funeral, flanking the road, but not blocking it.

"The first angel, fair in face and body said, 'You are forsaken, and shall never love again. What love you could give was buried today with your loss.'

"The other angel, who was evil to look at said, 'Love is infinite and springs from a well deep within you. The love you lost today is a source of more love tomorrow.'

"The man spat at the evil-looking angel and said, 'You lie!'

"To which the angel said, "You see what you want to see. You hear what you want to hear. I have no counsel for you, if you do not wish to listen.'

"The fair angel smiled, 'Tell him, brother, why we are here. Tell him of our wager.'

"'Dear Sir,' the evil-looking angel said to the man, 'it is not "our" wager, but his.' And he pointed to his brother. 'I know and am always right. But he only can hope one day I am wrong.'

"The fair angel frowned and crossed the road to his brother and said to him, 'This man is no "Dear sir," as he has no love left in him, he is without hope, and empty. He lost what love he had and has no meaning left in his life. And you know I can prove it.'

"The evil-looking angel turned to the man and said, 'The wager, dear Sir, is that there is a home where there is no love. Being angels, we can't visit homes and ask if there is love or not. Our presence alone would cause trouble. But, my brother thinks that since you no longer have love, that you will be the one to find this home without love.'

"'Most assuredly,' said the fair brother, 'and I want you to bring me a mustard seed from that house, to prove to my brother that love has limits.'

I went looking for that mustard seed, because I, too, knew that love had limits. In fairness to the evil-looking angel, who clearly was trying to torment me, I did not go to my empty home where I knew love was gone.

Jessica kissed my forehead and led me to the first home.

I knocked.

An old man opened the door.

"Have you ever lost a loved one?" I asked.

"I lost my wife many years ago. We had no children, so now I am alone."

"So there is no more love in this house?"

"On the contrary," the old man smiled, "this house is full of the love my wife and I shared, and the love we shared with our friends. Yes, I miss her dearly, but my love for her continues, and I am happy that I am still able to love her."

Jessica pushed me to the next house.

I knocked.

A little child opened the door, and someone called from somewhere inside, "Who is it honey?" and a woman came to the door.

"Have you ever lost a loved one?" I asked.

"Yes, my parents are long gone."

"So there is no more love in this house?"

The woman smiled, "There is always plenty of love in this house. I have three children and a wonderful husband. But I was afraid at first to have children. I so fiercely loved my husband that I didn't want to share what love I had for him with anyone else. When I became pregnant, I was worried that I'd have to split my love between my child and my husband. I knew it could not be done. I knew that I would end up loving both of them less than they deserved.

"When my child was born, I discovered the miracle of love: it grew, it was infinite! Now I fiercely love my husband and all my children and I have no shortage of love to give."

And so it was at every house. Yes, folks had lost loved ones, but also discovered that love cannot die, in fact, it always could grow.

At the last house, I answered the door.

"Yes, you know I have lost. I am devastated and cannot love again."

Then I said, "Then can you give me a mustard seed to take back to the angels and prove that love can die."

My other self looked at me, as if I had said something odd. "I did not say there will never be love in this house. Just that I refuse to love again."

I went back to the angels. The fairer angel was not happy. "Dear brother, this man has lied. He has killed love, yet won't give me his mustard seed."

The evil angel smiled, and began to become fairer, by the same degree that the other fairer angel became more evil-looking. "Dear Sir, as you can see, it is my brother who is lying, as his sonar is as good as mine and can see that you only 'refuse' to love, but that the song is in there and may one day be sung."

Jessica floated, large and naked, glowing brightly, undulating and twisting like a dolphin. She swam up to me and kissed me and then swam off into the clouds.

Marquis of Tuna

The next morning, Lukas stood inside the entrance to his cabin, watching Jessica on deck getting back into her maillot. He could see Jack Master swimming behind the boat, waiting to take Jessica back to her boat.

"I value the love you so freely share with me," she said, thoughtfully, sitting down at the edge of the deck. "That alone should tell you that the song is in there.

"And I hope that you continue to freely share it with me." She climbed down the stern ladder and stood facing him, just her head poking over the deck. "I hope you understand that I will continue to fiercely love you, even when I find my young-one to grow old with."

Lukas scrambled up on deck and laid down, leaning over the stern, to pull her closer for a kiss.

Then, with a smile, she opened up her arms and fell back into the wake of his boat. When she and Jack Master surfaced, her boat was already tacking away from his. Soon she was back on board her boat, gave him a big, body shaking, wave, and disappeared below deck. He watched for a long time as she sailed away.

\--x--

A few days later, he sighted Nuku Hiva, the largest of the islands in the Marquesas of French Polynesia. The ambivalence of coming to this hearing was giving Lukas the butterflies.

For one, he had to leave his school behind with Ram, Tsu's second in command. Ram was smart and fast when it came to schooling, but she just didn't have the social skills yet to keep the pod working together. Furthermore, he hoped the fishers wouldn't start looking at satellite images for his school, once they realize he's not with his school.

For two, he's been at sea for months. Dressing up, meaning putting on a nice button shirt, neat khaki shorts, and, worst of all, nice leather sandals, was always awkward for him. Even when he lived on land.

But, for three, and most important, he wasn't sure he'd control himself any better than Jessica when he'd meet the international general manager of fisheries.

It was late in the day and the sun was almost at the horizon when he came into the bay. And it took a while to find a free buoy to hitch up to, there so many boats. He recognized some of the boats already there, and saw also a few cutters from the fisheries inspectors sidled up at the marina.

Luke grumbled to himself, "If we're all here, who's minding the fish?"

As he prepared his dinghy to go into the marina, his phone rang. He didn't recognize the number, so almost didn't answer. "Hello. Lukas."

The background noise was loud and it was hard to hear the person speaking, "Lukas, it's me, Radica! I just saw that you arrived. How are you?"

Lukas felt warm all over. Radica was so wonderful and he thoroughly enjoyed being with her. She was the first to join him in the early days. She now worked closely with the network of schoolers and herders all over the world. Whereas he was the thinker and visionary, she was the doer.

"I just tied up and was wondering what folks were doing for dinner," he said, trying to guess where she was at. Only then did he notice one of the boats was low in the water, and there were a ton of folks on deck, and there was music (a bit out of sync to the music on the phone), and Radica was looking at him, giving him a meek wave with her fingertips.

"Hi! Bring over what you want. Hint: booze. The town's given us a ton of food for tonight." She waved an apple at him. "Apples! I haven't had an apple in months! What is it with these sailors who never have apples for me? I only get them when at port," she said, almost in one breath. "I think we could do a side business in apples. Do you have any of that great calvados you always have? And chocolate? French chocolate? If I make dinner for you tomorrow will you open up a bottle?"

He smiled and hung up on her. He could tell she was talking for a bit longer before she realized he wasn't listening. She looked at her phone and yelled at him, something like "What the truck?" but he couldn't be sure.

Lukas went below, put on a nice shirt, and grabbed a bottle of wine. When he finally stepped into the dinghy, Tsu was ready with the tow rope in her snout. There were a few other dolphins of all types, spyhopping and chattering. He recognized a few, including Radica's Nami, who was as old, tough, and scarred as his own pod leader.

Tsu pulled him to the party boat and made it clear that she had business to attend to and that he'd have to get himself back to the boat. Radica stood on deck, watching them approach, smiling the whole time. She patiently waited for him to climb aboard and then attacked him with a bear hug "I missed you!" and two loudly smacking kisses on the cheeks.

The folks nearby all looked at them. And when they saw it was Lukas, started coming to greet him. Radica was clearly not happy that he was greeting people and not talking to her. All the while she was slowly getting pushed aside by each new greeter. Finally, she rolled her eyes at Lukas, and disappeared for bit, returning with two colorful drinks.

Radica muscled her way in, "Folks. Folks! He'll be here tomorrow as well, no need to hog his attention. He's mine tonight, but I'll make sure he circulates." She handed him his drink. "Oh, shit. Folks, I didn't mean it that way. He's not that kind of schooler – old schooler, as a matter of fact." The people around her chuckled.

Radica took him by the hand and dragged him through the crowd (folks kept reaching out to greet him) and below deck. It was a large cabin, and all the furniture had been cleared away, but it was very crowded and the air was humid and hot.

Sitting on one of the counters was a small, thin, dark, Indian, crowned with a large mass of curly dark hair. Lukas knew he should know who this man was, but could not recall. He was pretty sure Radica would remind him. She parted the small circle around him and pushed Lukas forward.

"Lukas, I don't think you've met Fig yet?" she said, peeking around his shoulder. "This is his boat. He's one of my newer schoolers, spends most his time in the Antarctic." She beamed as they shook hand. "Can you image, a southern Indian who loves the ice?"

Fig shook his hand. "Welcome, Lukas. Radica has told me so much about you."

Lukas shook hands with Fig and offered the wine bottle.

"Thanks," Fig said, taking it and putting it beside him on the counter. "We're all glad you came. I think you give some strength to what we are doing here."

"Thanks for the kind words," Lukas said, giving a polite smile, "I'll try and help as I can. If our favorite fräulein has her way, we'll be the ones bearing the brunt of it."

"Indeed," Radica said, trying to squeeze herself beside Lukas. Somehow she managed to get his arm around her waist, locking his hand with hers on her opposite hip. "And it's great that so many of us are here. Lukas, we're not just a passing fad – schoolers are for real."

Fig smiled, "And they party for real. Tonight there will be no politicking."

Radica pouted.

"Lukas," Fig continued, "I'd like you to join us here tomorrow morning at around oh-nine-hundred. Radica, me, and a few others who organized our presence here are going to go over our action plan to make sure we're all on the same page."

"Thanks, I will."

"Now why don't you two love-birds –" Fig began, but then saw Radica frown, "uh, why don't you two mingle. I know there are a few folks who wanted to catch up with you two."

But Radica was already whisking him away by the hand.

"What did he mean by 'love-birds'? What did you say about me?"

"I think he was trying to tease."

"I see."

They didn't get far and were pulled into a discussion of dolphins and boats and the World Cup. Radica never let go of his hand.

As the night wore on, Radica became quieter, almost sleepy. "Hey," Lukas said to her quietly and close to her ear, "I think it's time we head back to our boats."

She slowly nodded and followed him to the dinghies. As he pulled hers towards them, she got into his and sat down, hunched over. He hopped in, holding onto her dinghy and began motoring away.

When she noticed he was taking her to her boat, she looked up, "Can I sleep over? Like the old days?"

He smiled and nodded and turned towards his boat.

They had known each other for a very long time and were very close friends. Often, when they were in the same port or met out at sea, one would sleep over with the other, so that they could talk all night and continue the conversation as soon as they woke up. Sometimes they'd sleep in separate bunks, sometimes in the same bunk. Nothing to it.

They were quiet the whole way and as they got onto his boat. Once below, she went to the main cabin head, to wash up and pee. He did the same in his own cabin head.

When he came out, she was face down on his bed, just in her panties. He paused a bit, since she always slept in a t-shirt, too. Nonetheless, he, too, stripped to his undies and lay down.

Then she surprised him. As he lay back, she scooted over to him, turning his face to kiss him in the mouth, then nuzzling his shoulder and putting an arm and leg over him.

That was not the usual.

But it seemed right. He wasn't sure why, though he was sure why.

It took him a long time to fall asleep.

BFF+

When he woke up in the middle of the night to pee, they were back to back. To be quiet, he went to the main cabin head, and when he came back, he noticed she was in the other head. He lay back down, with his back to her spot on the bed. When she returned, she once again snuggled up to him and put an arm over him and pulled him close.

When the alarm went off in the morning, he was alone in bed. Noises in the cabin indicated that she had not slinked off to her boat.

Radica was making breakfast. She was wearing one of his t-shirts, too.

"You have apples? Where did you get them?" She was chopping them up into two bowls of muesli and yogurt.

So, he noticed, no comment on the snuggling.

"When I cross the shipping lanes, I usually can barter for them. They know to have some for me if we set up a meeting before they leave port."

"Clever," she said, and handed him a bowl, sitting down at the table with him. Before eating she looked down and said, "My head's a bit heavy this morning. I think I had too much last night." He chuckled and nodded, and she went on. "Thanks for bringing me here. It's always nice to wake up with you."

"Same here." He was now looking closely at her as she looked at her bowl. He was following all the curls in her short auburn hair.

"Uh, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable by sleeping without a shirt."

"Not to mention put a leg over me and also spooned me."

She looked up, shocked, blushing down to below the collar of the t-shirt. "Oh, God, no. How drunk was I? Did I try to, you know, do more?"

"No. You just fell asleep." He gave a knowing smile, "You might have been drunk. But it wasn't all from the booze. I think there's more to this story. Though we can get to that later," and began eating his muesli.

She managed to recover, and, like the old days, chatted with him about little things: his school, their pod leaders, sailing.

"What ever happened to Jessica? That young girl who had a crush on you?" He thought she emphasized the "young" part. "Y'know, the one who designs boats?"

Though he didn't blush, he still felt the heat in his face and ears. "She's fine. Met up with her a few days back. She came all the way to wish me well at the hearing."

Radica chuckled, "Heh heh, I know. She told me she'd be visiting you if you'd come to the hearing. Why didn't she come, too?"

"She was afraid she'd punch our fräulein in the fat face."

Radica smiled. "So she came all the way down just to see you off?" Was Radica smirking? "I suppose, for her, it's nothing. I think she's got one of the fastest boats around."

"Indeed."

They finished up and got ready to go over to Fig's boat. Radica kept Lukas' shirt on.

Off the stern, where the dinghies were tied up, Tsu was cavorting with Nami, Radica's pod leader. Lukas thought he saw Radica blush. Or was he reading too much into it? Probably not.

They each took their dinghies, the dolphins pulling. When they got to Fig's, there were three other schoolers there – Yang, a chubby Asian blind 20-something; Priya, a short Indian teen with long hair in a braid and wrapped around her head, she sat right next to Fig, with her hand on his thigh; and Pepe, also 20-something, with smooth chocolate skin.

Lukas noticed that he and Radica were almost twice the age of these kids. This was the new generation of schooler leaders. Message received.

Introductions done (Pepe enthusiastically shook Radica's and Lukas' hands – meeting #1 and #2 schooler, the Legendary Exploits of Lukas and Radica playing out in his head, no doubt) Fig took the lead.

"So today is not the first day of the hearing. It'll be the only day." Lukas and Radica were quiet and still, but it seemed news to the other three. Fig looked at each of them with a grim frown. "I really don't think we'll win out. Heck, I think this hearing will be over today, the decisions already done in backrooms that we have no part of."

Pepe opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when Fig raised his hand. "We're not here to change anything. Today. We're here so that the public knows 1) we exist; 2) we're not fanatic principled greenpeacers; 3) there are lots of us."

"Radica tells me you convened everyone here," Lukas said.

"Absolutely. And many came. I've been creating the first database of all of us, schoolers and herders and others who are similar. There are hundreds of us actively managing what ocean life is not extinct. I've even found out that our – your," he looked at Lukas, "model is starting to get traction on land as well. Think of it, we are the true stewards of our natural resources.

"Lukas, Radica has told me of your philosophy, and why you started to school. I'm sure these three have heard bits and pieces, but can you just tell us again?"

"Sure," Lukas shifted in his chair. He knew this was the passing on of wisdom to the next generation. "Humanity screwed up. We spent millennia hunting, fishing, domesticating whatever we could. And it made sense: we wanted to ensure a source of food, energy. But in the last 100 years, our science and technology made us way too efficient. We were overfishing, wiping out species, threatening our own food sources with abandon.

"In a noble attempt to stave off the eventual elimination of our food sources, governments set up regulatory agencies, such as the international fisheries management agencies and their resulting agreements.

"But, hey, if we couldn't keep a few Japanese from killing Minkes, what made us think that any international organization had any say on the high seas?

"When the tuna schools were on the verge of extinction, I just couldn't take it anymore. I got my boat and decided to turn wild tuna into my sheep.

"I know all of you come into this with noble ideals, as well. But I'm a schooler, a shepherd. I keep the flock happy. I keep the flock fit. And I go into town and sell my sheep.

"And that's the key difference between us and how greens tried to protect food sources in the past. We're not saying tuna is not to be fished. At least for me. On the contrary, I want to ensure a steady supply of the best tuna in the world, just like a New Zealand shepherd wants the world to have the finest New Zealand lamb.

"And that attitude ticks off the fisheries, since we kill when we want to; ticks off the greens, as they want to end the exploitation of a food source; and ticks off the politicians, because most of us take and protect food sources on the high seas and they can't do a pip about it."

He then noticed that everyone was beaming.

"I sometimes wonder if we have weakened the fisheries agencies," Yang said, "but they were not a good model, we need them to embrace our stewardship."

Fig added, "And that's one of my agenda items today. This hearing is just lip-service, the fall of the last effective international fisheries organization. And it means more trouble for us. But at the same time, we need to show that our model is viable, cheaper, and, in the long run, best for all the schools we manage."

"So what's it gonna take?" Pepe asked.

"That German lady," Priya began.

"Helena Blumethal," Yang added. "She's probably the most powerful fisheries person ever in international fisheries politics. She's been in the pay of powerful businesses and single-handedly has been able to bring all the international and national fisheries organizations in line."

"And to their knees," Fig added.

The young ones all shook their heads.

"What if we gave her a taste of what we do?" Priya proposed. Everyone whipped around to glare at her. "What the heck? I mean it. She probably doesn't really know what we do, has her own model of where we fit in, and how to destroy us."

Radica nodded, "But do you think she'd take the offer?"

They all looked over at Lukas.

"Fine. I've known Helena for many years. Surprised she hasn't had me shot, yet. I can try to persuade her. But she really can't go in my boat. It would be too awkward. She should sail with another woman."

They all looked over at Radica.

She shook her head, "Oh, no. That's crazy. Put that bitch on my boat?"

"She's not a bitch," Fig said. "She's just a driven biz person setting up a whole industry for failure."

Radica stood up, "How's that not a bitch? Why can't she go with Lukas or Priya?"

Priya laughed, "Fine, if you want me to. But she's more your age and might connect better."

Everyone was quiet, looking at Radica, who finally sat down, defeated, mumbling something no one could make out.

"And I think you'll be able to give her a more conservative view of what schoolers are," Fig said. "We wouldn't want to complicate things by exposing her to the different culture of our," he indicated he and the three young ones, "generation."

"Indeed," Lukas added and Radica whipped her head to glare at him, mouthing "BFF, what the f-? How can you do this to me?" Lukas just smiled back.

Fräulein

The hearing hall was already jam-packed when Lukas, Radica, and Fig and gang arrived. When folks saw Lukas, they started getting up until everyone was standing. Then the schoolers in the crowd started clapping, causing other to join in. And the crowd didn't stop until Lukas waved and acknowledged them.

As he sat down in the front row, he saw that Helena was already on stage. She was clearly upset: her nostrils were flaring. And it had been a long time since he'd last seen her and he'd forgotten about her legendary nostrils. Indeed, her nostrils flared so large, he couldn't stop staring at them.

Until Helena looked at him and nodded.

He nodded back.

Fig went up and sat with a few people on the stage, as he was one of the petitioners in the hearing. The agency members sat at a long table, their names hand-scrawled on cardboard, Helena's the largest. Lukas didn't recognize any of them.

"Who's the fat sweaty guy?" he whispered to Radica.

"I have no idea," she whispered back. "I don't recognize any of them. She's done a good job cleaning up the organization. I have no doubt they are just a rubber-stamp for her."

Helena beat her gavel and the crowd fell silent. "The FAO Worldwide Fisheries Agency has called this hearing for public commentary on the potential dissolution of Treaty 203.1 that sets quotas for 42 species of fish and marine mammals in seas and oceans worldwide.

"This board will hear petitioners and reserve the right to terminate the petition, should the petition deviate from the rules published with the announcement of this hearing. Each petitioner will have 15 minutes to speak and 10 minutes of questions from the board. The public is not allowed to speak out, ask questions, or show any outward signs of support or displeasure with whatever the committee or petitioner has to say. There will be a 1-hour open session where the public can ask questions or petition the board."

Lukas was already zoning out. He'd seen Helena in action and knew that she wouldn't ask many clarification questions, she'd dismiss most of the pubic commentary, and the board would passively nod at everything she said.

And that's how the day went. About a dozen people came up to petition the board. Only one was supportive to the decision and was booed by the crowd, prompting Helena to viciously pound her gavel for silence.

Fig was the last to speak.

"Board. Chair," he nodded towards the board members and Helena. "We've come to a point where the global and local fisheries agencies have returned to the pockets of vested interests. But these vested interests are oblivious to the ruinous path they are taking.

"I'm not here to ask for the treaty to be protected. That decision has already been made and this hearing is just an exercise in PR." He gestured towards the cameras and reporters.

"The age of fisheries agencies protecting our natural patrimony is over. A new model of fisheries stewardship is in full swing, started by our esteemed first schooler, Lukas." The crowd jumped up and cheered loudly. Helena pounded her gavel to silence the crowd.

Fig raised his hand and the crowd immediately fell silent and sat down.

"We are not the same as the environmentalists of old. We don't want to protect the fisheries for the sake of protecting the fish. We protect the fisheries for the sake of humanity, for the hungry, for the businesses, for everyone who needs to eat food that is safe, plentiful, and maintained sustainably."

Again, the crowd jumped up and cheered loudly. Again, Helena pounded her gavel to silence the crowd. Again, Fig raised his hand and the crowd immediately fell silent and sat down.

"Are we to be like countless generations before us who took naturally available resources and consumed them like locust until there was no more?" The crowd muttered, "No!"

"Are we to be like countless generations before us who industrialized the domesticated animals of our ancestors and, in turn, destroyed our wild food sources?" The crowd shouted, "No!"

"Are we to be like countless generations before us who let short-term business profits decide the long-term fate of our fisheries?" The crowd jumped up and boisterously yelled out, "No!"

Above the din of Helena banging her gavel "Silence!" and the crowd clamoring "Save the fisheries!" "Balance profits and sustainability!" Fig kept on.

"As you see, there are alternatives. Our science and technology form a good foundation for us to, perhaps not domesticate, but to manage our wild resources, as true stewards would." Some woman clearly shouted, "You hear him, sister!" "And, more importantly, the lovely people you see here," "Woo-hoo!" from the crowd. "are a small part of a large number of volunteers and entrepreneurs who are combining their love of their charges, be they tuna," The crowd cheered. "whales," Another cheer. "or soon to be gone cod," The crowd roared and Fig waited a bit, watching Helena give up the gavel and frown. He then made a motion for folks to quiet down.

"combining the love of their charges, with their passion to serve, and the modern tools at their disposal to take humanity's stewardship of natural resources to a new level, a level that is sustainable, smart, and, most importantly for the powers that be," and he stared straight at Helena, "profitable.

"Truth is, we can't do what we do without revenue. And we can't defend what we do, without commercial fisherman also having a livelihood.

"We know that this hearing is for those cameras and reporters over there. And we're preparing for the consequences the loss of this treaty will have on our safety.

"So today, we're just asking the governing bodies to understand that there's another way to do this, a way where we all win. All of us need to sit at a table to decide how to take this forward.

"Can you consider that?"

There were no hoots or shouts, but a long clapping from the crowd as Fig, drowned out by the clapping, thanked the board and sat back down.

The board's reaction was varied. Helena still frowned, but she wasn't really glaring at anyone, just scanning the crowd. Three board members leaned into each other, exchanging some comments, one of them clearly upset. The other board members were scribbling something into their tablets.

Helena tapped her gavel and the crowd fell silent. "That concludes the public portion of our hearing. I want to thank all the petitioners for your insight and candid comments. The board will take your comments into consideration before coming to a decision." With her last comment, there were a few derisive snorts, chortles, and mumblings from the crowd.

"We have organized a networking session where you can meet the board members," she said, pointing to the back of the hall where coffee, tea, and small cookies were laid out. "Et nous voudrions remercier les habitants de cette belle île pour leur gentillesse d'aujourd'hui. Merci, beaucoup, pour tout." And the crowd politely clapped in approval.

Strange catch

There was a lot of noise as the crowd began getting up and talking, some helping fold up the last few rows of chairs to make room in front of the table. Fig came down and they congratulated and thanked him. Lukas and Radica stayed close together as they worked their way through the crowd. But he lost her as she disappeared to find a restroom.

Later on, he saw her, standing apart from the crowd. He watched her for a while, watching her as she looked for him. Then he walked over. His last conversation with Jessica prepared him to think differently of Radica's behavior the night before. Could he just give things a chance? Jessica was right – how long could he mourn?

As he came behind Radica, he slipped his hand into hers. She clutched his hand in response and looked up, smiling. "Come," she said, pulling him with her.

Lukas seemed to be able to part the crowd as he walked toward Helena and a few of the board members. When Helena saw him approaching, she politely paused her conversation and indicated his approach to the board members.

"Hello, Lukas," she said, extending her hand to shake. "Radica." Shake. "Have you two met my fellow board members?" She introduced them to the board members. Lukas realized one of them was a high-level executive from a large food processor in Russia. To the board members, Helena said, "Lukas and Radica were the first two 'schoolers.' Schoolers are what they call the volunteers who defend the fisheries from commercial fishing. Sort of like mini-Rainbow Warriors."

Lukas didn't correct her, and was shocked that Radica did not either.

"Lukas," she continued, "I must say that I did not expect you here today."

"I am sorry I did not RSVP. Really didn't want to meet any of your police," he smiled.

Helena chuckled politely, "Perhaps. Let me say, there are others who would have disrupted this hearing if they knew you were here."

"Wow," Radica said with a mock frown, "every time we see you, you are even less the girl we knew."

Helena blushed all the way up to the roots of her bright hair. The board members shifted uneasily on their feet and then excused themselves with patently false excuses. Helena, Lukas, and Radica were on their own.

"My God, Radica," Helena finally managed to say, "your rudeness improves with age. Like good wine gone bad." Radica's hand squeezed hard, almost cracking Lukas' fingers.

Well, that's a fine start, Lukas thought. "Cut it out, you two. What's going on here is more important that anything any of us have done these past many years."

"Genau," Helena barked, her large nostrils flaring, threatening to suck up Lukas and Radica. "You two continue to brainwash impressionable young minds into thinking they can make a difference. Yet you know who holds the power over the commercial fisheries."

Radica let go of Lukas's hand and rolled her eyes. "Do you still think that? C'mon, grow up." The two of them squared off for the usual row.

Lukas intervened, placing a hand on each of them, he could feel both tensing up for the fight. "Helena, I can't reason you out of your passion. But I can show you what we do." Both of the women grunted, each for their own reason. "It's been a long time since you've sailed with us. You were just a teen, your perspective was different. And we've become so much better at what we do."

Helena whipped her head at him, "You sure have! We get complaints that –"

Lukas held up his hand, "Let's not get into a tit for tat.

"Did you listen to what Fig was saying, or were you just seething?" he asked. He could tell by the way she looked away that she really didn't listen to Fig. "Do you realize that the treaty you guys just killed will put us all in danger as it becomes open season on schoolers?"

Helena didn't look at him, her lips pursed, then said. "You are interfering with legitimate and legal business interests."

"But it's not sustainable," Radica blurted out.

"Helena, listen," Lukas quickly said before Helena could respond. "I can't tell you what happens out there. And clearly you have had no interest to listen to the truth." She glared at him, but she knew he was right. "Come back to sea with me."

Helena looked at him, puzzled, surprised.

"Come back to sea with me – a month, a week, a few days. Watch what I do. Watch what I do, now. If you still think we are a risk to commerce, then I'll scuttle my boat on international news."

Radica yelped, "Lukas!"

"But –", he paused, then, "no. I'm not going to say any more. I need to show you, rather than tell you.

"And, by the way, it was Fig's idea to ask you to join us, not mine."

Helena looked back and forth between both of them. "That's the stupidest idea. Sailing with you was miserable: cramped quarters, mildew everywhere, no apples for months, briny water that just didn't clean or kill the thirst, vast expanses of nothing, pods of smelly dolphins, chasing stupid fish, and the guns, guns pointed at you whenever you're near any other human being!"

Radica stepped back. "Wow. Is that how you remember your time with us?" She looked at Lukas, "You were one of the most enthusiastic teenagers that we've ever had. You could have been a leader, like Fig. Lukas and I always hoped you would lead, which you did, though not in a way we expected."

The three were silent for a while, oblivious to the thinning crowd around them. Almost in concert, Fig came up to them, as did someone who seemed to be Helena's assistant. The assistant whispered something into her ear. Helena looked at Fig as she leaned to listen.

Fig watched, "So did you guys spring the question?"

Radica lightly punched Lukas' arm. "He sure did. And promised to scuttle his boat if she didn't see the light."

"Sounds fair," Fig said, nodding at the two of them.

Radica rolled her eyes.

"I need to attend to some final board business." Helena seemed much more subdued. "Don't leave. I need to think about it." And she smirked at Lukas, "No, I won't call the police."

As she left, Radica pivoted in front of Lukas, practically pushing him back with her chest, looking right up at him, frowning. "What were you thinking? Scuttling your boat? Did you say that for dramatic effect or do you really mean it?"

He pointed to Fig, "He said it sounded fair."

"Don't you two have some history with her?" Fig asked. "Aside from her long tenure in fisheries management."

Radica sighed. "She sailed with us when she was a teen. It was long ago. Back then, it was still very much a protest business then rather that what we've evolved into today. She loved it." And almost to herself, "she loved it so much."

"Fig, you have to realize how happy we were when she landed a job in fishery management after college," Lukas added. "She'd be our mole, our plant."

Radica looked in the direction Helena had gone. "I don't know where things went sour. Last we saw her, as we knew her, was at her graduation, we even held her graduation party on our boat," she made a tying gesture, mumbling "boats, I mean, tied together. Uh, we've never had a boat together."

"We were surprised to lose touch with her so fast," Lukas continued. "And next we see her, she's on a meteoric rise through national and international agencies. She became what you see today: a young powerful woman with strong ties to lobbyists, top commercial executives, and with complete control over international fishery management."

They were silent for a moment. "Oh," Fig said, clearly embarrassed. "I didn't know it was that kind of history. What do you think she'll do?'

"I do think we got her ear, despite Radica's 'sweet' talking." It was his turn to bop her in the arm. She smiled back.

Helena didn't come back for a long time. Radica and Lukas were outside, sitting in the grass in front of the hall, leaning back, legs extended, faces up to the sun – and fingers entwined. Radica quickly withdrew her hand as she heard Helena approach, and stood up with Lukas.

"I hate you," Helena said, glaring at Lukas. "Here's the deal. I go with Radica. It would be awkward to be on the boat with a man, for you and for me. Gets folks talking, speculating.

"Also, no word to the press about this. Let them find out – they will – and make what they make of it. That kind of "talking" I can handle.

"How long will you have me?" She glared at Radica.

Radica opened her mouth and then closed it again. "How long do you think you need? To really see what I do, you'd need at least a month. At this time of year, I usually don't have much contact with commercial fishermen."

"A month!?" Helena paced. "All at sea? I haven't been out that long since I was just out of college!"

Radica smiled (Lukas was wondering if she was relishing this.), "So let's do it this way: you stay as long as you like. If you are done in a week, I'll drop you off at the nearest port or onto the nearest vessel, which is more likely."

Helena was no longer glaring, but still had a slight frown. "Do you want me to leave with you from here? Will I have to remunerate you? Do you want me to meet up with you somewhere?"

"Really, all you need is the right clothing, and your old working attitude would help as well."

"Krap, I don't have the right clothing."

"But, you remember that we won't need much. A pair of sturdy shorts, and," she indicated Helena's breasts, "a good set of yaboho holders." Lukas and Helena actually looked down at her breasts. "I usually don't need one, but I think you will. And have a nice pair of shorts, sandals, and shirt for when we meet other vessels or come to port.

"Don't worry about slickers or boots. I have plenty. And I have a spare knife for you to wear." She paused. "I wonder what happened to your kit you left with us."

Lukas sheepishly said, "I chucked it overboard." Helena looked at him and he sighed. "If ever you loosen up, Radica and I would love to catch up. But for now, you are a guest, and this is strictly business." Then he mock whispered to her, but still audible and shielding his mouth from Radica, pointing. "I don't think you two will have much to chit chat about. So keep your head."

Radica punched Lukas in the arm.

Helena looked at Lukas and then at Radica, she wasn't frowning anymore, but was still quite serious. "This is nuts. Fine. I can be ready to leave tomorrow. Does that work?"

For some reason, Radica blushed deeply.

Crossing a line

When Helena had left and was far away, Radica took a deep breath and let it out, shaking. "What the heck are we doing? Softening her? She's a Valkyrie swooping in to take our souls away. She no longer has a heart, only a duty to her overlords."

"Cool. You are so open-minded."

"She gets to leave when she's fed up, but not me." She then slumped her shoulders forward and looked down.

Lukas hugged her, then pulled back and tilted her head up by the chin. "How about you sleep over again tonight?"

The super blush again.

Lukas smiled, "I'm sure we have lots to talk about."

And they did. They went back to his boat and went for a quick swim. Then they washed up and he was thoroughly aroused watching her cook in just his t-shirt and a towel around her head. Even though they chatted the whole time about all sorts of things – fish, boats, equatorial weather, the North Atlantic, Helena, Fig – he never brought up the change in their relationship. Nor did she. She acted as if this next stage was natural, taken for granted, and he just went along.

He managed to behave up until she was putting the dinner on the table. Not being able to hold back anymore, he got up and wrapped his arms around her. She looked up, expectant, barely breathing, her green eyes twinkling, a strand of her auburn hair curling away from the towel on her head, the even freckles dappling across her cheekbones and bridge of her nose.

After the long kiss, his heart was racing. She had stepped back and removed the towel that had become slightly undone, and fiddled with it as she spoke. "Are we OK? I don't want to lead you on." She looked up, worried. "Last night, I was so nervous to see you, nothing like all the other times before. Something in me –"

He pulled her close again for another kiss, and the food was forgotten.

\--x--

In the middle of the night, he woke, and noticed that they had left the food out and the lights on. Radica still slept, and he looked at her, the soft curves of her body, the pinch of her waist, the curls and curls of her hair that would glow copper in the sun, and her peaceful breathing.

Lukas then got up and quietly put the food away and turned off the light. Radica didn't move, not even when he got back into bed.

Hand and heart

My chest hurt. It felt like a hand griped my heart, making it hard to beat. Even though my family didn't have a history of heart disease, I was middle-aged and thought it was still prudent to see a doctor. They did stress tests, blood tests, EKG tests and couldn't find any issue. Then the doctor ordered an MRI.

The MRI was going well until I heard one of the technicians cluck his tongue. I knew it had to do with me. As I buttoned up my shirt, the radiologist came to talk to me and asked me to come to the control room.

At first I could not tell what I was looking at. The radiologist said, "You have a hand around your heart." He traced the heart and showed me the fingers of the hands. "Normally, this is a treatable condition and many patients do well like this, but look here," he indicated what looked like a blurry thumb at the top of the heart. "The thumb seems to be a bit mobile still and looks like it could put pressure on your major vessels."

"But the EKG was fine."

"Yes, that's simply because the hand is new and is still flexing. With treatment, we can almost paralyze it, hopefully without it gripping anymore." The radiologist looked at me grimly, "But if the hand keeps squeezing, especially with the thumb piercing, it can be a critical situation."

"Can't you just cut it out?"

"Before we can determine that, the cardiologist will ask you to speak with a psychiatrist."

"Whatever for?"

"This hand is your response to some stressful situation. While such growths are rare, the most common of them is the heart. We've seen fingers in the ears or nose, and even hands over the genitals. But like I said, such growths are rare."

I was stunned and left the radiologist's clinic in a daze. Now that he told me what I had, it all made sense. I could feel the hand respond to my emotions, tightening when I was upset, loosening when I was calm. I could sometimes feel the fingers individually moving as they adjusted their grip. And that thumb, it must be the cause of some of the dizziness when-

I took a deep breath as I felt the hand contract. I had a hard time breathing as I sat in the car a bit to calm down.

My wife and I had arranged to meet at a local eatery to discuss the results. I didn't tell her what it was, yet, just that we meet. I ordered a soda and waited at the bar.

"Why the long face?" a man slurred, trying to focus on me. Behind him, another man was looking over.

I just smiled and lifted my soda in salute and tried to ignore them.

"My girlfriend wore a pink dress today. She was so pretty."

I smiled and nodded.

The other man leaned back to talk to me. He wasn't slurring his words. "Did you know I once had a finger in my eye? Really, just like you have that hand. Except it was a finger in my eye. I don't know why. They said it was my emotions, but I could never figure out what emotion would cause a finger in my eye. I'm glad it was only one eye, too. Imagine two eyes. I knew a fella who couldn't open his eyes. Two hands grew. He had been blind to his wife's cheating'"

The slurring man placed both his hands over his eyes and did a peek-a-boo with me.

I sighed. "I have no idea why I have a hand over my heart. And the radiologist made it sound aggressive."

"Your child died, didn't she?" the other man said.

The first man whipped his head towards his friend, then back at me. He wavered a bit on his stool. "I proposed to her in that pink dress. I mean, she had the pink dress when she proposed. I mean I proposed in that pink dress she wore. Uh, you know what I mean."

"Yes, my daughter died recently. And – yes, it was," I took a deep breath, "it was very difficult for all of us." I could feel the hand contract.

Next thing I knew, the men were picking me up off the floor.

"Hehe," the slurring man chuckled, "my girlfriend also fainted when I proposed. She was so happy. She said yes."

"It's that hand of yours," the other man said, "making you pass out. It'll kill you if you don't watch out. I never heard of someone with a hand over their heart. You can't mess with your heart."

"What happened with your finger?" I asked and I steadied myself. They both checked their fingers, the slurring man, touching them to his thumb, apparently counting. "I meant the one in your eye."

"I was being stupid. I was not paying attention to my wife. She was beautiful, she was troubled, I was too wrapped up in my own world to see her." He made a poking motion towards his eye. "D'oh."

Nuts

Radica woke Lukas with a kiss. He was baking – she had pulled the covers over them and was snuggling tightly with him. He smiled. "I think you're an angel accustomed to the heat of the deity. This world down here is never warm enough for you." He pulled off some of the covers from his damp body.

"A fallen angel, more like it." She smiled and kissed him again.

"Yes, a fallen angel who was sent to earth to learn about something."

"Love?" Radica suggested.

"Yes, in your arrogance and superiority," he said.

Radica made a mock face of surprise.

"C'mon, you know what you're like, the trouble you get into. You're just not from around here. Indeed, you're not from our world at all. And I am the only one who knows you're an angel. And I am the only one who knows the real reason why you get cold at midday at the equator."

She laughed. "You're silly."

"Really, I mean it. I know that you're an angel and you were sent down here to be reminded what it's like to be human – to feel pain, to love, to experience loss, to be redeemed. That's why you have the luck of the Irish."

"Am I unlucky with you?"

"No," he said, and hugged her tightly, almost as if he wanted to be one with her body. And she hugged back as tightly.

\--x--

Later that morning, they went for another swim. He laughed as she gracefully jumped off the boat, jack-knifing, touching her toes before straightening out and diving in. He just jumped feet first with a big splash.

The dolphins were back and Tsu said hello, tickling him with her pinging. Lukas grabbed her snout and shook it.

Knowing how dolphins normally were, and how she was keyed into him, he was sure she and Nami had been cavorting and having sex as he had been all night and morning with Radica.

He looked over and Nami was pulling Radica around, she was beaming, trying to keep her bikini top on.

Nami then brought her over to him, and she rested with her arms over Nami's back. The dolphin just floated there, his blowhole occasionally opening. Lukas also put his arms over Nami, facing Radica. "Do you think we reincarnate as dolphins?" she asked. "Or do you think we end up as cows, as the Indians say?"

"I thought you were a nihilist."

"Yeah," she nodded thoughtfully, "for the most part. But sometimes, especially after what you so beautifully shared with me these past few hours, I wanna hope that there's more than we can see with our eye or touch with our finger. It would be a shame if when we die, it's all gone."

"The world is amazing enough without having to invoke another world."

"Yet, you called me a fallen angel." She scooped some water onto Nami's back and caressed. "These animals are so amazing, how can there not be a connection with us?"

Lukas smiled.

"You laugh, but I thought this through. I first thought that, yeah, we come back as animals. But we're killing animals at a prodigious rate and there are not enough animals to take our souls. And it's a conservation of souls kinda rule, so we need to make more people to make up that deficit of animals.

"Then I wondered the opposite: that animals are dying because we, humans, are hogging the souls, we're putting out more individuals as our population crosses 9 billion, and the animals are not even being born because we aren't reincarnating into them.

"But some days, I think there is but one soul. And that this single soul lives everyone's life, one at a time, shuttling back and forth in time, and that I am that last, latest, incarnation, and that I have been everyone that has ever lived. And it takes my breath away. The magnitude. Each one of us has our chance to improve the soul. And if I screw up, my soul, humanity's soul is no more." Tears welled up.

"Radica," he took her arm, "oh, Radica, why do you think of such things? That's way more than one person could bear."

With teary eyes, she sniffed and smiled. "I love you."

Lukas climbed over Nami, who sank away, and he kissed her. "And I, you. Truly, madly, deeply."

She pulled back and looked at him, taking his breath away.

Clearly jealous, now Tsu came between them and they draped their arms over her.

He said, "Everyone is so beautiful and wonderful-"

She laughed, "That's what makes you special, you always see the best in folks."

"No, really, listen. Everyone is so beautiful and special. And I feel they fall in categories. There are the ones that pass you in the street and you just ignore. Then there are those you make eye contact with. Then eye contact with a smile, and you might shake your head wondering or making up a story as to who the person was –"

"No, I don't. You do," Radica said, wagging her wet finger in his face, chuckling.

"Stop. Then there's the one who passes by and you watch them as they approach, getting a good look."

"Hey, are we talking about other women?"

"Sort of, but listen, I'm trying to make a point. Then there's the one who you say, 'wow' and turn your head, and want to know more and –"

"You wouldn't push her out of bed."

"C'mon, listen."

"Get to your point."

"Well there's beauty, right, and it can be amazing." He quickly continued when she frowned, "But there's only one who is so amazing that she takes your breath away. A beauty that is deep and complete and radiates all over and from deep within. And that's you. You. What I mean to say is that there's striking beauty, but, meh," he shrugged. "But, you, I don't know. When I look at you, at your curls, your eyes, your freckles, your body, I'm not just struck dumb, there's an ache in my heart, you've awoken an ache in my heart that I can't breathe and –"

It was his turn for tears to well up. He blinked and looked away.

Radica now pushed Tsu out of the way. She was starting to cry. "Hey. Hey. Easy. I didn't want to hurt you or displace –"

Lukas sniffed, "No! No. It's not that, I know that now. The ache is good. The ache means I'm still alive, still able to love. It's been so long. And why didn't I see you properly until now?"

"Oh, don't think I've been trying to catch your eye all these years. I just think that you and I have reached a stage in our lives, our relationship, that made the love we discovered these past days blossom, at this time, in this place, under these circumstances. And I'm glad."

"Me too," and he floated over to hug and kiss her.

Beginnings

Later that day, Lukas headed with Radica back to her boat. But not before she and Lukas shared some intense hugging, groping, and fondling. At sea, you never knew when you would see someone again. And with Helena in the mix, their next private moment might be months away.

Lukas helped her clean up and prepare the boat for another passenger. They also sorted out and tested equipment, cleaned up the composting bin and toilets, and brought online some unused solar panels to provide some extra power. While Radica could handily do all these things herself, she was glad to have Lukas to chat to and provide an extra pair of hands and muscle.

The two of them were sucking down some local beer that a kid had offered from a dinghy, when Helena arrived, pulled by Nami on Radica's dinghy.

Helena looked different. For starters, she wasn't frowning. Her hair was still braided and wrapped around her head. But out of her formal suit, she looked so much younger.

As suggested, she had on a pair of sturdy cut-offs and a sports top. Lukas could see that she seemed fit and strong. She had come on board barefoot, but had a pair of working sandals hanging from her small rucksack. But the biggest change they noticed when she arrived was that her eyes had a sort of wondrous determination, and she smiled when she greeted them and shook their hands.

Instead of the usual unpleasantries, she sighed and blurted out, "I've hated you two for so long. But last night I could not remember why. You might not believe me when I say that I still have a heart and I still love the sea." She reached out to take their hands again. "Thank you for being brave and reaching out to me. While I don't know if anything will change, policy-wise, I do know that this voyage will be as transformative to me as the first time you two took me out to sea." And she gave a small smile as they held hands in a circle.

Radica couldn't help herself and said, taking Helena's other hand, squeezing both of them gently, "That's a start."

Lukas hung around as Radica gave Helena a tour of the boat, safety features, her bunk. It was clear that it was all quickly coming back to Helena. Radica showed her where some of the equipment was stored, how energy and waste flowed through the various systems, and handed her a blunt knife and shackle tool in a sheath on a rope belt.

As Helena fastened the rope belt low on her waist, she said, "This looks like my old set." Radica was quiet, but Lukas gave her a glare. Helena pulled out the knife and looked at it closely. "This _is_ mine." Helena looked up at the two of them. Lukas thought she was about to cry. "How?"

Radica furtively looked at Lukas. "I saved it from all the other stuff we got rid of. I just couldn't get rid of it."

Lukas was still glaring at Radica, and Helena noticed. "I suppose, Lukas, you had wished it was gone. I'm sure Radica will fill me in eventually. I think we all have some deep-seated anger to work out between us for this venture to yield anything." She sighed.

Lukas felt disarmed. She was indeed the bright, young woman he and Radica had loved and cared for. He wondered how much of her they'd get back.

"Where are you guys going to be over the next few months?" Lukas asked. "I wouldn't mind being a few days out from you two. Y'know, so we could meet up more frequently."

Radica gave a small but perceptible smirk. "I was thinking we head north. I'd like Helena to meet Jessica. And my fish like the seamount upwelling up by her territory this time of year." Radica turned to Helena, furtively looking at Lukas, "I'll tell you more about Jessica when we're under way."

Lukas realized that Radica knew more than she let on. "Then I guess my usefulness here is done." He smiled and gave Helena a hug. She was, at first, stiff in surprise, and then hugged back. He then turned to Radica and pulled her face in with both hands, giving her a long kiss. He could feel her face get hot as she blushed.

"We'll catch up," he smiled at them, "I think Nami and Tsu will want to make waves again soon."

As he went on deck, he could hear Radica saying, "You're going love my pod. And I think there's one dolphin in particular you will like...'

Tsu was waiting to take him back to the boat. Lukas could tell she was itching to get back to the pod. As was he.

As he returned to his boat, he heard a whistle. Turning around, he saw Radica and Helena waving and then getting to work to get out of port. "Let's leave together!" he yelled. Radica nodded and went to prepare the boat for sailing.

He also prepped his boat for sailing, putting things away and checking systems.  
He was ready to unhitch before they were, and he could see it was because Radica was still showing Helena all the procedures.

When he saw them unhitch and start to motor toward the ocean, Lukas unhitched and motored to catch up. There was a light breeze and the mid-afternoon sun was shining in a partially cloudy sky. At roughly the same time, he and Radica started putting up the sails and catching wind.

As his autopilot kicked in, he could see Tsu cavorting with Nami in Radica's bow wave. The servos adjusted the mast and sails and he could feel himself picking up speed. Like Radica, he was doing a circuit in and around the boat to make sure everything was OK. And then, like him, stop for a moment to stand at the bow. He saw Radica wave Helena forward and the two of them stood for moment at the bow, feeling the wind and sun on their face, closing their eyes. Helena's tightly braided hair shined white in the sun and Radica's wild curls looked on fire, glowing with red and copper highlights.

They went around the island, and caught a stronger easterly wind, but parted ways as the sun was setting – they were pointing farther north than he. Radica's hair and upturned face formed a cognitive afterimage in him, lasting long after it quickly got dark and her boat was reduced to the running lights and then vanished over the horizon.

Making markets

It took Lukas a few days to get back into his routine. While his school was fine, the pod wasn't. Tsu had to work hard to sort out the jealousies and hurt feelings in the pod – her lieutenant really didn't have the social skills she did. And the school was being lethargic until Tsu started schooling them hard.

Tuna love going fast, and holding patterns bored them. Tsu and Lukas decided to take the tuna to an area that was farther than needed, but worth the travel. Also, it put them directly in the shipping lanes. Tsu knew what that meant, but the poor tuna did not.

Lukas was below, looking at his regional map. Two things he had to look out for when in the shipping lanes: free floating containers, which usually the dolphins alerted him to, and unfriendly boats, ranging from pirates to law enforcement to commercial fishing company goons to plain old nasty sailors.

On some of these 'unfriendlies' he'd surreptitiously attached beacons, with the pod's help, of course. This was important for the ones who didn't provide any public transponder signals.

In contrast, the "friendlies" wanted to meet up with Lukas, and he knew their routes. Understandably, they couldn't see where he was, but they could always count on him to meet up with them, especially if they sent a message ahead.

One of them was within five days intercept distance so Lukas replied to the boat's message where and when they'd meet. The captain then replied with the amount of fish he'd like to buy, an amount that was well within Lukas' ability to maintain a sustainable school.

What he hoped Radica could show Helena was that a schooler were as much a fishermen looking for profit as the next one. When he set out to become a schooler, there was no concept of actively managing fisheries with folks on the waves, like shepherds, instead with fish. But the tech and science was in place – sensors, new energy and waste systems, tools that could be adapted to communicate with dolphins, better satellites, better marine materials for building boats. And the political and social changes were there, too – fisheries were collapsing, populations were growing, affluence was rising, and a whole wave of children were growing up watching their future nature vanishing.

His closest social and political cousins were the seafaring warriors who protected whales with their lives. Noble, indeed, but not sustainable – they existed in opposition to the business driver, and therefore were not able to start deflecting it, only slow it down. After decades, the end of the whales was still a reality, albeit slower than before. Another way was needed.

Politicians, commercial fisherman, environmentalists, and scientists all misunderstood at first what he set out to do. He was considered a new form of pirate, or a new form of commercial fisherman, or a new form of crazy-ass environmentalist, or a new form of pseudo-scientist.

How could anyone marry science, with business, with environmentalism, with sustainability?

The problem was lack of synthesis, lack of being able to actually find that center of gravity where all the forces were balanced and the system was optimized. For Lukas, it was a simple solution and easy to do. But for all the different stakeholders, it required a many-fold new way of thinking that none of them were capable of achieving.

And so Lukas had spent the last many years trying to show how commercial fisherman, politicians, scientists, and, most of all, the fish, could all win and profit and grow.

It was just a matter of understanding. And, the problem was not rational but emotional.

Lukas shook his head. The past was littered with perfectly rational solutions being discarded due to clashing emotional baggage.

Lukas went up top to signal to the dolphins that they needed to be ready to sort out the fish and separate the school – one lot lives, the other lot is forced into the purse-sein nets of the commercial fishing vessel. The dolphins, with a little help from his own sonar, would tell him the size of the school he would sell to the fishing vessel.

\--x--

As they sailed towards the fishing vessel, Lukas sent messages back and forth to establish price, metrics, and procedures. He'd already done business with this vessel many times, so none of this was new to either of them.

The dolphins became more excited and worked harder as the vessel appeared on the horizon. It was a clear and windy day, with occasional whitecaps. Lukas radioed to the vessel and saw that their nets were already deployed. He then played a series of tones underwater that indicated to the dolphins to start towards the nets.

And so, over the course of the next few hours, the tuna were herded into the nets, pulled out of the water, and weighed. Lukas stayed a distance away, but could see all the activity on the other vessel. And the captain occasionally radioed back reports.

It was usually as they closed the nets that Lukas became most anxious. He listened closely, on the speaker by the radio table, for the coded clicks from each of the pod members who were a part of the operation, to make sure none of them were wrapped up in the net. And Tsu kept clicking back what was going on.

Tsu hated this part of her job, it was stressful and very dangerous. And she never stayed longer than she needed to – so as soon as the tuna were wrapped up and weren't getting free, she called the pod members away and back towards Lukas.

By the time they returned, Lukas had filleted some tuna that he kept for these occasions. It was yummy tuna for everyone involved, including him.

When things go wrong

It was getting late in the afternoon when he said farewell to the vessel. Looking at his charts to plot a course, he saw an unidentified blip within radar range, roughly parallel to his course. Having a bad feeling, Lukas decided to pull away from parallel and leave the unknown vessel far behind. Very few unidentified vessels that show up from that far away on radar are good news.

He mentioned the vessel to Tsu, but did not suggest any of the dolphins check it out, since they were now going in the opposite direction. Nonetheless, he set up a chart alert, should the vessel change tack and get too close.

In the middle of the night, the alert went off. Lukas saw that now the blip (he checked the chart history – it was the same blip), was trailing them, almost at the same speed. He thought for a moment if could be a sailing vessel with a large reflector, and if it were unidentified, then it could be a schooler.

But one never knows.

Toward sunrise, the alert went off again, the blip was still on his tail, but now picked up speed, calculated to reach him shortly after dawn.

Yup, this wasn't good. That ship either wanted the fish or it wanted him.

He suspected it was after him. And though he might not out-run them, he could try to out-think them.

Lukas had the some of the pod take the school away from the vessel, in case the nets were cast. He kept a few of the stronger and faster dolphins to help him and Tsu deal with the vessel.

He grabbed a beacon that he normally affixed to hostile vessels, and an explosive charge that could bust a hole into any hull, and tied them overboard in case he needed to release them. Tsu knew that if he did, she or one of the other dolphins were to take them and attach them to the hostile vessel's hull. He also trailed a long coil of thick rope that he'd release for the dolphins to try and foul one of the propellers.

A stealth helicopter buzzed by, a man with binoculars leaning out the side door. Even in the half-light, Lukas could see the mounted weapon. This could get ugly. He went below to grab a camera.

As the vessel approached, he could tell it would be running parallel to him. He snapped a few pictures of the boat and its name. Chinese. Military.

When the vessel was in range, a man with a megaphone bellowed from the prow, "Take down your sails. Prepare to be boarded. We are prepared to shoot." And with that, a gun fired off, making Lukas flinch. He heard the bullet hit and go through his mainsail.

He had no intention of stopping, though he did wonder if they were looking to arrest him. Any violent actions on his part would not go down well. He snapped a few more images – close up of the megaphone guy, close up of some of the men on deck, close up of someone who looked important.

The vessel rapidly approached and got dangerously near on the lee side of the boat, his sail pointing towards it. And then faster than he could react, the vessel veered into him, the wake violently shaking his boat. Lukas rapidly dropped the sails, turned on his paltry motor, and tried to get away before he got sucked into the towering hull of the vessel.

He could no longer see the deck, but was close enough to hear boots running on deck, and rifles being prepared. The megaphone man peered over and boomed, "Prepare to be boarded."

Lukas released the lines – explosive and beacon. He was running out of options as the vessel bore down on him again, his boat keeling back and forth, the mast tip cracking as it hit the vessel's hull. Lukas was doing what he could to control his boat.

Suddenly, the vessel fell back and turned away, followed by the scratchy roar of three jets. Lukas looked up in all directions, trying to see who they were and where they'd come from. They were most likely military drones.

When he saw that the vessel had disengaged, he ran down below and pinged a message to the dolphins to not attach the explosive. He then looked at the map – he had to pick it up off the floor – and saw that the beacon was on and that the radar was totally blank – it was being jammed. The cavalry had arrived.

Lukas killed the engine and looked around the cabin. He had not been prepared for such violent motion, so a few things he left out tossed their content or shattered, particularly a bowl, a glass, and, annoyingly, the cereal jar that was partly filled.

Up top he saw that the upper part of the main mast was snapped and that he'd have to do some repairs to just be able to hoist the main sail again. On deck, the water washed over from the vessel's wake was still draining away down the scuppers that were fouled with some lines that had slipped off – dang – a broken deck winch.

The Chinese vessel was showing its tail to him, and in the exact opposite direction he could see a few large vessels approaching. Using binoculars, he was able to make out the markings – American war ships.

A smaller ship peeled off the group, towards him, as the others kept cruising in the direction of the Chinese ship. The ship slowed down and Lukas waved to the folks on deck. "Are you OK?" one of the men shouted. "Do you need any assistance?"

Lukas debated how much assistance he'd need. It seems that the broken tip of his mast was the worst damage that would require him to go to port. But he could re-jig the mechanism to work below the break and still have a decent sail. Except that it might be more manual sailing then he was used to.

In any case, Lukas nodded and gave a thumbs-up. He could see the sailor looking at his mast. "I'll need a new mast," Lukas bellowed as the ship stopped beside him, the large motors rumbling to keep the ship still. Lukas' boat was bobbing and heeling to and fro as the ships wake caught up with him. "I can use the mast manually well enough to get me back to a port."

"Permission to come aboard?" the man asked.

Lukas waved for them to come and watched as he and a few other men got into a dinghy that was quickly lowered to the water. Lukas met the men at the stern.

The man came aboard first, smiling with an outstretched hand "Commander Pelkey, of the USS Boston."

"Lukas Schäfer"

Two other men came on board, but didn't introduce themselves.

"You are Lukas, the schooler, aren't you?" Pelkey continued. Lukas nodded. "It's an honor to meet you."

"I'm flattered." Lukas pointed in the direction of the Chinese vessel. "I take it, it was just coincidence that you chased him off for me?"

Pelkey smiled, "Perhaps. But it worked out in the end. We're just working to keep people honest here on the high seas."

Lukas smiled back, "I wonder if I count as honest."

Pelkey leaned against a stay, "Oh, rest assured the US Navy doesn't have a beef to pick with you or any of the other schoolers, American or not."

"Can I get you a beverage?" Lukas offered. "Tea, coffee, juice?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask if you needed anything – food, materials," he pointed up at the mast, "tools, or munitions."

Lukas chuckled, "I'm all set, even with the munitions. The less hostile material I carry, the less likely things will go sour should 'unfriendlies' get aboard."

Pelkey was quiet for a moment, considering something, then looked briefly in the direction the Chinese ship had gone. "That particular unfriendly clearly knew who you were and clearly wanted to board and take you in. We heard their transmissions. I don't think you're popular with the Chinese military."

"Which is stupid, considering how much business I do with Chinese buyers."

Pelkey shrugged. "At some point, we'd like you to come to either Tokyo or Honolulu to discuss security arrangements for you and all your schoolers. The US government realizes that you are an important part of the health of the ocean ecosystems and fisheries business. We'd like to make sure all of you are safe, and protected as part of the US Navy's operations."

Lukas mumbled in surprise, "Thanks."

"I know how it might be hard to fathom, but, in addition to ensuring the US military interests on the seas, you know the executive branch also uses us to protect US business interests." Pelkey smiled and put a finger to his lips. "Shh. Don't tell anyone, everyone knows."

"I take it you were sent out to give me this message?" Lukas asked. Pelkey nodded. "Thanks. Let me talk to some of my peers. How can I get back to you?"

Pelkey handed him a small white plastic ball. "It's a beacon. No, it's not on. But press that button," he pointed to a white button, "and we'll figure out a way to speak with you."

Lukas hesitated and then agreed, "Sounds like a plan."

Pelkey got up to leave, Lukas said, "Can I offer you some ahi as thanks for saving my ass today? I have a small stash in my fridge. And next time, if conditions permit, I'll set your ship up with a few fish. We can trade, if accepting gifts is difficult."

Pelkey looked at the men, who imperceptibly smiled. "Sure, we'll take the ahi, in exchange for the beacon. And we accept your offer to trade for some fish next time we meet. Conditions willing."

Lukas ran below for the packet of tuna, came back, and handed it to Pelkey who was already in the dinghy, motor running.

"Lukas, thank you for the ahi. And looking forward to seeing you soon." And with that, they unhitched and returned to their ship.

He watched them board their ship and then turn to follow the rest of the ships tailing the Chinese vessel. Then he sighed and looked up at his mast.

A few clicks from Tsu caught his attention and he looked over to see her with the explosive in her beak. "Good, girl!" he said and signed. He took the explosive and brought in the fouling rope. He then gave her the signal that he wasn't going anywhere and to round up the fish and bring them to him.

With a playful and characteristic clicking squeak, Tsu flipped back and dove. He could see her swimming fast and strong and skimming to breathe every so often.

Good, girl.

Repeat visits

The body I had for this incarnation didn't fit me well. I felt uncomfortable in it. Or so it felt.

Was that the source of my unhappiness?

Or was it that I was just so painfully average? Well, I felt average, but when I sew that my ethnicity, income, education, outlook, and curiosity placed me in a small sliver of people across the whole globe (lots of us, but still a fraction of the massive populace), I realized that I might just be average because I surrounded myself with people who were smarter, more affluent, more driven, more talented than I was.

That's a good thing if one were seeking to improve, a bad thing if one was stymied and couldn't develop the way one wanted to develop. And therefore, I felt like I've done a lot and accomplished little, like that crazy Queen of Hearts running faster and faster just so she could stay still.

So was my unhappiness because no matter what I did, I was stuck in some local minima?

It might be easier for me to think that I was just not really driven enough, or not really smart enough, or not really focused enough. Yup, sometimes we seek the discomfort of our inadequacies to displace the unhappiness of our misfortune.

Nah. I must've been in one of my self-analytical depressive cycles.

But the way I soar over this wallowing and self-pity, no, not really self-pity, I'm not that pathetic, the way I soar is to imagine things. Not just any thing, but of God, or the deity, or whatever magic lies behind the marvel that Nature is.

I was having a hot chocolate at the local Starbucks, waiting for my wife, reading a book. A woman sat across from me and introduced herself with a delicate outstretched hand, "Belle."

I shook her hand, "Julius" (yes, that's my name). Of course, I had no idea who she was though I figured she sat because the place was full. Looking around, I realized that many of the tables were empty.

She continued, "There is no easy way to break it to you, but I'm here to make you the next steward of the Universe."

I smiled politely, "Thank you. And what does that mean?"

My phone rang; it was my wife, so I excused myself to pick it up. Belle nodded politely. My wife had to change plans and could not meet up with me, so I was on my own for the rest of the day.

"It means I need to show you a few things before I move on."

I had forgotten what she was talking about, "Pardon me?"

She pursed her lips, looked around for a moment then leaned closer, "What does the concept of God mean to you, the Deity, the Prime Mover, the All Knowing?" She held up a finger as I opened my mouth. "Stretch your mind to think of all manifestations of deity – Yahweh, Allah, Vishnu, or Krishna. Or, Zeus, Jupiter, Athena, or Eris. Or Kami, Na-too-si, or Mithras. Wrap your mind around all the aspects humans have identified as the manifestation of the magical, the deity, God and Goddess."

I knew what she meant.

"You know what I mean because you inherently understand the Universe in a way no other human does, or has since me."

I knew what she meant. Deity as a property of the Universe, in it but apart from it, much like thought from neurons, like magnetism from moving electrons, like energy from the vacuum. And humans have wondered at the magic of the Universe and given it all sorts of names, stories, personification, all of it just a small aspect of the whole, much like the different shapes of our shadow depending on the position of the light or our posture.

"Yes, you do," she said, as if she read my thoughts. "And no, I'm not reading your thoughts; I can see it in your far-away look. And I can see it in your actions."

I chuckled, "Have you been stalking me?"

"Yeah, sort of. Your whole life, though not necessarily chronologically."

She made no sense.

"I am that manifestation of the Universe you once scribbled about in your Moleskine."

How did she know that?

"And so are you," she said, leaning even closer. "Do you know what that means?"

"Are you God?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes. "No and yes." She paused and then continued. "My father was Charlemagne. Much like I am approaching you, a man approached me, told me I, too, was a manifestation of the Universe, and, to make a long story short, it's now time for me to pass the mantle on to you."

She only made sense because to get through my depressive funks, I would imagine that the Universe was just energy and, instead of tending toward entropy, became more complex, like some life. In the beginning there was energy. Energy begat particles. Particles begat atoms. Atoms begat molecules. Molecules begat life. Life begat mind. Mind begat society. Society begat-

"Julius!" she snapped. "I've paid attention for over a millennia to find you. Can you at least give me a few hours?"

"Sorry. This is all a bit silly. You going to have to –" She handed me my phone. "But –" She handed me my phone again. Now I had two identical phones.

"Honk," she said, pointing over her shoulder. And a car beeped. "Now check your watch." I did. Noted the time.

All of a sudden the earth shook violently, things flew off the shelves, windows exploded, people were thrown to the floor screaming, my chair heaved me high and I landed hard. Belle was not affected as the earth kept rumbling, ground split, and the other half of the coffee shop rose, rupturing the ceiling.

And then it was over. We were back to usual.

"Look at your watch."

We returned to earlier than when I last looked at my watch. Everything around me was normal. A car honked.

She had me convinced. I leaned forward. "I'm listening."

She looked around, trying to find the words. "Look, of course, this is the only time I'll do this."

"Are you so sure you can trust me?"

"Absolutely. And you know that, too," she said, touching my hand in assurance.

She continued. "So, I only get to do this once, and the guy before me was the same. There are no rules, but I can figure out how these things happen by how the previous guy handed the mantle to me. Shamash-nasir, by the way, was his name. He said a few things of how it went for him and so it was for me and will be for you. And I suspect you will do the same when your time comes."

"There will be things you can tell me and things you will not," I figured.

"Right, and I won't tell you something because there's some rule, but, now I understand, so that I leave you as pure as you start, without my foibles or weaknesses."

"So you were God, or Goddess, for the last," I did the calculation, "12-hundred years? A lot of krap has happened and you let it happen."

I could tell this was one of the areas she wouldn't discuss. She just shrugged and said, "You'll understand."

I wasn't mad at her for everything that happened. "I totally understand that your role is not to be human and make everything into paradise." She smiled. "Omnipotence does not mean all-ruling."

"I think we're off to a good start. See why I chose you? There is no one alive who thinks like you or would be as the Universe as you – except me, of course."

My head was exploding with questions jockeying to come out of my mouth. "In so many ways," I finally said, "this is a terrible burden to have, and a frightful ability to use. Clearly you, Shamash, and the line going back to whenever, have been careful. We are more angels than gods."

"How so?" she asked with a curious smile.

"We need to let things be, first and foremost. Right now, I can't think of any instance that being omnipotent will be useful. And I will be confronted with decisions that my many years as a human will push me to act, and I won't, and it will be anguishing."

"You'll find your style."

"But I will outlast my family. Should I choose to live that long." I saw by the look on her face, "Ah, so there is at least one rule? I need to be aware of when my replacement comes into being?"

She nodded and said, "I don't know if we are just some selfish part of the Universe, or if we have a purpose. I will never let you know my impact on the stream of time of the Universe. You need to discover your impact, as much as I or any of our predecessors did."

"How does it feel to live so long?"

She shrugged. "I suppose you will learn what it means, how to think beyond your lifespan, beyond time. Which I know you already do."

I wondered if I already had my ability and pulled out a commemorative coin from Charlemagne's coronation as Holy Roman Emperor. I handed it to Belle.

"Thanks," she smiled. "I was a small child then, but have visited the ceremony many times since." She hung the coin around her neck on a fine chain of gold. "Can we do a bit of practice with your new abilities? Shamash had a few things he made me do before he left me. I think they'd be useful to you, as well."

"What will happen to you when we're done?"

She gave me a cryptic smile.

Essential 'verses

Lukas managed to sail fine without the tip of his mast. It was a kludge, especially the rigging, and the boat didn't sail as efficiently. But it did mean he could choose a port rather than just head to the closest. Even if it was really slow going.

When he told Radica what happened, she said she'd meet him in American Samoa. Notably, she didn't mention Helena in any of her messages.

The trip was uneventful, meaning, the damned Chinese warship didn't come after him again. Indeed, the beacon indicated it was back in Chinese territorial water.

He wasn't looking forward to being in port. He knew that it would take a long time, that he'd be separate from his fish for a long time, and that he'd have to leave Tsu behind. Tsu was angry with him, but understood. And she was less jealous when he told her he was not taking any other pod member, that he was going alone.

When he pulled into Pago Pago, he saw Jessica's catamaran getting loaded with supplies from a barge. Lukas didn't know if seeing Jessica was a good thing or bad, but knew it was inevitable.

Because he was due for repairs, he moored at a marina a little out of town. They told him it would take a week and that he could either stay on his boat or get a room in town. He chose to look for room in town. At least for the first days, when the repair crew would be tearing down his rigging.

Jessica called him as soon as he got off the boat. "I'm sending a dinghy over with Jack Master. Please come stay with me."

Lukas didn't know how to refuse, so next thing he knew, Jessica was hugging him and kissing his cheeks, happy, as always, to see him.

"Oooo. I can tell you have a girlfriend," she said all dramatically.

Lukas laughed, "Am I that transparent?"

She took his rucksack and they went below. He noted that she threw his bag onto a guest bed. "No, not really, word just travels."

"Krikey, you young ones like to gossip," he said, and sat at the table. It was covered with food – fresh and canned.

She gave an impish smile and sat on him, straddling his lap. His heart beat erratically as he looked into her dark eyes. "And I guess, she's old-fashioned like you and won't be happy if we have some good, sweaty, schooler sex." She gave him a deep kiss and then jumped off. "Heheh, it's going to be fun teasing you."

He watched her from behind as she moved a few things in the galley. Normally, he'd be quite receptive to her advances. But he truly had his mind on another woman. And now, watching Jessica just made him want to be with Radica even more. Jessica was beautiful, smart, kind, creative, energetic – everything that attracted him to Radica as well. But Jessica was also too young for him (and, really, he too old for her), and that never sat well with him.

She heard him sigh and turned around. "And I think you'll like me teasing you as well," she giggled.

He gave her a small smile and then, "What's all this stuff for?"

"I'm heading to Antarctica. Normally, I let the whales go on their own. But I figured this time I'd head along too."

Fig came to mind. "I've actually never been down there," Lukas mentioned. "Your whales are going to love having you around."

"What happened to your mast? How long will it take for them to fix it?"

He told her about the Chinese warship and how the US warship saved his butt. He did not share, yet, the story about what Pelkey offered.

She was quiet. "I think it might be the same warship that came after me," she said, packing some things into the cabinets.

Lukas leaned forward, "What?"

"I was barely able to out run them. I had one of the bigger bulls breach near them, to startle them. It worked. That's when I decided to head south," she smiled.

Then he told her about the US Navy offer.

Jessica nodded pensively, "Yeah, sounds good. I've never had a problem with the US Navy. Even designed a few underwater drones for them. But please don't tell anyone that I have." She turned and smiled, "You can tell Radica, of course."

Lukas wondered where Radica was.

"Hey," Jessica said, throwing a bag of something at him. "Quit being an old man and help me store this stuff. I didn't invite you over to gawk at me." She turned and audibly muttered, "Though I don't mind," and shook her bum at him.

"Are you going to tease me forever?" he said, moving and breaking up packs of the bigger stuff.

Her bikini top hit him in the side of the face and he instinctively turned towards her. "Only until I'm bored with it," she said with a hand on her hip. "I'm peeved that you fell so hard for Radica, though I had her in mind for you, and I will really miss our steamy sex." She feigned crying, and wiped an eye. "I will just have to move on."

He laughed and threw the bikini top back and she put it on, sticking her tongue out at him.

\--x--

They spent a few hours sorting things. It was clear she was going to be away for a long time. In addition to food supplies, she also purchased extra tools, clothing, and repair parts, which made it quite cramped in the storage areas.

She also told him where to balance the weight. He knew how to spread the weight, since he did it all the time. But he knew she was much savvier about it, in general, and also knew best how her boat would handle the weight.

He could almost read the reverse chronology – her first few weeks in the South Seas, the gradual decrease of temperatures, the increase in fatty and higher energy foods.

He did see a few bottles of wine and champagne. "Ah, wish I could have these with you."

"Let's leave one out and we can have it tonight," she said, looking through the case. "I really don't expect to entertain down there and I hate to drink alone. But I'm bringing them to remind me to interact with humans. You know how I can be."

They managed to get most of it put away, but she called "Time out," to check their progress. "Ugh, there's still all the stuff on deck," she sighed. "I'm so glad you showed up," she flexed her arms, striking a muscle pose. She then started stripping and heading towards her shower.

Lukas was fixing up a dinner of fresh food when she came out, a towel around her waist and around her head. She hip-checked him aside, "Go wash up, I'll finish," and sent him off to shower in the guest bathroom which was in the main cabin. Without thinking, he got undressed in the alcove by his bunk and then walked across the cabin. He could hear her stop what she was doing and watch him walk by. As he closed the door, she shouted, "I'm going to miss that tusch!"

When he came out, dinner was served, wine poured, lights were low, candles were on the table, and Jessica looked radiant in a short blue dress, hair up, and a necklace. Since she was all "dressed up," meaning not in faded cut-off shorts and a ratty bikini top, he put on his nice khaki shorts and a button shirt, specifically put in his ruck sack for "dressing up."

She sat as he came out of his alcove. "Wow," Lukas said, sitting down. "You look beautiful."

Did she blush? She did look aside, embarrassed, and said quietly, "Thanks. I just wanted this night to be special. I so value your friendship. And I am so genuinely happy about you and Radica."

It was his turn to feel the heat in his face. "Thank you." He held up his glass of wine, "I also value your friendship and thank you for opening my eyes."

They clinked glasses and took sips, looking into each other's eyes.

"Lukas," she said, serving herself, "this looks great." She held up the serving spoon, a piece of apple on it. "And apples, too!" tipping the apple into her upturned mouth and munching contentedly.

"You know how I always have crazy ass dreams when at sea?"

"Yes," she chuckled, "you've told me about it before. And I've watched you many times at night jerk about and breathe fast. Kinda funny. Are you going to tell me about one?"

"I don't know where to start. I've always remembered them so well, to the point of forgetting what's real or what's not."

She laughed again, "Yes, there was that time I had to remind you what my body really felt like."

"Gosh, that's right." He threw his napkin at her. Laughing she threw it back. "Do you believe in God?" he asked.

"You already know my answer," she frowned. "We've had this discussion before. What? Did you see God in your dreams?"

"Not really."

She wrapped her feet around one of his legs and tugged. "Listen, if we looked at a map of the ocean, we'd say that it was a flat blue surface with bits of land floating on it. Right?" She then adjusted herself, tucking her legs underneath her. "But it's not that way, right? Those islands are just what we see of the sea floor, that we could walk from island to island along the sea floor. Right?" Lukas nodded. She put her legs back down and put her feet on his. "Up here, you and I are not connected." She rubbed his feet, "Yet we are.

"I think the reality we see is just an island, that it's all just the stuff we see at the surface. It's all really connected and one. Just like an earthquake can be felt everywhere in the globe, so too can the effect of one of us, something you see at the surface, affect something else that we see at the surface.

"When you talk about this," she said, indicating him with her hand, "you say you try to wrap you head around the immensity, but also think that it's all related, too, that it's all a bed of energy, and everything is just a manifestation of some level of that energy."

He smiled. "Oh, so I made sense?"

She nodded forcefully and frowned, looking down at her plate, her head cocked. He could sense a big brainwave coming on. "The Universe just Is. There is no God, no deity, no meaning, no purpose – no purpose unless we give it one," she added hastily. "All our myths come from us trying to add meaning and reason to what's basically a heartless, mindless, gutless Universe."

Fidgeting in her seat, she continued, "And I, too, fall prey to that deeply millennia-ingrained, God-concept we grow up with, are surrounded by, and can't escape. It's that bit of logic we can't access, that we use to fill in our gaps of thinking and hoping.

"Call me a nihilist or what, but it doesn't mean I hate the Universe or curse the absence of a Creator." She made a sweeping gesture with her arms, above her head. "The Universe is magnificent enough as it is. We don't need to invent a human-generated," she banged the table for emphasis, "human-constrained," bang "human-imaged," bang "deity to account for how the Universe works, how it is.

"And here's my weakness," she said, nudging him in the leg, then sitting cross legged again. "If what we see are just the islands on the surface, then what's below the surface," she shrugged, "what is the seafloor equivalent of the Universe, what are the whales and tuna who live below that surface," she added, pointing to him, jabbing her finger, "what is that model, that manifestation of the Universe?

"I think scientists, like physicists and cosmologist, but also biologists and chemists, are futzing with the grains of sand on all those islands," she sighed, "and they're nowhere near to understanding the seafloor of the Universe, the foundation that everything rests on."

She took a deep breath, and rattled on. "Does that make sense? I know the scientists are way smarter than me and I probably don't know really what they are doing and maybe what I said is a load of whale barf or I've now just frightened you that I've gone unhinged, spending too much time alone." Another deep breath.

"You're wonderful," he said. "Yes, I know what you mean. And I feel the same way." He put his hand on hers, "And it's a fallacy that scientist PhDs are smarter than anyone else. We just are in awe of the magic they do. But we all have our own smarts, especially you. It's about domain knowledge and problem solving, and the least college-educated Master Carpenter is as brilliant as a Cambridge boffin. And you," now he took her hands, "you are brilliant, in so many ways outsmarting any mere human with a PhD or not."

She smiled in thanks. "But then," she continued, "is it crazy for me to say that I can feel the essence of the Universe?"

"Tell me more."

She closed her eyes and but her arms out, sort of hanging like they were wings. "The sea – I sense it all: the waves, the wind, the currents. And the hulls of the cat cutting through the water," she swept her hands in front of her, in parallel, as if slicing the space in front of her, "wing cutting through the air, molecules racing across the surface, rushing to meet at the trailing edge."

She put her arms down and looked at him. "I feel all that, I know that it's all the same, but a different manifestation of the Universe."

He nodded.

"I imagine an angel," she continued, "a being that, though a manifestation of the Universe, also has a closer connection to the, the, the seafloor that connects everything and can change things, shift those, uh, islands, shapes, places.

"And the angel is not here to change everything to some sort of paradise, but to help us mere humans connect, understand the Universe. And I want this angel to show me how I can be more connected with the essence of the Universe, so that I may sail better, build a better boat, love better.

"Wouldn't it be beautiful?" she said, tears welling up.

He stood up, "Hey, hey," and then went around the table to hug her. "You really thought this through, huh?"

She sniffed, "I know that there is no God, but I so hope there's more than we can see with our eyes or touch with our finger, that, somehow, we are able to connect to the sublime, that one of us, in the past billion years, has been able to tap into the essence of the Universe and do something with it.

"Yes, life is already interesting enough with all the amazing things we know and can do, but we need to strive more than just futzing with sand on an island we see on the surface of the Universe." She gave his arms a squeeze, and he then sat back down.

"I keep thinking," Lukas began, "off all the myths we've created and the millions who have perished for one version or other of the story. It's almost like the parable of the elephant and the blind men, each one has an interpretation of the Universe, but none of them know that it's all describing the same Universe." She nodded. "To use your example, it's like one religion sees an atoll, another a volcano, another a continent." She nodded more vigorously. "I think that how people react to the manifestations of the Universe reflect how they view themselves, their values, not the other way around. They formulate their myths to support their values – it's just what they see. And it's true to them. I don't think you or I could change their view, as it's ingrained in their, their, their being, their personality, their unspoken core values."

"A Bebel, sort of, of religions," she suggested. "The Universe is consistent with all beliefs, but also not consistent when each surface belief if viewed individually."

"And what if that one being existed?" He found it uncanny how she always knew his dreams. "What if, say, I were that one being who was the Universe, who was the manifestation of the essence of the Universe, to whom there was nothing in reality that wasn't possible."

She gave him a devilish smile, "Sorry, you actually made a totally different thought come to mind," she said, reaching over with her foot under the table and wriggling it up against crotch. "You would be the kind of lover I would like to have."

He stuck his tongue out at her.

"But more than that," she continued. "Can you imagine what a life, what an exciting existence that would be? You could then see everything." She mock covered her chest and crotch, "There's that voyeurism, but that'd be so petty compared to being able to see the Big Bang, or the dinosaurs, or have lunch with flint-striking stone-agers."

"Or see my family again," he said, looking down and using his fork to push around the lone seed on his plate.

Jessica dropped her foot from his chair, and looked at him. "Is that what you dreamt?" He shook his head. "Aaliya would never have wanted you to be sad like that. Why do you keep doing this to yourself?"

"Old habits die hard."

She got up and cleared the table. He eventually got up to help. Picking up the bottle, she said, "Normally, I'd say 'let's empty this bottle, get a buzz, make out, and have wild sex.' Buuuut, this time, considering everything and all, I say, 'let's empty this bottle, get a buzz, and swap stories.'"

He smiled, "Sounds lovely to me."

Lukas had made an apple-based desert that demanded a second bottle of wine. They wove stories of angels, evil, hate, death, aging, destiny, gods – each one trying to outdo the other. Yet, as it got late, and the second bottle neared its end, she curled up with him on the couch and they listened to some whale songs, until they both fell asleep.

Tempest and virtuosity

He woke up in the middle of the night and she was still curled up beside him, his arm still around her. It was so intimate, and was first time in a long time they were able to be get through a night without sex.

Gently, he led her to her bed, sat her down, and removed her blue dress. She then languidly lay down and he covered her, before heading to the head and then his own bunk.

The next morning, she woke him with a kiss on the nose. "Sorry to wake you, Sleepy, but I need some help on deck. I think we can be done by the end of the day so I can leave tomorrow."

Things went fast with him there, and they were done by early afternoon. The sun beat down on the deck all day and they were covered in sweat, coming down in large drops off their faces and down their chests. When they were mostly done, she did a back flip into the water. He jumped in after her.

"After all this packing," he told her, watching her float on her back, "I'm hankering to come with you."

"You can say that while this sun beats down and we float in bath-tub warm water?"

"Gah, the Pacific is so boring compared with the seas down there."

She smiled. "Did you see my new dry-suit? I'm going to need it for hull inspections, but I also want to do some diving. Jack Master is all excited."

He could tell that she'd been weatherizing the catamaran for the Antarctic and beefed up her solar system and engines. "Do you think you can manage with the cold, having to wear shoes, shirts, and," he feigned horror, "a jacket?"

She smiled, "I'll make sure to let my parts get enough sunlight while it's still warm." She skimmed her hand over the water, "Up around here, I sail buck nekkid most of the time anyway. You know that. Like the day I was born. Minus the vicious storm, of course."

"Ah, a force of nature," he said as he headed back to the boat.

They sat on the deck, drying off. "So then you're off tomorrow?" he asked.

Smiling, "You're actually sad? How touching." She kissed the nearest part of him, his arm.

"A mixture of sadness and concern."

"I've been through enough scrapes to be prepared for the worst, so no need to be overly concerned. As for sadness, please do stay sad. I'll miss you dearly, too," she beamed.

\--x--

He spent that evening on her boat, a bit apprehensive that they'd get carried away and get into bed together. And in a way they did, though it was innocent enough – they chatted non-stop through the night and ended up in bed together, chatting until they were both too tired to stay awake, which wasn't that late, considering the work they had done all day. And Lukas knew there were just sharing the bed, innocently, since she, the one who likes to go naked everywhere, even wore a t-shirt and panties.

When he woke the next morning, she was looking at him, beaming, and gave him a long, tight, hug.

After a quick breakfast, he gave her a kiss and received another long, tight, hug. Then Jack Master pulled him back to the repair marina. When he looked back as he left, she was already moving about the boat to prepare to leave. And he sat a long time on his deck watching her from across the harbor until she motored out a bit and then caught some wind and sailed out of sight.

\--x--

The next few days, with the mast gone and the workmen not on the boat anymore, he spent time checking and cleaning out systems, replacing parts. The collision with the Chinese ship did some damage that he only found out sailing to Samoa, so he ordered some parts on his way in and was now replacing or repairing the damage.

His boat was partially disassembled when he heard someone come on deck up the ramp. "Hey, sex kitten," Radica said as he turned around.

Lukas scrambled to his feet, wiping his greasy hands on his shorts and mopping the sweat off his face and head with a shirt that was tucked into his belt loop. Radica made an exaggerated "ew" face and then kissed him, mashing her body against his.

"Ok, now I'm covered in your sweat, gross." She laughed, pulling back.

He laughed as well, "Hello to you, too."

Radica leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips. "Hello, my love." She looked around. "How are the repairs coming along?"

Now that she was on the boat, he could show her what happened during the whole incident. He also told her about discussion he had with the guy from the US Navy. He hadn't wanted to tell her that over any communication channel that could be snooped.

"Well, that's interesting," was all she said. "Something to talk about, no?"

"Are you here with Helena?"

"Yup. Things are going better than expected. It's been interesting watching it all come back to her."

Lukas motioned for her to follow him below. "How long will you two be in port?"

"For as long as we can stand it. When will they complete repairs on your mast?"

"Should be a few more days." He handed her a local beer. "But you never know with these guys. All they seem to care about is football. American football. You'd never know these guys repaired boats."

She nodded. "Let's have dinner on my boat, but you and I sleep here. OK? Then we don't have to worry about being quiet around Helena – she knows – and can really rock the boat."

He beamed. "So already sharing girlie gossip with Helena, are we?"

"You generate your fair share. We noticed you overlapped here with Jessica – yes, Helena knows," she added when he rolled his eyes. "How much overlapping was there?"

He opened his mouth to respond.

"No, I'm not the jealous type" she continued. "You can't be, living with schoolers."

Lukas wasn't so sure she was being truthful, but she was trying to be fair to him.

"Seems like nothing is much of a secret. But I'll have you know that no overlapping happened. I can't handle more than one woman at a time. I am all yours. And she respected that. Though she can be a tease."

"So she's one to gawk at, but I take your breath away," she said, putting down the beer and leaning over to kiss him. "Go wash off."

When he came out of the shower, she was standing naked in the cabin, hand on hip, a silly grin on her face.

\--x--

A few hours later, they arrived at her boat, a case of local beer in hand, and found Helena on deck grilling some fish. The women exchanged knowing smiles and Helena kissed cheeks with Lukas. He instantly noticed that her bright blond braid, normally wrapped around her head, was hanging down behind her. And her sports top and shorts seemed much more worn. Helena's usual whiteness was gone, too. She'd tanned thoroughly, and looked much more like the young woman Lukas mentored.

"Can one of you make a salad?" Helena asked. "I bought some nice vegetables, too" She picked a piece off the grille. "I'd forgotten how quickly fresh food goes when sailing."

"Were there any apples?" Radica asked.

Helena smiled, "Plenty," and popped open a beer bottle, sipped, and raised it in cheers to Lukas and Radica.

Lukas and Radica managed to make a salad together, but with much jostling, fondling, kissing, and pinching. Helena came down to get a platter and caught them deep in a groping kiss. Radica blushed deeply.

"Hey, don't mind me," Helena said, laughing, and as she went back above, "Finish up your smooches. Dinner's ready."

Helena had hung a few candle lanterns for light, and the deck table was laid out with the fish, a plate of shrimp, roasted vegetables, salad, and some fresh bread. Quite delicious.

"So what do you think so far?" Lukas asked Helena.

"Of sailing? Of schooling?" She put down her fork and frowned. "I think you have an interesting set-up, but I am not sure if it is commercially sustainable."

"How so?"

"You've become a middle man. These commercial fisherman are already tight on margins, you're just whittling away at it."

Lukas just shrugged, rather than get into an argument. "Have you sold anything since Helena joined?" he asked Radica.

She shook her head. "I wasn't expecting to sell for a few weeks, so wasn't actively looking. That's why we were down so far south. I usually like to sell to the Japanese." She turned to Helena. "The Japanese really get what we are doing. They understand that we're actually safeguarding their fish."

"And letting them get around quotas," Helena retorted.

"Perhaps," Lukas added before Radica could work up her temper. "But we know the quotas were just lip service."

Helena frowned. "Radica and I spent enough time arguing that one point," she said, borderline rudely. "I really don't want to start again."

"Fair enough," Lukas smiled and put his hands up in defense. He was wondering what kind of blowout that argument must've been. He looked between both women and noticed both were frowning and not looking at each other. Oops.

"Actually, it's pretty sad that we had to create fishing quotas at all," Lukas continued. "I'd be happy if there were no quotas." He saw both Radica and Helena perk up, their frowns dissipating. "Quotas were only set up to avoid, well, more like delay, a Tragedy of the Commons.

"The reality is that schoolers believe that the Commons is whale krap and that all, and I mean all, natural resources should be actively managed by people with a hefty dose of science and policy behind it."

Helena shrugged. Radica nodded.

He continued, "Here's a story of how twisted we are: Do you all remember the Asian Carp that invaded the Great Lakes? It wasn't all of a sudden, that fish had been creeping up the Mississippi for years. And what did folks do? Electrified gates, locks, and a lot of sitting around fretting.

"And you know what would have been the most efficient thing? The usual human overfishing. But Americans don't eat Carp. Instead, folks had fish hauling competitions where they'd go up and down the river to see who caught the most fish and then just destroyed the fish.

"What's with that?" Lukas said, rolling his eyes. "Can you imagine how fast the fish would have disappeared if it were a delicacy or popular dish?" The women smiled. "You can always count on humans decimating an animal population to satiate a desire. This Asian Carp would have been a great target, but we were too stupid to see that.

"My father and I always wondered if there was a business capturing the fish and turning it into something useful – natural fertilizer, animal food, even exporting it to Asia. And we wouldn't even have to cast nets into the water. Do you remember how these fish would just jump out of the water as the boats would go by? How easy is that?"

The girls were laughing. "I remember as a kid watching videos of folks getting fish-slapped while trying to catch the Carp," Radica managed to say.

Helena obviously had not seen these videos, but was genuinely amused. She then said, "Didn't the US and Canada spend millions –" "Billions," Radica interjected. "billions trying to eradicate the fish from the Great Lakes?"

"Isn't that the irony?" Radica said sobering up. "Isn't that the irony?" She wiped some tears from her eyes and smiled. "How screwed up is that?"

"By the way, there are a few schoolers in the Great Lakes." Lukas told Helena. "They've been managing the Carp, and other species out there quite well."

"Why didn't you ever tell me this story before?" Helena asked, perhaps a bit hurt.

"Helena, there are so many stories like this one," Lukas said, taking her hand. "They don't matter."

"How so?"

"They don't change the greed and short-sightedness that drives the fisheries industry. They aren't able to change the current culture." He sighed. "Only when Radica and I and the rest of our generation are dead and gone will our ideas have a chance."

"Then why bother trying to convince me?"

Radica replied, "We're not trying to convince you of anything. All we can do is show it to you. You're going to have to convince yourself."

"Hm," was all she said, and got back to eating.

Dinner and conversation went far into the night. Lukas made sure to avoid discussion over fisheries or schooling. Then, at one point, Radica indicated it was time to turn in and they excused themselves from Helena, who gave Radica a sly smile, and then headed to his boat.

Tired and sleepy from all the beers and good food, the two of them just dropped their clothes and flopped into bed, falling asleep holding hands.

Time and again

I woke just as soldiers entered the cabin and shot us where we lay. They left, and as the life seeped out of me the warship rammed us, the bow cleaving my boat with a resounding crunch that threw us across the cabin, water rushing in.

\--x--

I woke up and got out of bed, quietly, so as not to wake her. I watched her. She had her back to me, as I put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and I could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I rushed on deck with two large explosives and threw them overboard. The dolphins would know what to do. I saw them snatch the explosives and disappear underwater. It was then, too late, to see that a dinghy approached. Shots were fired and two rounds hit me, burning through my arm and shoulder. I could do nothing as the soldiers came aboard and split up. One looked at me as I heard the shots ring out below. Then, he finished me off with a shot to the head.

\--x--

I woke up and got out of bed, quietly, so as not to wake her. I watched her. She had her back to me, as I put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and I could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I scrambled on deck and saw the warship and dinghy approaching. I quickly hid. Then I saw me run on deck and throw the explosives overboard. The dolphins would know what to do. I watched me watch them snatch the explosives and disappear underwater. I then saw me look at the approaching dinghy. Shots were fired and I saw two rounds hit me, burning through my arm and shoulder.

Then, I jumped up when the soldiers boarded. I knocked a few off the deck with a wrench. But one managed to stab me in the gut and I fell. I could do nothing as the remaining soldiers came aboard and split up. One looked at me as I heard the shots ring out below and on deck. Then, he finished me off with a shot to the head.

\--x--

I woke up and got out of bed, quietly, so as not to wake her. I watched her. She had her back to me, as I put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and I could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I watched myself wake up and quietly get out of bed, so as not to wake her. I watched as I watched her, she had her back to us, as I put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and we could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I and I scrambled on deck and saw the warship and dinghy approaching. I and I quickly hid. Then I watched me see me run on deck and throw the explosives overboard. The dolphins would know what to do. I watched me watch me watch them snatch the explosives and disappear underwater. I then saw me look at the approaching dinghy. Shots were fired and I saw two rounds hit me, burning through my arm and shoulder.

Then, I and I jumped up when the soldiers boarded. We knocked most of them off the deck with wrenches. But two managed to stab us in the gut and we fell. We could do nothing as the remaining soldiers came aboard and split up. One looked at me as I heard the shots ring out below and on deck. Then he finished me off with a shot to the head and then he finished me off with a shot to the head.

\--x--

I woke up and got out of bed, quietly, so as not to wake her. I watched her. She had her back to me, as I put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and I could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I scrambled on deck and saw the warship and dinghy approaching. I saw that two of me were already hidden, waiting for the soldiers. I stated hauling on the main sail line. Then I watched me see me run on deck and throw the explosives overboard. The dolphins would know what to do. I watched me watch me watch them snatch the explosives and disappear underwater. I then saw me look at the approaching dinghy. Shots were fired. A round hit me in the chest, and I also saw two rounds hit me, burning through my arm and shoulder. I slowly crumpled to the deck.

Then, I watched me and me jump up when the soldiers boarded. I saw us knock most of them off the deck with wrenches. But two managed to stab us in the gut and we fell. We could do nothing as the remaining soldiers came aboard and split up. I watched as one looked at me as I heard the shots ring out below and on deck. Then I watched him finished me off with a shot to the head and then finish me off with a shot to the head and then walk over to finish me off with a shot to the head.

\--x--

I woke up and got out of bed, quietly, so as not to wake her. I watched her. She had her back to me, as I put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and I could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I watched myself wake up and quietly get out of bed, so as not to wake her. I watched me watch me watch her. She had her back to us, as we put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and we could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I and I scrambled on deck and saw the warship and dinghy approaching. I saw myself see that two of me were already hidden, waiting for the soldiers. I saw myself start to haul on the main sail line, and then I started hauling as well. Then I watched me see me run on deck and throw the explosives overboard. The dolphins would know what to do. I watched me watch me watch me watch them snatch the explosives and disappear underwater. I then watched me see me look at the approaching dinghy. Shots were fired. I saw a round hit me in the chest, and I also saw two rounds hit me, burning through my arm and shoulder. I saw me slowly crumple to the deck, as I ran to grab the helm to catch some wind.

Then, I watched me and me jump up when the soldiers boarded. I saw us knock most of them off the deck with wrenches. But two managed to stab us in the gut and we fell. We could do nothing as the remaining soldiers came aboard and split up. I hollered at them and startling them for a moment, then swung the boat so that the boom would hit them.

Two ducked, but three were knocked over, though not enough because the boom was not loose enough. The two who ducked stood up and shot me down.

As best I could, I watched as one looked at me as I heard the shots ring out below and on deck. Then I watched him finish me off with a shot to the head and then finish me off with a shot to the head and then walk over to finish me off with a shot to the head and then walk over and finish me off with a shot to the head.

\--x--

I woke up and got out of bed, quietly, so as not to wake her. I watched her. She had her back to me, as I put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and I could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I scrambled on deck and saw the warship and dinghy approaching. Shots were fired. I saw a round hit me in the chest, and I also saw two rounds hit me, burning through my arm and shoulder. I saw me slowly crumple to the deck, and saw me run to grab the helm to catch some wind.

Then, I watched me and me jump up when the soldiers boarded. I quickly grabbed the line the held the boom as I saw us knock most of the soldiers off the deck with wrenches. But two managed to stab us in the gut and we fell. We could do nothing as the remaining soldiers came aboard and split up. I then heard me holler at them, startling them for a moment, then I let go of the boom line as I swung the boat so that the boom would hit them.

Two ducked, but, with a horrible crack, the other three were knocked down. I watched as the two who ducked stood up and shot me down, then turned on me and shot me.

As best I could, I watched as one looked at me as I heard the shots ring out below and on deck. Then he finished me off with a shot to the head.

\--x--

I woke up and got out of bed, quietly, so as not to wake her. I watched her. She had her back to me, as I put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and I could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I watched myself wake up and quietly got out of bed, so as not to wake her. I watched me watch me watch her. She had her back to us, as we put on my overalls. She was so beautiful and we could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair.

I and I scrambled on deck and saw the warship and dinghy approaching. Shots were fired. I saw a round hit me in the chest, and I also saw two rounds hit me, burning through my arm and shoulder. I saw me slowly crumple to the deck, and saw me run to grab the helm to catch some wind.

Then, I watched me and me jump up when the soldiers boarded. I knew what I had to do and didn't wait to watch me quickly grab the line the held the boom and watch us knock most of the soldiers off the deck with wrenches.

I scrambled up on top of the main cabin.

I knew that two managed to stab us in the gut and we fell. We were actually getting somewhere with the remaining soldiers who came aboard and split up. I held on as the boat pitched one way then the other. I then heard me holler at them, startling them for a moment, then let go of the boom line as I swung the boat so that the boom would hit them.

Two ducked, but, with a horrible crack, the other three were knocked down. I grabbed my rifle and watched as the two who ducked stood up and shot me down, then turned on me and shot me at the boom line.

As best I could, with two quick cracks of my rifle, I finished off one then the other with a shot to the head.

I looked up in time to see the warship explode and rapidly sink, the wake of its momentum and the explosion pushing my boat out of the way.
Exhausted, I went back below. She was so beautiful and I could not get enough of looking at her curves, her shoulder, her hair. I watched her. She had her back to me, as I removed my overalls. I got in bed, quietly, so as not to wake her, and fell asleep.

Not skirting the truth

"Lukas," he heard, faintly, as he rose through layers of sleep, feeling hot and sweaty and exhausted. Radica kissed him as his eyes fluttered open. "Dreaming?"

He sighed deeply and nodded. She caressed his face, smiling. "By the way you were shaking, I am pretty sure it wasn't me in that dream."

Still disoriented, he kissed her, turned on his side, pulling her arm across so that she snuggled with him. He was soon back asleep.

\--x--

He woke up and got out of bed, quietly, so as – he caught himself and looked at her. She faced him, sleeping, her eyes covered with a shirt and her mouth wide open, one arm partly hanging off the bed, the hand hanging limp. He had to smile.

He fixed a nice breakfast, being sure to include apples, and then kissed her like Sleeping Beauty. Only she frowned and turned over and mumbled something about not wanting to get up.

Chuckling quietly, he spread the map on the table and started charting a course to Japan, overlaying the long term weather patterns, and any information he had on Japanese commercial fishing vessels (in the end he had to pay for the information).

He zoomed around to find other indicators, such as the beacon on the Chinese warship (somewhere near Shanghai) and Jessica (far south west, towards Australia – it seemed she recently slowed down, probably already caught up with her herd).

Radica eventually woke up and asked him to put the water to boil. She only got out of bed, slipping into a t-shirt of his, when the water pot boiled and clicked off. He started to make the tea, but she stopped him.

"I'll do that, thank you," she said, as he smiled and got out of the way. She held up the box of tea, "You have my favorite," and kissed him.

He then pulled out the milk from the fridge and placed it on the counter next to her. "And might as well have it with fresh milk while you can."

She smiled, "Ah, the luxuries of port."

She almost squealed with delight when she saw the apple concoction he'd made for her, a bit soggy now that it had sat while she slept. But she liked it nonetheless. Especially after heating it up in the microwave.

"How long have you been able to keep apples?"

He laughed. "What is it with apples these days?"

"There's got to be a way, short of having a tree on the boat, what with all the modern science we have."

"Root vegetables and cabbages never seem to go bad."

Radica made a grossed out face. "Fruits, Lukas, fruits. Limes, oranges, avocados, Clementines, and," she moaned, "apples – Macs, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith's – tart, sweet, crunchy, soft, juicy, dry – for snacking, for cooking, to sweeten kissing lips," she puckered up and blew him a kiss. She moaned again, "Apples."

"I'm more of a banana man."

She threw her napkin at him and stood up, whipping off her shirt, arms held up. "Fool! Apples are the Golden Orbs of the Gods!" And she threw the shirt at him and pushed her breasts together with her hands, bellowing, "Now come here, mere mortal, and partake in the Golden Orbs of the Gods!"

\--x--

They met up with Helena later that morning at the market in town. Helena, being sensible, purchased enough fresh produce for the next few days (though there wasn't much to choose from), a few loaves of bread, and a chunk of cured meat. Radica, being the less sensible one, bought a puka shell necklace, a tapa table cloth, and three colorful lavalava. Lukas only bought another case of local beer.

They sat on some mats at a food stall with some savory lunches, which they shared, along with many "oos" and "ahs" as they tried the delicious food. Radica took a moment to fasten the necklace around Lukas, kissing him in the nape of the neck.

He laughed, "I haven't worn one of these since I was a kid."

"Well, now you're branded as mine," she said, tapping the back of his head.

Helena was admiring the lavalava. "Thank you for this pretty wrap." She held it up and then to her waist. They noticed she seemed about to cry.

Radica put a hand to Helena's wrist. "What's wrong?"

"You two have been so kind to me. Even after all these years of us being at opposite sides of the argument." Her head was down, but they saw a few tears drop, and then she wiped her eyes. "And I know you're not doing this because you're trying to win me over."

Radica got closer and put her arm around Helena. "You know we'd be kind to you regardless of who you were. We're not trying to win you over with good food and skirts: we still love you."

Helena looked up, pained, "I think I broke a bazillion ethics rules coming out this way. I knew I would. But something drew me back to you."

"And we thank you for that," Lukas said, touching her shoulder. "Maybe this is not about you as Queen of the Fisheries, but about you, Helena, the young woman we once knew."

Now the tears were flowing, but Helena tried to smile. "I really don't think we were much at odds. Rather we had different paths to the same place. I now know that the Fisheries has an outmoded and incomplete plan for sustainability and profit." She took a deep and shuddering breath, wiping the tears away with both hands. "Scheisse, look at me: a blubbering mess," she laughed.

"Sorry, I really didn't think of the ethics of what we were doing," Radica said. "But then again, I had doubted being back to sea would be so transformative for you."

Helena nodded and smiled, "I was aware of what I was walking into. I think it's the phase of my life or career or what. I think, too, I just needed to shake things up. Things have been unraveling at the Fisheries and I am slowly losing control. I don't mean to run away, but I wondered how I could do more."

"You really believe in what you do?"

She nodded, "I have and always will. Though, of course, looking back, being here with you two reminded me of what I initially set out to do – which you two never accepted and never listened to why I did it."

"I'm sorry," Lukas said.

"It was devastating when you two kinda," she did the bunny fingers, "'disowned' me, dropped me from the conversation." She was silent, then, "I cried for so long. It was, it was," she sighed, "it was like my parents had abandoned me." She sniffed and wiped some more tears from her face.

"Oh, my," Radica said, tears trickling down her cheeks, hugging Helena closer. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Ever since I got on your boat, I've been meaning to tell you, but I knew it'd break me. And now look at me," she looked up, laughed, and indicated the market, "here I am bawling in a public market." She sniffed and wiped her face with her lavalava and looked at it. "There. I will remember your love and kindness every time I wear this skirt."

\--x--

Helena's revelation certainly changed the character of the afternoon. There were no more moments of crying, but Lukas noticed a change in the way Radica (and he, as well) interacted with Helena. It was less as a guest or friend, but, as it used to be, as a niece or daughter. And it seemed that Helena noticed and was glad.

That night, around the dinner table, now set with the tapa cloth, Helena spent a long time revealing the intricacies of the politics of national and international fisheries. It was like she was sharing trade secrets for Lukas and Radica to exploit.

At one point, Lukas said, "I get the feeling that you actually have a better idea as to where we, as schoolers, need to improve our model."

Helena nodded thoughtfully. "I know you brought me out here to make me fall in love and accept your business model." Radica and Lukas nodded. "But that didn't happen, isn't happening, and won't happen." Helena held a finger up as Radica opened her mouth to speak. "Nonetheless, thank you for giving me an in-depth course in what you've built – though I still need to see how you manage a sale," she said, looking at Radica.

"Also," she continued, "I do think you have an amazing model. Though I can already see how to tweak it and grow it, and, most importantly, make it more palatable – without selling it out," she hastened to add, "make it more palatable for my stakeholders."

Lukas nodded thoughtfully, but, of course, Radica blurted out. "What makes you think you can make them change?"

Helena smiled, "I've been deep in the system for years, tweaking it and changing it. You might not have noticed, and, true, I don't always win. But I've pretty much kept to plan since the day I joined. Though, of course, I am seeing I need to correct my course and change my plan a bit, meaning, I know so much more of how you two have evolved the business, that I need to change the direction I was taking everyone in."

"I don't know if that's good or bad," Radica frowned. Lukas punched her arm and Radica punched back. "Stop it." Then turning to Helena. "I need to hear more before I'm convinced."

Helena smiled, "I didn't make it to where I am for being stupid and not knowing how to play the politics. You two are too kind and open to understand the world I live in – and I wouldn't want you two to change." She reached across the table and took their hands. "I am your daughter, and, I hope, we have come back together as a family. I need you to trust me as much as I now and always will trust you. Do not abandon me again. As you can see, without you two I drifted in the wrong direction for so long." She looked, intensely, back and forth between both of them. "Please?"

Lukas nodded with a smile, but Radica kept frowning with maternal disapproval. Helena only smirked, but gave both their hands a squeeze.

\--x--

Radica gave him a shake to wake him before she headed back to her boat. "It's time."

He didn't say anything when he saw her eyes were puffy and red from crying. The women were heading up to Japan and they wouldn't be back for a long time. Lukas had already told them he couldn't head up that way because of the Chinese warship nearby. And even if it weren't that ship, he was pretty sure other Chinese vessels, war or commercial, would be just as hostile.

As they got on deck, Radica smiled as he handed her an apple

He accompanied her back to her boat, Nami pulling them along. They just sat quietly, holding hands, each of them eating an apple. Helena was already on deck preparing to leave, and the sun was barely lightening the sky. They could hear her mumbling angrily.

"What's up?" Radica said as she got on board.

"This is too early to get up," Helena grumbled.

"Sorry," Radica smiled, "I just get antsy to leave port when I know I'll be out to sea again."

"Then I should get back into bed and let you do all this!" she growled, though she kept moving about the deck preparing everything.

Radica looked around, hand on hips. "You've done well. A few more times and you're ready for your own boat."

"Never," Helena barked and went below.

"Grumpy in the morning, is she?" Lukas smiled. Radica nodded.

Helena came back up and turned on the motor. Lukas heard the quiet whir of the electric motor and felt the boat move a bit, loosening up the hitch, which Helen removed. He then watched Helena take the helm and steer the boat around. She looked at him.

"Getting off or coming along?" she smiled. "Say your good-byes now, lover birds."

Radica and Lukas hugged for a bit while Helena maneuvered over to his boat. They let go when Helena said, "Lukas, this is your stop."

Radica gave him a kiss, her wet cheeks touching his. He saw that she was crying again. As the boat motored away, they looked at each other, until Helena said something and Radica went below.

Ka-pow chicken

By the time his mast was finally done – he noted, with surprise, that they delivered it on time – he was dying to get back to sea. He helped them step his mast and reconnect the rigging, which was quite enjoyable as the men sang and laughed and joked the whole time.

Then it was his turn to pick up fresh produce at the market, prepare the boat for departure, and then leave the next morning.

Tsu was beside herself when he caught up with the school. He dove in to play with her. She could be rough at times. But it was all part of the bond they shared. He could feel her pulsing her melon, looking into him. She pulled him around, sometimes down deep until his ears hurt. The other dolphins also played, and occasionally he'd get squished between Tsu and the others. He knew it was time to get out when they'd forget that he was a human and begin poking him with their snouts and jostling him.

He set out towards the northwest, aware that he was heading to more trafficked areas. But he'd been lucky with feeding and selling in the region, so he felt comfortable sailing those waters.

After all the good weather he'd been having, a few days later, he saw a big storm approaching. He decided to skirt it from the south, hoping to catch some strong northwesterly winds. He got close enough for the rain and rough seas and spent a few days sailing through it all. It was odd to be wearing so much clothing again – slickers, rubber boots, safety harness – but it was a nice change.

After a while, though, he started looking forward to breaking through the storm and back into calm and beautiful seas. This was not to be. While he traversed the storm, he kept close watch on the radar, as he was in busier areas and didn't want to inadvertently smash into a large container ship. The map would show him vectors and alert him to potential collisions, so he didn't usually look closely at the map, except when he was doing periodic checks (never trust the machines completely).

In one of those checks, he noticed that a particular vessel, without a transponder, seemed to be tracking him, matching his adjustments and speed through the storm. It seemed to be a large vessel and a quick check for his beacons showed that it wasn't any hostile ship he had tagged (the Chinese vessel was still somewhere near Shanghai).

And the historical path information he had on it didn't make sense – he could not tell where the ship was coming from, though there were many places it could be going to.

Spooked, he had Tsu check for any beacons attached to his hull – she was a bit insulted, as she regularly checked anyway. He also searched his boat for any hidden beacons someone might have dropped while he was at shore.

Nothing. Perhaps, coincidence?

As the storm dissipated, the vessel was still off in the distance, yet parallel to him. Later that day, the map alerted him that the vessel was now much closer, though still roughly parallel. He pulled out his binoculars to see what he could see.

The gray paint gave it away as a warship.

He turned to the nearest port. When he did that, the map indicated that the ship also changed course and now was on collision course. As a matter of protocol, Lukas got on the radio, selecting the open communications channel for this region. There was occasional chatter.

He identified his boat and then described the location and bearing of the other vessel. Of course, no response. And to make it worse, the other ship accelerated. They would catch up with him in the early evening.

Lukas sent a message to Radica, alerting her to the situation and stating his bearing and position (though he knew she'd probably have it already). Even though he told her not to call on the satellite phone, she did any way.

"You didn't need to call," he said and waited.

"As soon as you know who it is, send us images," she replied.

"Will do."

Delay. "I love you."

"Me too."

He put the phone back into his emergency bag – the bag also had things like fresh water, a first aid kit, money in various Pacific currencies, maps (electronic and paper), and some food. He had a similar bag in his life raft on deck.

It was agonizing preparing for the arrival of the ship. Like before, he tied a beacon (he'd sent the tracking code to Radica, just in case), an explosive device, and a sturdy rope overboard in case he needed them.

He tracked the vessel as it approached. When it got close, just before it got dark, he saw that it was indeed a warship, bristling with equipment and a large red and gold Chinese flag.

Lukas shook his head. They really had something against him. And somehow they had tracked him. Perhaps by spy satellite.

He was on deck as they approached. They shined a bright floodlight on him. He was relieved there was no dinghy of soldiers coming after him, or at least he didn't see any through the glare of the floodlight.

Lukas half expected someone on a megaphone to yell at him, so it took him a moment to realize that they were not slowing down. The bow wave pushed his boat up and over and the prow slammed into his boat at an angle, but enough to crunch a big gash into the hull, the rigging collapsing, the force throwing Lukas clear across the deck.

Lukas tried to hold on, but as the boat heeled over, he ended up slipping into the water and getting fouled in the rigging. The floodlight was turned off and it suddenly got very dark.

As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he could hear the ship motoring away, the glow of its lights coming into focus.

It seemed like his boat wasn't sinking, but he didn't want to take any chances, so felt his way to his life boat and sprung it open. He climbed into it and found a flashlight.

It wasn't a pretty sight.

The boat was broken open like a piñata, keeled over on its side, his things from the deck and from below were trailing out.

Tsu and the other dolphins were tittering nervously. Tsu held the explosive and Ram, her second in command, held the beacon. He signaled for Tsu to forget the explosive, despite how tempting that would be, and to take the fouling rope and the beacon to the fast disappearing ship. He'd wait for the dolphins to return.

Indeed, he was going to wait until morning, in case his boat didn't sink and he could salvage some things.

It was a long and cold night.

\--x--

As the sun rose, he got another disheartening look at the mess. The boat floated low in the water. His things were strewn all around him and he fished out a few floating apples and oranges. Tsu spyhopped when she noticed he was moving about.

Lukas knew that with the dolphins with him, he was going to going to be fine. But the ramming rankled him and the loss of his boat infuriated him. If he recalled correctly, there was an uninhabited atoll nearby, which meant he wasn't in international waters, that he was rammed in someone's jurisdiction. That should sober up the Chinese. And hopefully it would rile up Pelkey and the US Navy.

He took his flashlight and Tsu helped him under the boat and into the cabin, which was half full of water. Tsu poked her head in, she'd never seen the cabin, and her fish breath was strong. He grabbed her snout and shook it side to side in play, "You have retched breath. You need to floss."

Some cabinets were broken open, their contents floating in the cabin. The settee pillows were all bunched up, floating at one end. And the gimbaled table poked out of the water at an odd angle.

He grabbed the other emergency bag and handed it to Tsu, who vanished and then came back without it. And then he took her fin and rode her out and up back to the emergency raft.

Tsu heaved him into the raft, which was already getting warm from the morning sun. Lukas opened up one of the bottles of water and drank it all. Tsu was still spyhopping, waiting for directions. He told her they'd be staying here, which meant she'd round up the school to keep them nearby.

Lukas opened up the satellite phone and placed a call.

"Lukas, are you OK? What took you so long to call back?" Radica blurted out as soon as she picked up.

"I'm alive, and the animals are fine, if that's what you're asking. Can you still see my boat on your map?"

Pause. "Of course I can, otherwise I'd be freaking out right now."

"Well you can freak out: I was rammed."

He braced himself for the reply during the time it took for what he said to reach Radica and her outburst to return.

In a barrage of questions, "How did this happen? Who did it? When did it happen? Can you still sail? What does the boat look like?"

"More importantly," he laughed, "I managed to save some apples."

The pause, then, she yelled. "Don't be an ass! You could have been killed."

"The boat is all broken and on its side. I can't sail it. I'll call a salvage crew to come get me and the boat. I can wait out a few boring days, floating out here. Provided the weather stays mild."

The pause was longer than the satellite round trip. "Fine. Please send a text to me every twelve hours or so."

"Ok. Proof of life, right?"

Pause, and then her wonderful laughter made him feel warm inside. "I love you."

"I love you more." And then hung up on her.

Then his phone rang. It was Pelkey. "We got your EPIRB signal. Good to know you are alive."

"I was rammed by a Chinese Navy boat."

Pause. "I'll see who was in the vicinity. What's the state of your boat?"

"Bad. I'd like it salvaged and taken to port. The hull looks trashed, but I have a lot of specialized hardware I'd like to recover."

Pause. "We've organized one of our ships to come help out, if you don't mind waiting. I think they can haul the boat out of water, for the most part. Though they'll likely damage it further."

"Thanks. I have enough supplies for a few days wait. Barring storms. And I can have my dolphins get me some food. Though sashimi non-stop after a few days loses its joy. In any case, I can raid my stores if need be. And I have apples."

Longer pause. "What?"

Lukas laughed. "You know where I am."

Pause. "Good. And let's hope that Navy boat doesn't come back to finish you off with a shot to the head."

Now it was Lukas' turn to pause. For some reason, that possibility hadn't occurred to him. "How nice that you are worried for me."

Pause. And Pelkey was laughing. "Maybe after you've sorted out your boat would be a good time for you and me to meet up again. Just let me know and I'll arrange a flight."

"Thanks again."

Pause. "Roger. Out."

And now he waited.

Sudden violence

She came up to me, nervous almost crying. Something bad had happened and she didn't know how to tell me.

I went into the room and Jessica was laying there, on her back, so small, her pre-teen body thin and naked, still no hint of womanhood. She had blood all over her pelvis.

A man was there, grinning, looking at me, buckling his pants.

I grabbed his neck and ripped off his head.

Frying pans and fires

By the second day, Lukas was done waiting. He had played a bit with the dolphins, sold a large chunk of his school to a passing ship (they were confused when he refused to be saved, but stopped offering when he said the US Navy was coming), tracked where he was drifting, and tallied up the damage to the boat a few times. But he was done waiting.

He kept sending messages to Radica when it got light and when it got dark, and also told her the Navy was coming to salvage the boat.

In the morning of the third day, he saw the ship approaching. And by lunch he and his boat were aboard the immense Navy rescue and salvage ship. Some divers had disassembled part of the boat and picked it up in a harness and into the hold.

Lukas sighed as he saw the water and belongings pouring out of his boat. Before leaving his life raft, he told Tsu it'd be a long while before he got back to her, that he'd be flying (it blew her mind that he could) and on land (which she thought was a stupid concept). He suggested she head north to Japan (she had a vague idea where he meant), in the direction Nami and Radica had gone.

She was sad, but this wasn't the first time he'd had to leave her for a very long time. She knew Lukas could always find her and knew what to do with the school. She sprayed a fan of water from her mouth and he rubbed her snout before she turned and dove, the other dolphins coming by Lukas for a pat and a goodbye, as well.

The commander, Captain Jackson, greeted him as he came on board. "Sorry to see such a fine boat be abused that way. They'll get the buggers." He stood with Lukas as they hoisted the broken boat into the hold. "Where would you like to take it to get repaired?"

"Thanks for helping out. I just want to strip it of some special hardware I have, if it's still working or still attached. I think I'll scrap the whole thing, otherwise."

"My boys have nothing to do, so we could do it for you, depending on how far you are going."

"That'd be great. What's your home port?"

"Pearl Harbor."

"That's fine for me."

Jackson smiled.

\--x--

He spent the next few days working with Jackson's men, separating the broken stuff from the working stuff – such as solar panels, control equipment, navigation tools, his maps, loads of furniture that wasn't ruined. The salvage ship of course had all the tools necessary to tear apart the boat, even a big grinder that made mince-work of the hull. It was sad to see the boat go like that. The men held a party in honor of the boat the night before they got into port. Lukas had a lot of fun.

At the party, one of the sailors asked him about the dolphins. Lukas spent hours answering their questions about training the dolphins, interacting with them, how smart they were, their personalities, and what they did for him. The sailors had heard of schooling, but were never sure who did it or how it was done. Lukas made a few disciples, for sure, after wowing them with tales of schooling.

When they arrived in Pearl Harbor, Pelkey was waiting for him. "Seem like it was that same ship that harassed you last time." He said, shaking Lukas' hand. An assistant took Lukas' rucksack, whispered something into Pelkey's ear, and then put the rucksack in the front passenger seat of a black (it's always black, isn't it?) SUV.

"They must've found my beacon and knew to keep it under water. I couldn't find any beacon on my boat, so I suppose they tracked me by satellite.'

"Indeed they did." He led Lukas to the SUV. "One other thing, before we leave the dock: The captain says you asked for your things to be packed into a container," he said, pointing to a waiting truck.

"I hope that's all right with you, as well. I'll be paying for it all, of course – loading and hauling."

"Don't worry about the loading. But we'll have to go through everything before we let it off-base," he said, the assistant opening the door to the SUV for Lukas and Pelkey.

"Fair enough."

He stopped before getting into the SUV. "Just so there are no surprises: do you have anything that might be considered illegal?"

Lukas smiled sheepishly, "Of course. But I'm not sure if the men can tell. Feel free to confiscate it."

"We'll see. I'll get you a list of the things we have exception to entering the US. It's really not you, though, so don't worry about that."

As they drove, Pelkey said, "Do you mind staying on-base until we clear your stuff? Should not take more than a day. Did you have plans to go anywhere next?"

"I was going to put my things in storage and then catch up with a friend. Most likely in Guam."

Pelkey chuckled. Lukas had said it "Goo-ahm," comically separating the two vowels. "Good," Pelkey continued, "I have a bungalow here on-base I can offer for tonight. Let me know if you need help booking a ticket to Guam." Pelkey pronounced it properly. "Also, can I have a car pick you up tonight to come to dinner with me and some colleagues?"

Lukas felt like a mooch. "Thanks. You really don't have to go out of your way for me."

"Hey, it's all family. My brother-in-law is a schooler."

Lukas was surprised. "Who?"

"Fig. He told me he met you at the hearing. His sister is my wife."

"Small world."

Pelkey laughed. "You'd think the ocean was huge, but we always seem to be bumping into folks we know. And it doesn't help that it's always the same folks."

Lukas chuckled, too. "And it doesn't help that some are trying to hand me my ass and have the spy birds to help them."

"You can say that again." They pulled into a little cul-de-sac full of small bungalows from the 40s. "Here's the key," he said, handing Lukas a card. "At about eighteen-hundred, I'll have a car here to pick you up for dinner. Should give you enough time to freshen up, book your ticket, and check-in with Radica," Pelkey winked, "That was from Fig, not my intelligence service."

Pelkey waited until Lukas waved and walked into the bungalow.

The bungalow was simple, a large living room connected to a dining area and kitchen. Off to one side was a room and bathroom. Lukas immediately jumped in the shower – his first on-shore shower in longer than he could remember.

When he got out he put on the lavalava to hang out in. Then he looked at his map. First he saw that Radica was not far from Guam. Second, he deleted the beacon signature in Shanghai.

"Where are you?" was the first thing she said when he finally got through to her.

"Pearl Harbor. Did you know the Navy guy who saved me from the Chinese the first time is Fig's brother-in-law?"

There as a pause. She was on a satellite phone, even if he wasn't. Laughter, "No, I didn't."

He told her about his voyage to Pearl Harbor, the dismantling of the boat, "Oh, so sorry, Lukas," and the things he's putting in storage.

"When are you getting the next boat?"

"I'll ask Jessica to design one. If I get a next one."

Pause, then, "What? Would you want to sail with me? As a couple?"

"Nothing would please me more."

Pause, "I love you."

"Can I meet you in Guam?"

Pause, "Please."

He started replying, "I'll let you know my flight info," when her next sentence came in, "And Helena is OK with it, too."

Both of them paused to wait for the other, so he spoke. "I am glad Helena is OK with me joining you guys. We'll need to be respectful of her when there, and so forth – you know what I mean. And I'll let you know my flight info in a bit. Over."

Pause, then a giggle, "Roger, out."

\--x--

Pelkey held the dinner in his backyard, with three of his peers and their wives. Lukas was introduced as the Father of Schoolers, with a connection to Fig, brother to Pelkey's wife, Vee (short for Varuna). The men were all in Navy intelligence, but the wives all did different things – Vee was a pediatrician, and the other wives were a real estate agent, a psychologist, and a full-time mother of three.

Lukas tried to pay attention to all the chatter, but all he could think of was his flight to Guam, which he was catching the following afternoon. (When he let Pelkey know, Pelkey said it was all right.) And it also didn't help that most of the conversation was about children, getting married, raising kids. Good thing the couples didn't ask him if he had a family, probably guessing that as a schooler he didn't have one.

When the desserts were being served, Pelkey served Calvados to the men – the women were not interested. The women went inside to take their desserts, leaving the men outside to chat.

"Lukas, Rich here was the one that tracked down your favorite Chinese boat."

Lukas thanked him. And then, Pelkey continued, "You can imagine the sensors we have below the surface, on the surface, and up high in the sky. We're constantly integrating that intelligence with multiple public sources of data to get a comprehensive overview of the region."

"We've been tracking all of the schoolers in all the oceans," one of the other guys, his name might have been Mark, said, smiling. "I've even been doing a study of the patterns, ocean temperatures, commercial fishery operations, and feeding seasons per species – fascinating stuff."

Lukas was surprised, "So you're not just spying on us?"

The men all laughed, and Lukas smiled, though not sure what was funny.

The third colleague, called Paul said, "Yes, we're still," bunny ears, "'spying' on you, but we integrate as much relevant data, as many intelligence sources as we can get to achieve the highest situational awareness and also predictive power."

"At any one time," Pelkey said, "we want to get a level of confidence what different actions anyone might make. That's why we weren't far from you when the Chinese boat first approached you."

"But you were nowhere near when they rammed me."

Rich shrugged, "Sorry for that. We realized we had two positions on that boat, the loudest was the beacon. But, when one position started gaining on you, we figured it was the real position. We weren't too concerned, realizing you were no longer in international waters."

Paul, said, "We debated alerting you, but that would have revealed more than we were ready for. And we weren't able to get a boat out your way. We can't be everywhere."

"Yes, sorry," Pelkey said. "We had absolutely no idea they'd be so hostile. And in someone's territorial waters – not that they recognize most territorial waters these days."

They all shook their heads.

"We're still going through your gear," Mark said. "Fascinating stuff. I hope you don't mind me folding you into a profile on schoolers. The only other schooler I've been able to learn from is Fig. He's been very helpful with names, history, habits. He's the one who told us to reach out to you."

"Do you realize he's starting to take a leadership role among schoolers?" Lukas asked, not sure if this was a good thing.

The men looked at each other. Pelkey spoke, "He's been the one egging us on, not us. We are concerned, and I've told him such, that he thinks we are his support crew. So long as schoolers are useful to us, we'll work with you. It's not a Faustian bargain, but, all the same, I don't think Fig realizes how deep our hooks can go."

"He's just never developed a cautious mistrust of the government, especially the military, especially intel services," Lukas smiled.

"Precisely," Pelkey said, nodding and smiling.

Lukas said to Mark, the one doing the profiling, "If you need more time to go through my things, let me know. I was just going to put it all in storage for a while until I sort out my next boat. And as you know, I'm off to Guam tomorrow afternoon."

"Thanks, will do. And I promise not to dismantle anything we can't put back together."

"Huh. The only thing I wanted back together is now ground up and on its way to a landfill."

Mangled meetings

Pelkey picked him up for lunch and was going to take him to the airport after. They ate at a small diner on a beach. The day was cloudy, so the diner didn't have many customers.

"What did you do to anger the Chinese?"

Lukas shrugged, "I've been doing this for so long, the grudges have multiplied and morphed, I can't unravel them."

"I'm wondering if you're encroaching on a military racket. Do you sell to Chinese commercial vessels?"

Lukas nodded, "There are very few we do not sell to."

"I'll look into it, but it could be that you're cutting into a Chinese Navy business by selling directly to the fisherman. And the Chinese think you're the top man running the whole network – it's the way they think, they could never understand a non-hierarchical, bottom-up, organization."

Lukas nodded thoughtfully, "I'll ask around and see if that holds up."

They ordered some burgers and milkshakes. When the shakes came, Lukas took big sips. "I haven't had one of these in a long time."

Pelkey smiled, "Life at sea can't be beat, but we are still land creatures, and there are some comforts that are hard to do without." Lukas nodded, sipping some more of his shake. Pelkey continued, "For example, fresh fruit. Especially apples."

Lukas almost spit his shake. "What's with the apples? Bananas. Why don't folks miss bananas?"

Pelkey shrugged and chuckled. "I suppose those in the North Atlantic might miss bananas and those in the Pacific might miss apples." He shook his head, "I don't know how Fig became so fascinated with the Antarctic. He's a California boy, from a well-to-do Indian family. Talk about eating fresh food your whole life. Now he lives on seal jerky and smoked blubber."

The both laughed.

"I met a guy," Lukas began telling, "who was in love with schoolers. We met at a cocktail party at some port, maybe it was Cannes, I can't remember why I was there, I think it was a tuna meeting. I was invited on his yacht, which he only took out for day excursions, meeting the boat as the crew took it from port to port.

"He grilled me on what life at sea was like. I told him I schooled tuna, how I kept the school healthy with regular testing, how the dolphins and I worked together. He kept saying how envious he was that I ate so much tuna and how great it was to have sashimi all the time.

"I then told him a tale from a movie I watched long ago of a young woman, daughter of a lobster potter. She hated lobster, because her family didn't have money to buy any other food. Then some rich kid tries to woo her and shows off his wealth by serving her – yep – lobster. You can then imagine the rich kid trying to parse her reaction to the lobster.

"The rich guy in Cannes sort of understood what I was saying." Lukas shrugged. "I still keep in touch with him. He regularly orders, from me, a whole tuna, paying market rates plus shipping."

Pelkey shook his head, smiling.

\--x--

The flight to Guam was direct from Honolulu. It was long, and he would be arriving in Guam at night. Radica would already be in port, she was scheduled to arrive in the afternoon, on the day he landed.

He had a hard time relaxing on the flight – he stared out the window wondering where Tsu was, trying to catch familiar landmarks, comparing what he was seeing with what the flight track showed on the monitor, until it got dark; then he kept wondering if he should get a new boat, should Jessica design it, if he should join Radica, or if Radica should join him on the new Jessica-designed boat; and his conversations with Pelkey kept bouncing in his head, occasionally ticking him off that Fig was so in bed with the Navy, wondering how to not get burned; and underlying it all was a slight anxiety from not having been in a plane for almost two years, turbulence was scarier than a typhoon.

He wasn't too jet lagged, and was trying to wrap his head around the day he just lost from crossing the date line, when he hopped into a cab for the small marina the women had docked at. Radica was waiting for him as he got out of the cab, and hugged and kissed him as if he had come back from the dead.

He could see she'd been crying, the bright orange lights of the marina giving her scowling eyes a wild look. "You gave me such a fright," she said, leading him to her boat.

Helena was setting some food on the table. "We ate already, this is for you."

Radica took his rucksack to her cabin and was still scowling when she returned. He washed up and then sat with them at the table. Helena was picking at the salad. Radica had her elbows on the table and was hunched over, yes, scowling.

"Don't you have anything to say?" she finally said after a moment's silence.

"I love you?" Lukas had no idea what she wanted him to say.

"What did you do for the Chinese to want to kill you?" Helena offered.

Lukas shrugged. "I really don't know. I was talking to Pelkey, the guy from the Navy, another side story there, and we thought it might be some racket I inadvertently encroached on."

Helena nodded. But Radica wasn't convinced. "They went way out of their friggin' way to get you."

"Radica, I don't usually hang out in the North Pacific, they'd have to come down to me if they wanted to do me in." He put another piece of food in his mouth. "Mm, this is good."

"Don't change the subject on me!" Radica snapped.

Lukas tried to hide a smile. "I don't think they wanted to kill me, just rough me up. They never bothered to check if the boat sunk or if I'd drowned. Also, they were in territorial waters."

Helena looked bored, "Meh, they don't care about territorial waters."

"Exactly!" Radica barked. "And what makes you think they'll not be after you on my boat?"

"Nothing. And I can leave if you wish me to."

Radica looked panicked, between logic and illogic, trying to weigh what would happen if he stayed or if he left. "Ass," was all she said, glaring at him.

Helena sighed, "Now that we got some of that out of our system: How are you?"

Lukas smiled, "Well, funny you should ask. It's been a real shame to lose my boat of 20 years, a boat I've lovingly taken care of, expanded, modified, and sailed in every ocean and practically every sea."

Radica mumbled, "Sorry."

Lukas sighed, "Pelkey sent a Navy salvage and rescue ship to help me. They loaded the whole boat into their hold and helped me dismantle and dispose of it. The boat was way beyond repairs. So, I just got rid of anything I could replace. The sailors will auction off the working stuff for charity. And we threw the rest into storage somewhere on Oahu."

"So you said," Radica said quietly, holding his hand. "Did Pelkey confiscate anything?"

"He didn't tell me yet. I gave them a few more days." He told them about the Fig-Pelkey connection.

Helena perked up. "He did seem different that the rest of you nut-jobs. If I may say, he seemed more like me."

"You may say," Lukas said. "I think he has the same zeal as you do. And he's as loyal to his vision as you are to yours."

Helena frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

"Just that both of you have a strong vision, have found willing allies, and will do well for yourself."

"Somehow I don't think that was a compliment," she said, still frowning.

"Half-half. If it turns out well for me in the end, it'll be viewed as a compliment. If you and Fig mess things up in your own way, then it'll be an insult." And he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Lukas, be nice," Radica said, tapping him on the wrist. "Eat and don't speak until you're done."

She continued, "I'll have you know that Helena has been running the boat the whole time. And you know that plucky young Dusky? Goes by Maelström?" Lukas nodded. He knew the one – Duskys were rare. "He's taken a liking to Helena."

Helena beamed. "I remember when Nami and Tsu used to play with me. I just never thought I'd get close to a dolphin of my own. And he's such a loner that I was surprised he was so social with me."

Radica smiled like a parent, "I think he realizes who you are and why you are here. He doesn't talk much, but is a good worker. Nami never really needs to tell him to do something twice. I don't know where he came from, but he sort of showed up one day, weak and tired, looking for a handout. He works hard for his food and fits in well with the pod."

"He's wonderful and is always so helpful," Helena added. "He just wants to be useful."

Lukas nodded, as he was still eating.

"I also set up a trade with a Japanese boat," Helena continued. "We're selling them a dozen huge bluefins in our school. This'll be a lot of money. Radica says it'll take a few years to sell this much bluefin again."

Radica added, "A few of these are from the original school, actually. But it's time to get rid of them, as they are keeping some of the younger ones from growing. You know, the usual. I don't want them to lose any value as they age and go to seed, sort of like you and me," she said, indicating Lukas and herself.

"Thanks. And you might want to swap fish with another schooler, just to keep the genomic diversity up," Lukas suggested. "Like you and me, should." He gave her a "so there" look.

Helena fidgeted in her seat, "This is all so interesting. At the fisheries we talk about this, but are usually at the mercy of Nature to make sure stocks replenish and stay healthy."

"Precisely!" Lukas said, clapping, startling Helena. "Those are the kind of concepts we wanted you to understand. Of course, feel free to suggest changes to our model as well."

"Sure. For example, I changed the condition of the sale to take into account the final auction price. That'll raise Radica's revenue considerably, and the broker even wondered why Radica hadn't asked before. So there. But what bugs me more, you trade outside the quota system. That should be illegal, even though schoolers aren't part of fisheries treaties. But it distorts the market prices, making it extra harder for those within the quota system. In short, you're a gray market."

"I'm game for us to go, uh, white market," Radica said. "That's why Fig suggested you shadow me."

"Fig is the one who spoke for the schoolers at the hearing? His name had been popping up everywhere in the past year or so."

"Pelkey told me Fig's been egging him on. So that makes Fig pushing you," he pointed to Helena, "schoolers, and the US Navy."

"Let's hope he doesn't get hurt," Helena cautioned.

Maguro

They set sail the next day, heading for a spot half way between Japan and Guam. Along the way, Radica made Lukas step back and let Helena learn and do all the prep work for separating the school from the fish that were going to be sold. Helena worked closely with Nami and Maelström. Lukas was impressed with how well she managed the whole process. He was also impressed with how she kept communicating with the Japanese ship.

It was late in the evening when Helena was satisfied that the school was separated enough from the culled fish. Lukas noted that she took longer than usual to accomplish this, though it was pretty fast for a rookie. But he didn't tell her she'd culled the fish too early.

"I don't know how you guys do it," she said as she plopped on the couch, massaging her arms and legs. "I had help and I am still exhausted."

Radica laughed, "Oh, it is quite exhausting. I normally don't sleep from the moment we move to cull to the time the dolphins are back safe away from the nets." She checked the sonar. "Also, I thought you would take longer, so suggested you start earlier. Sorry."

Helena looked shocked, "What's going to happen now?"

Lukas chuckled, "Someone is going to have to stand watch. To make sure the fish don't return to the school. You were faster than the average rookie, so now the fish have more time to get anxious."

"What should I do?"

"If you're like me," Radica said with a wink, "you'd leave the speaker on and check in with Nami, or Maelström, every two to three hours. The dolphins know how to distract the fish and keep them swimming, but only for so long. They eventually get bored, too."

Helena sighed. "Ok. Just this once, can you guys wake me up in an hour or two. I can take it from there, but I really need a break now." Her eyes were heavy and she was lying down on the couch.

Radica smiled, and Lukas came over and kissed Helena on the forehead, touching her arm to check her temperature. She was already asleep when Radica put a light cover over her and also kissed her forehead.

"She did really well," Lukas whispered, turning off the lights and flicking on an amber night light.

Radica grabbed a tablet and a blanket and led him on deck. She pushed Lukas down onto the blanket and then pulled it over both of them as she lay beside him, looking up at the stars. They could hear the servos of the autopilot adjusting the sails, responding to the wind, keeping them on target.

They were quiet for a while, then, "I'm sorry I reacted the way I did," Radica said. "I find it hard to be away from you."

"Me, too."

In reply, she snuggled closer and put her head on his chest.

"I can't tell you what to do, but I know what I want you to do," he said quietly to her. It was difficult for two free spirits to grapple with something that begs to be permanent. "It's like something broke free in me. I –" And then he went silent.

She looked up at him, but didn't say anything for a long time. "We're getting old, Lukas. Look at how young all these schoolers are. Heck, you're cavorting with Jessica and she could be our daughter."

He didn't know what to say to the last bit.

"Lukas, I'm trying not to be jealous of Jessica. She's beautiful, brilliant, talented, and passionate – even I have a hard time not wanting to make love to her. I think she appeals to how we view ourselves. I don't mean that we're looking to regain our youth. I think we just never grew up."

"She met up with me before the hearing. I told her to find someone her own age."

"I said the same to Fig."

"You and Fig?"

She picked up her head and looked at him. "Are you the only one who didn't know?" She chuckled. "Being with him just felt natural, somewhat. He's like the ocean – beautiful but dangerous, full of energy but placid moments of calm. And Jessica is like that as well. That's what attracts us to them."

"At one point, I realized I could not give Jessica what she wanted. What's more, I realized that I'd be robbing her of the opportunity to be a young woman."

Radica nodded and kissed him. "I want you, I love you," she said, removing his shorts and hers, "and I never want you to leave my side again."

\--x--

A few hours later, they woke Helena, who popped up wide awake. "Thanks." She then donned a wet suit vest and pants, grabbed a few energy bars, and, with a salute, went on deck. As Lukas and Radica settled in bed, they heard Maelström chirping, and then a splash as Helena dove in with him.

Radica laughed, "Crazy fräulein. I suppose that gives us another 20 minutes or so before she's back or we have to loop back and save her."

"Heh," Lukas got up on his elbows, "I can't remember the last time I did a night swim under sail." He pulled Radica over to him. "It's so crazy, the rush is incredible. And I think she's doing it to rally the troops and keep herself awake."

"Well, she's sure keeping me awake."

"Now I remember that last time I jumped in at night. I was rounding up some cod for measuring. I knew the water was cold, but I miscalculated how fast it'd suck the life out of me." He gave an involuntary shiver. "The wetsuit was just not enough. I shoulda had a dry suit. Krap, I shouldn't have jumped in, right?

"I realized I was going to be hypothermic when we started returning to the boat and it was getting hard to hold on to Tsu. Of course, she didn't know I was going hypothermic – she wasn't checking my vitals, and she loves cold water. Getting back to the boat felt like a long time.

"I remember approaching the hull. I really don't remember how I got back on deck, or even down into the cabin. I must've been on auto-pilot of something, because next I know, it's morning, I'm sitting at the table, wet suit off, heavy blanket around me and a pot of hot tea in my hands.

"It then occurred to me how stupid I was and that I didn't even drop sails to make it easier to get back to the boat."

She looked at him in shock. "You never told me this story. Really stupid to tell me this with Helena out there."

"Oh, c'mon. The water's not nearly as cold."

They heard some footsteps on deck and some laughter and chirping. And then they heard Helena quietly padding through the cabin, breathing heavy, and getting out of her wetsuit, every so often giggling.

Radica and Lukas just smiled at each other.

\--x--

When they woke, the sun was just rising. Helena was already on deck, pacing about. She wore a wetsuit vest, a different one, since the one from the night before was drying on deck, and her shorts, with her knife at her waist. Radica was also ready to work, meaning she wore a sports bra rather than the usual skimpy bikini top.

Lukas brought up bowls of muesli, fruit, and yogurt. At first Helena refused. "You might not get another chance to eat," he insisted.

She took the bowl, "I feel like I'll vomit if I eat right now."

When they could see the ship on the horizon, they dropped sail. Even though Radica wanted Helena to take care of everything, the women thought it stupid not to make use of Lukas, so they bossed him around for some of the side work, such as furling the sails and stowing the lines.

Since Lukas usually worked alone, it was interesting to watch someone else prepare the fish for the catch. He watched as the women conferred with first Nami, then Maelström, as they coordinated what to do. Helena was on the radio, receiving directions from the ship. Normally he just coasted to the right spot, but Radica preferred to motor to the rendezvous spot, letting the GPS of the auto-pilot keep her in place.

Maybe it was because Radica dealt with the Japanese and Americans more than he, but the level of sophistication was quite different than he was used to. And the ships were quieter, cleaner, and the sailors more polite.

Helena gave the signal to Maelström and things got quiet as the nets came down and the dolphins drove the fish into it. Always stressful. Helena kept listening closely to the underwater chatter as the dolphins communicated and shepherded the tuna. She panicked a few times after she heard Maelström squeal, and she could see the water roiling as the nets were pulled in. Then Nami jumped out of the closing nets.

Helena rushed to the edge of the deck. "Where's –" and then Maelström managed to half-jump out of the net, hitting the top and flopping over into the water.

Radica shrugged, "Not so graceful, but at least he got out." She put a hand on Helena, "He probably would have been OK, but it would have been embarrassing to have to rescue him," she smiled.

As the net came up, they counted the humungous bluefins. "I see... -14-15-16, perhaps. I don't see any by-catch. Nami told me she'd round up 12, so I think he threw in a few extras just in case." They watched as the net went up and started dumping the fish on deck. They could hear all the activity aboard – hollering and banging. The captain came to the rail, waved and gave a thumbs-up.

Nami and Maelström both breached near the boat and Helena dove in after them. "Crazy fräulein is still a fish," Radica laughed as they watched her swim and dive with the two dolphins.

"Maelström has some nasty scratches," Helena hollered from the water. Radica just nodded back, not telling her that some were probably caused by Nami.

Helena came back aboard as the activity on the deck of the other boat started quieting down. Radica handed her the radio to speak with the broker. Seemed like the extra fish were a bit of an issue, so Helena walked to the other end of the boat so she could concentrate on the discussion.

"How much do you want to bet she ends up negotiating a better deal?" Radica said, nudging Lukas.

"I think she's done quite well," he replied. "I normally pull up a few more than the original estimate. Tsu is not so good at counting," he added, smiling. He indicated the Japanese boat, "You're going to make a pretty penny selling to these guys."

Radica nodded, "I sold to them a few years back. Helena negotiated a great deal today, partly buttering them up that I'd been growing these monsters just for them. Do you know schooler bluefin is worth more than wild bluefin? It's because of all the testing we do to keep them healthy. Though, I really can't taste a difference."

"That's new to me. What did Helena say to that?"

"She was impressed," and then nodded in Helena's direction. She was coming back from her talk with the broker, grinning.

"All set. He tried to give me hard time, and I let him. But in the end, not only does the original agreement stand, but he even gave me a price guarantee on all 14 – there were only 14, we miscounted from the net. Really," she said when Radica gave her an incredulous look. "We'll get to see for ourselves. He's invited us onboard for a photo shoot. Part of the marketing."

"And part of the deal, I presume," Lukas added. Helena only smiled.

The women changed into modest shirts before heading aboard. There were a handful of men in rubber overalls and boots, their uniforms neat and well-kept, their white helmets shiny. The captain wore a white collar shirt, navy blue denim pants, and also had a shiny white helmet. The men all took a moment to bow, greeting the visitors

The tuna were laid out in three tight rows – 14 big beasts that would fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars at an auction.

The captain said to Radica, "You drive a hard bargain, but your fish are worth it."

"Not me," she said, pointing to Helena, "she's the pro."

He looked at her, he blond hair blazing in the sun, and bowed low. "Thank you very much."

There was a lot of laughter as the men took pictures with Radica and Lukas. They knew who they were and were proud of what they did, which Helena noted with interest.

The men kept trying to pull Helena into the photos, though she insisted she not be in any picture and got a startled look when she told the captain who she was. The men just laughed louder when he told them and then they all ran up to Helena and all had a turn bowing and shaking her hand. She thought it funny and got them all, Radica and Lukas, too, throwing their arms up and alternately shouting "Maguro!" and "Bru-fin!" until they all started laughing again.

Wartezeit

That evening, Radica made some rice rolls to have with some of her stash of maguro she had thawed. While it wasn't true to Japanese-style, they didn't mind, it was tasty. And they were rowdy, cracking dirty jokes, teasing each other, commenting on who was the cutest Japanese fisherman that day.

When the food was done, they sat on deck in candlelight sucking down the last of the beer and seeing who could chuck the bottles the farthest, as judged by Nami and Maelström, since it was really too dark to see where they splashed.

"What an incredible day," Helena said for the umpteenth time. "And I want to thank you."

"Whatever for?" Radica asked, sharing a blanket around her shoulders with Lukas.

"I now wish you two had made me come back after college instead of letting me find my own way."

Lukas shrugged, "I don't know. You might not remember, but you were very difficult at the time. And also, I think the experience you gained since, you would not have gained if you had come back to us."

Helena nodded, "I suppose so."

"You have to lose something to know what it was worth," Radica said.

"And you're too young still to take a long term view. Remember, Radica and I started schooling at around your age. It was a second life for us. And something tells me she and I are setting off on a third life." Radica snuggled closer and kissed his cheek.

"So you're suggesting I consider switching careers?"

"Maybe not careers, but keep your mind open for what you want to do in the next 10 or so years," he smiled. "I think you are forming some ideas."

"Tell her about that Russian woman who told you the story about her father," Radica said, nudging Lukas.

"Ah, yes. Though it's a story my father told me, he's the one who met her. But it's a tale of patience and phases in life.

"My father was flying to Finland from New York. An older lady sat beside him and they got talking. Turns out she was born in Russia in the Soviet Union days, grew up in Estonia, and was, at the time, a concert pianist in New York.

"Her dad was an ethnic Finn born in Karelia, a region that was originally Finnish, before Russia took it as a buffer zone after the Winter War with Finland, around the start of World War II. Many Finnish Karelians left the border region after it was turned over to the Russians.

"The region was also full of Russian Karelians, who stayed behind. This woman's father, a Finnish Karelian, was in love with her mother, a Russian Karelian. He left her to fight for Finland during the Winter War and a few years later during the Continuation War, both against Russia.

"After the Continuation War, there was peace between Finland and Russia. Relations normalized. The Russians invited back all the Finnish Karelians to return to their home villages. The woman's father returned with his whole family – brothers, sisters, mother. But at the border, the men were lined up and sent to prison for treason – they fought against Russia – and the mother and sisters had to disavow allegiance to Finland and had their land confiscated."

"What jerks," Helena muttered.

"The poor Russian Karelian girl thought her Finnish lover was dead. Though for some reason she never married. Many years later, by accident, she read a letter to someone else that mentioned that he was still alive. So she waited until he completed his 15 years in prison and returned to her.

"He became a successful businessman, houses and apartments in Moscow and Talinn. But he never returned to Finland.

"The daughter was returning to Estonia, by way of Finland, to bury her father. She did not know where to bury him – Estonia? Karelia? Russia? She also did not know where she was from, having spent so much time in the US, having married a string of husbands from different countries.

"She never really understood how her mother could wait so long for her father. Nor did she understand how her parents could reconcile such disparate phases of their lives. But now that she was reaching a cross-roads, a point where she needed to decide what was next, what her own next phase would be, it became clearer."

The women were silent for a long while after he finished. The candlelight was not enough for him to see Helena's face clearly, but he saw her wipe her eyes and sniff. "I don't know what comes next," she croaked.

Lukas looked down and saw that Radica was asleep. Then said, "Don't think about it. It'll come to you." He started getting up. "Why don't you help me get Radica in bed?"

Helena nodded, and then they both led Radica below and to her bunk. She then quietly helped Lukas pick up the remains of their party on deck. When they were done, Lukas hugged her.

"Sweetness, you are young, smart, and stronger than a thousand typhoons. You don't need to decide anything you don't want to. And don't overthink it. Don't."

She looked up at him and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

He kissed her forehead. "I love you too, sweetie."

She looked at him for a moment, a corner of her mouth going up just a bit. And then languidly walked back to her bunk, plopping down with a sigh. She didn't move after that, and Lukas only turned to join Radica when he heard Helena's deep and heavy breaths of slumber.

Pocket Universe

I was amazed by how fast nothing happened.

The sun hung for hours in the same spot, smiling from the clear blue sky, causing the raft to hum with vivid orangeness. The water gently lapped and rocked the raft, and the mild breeze took me in a direction I only had a vague idea might have been where I wanted to go.

I didn't think of my dolphins, but I did, and wondered where they were. I'd been here so long, I no longer remembered why. All I could remember was that the sun hadn't moved in a long time and my life vest chafed at my neck. And the overalls were hot too, their dark fabric absorbing the sun's heat, almost burning.

I kept counting the seconds to 60 but kept forgetting to count how many times I'd gone around. I think time had run out of minutes, and I was stuck with just seconds. Each time I hit 60, I started back at 1, instead of marching on to 61 or 6001.

It must have something to do with the sun not wanting to budge from her spot.

I shifted a bit and I felt something in my pocket.

A pencil. Yellow. The standard hexagonal American kind with metal collar holding a red rubber eraser. The pencil was nice and factory sharp, with a bit of fine saw dust still around the grey graphite tip.

It was an amazing graphite tip.

I could almost see the atoms dancing on the tippy tip.

A pencil is made of many parts, and each part has its origin story. There's the paint, print, metal ring, rubber eraser, wood case, and lead. Each one has its origin and use, and this simple yellow pencil is the product of complex material manipulations, chemistry, extrusions, cutting, mixing, rolling, sanding, painting, handling, wrapping, shipping, and moving until it's an object to be fondled under a stationary sun in the middle of the Pacific.

ISN'T THAT JUST MIND-BLOWING? Never mind worrying if anyone will find me in the middle of nowhere, I have a PENCIL that is more amazing, Alyosha, than all of your philosophies. It's the manifestation of the Universe all wrapped up and ready for a wee kid to doodle with. It's the Universe hidden in the mundane. It's the bloomin' magical Universe, styoopid, and it's right under your fat nose. And no need to invoke any higher power, neither. It's a pencil. You and I can make one.

You'll need a casing – fragrant cedar is my favorite – cut into slats from blocks and blocks of the finest wood, down to a small bed with a groove to intimately sandwich, hold, and enfold the pencil lead like a precious woman in her lover's arms. And the lovers – casing and lead – are shot through a planning process that adds multiple facets to their relationship, in the case of the yellow object in my hand, six facets (Hm, what might those facets represent? – family, children, society, friends, work, death, money – no, that's seven, are there seven-sided pencils? I digress.)

And then the polished and burnished pencil casing is painted and lacquered multiple times (sure would be less times if it weren't mechanized) for children everywhere to ingest chips of while chewing, holding, handling these blessed, Universe-on-a-Stick, pencils.

Regarding pencil lead: There's no lead in pencil lead. Pencil lead is made of graphite, made of the same stuff diamonds are, and fullerene, if you're particular Therefore, you didn't get poisoned in school when you aggravated your friend and she poked you in anger and broke the lead tip in the palm of your hand. (OK, I, I didn't get poisoned.)

The folks who are to blame for this misconception were, presumably, pre-Chemistry, when it was thought that graphite chunks looked a lot like lead. Though, I have more respect for ancient chemists than most and am pretty sure they could tell the difference – c'mon, lead is HEAVY.

But the pencil lead, I mean, pencil graphite is not pure graphite, but mixed with clay for different hardness and darkness. The mixture itself is ground and pressed into long cylinders and then kiln dried, carefully so as not to damage the lead. So next time a svelte boho artiste designer-type asks you if she makes you BBB or HHH, give her a knowing grin.

But we're not done, you need to let the world know you made the pencil, and so with the lightest foil and hardest punch, you imprint whatever you darn well please on the side of that pencil, around it if you wish (it is you making the pencil, after all), and then send it off to get it's crown of rubber and metal.

I looked up and the sun still had not moved. In protest, I tilted myself, just so that my shadow would take on a different angle. If the sun won't move my shadow, then I will take full responsibility.

The sad thing is that this pencil is mass produced. Also, most of us only think of the "How they make it" part. But it's much deeper than that.

Graphite is not just some soft carbon material used for steelmaking, brake linings, lubricants, or, of course, pencils. It's a hexagonal crystal of dihexagonal dipyramidal symmetry. Crystalline symmetry! And it's the most stable form of carbon, to boot (or is that, "to soot"?)

If I look closely at the pencil point, I see the mixing of the clay and graphite. Getting closer, I can see the phyllosilicates of the clay next to the dihexagonal dipyramidal of the graphite. And getting closer still I see – well, it's really interesting what I see.

We're so trained in the balls and stick model of atoms and molecules, but when I get down to this level, it's really not the same. Each atom is a force field, filled with electrons (Carbon has six in three different orbitals – and no, I don't mean electrons spinning around the nucleus like planets, but electrons spinning about on their axes moving about in a defined area, captured – argh, it's really hard to explain sub-atomic wonders via macro-atomic imagery; that will make more sense as I push closer)

As I push farther, into all the shells, the orbitals, I can see the nucleus, a dense knot of protons and neutrons. These two defy explanation, as, to me, they are just bundles of energy. But I am not going to stop there; I'll plow into a proton where there are even smaller tangles of energy – two up quarks and one down quark.

At this level, I find it meaningless to talk about elemental particles. They are just fluctuations in the fabric of the Universe, braille bumps that somehow are stable, join up into higher order structures, and higher, and higher – oh, I'm back at my pencil lead tip.

I look up. The sun still hasn't moved. I've traversed the whole of Creation on a pencil and the sun doesn't have the courtesy to move. This day will never end.

I can hear the photons taking their eight and a half minute journey from the surface of the sun, through space, to slam into my face, tripping photo sensors, causing a cascade of genes to produce melanin, making me feel happy, and setting my sleeping clock.

I can taste the blue of the sky, full of wispy water, neutral nitrogen, obnoxious oxygen, and a smattering of argon and carbon dioxide and a few other gasses. Mmm.

I am buoyed on the orangeness of my raft, it's brightness a hand lifting me up, caressing me, protecting me from the water, gently rocking me to sleep.

Damn, that sun hasn't moved. The nothing is happening faster than I can keep up with it.

First principles

The muesli just wasn't as good, now that they ran out of apples.

Radica was just about grumpy about it. "You don't understand, Lukas. Apples keep so well, and are useful even when they start going around the bend. So when you are out of apples, it means you've been out of port for a long time."

"But you were just in Guam."

"We came in late and left early, we only bought water." And then Radica looked uncomfortable, "We were also a bit rattled, what with your wreck."

"Ha," he teased, "you were the wreck."

Radica frowned and Helena asked, "What was it like those days on the raft?"

"Well, I was happy the raft was there, and worked. But it was like hanging out in the middle of the ocean – I swam a bit, ate way too much raw fish, managed to sell off all my yellowfin (I'm done with them, there are enough people schooling them)." He made a two thumb texting gesture, "I texted a bit," and smiled at Radica. "What wasn't fun, was constantly looking at my boat, broken and lying in the water."

"I think I'd go mad," Helena said.

"Remember, I was not alone: I had Tsu and the gang looking out for me, feeding me. If I had to abandon my boat, they could have pulled me to shore, any shore nearby."

"He likes a bit of solitary confinement, too," Radica said, giving him a nudge. "Gives him 'introspection' time."

"Still," Helena said, gathering the bowls and heading up top.

Lukas wiped down the table and Radica laid down her map. It was a newer model than Lukas', and the interface was slightly different. She also seemed to have fewer layers visible at one time.

"I was thinking we make our way down to the equator," she said, zooming out on her map, "and then across to Chile, then back up to California. I'm done selling for a while, so it's lazy schooling for me."

"And it sounds like you're not letting me off the boat," he smiled.

She just gave him a coy look, then whispered, "I think you and I need to have a talk about us and about Helena."

He pursed his lips and whispered back, "She's a bit conflicted as to what to do next. Reminds me when she was about to go to college."

They looked up as Helena came into the cabin, "What are you two whispering about? Sexy nothings?" she smiled and went to grab something from her bunk then went back up.

Radica the whispered forcefully, "No more whispering about her."

Lukas was a bit superfluous that morning as the women set the sails and chose a course. The wind was not cooperating, but they managed to make some headway.

It turned out to be a calm day for all of them as the sailed south-ish. Lukas helped out with some repairs, doing some things that required a bit more muscle than Radica felt like exerting. It also gave him a closer view of how she did things on her boat and how she set things up. While he'd known her for many years, and even now with their new intimacy, he rarely worked on her boat. Now that he thought of it, schoolers rarely spent working time on one another schooler's boat.

That evening, they had a simple meal (the fresh food was running out) with wine (they had finished off the beer the night before) and, like before, hung out on deck in the candle light.

Next thing they knew, they were finishing the third bottle of wine.

"Oops. We're getting to be such drunkards," Radica laughed.

"Better watch out, or he'll take advantage of you," Helena laughed.

"Too late," Lukas answered.

"Thank, God," Radica said, still giggling.

"Oh," Lukas said, sitting up a bit, "you're brining God into this?"

Helena looked at both of them, "Who?"

"Why do people even still believe in a God?" Radica asked.

"Ah, my love," Lukas said, shaking his head, "we are but a small sliver of people on this world. Most folks believe in gods and saints and angels."

Helena put her head in her hands. "There are so many religions and beliefs – how is it that humanity can accept them all?"

"It's like all the political parties – factions within factions," Lukas said. "It almost seems that there's nothing anyone can agree on. What ever happened to logic and first principles?

"Lukas," Helena explained, "human interaction is fraught with the tension between the individual and the group. I exploit it all the time."

"But," he replied, "there must be some things that everyone can agree on. If not, then what's the use? I mean, we thought we could find common principles with you. And I think we did. No?"

Helena nodded. "So you are suggesting we explore first principles in politics?"

"I propose we start a political party founded on delineating and promoting those first principles. When you start thinking in basics like first principles, then you see, as I do, that all politics is dualist idiotic simplification."

"Ok, I see," said Radica. "So I propose 'Keep children healthy' as a good first principle."

"How about expanding that," Helena said, "to 'Keep society healthy', meaning not only treating folks, but actively participating in helping them stay healthy?"

"You see?" Lukas pointed out. "You're already seeing how a basic principle easily guides the policies you choose. If we can keep the principles simple enough, then they'd be hard to argue against."

"Perhaps," Radica said, "'Keeping children healthy' might be more digestible than 'Keeping everyone healthy'. Maybe start small."

"Atoms of agreement, I guess," Lukas said. "Another one could be "Provide children with a solid educational base." It doesn't say who pays, or who decides the criteria, but guides the policy makers in drafting laws that promote a basic principle."

"Sometimes I wonder if we really understand why we have government for," Helena said.

"Oh, that's rich coming from you – you're deeper in sovereign governments than either of us," Radica said exaggeratedly wagging her finger.

Helena blew a raspberry at Radica. "What I mean is that we need to take a first principles look at government. Most governments set up today were set up generations ago, in different times. And I don't mean different ideals, but also different environments, players, and, most importantly, networks – business, communications, movement.

"Let's take your US government. It rests on a document from the 18th century, when it took days to travel between major regional capitals and months to reach Europe. Counting votes or spreading news was at the speed of the horse or boat.

"Fast forward to today and news is instantaneous. We can count votes as soon as the vote was made. Yet, our news structures and voting structures are still in the 18th century.

"The way the German government is structured is a product of post-World War II German reconstruction. It was set up to serve a starving and impoverished populace, to get them back on their feet, and to provide a security blanket so that everyone would be safe, fed, and healthy.

"But that model is restrictive. We are so much more affluent today than we were in the 1950s. We might not all be richer than our parents, but we have access to so many things – physical, mental, emotional – that our parents could never dream of.

"And the irony is that these are democracies, meaning that they are supposed to listen to the public and follow the will of the public. Yet in reality, the system is so complex that it can't bootstrap a new system, molt into something different.

"Have you ever seen a democracy revamp itself? No, it can't generate the necessary discontinuity of the same order that was needed to bring itself into existence.

"I like this idea of analyzing the basic principles, but if we were to be monadists, we would need to analyze the basic principles that underlie how we as a society want to set up public governance.

"For example, nationalism, in the form of countries, is only about 250 years old. Before that we had empires that encompassed various ethnicities. But the 20th century is splattered with blood from ethnic groups who were within countries they didn't fit in. These groups begged for autonomy, against the prevailing sentiment of one nation, under God, indivisible.

"The US Civil War (yes, I know that's 19th century), California trying to be its own country, the break-up of the USSR, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Serbia and Kosovo, Palestine, there are plenty of examples.

"Why can't we have autonomy, pure regional governments, or even smaller city states? Part of me thinks that perhaps such regional governments along ethnic lines would not have worked in the 20th century. But for sure they should work now.

"In this day and age, what is the need for a large government? Can we create a structure that accepts cities like London, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Mumbai, São Paulo, to represent themselves, much like Athens and Sparta?

"Politicians – I meet them all the time – are hobbled by 19th century nationalism, no different than Bismark himself. And we're all such vaunted 'democracies' and claim we listen to the people.

"How can a nation represent 300 million people, of different ethnicities, of different regional cultures, of different geo-political needs and problems?

"It's north, south, west – radically different needs. Why not let them have a greater say in what happens in their region. And if we want to have an overarching governing body – though not something as counter-productive as the EU, which constantly shoots itself in the foot, forgetting why it was set up in the first place, over-reaching and thinking to model itself as a supra-national nation in the model of the scariest 19th century nationalistic models that Europe was built on – if we want an over-arching government, then let's all agree what they should do, how we build it, AND, and here's the key thing that I am sure even Jefferson thought would be evident, there needs to be a way to dismantle it and replace it with a new structure.

"And the damned fisheries are all just anemic extra-national artifices paying lip-service to the image of national governing bodies. But since we're all so egotistically nationalistic and can't conceive of 'ceding sovereignty', code name for 'letting someone else take responsibility' we hobble any such extra-national organization from the start. For example, that post-war brain-fart, the UN. Talk about an amazing idea that was emasculated, eviscerated, hysterectomized, lobotimized, blinded, and crippled, just so a few nations could control it so that no nations could benefit from it.

"And you schoolers sliding between the mental manacles and prejudices of 'sovereign nations' as if everyone had to belong to a nation, as if every rule pertained to a territory, as if every frigging cubic centimeter of this globe was under the boot of some swaggering country.

"The nations have become comfortable with their model, hide behind democracy that can't innovate itself out of a paper bag, and repeat socio-political bromides that are 200 years old as if it were the pinnacle of society.

"Such krap."

Lukas and Radica beamed. "I guess you thought about this a bit."

"Heck yeah."

And they all laughed and guffawed until Radica swore, still laughing, "Dammit, laughed so hard I peed in my pants."

Tying of the wood

The slept late the next morning and woke up to a perimeter alarm. Radica heard Helena get up, check the monitors, and then head up on deck. She then turned over to Lukas who was quietly observing her.

"What?" she said, and gave him a peck on the lips.

"I want to be with you for the rest of our lives."

She nodded slowly and smiled, "Me, too."

"I really don't know what people do at our age, but I wanted to do something, some ceremony that showed people what you mean to me."

"Are you being conventional? Are you thinking of marriage?"

"Yes, would you marry me?"

"What, no ring, no getting on the knee?" she said in mock anger.

But Lukas missed the sarcasm and panicked. "Krap, I'm sorry, I –" and started to get up.

She pulled him back down. "I'm just teasing you." And she took his hands. "Yes, I would marry you – to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish and worship, for as long as we both shall live."

He teared up. "For as long as we both shall live."

She then pulled him on top of her and started getting amorous when Helena pounded on the deck and hollered, "Wake up, guys, and come check this out."

They rolled their eyes, then got dressed and went up top to see what the big fuss was.

The big fuss was a US Navy convoy around an absolutely ginormous aircraft carrier. It was a relic from another day, when planes were still flown by people.

"That's either the Ford or the Kennedy, by the size of it," Radica said.

"I'm surprised they can still keep the planes flying. Being a pilot that actually sits in the plane is as anachronistic and insane as the kamikazes in the 20th century," Helena said.

Lukas shook his head, "I'd bet those beasts carry many more drones than 20 years ago. They are still great platforms to launch the bigger drones – a runway catapult as opposed to just a catapult. It's like one big video game now."

"Where do you think they are going?" Radica asked, looking at her watch and up at the sun, trying to orient herself. "Philippines? No wait, Japan. Why are we pointing so far west?" She looked up at the sails, "We don't need to tack so far." The boat started tacking back. "Gah, where are we?" And she went below to get the map.

Lukas counted the ships he could see. "That's a lot of ships. Do you have any binoculars? I think this might be a training exercise."

Helena came back with some binoculars.

"Yes, look. I see at least one Indian boat. And there are other flags I can't distinguish, but are clearly not US." He handed the binoculars back to Helena.

"Must be some sort of exercise," she said.

Radica came back up. "It's a big military exercise and we just missed getting caught in it." The convoy was starting to get father away. Over a very short period of time, a handful of aircraft were launched from the carrier, their engines painfully loud, and flew off in the direction the convoy was heading. One of them seemed to be a drone.

"Argh," Radica growled. "We can't get away from here fast enough."

"You know who I'd like here right now," Lukas asked them. "That damned Chinese boat. These are just posturing exercises to stroke egos of allies, but they also strike fear into enemies."

"They'd pee in their pants," Helena said.

Radica piped up, "Been there, done that."

They sat on deck, watching the ships disappear. When they were almost on the horizon, they could hear the low thump of artillery. Radica was not happy.

"Artillery sends the pod nuts. It can be so far out that I can't hear it, but the dolphins still do. And it does a number on the tuna. Not a good mix – anxious dolphins and panicking tuna. The dolphins can get pretty rough straightening things out."

A few hours later, she checked in with Nami. He said that they managed to keep things under control.

While they were having their late lunch, Radica told Helena about Lukas' proposal.

"That's fabulous. Do you know what kind of ceremony you want?"

Radica shook her head, smiling, "I still haven't wrapped my head around the concept."

"Are you two going to move in together, how's that going to work?"

"We haven't –" Lukas started to say when Radica blurted out, "Of course. We're just not sure if we stay on this boat or get a new one."

"New one?"

"Yes," Lukas answered, "designed by Jessica."

\--x--

Later that day, they got on the satellite phone with Jessica.

Lukas let Radica tell Jessica. He could hear the squealing from the other end. Listening to them speak, it was clear that satellite phones were not made for excitable gossipy women. To pace the conversation, they both had to resort to "over" to avoid talking at the same time.

"And we are thinking of moving to a new boat. Over."

"That's wonderful. I can envision all sorts of great types of boats for you two, if you want some suggestions. Over."

"Yes, please. Can you design one for us? Over."

The usual pause, and then Radica had to pull the phone from her ear, the squeals were so loud. When they died down, "Yes, please, I'd love to." She paused briefly, "I've been noodling with a few designs with my favorite schoolers in mind. A pastime, really. I really think you two should have a winged cat like me. Over."

Radica looked at Lukas then said, "A fixed-wing catamaran? Never really sailed fixed or catamaran. But we're game. Over."

"Wonderful. I'll send you over some example designs and a simulator, so you can see how it handles." She then continued, "When's the ceremony? I hope I'm invited. Over."

"We haven't fixed a date yet. And I'm not sure how we're going to get everyone together so soon after the hearing. So it may be many months, I expect. Lukas is giving me an incredulous look. Over."

"Roger. Send me your current sailing plans, I'd like to pop up and see you two soon. This phone stinks and is still too pricey for gossip and chit-chat. Over."

"Take care, honey. Over."

"Love you both. Out."

Radica smiled at Lukas. "It was so nice to talk to her. It's been a while." Then she nudged Lukas, "She seems to prefer to see you. Though, now I can keep an eye on you two." She pulled Lukas close, "You are hitching your boat to me now. I don't share," and kissed him.

Later that day, Lukas was at the bow, looking over, watching the dolphins swim in the bow wake, when Helena sat next to him.

"So who is this Jessica girl, again?"

"She is Nature herself. She was born in a storm in the Straights of Magellan. He parents were both big sailors, crisscrossing the globe. I don't know exactly where they got their money, Jessica never really told. And I haven't met her parents. She doesn't talk much about them. All she really told me was that she and her siblings were all born at sea.

"When she's not singing or swimming, she's designing boats. She's had a lot of high-profile racing clients. There was one race where the top 5 boats were all designed by her. She can step on any boat, and make it go faster than it's ever gone before – and it's not only how she sails, but how she tweaks the rigging."

"I remember going to a concert," Helena said, "and the musician retuned his guitar for almost every song. He never had it tuned the normal way."

"Jessica is the same. She's always telling me when I should be loosening or tightening different part of the standing rigging. It's mad.

"She also doesn't need instruments to navigate. Like some crazy-ass Polynesian sailor, she can read the sky and seas and sail to practically any point in the world."

"How long have you known her?"

"When I met her, she must've been 13, sailing solo around the world. I think she holds some record. She did it as a fundraiser – to protect fisheries, actually. Surprised you never heard of her. She raised millions. And she supported a few of us schoolers, including me – though I never really needed any money."

"And, excuse me if I mix up the story, were you two lovers?"

Lukas blushed. "Gosh, you two gossip. If you need to know, yes, and briefly. The last few times we've met, she's expressed her physical attraction to me. I admit, I didn't resist." He sat up and frowned at her. "You do know that the younger schoolers are notorious for sleeping around? A totally different philosophy around love and friendship. I think it has to do with spending so much time physically apart and only having brief moments together. And don't roll your eyes like that, bonobos do similar sorts of things."

"Just teasing you. Radica spent long nights tracing six-degrees of who has slept with whom. It's kinda cute. But when you guys tell me of your sex life," she shivered, "it's gross. Like talking about it with my parents."

"I'm flattered," he said, sticking his tongue out. "I noticed you never mention anyone special."

Helena sighed. "I love the work I do. I thrive on intrigue, politics, and," she nodded, "what some would call 'manipulating' people." She looked up. "I think of it more as 'influencing'.

"But I am so into what I do that I really never have time for a boyfriend. Do you know that me just sitting here is a luxury. I never just sit and chat. Every waking moment I am thinking, writing, on the phone, in a meeting, or preparing for the next round."

"Even weekends? Even holidays?"

"I try to take time off, but, now that I see myself a bit clearer after spending some laid-back time with you and Radica, I usually fill it up with some masochistic physical activity that doesn't let me focus on something else – a 200 kilometer run, an Iron Man, mountain climbing. Do you know I once did the Iditarod? I see now I did that so I wouldn't have to be with myself."

"Oh, sweetie, what happened?"

"I don't know. I think I might have my standards too high. Or just too overbearing. I mean. A guy has to have a strong personality to hook up with me."

"What ever happened to Dennis, that Schwabian kid?"

"You remember," she smiled and kissed his arm nearest her. "I moved in with him in New York, soon after I got my first job out of college. It went well for a year or two and then got boring. Sure we were both part of that international jet-setting young crowd, the kind who go to Davos and such. But he became some typical EU UN Brussels suit without a personality. I suppose we traveled more and more until we spent more time apart than together.

"We then started having affairs on the side until it was clear we were no longer in love but were friendly roommates. Then one day he introduced me to some wonderful Turkish girl, told me they were going to get married, and left." She sighed again. "I never heard from him again."

Lukas was quiet, put a hand on her.

She sighed, "I'm OK. There were a few flings after that, but that got tired eventually. I've been fine all these years in my celibacy, channeling into my work all that extra energy I would have wasted looking to get laid and propping up a relationship."

"Are you happy, though?"

"I thought I was. No, I was, within the reality I had built around myself. The reality you so amazingly burst by inviting me back home, back with family who love me for who I am and what I can contribute. My parents are Northern Germans; theirs is a weird form of affection. Fine for bankers and bureaucrats, like my brothers are. But not for a girl who's seen the ocean. Living with you and Radica those few years was like gaining new loving parents."

"And then we abandoned you."

She shrugged, "I think it was mutual. I guess the Northern German in me took over." Then she sighed again. "I guess I need to be a schooler so I can get my heart back in line and my nookie-quotient back on track."

"Ok, now that's more than I want to know. Now I am embarrassed."

Helena chuckled. "Sorry, dad, but your girl has grown up."

It was his turn to shiver. "Still."

And they both laughed.

The One

There was no doubt I was somewhere unreal. I was in the belly of some vast tanker, surrounded by almost all the schoolers I knew, all in different stages of undress, undulating in a massive orgy.

So not my scene.

Radica stood beside me, arms crossed, as fully dressed as I was. "Are you ready to leave this behind?"

I shrugged. The universal gesture. "Were we ever into this?"

She shrugged, universally, then pointed. A body, with long wild blond hair, was resolving from the masses. "She's coming for you."

Helena walked up to me, white, naked, covered in sweat, glowing from within. She was beautiful, radiant, strong, head held high in confidence, a beaming smile of someone who was exactly where she wanted to be.

Any man looking at her would feel something, some desire, some lust. To me, she was just a child, my child. What passion I felt was pride in her beauty and accomplishments past and future, a passion to nurture and protect.

And her nakedness before me was natural and mundane. As a young teenager, she had no awareness of the effect her body could have on people. And then she bit the apple of growing up and being self-aware and so began her withdrawal from Radica and me, until she was off to college, a few irregular visits, until we saw her no more.

Now before me, aware of her nakedness, in full control of its power, and no longer ashamed before me and Radica, she was back, and I was filled with love and happiness for her future. This was the confident woman we wanted, this was the empathic child we nurtured, this was healthy girl we tutored. How could a parent not be proud?

Helena stood in front of me, smiling, relaxed, as if waiting for me to say something, though all I could do was smile back. Then a dark hand reached up in front of her, settling in the middle of her chest and turning her around, Fig, pulling her back into the seething mass of bodies. Hand in hand, walking and sinking back into the crowd, other bodies reaching for her, other mouths turning towards her.

"She is on her own," I said to Radica, who then took my hand and laid me down by a tree.

The wind was warm and blowing, the grass cool, despite the hot sun. Birds and bugs buzzed and chirped madly as if they had so much catching up to do, so many years of living together only to discover something mutual, liberating, intoxicating, eternal.

For once, I knew I was dreaming, no I wasn't not sure. Have I become the deity and created this world for me and Radica to live in forever?

I then realized that Radica was not my first forever lover, perhaps not even the last. I don't know. Who says how it must be?

"No one," Radica said.

I looked for her, but I was alone. Would she return? If I was the deity, did I just make her go away?

But no, she was still here with me. As were others I have loved and lost. Love was infinite. Infinite. Infinite. Infinite. Damn, my words were so finite, they couldn't support a concept so limitless.

Radica hugged me, her naked body against mine, her multi-colored eyes gazing into mine, her freckles dappling across her cheekbones and nose bridge, her breath, pineapple sweet, her curls tickling me as she tilted her head, opened her mouth, tongue a bit forward, leaning forward, slowly, slowly, eyes closed, breath held, lips touching.

I love her so much, so much.

Someone took my hand from Radica's shoulder and turned me around. Behind Jessica, I could see the sweaty orgy, getting closer. "You gift is your love," she said to me, naked, wrapped in her long dark hair. Someone from the mass grabbed her hair, making her head snap back, pulling her down and in. And then, with a smile, she turned and did a jackknife dive into the crowd, no splash, no ripples, and then I saw her surface and gasp with a smile father down the pile.

A hand reached from behind me and landed straight in the center of my chest and pulled me around. We were lying in Radica's bunk. Just looking into each other's eyes. Our breaths slow and even, almost in sync.

Time passed, an infinite, infinite amount time. I fell into her eyes, bathed in their color – the greens singing, the grays moping, the blues chirping, the browns warm and inviting, taking me in her arms and enveloping me in her love. The atoms of her eyes were multicolored as well – eyes not as window to the soul, but window to the manifestation of the Universe. And I looked closer into the atoms and saw smaller bundles of multi-color energy flitting about, watching me as they went by. I dove into the cloud of them and came out on the other side naked and hot and blinded by a light.

When my eyes adjusted, I saw Radica, the irreducible element of the Universe, the underlying essential plataformic energy that suffused all of reality, all of time, all of me. And, knowing that she would kill me should I approach her, touch her, kiss her – her, her energy, the energy that was everything, without hesitation, I walked to her and was consumed.

Drowning

Lukas' eyes snapped open. He was incredibly hot and sweaty, wrapped up in a blanket, undoubtedly placed over him by Radica who was always cold no matter how warm the weather.

That's one thing when they were up towards Japan, he thought to himself, but all week they were cruising across equatorial Pacific waters towards Chile, she should have been able to warm up by then. Some days he did wonder if she were an angel, freezing down here amongst the mere mortals.

Like always, he was wide awake in the morning, and knew not to wake her. For anything. He could hear Helena, humming on deck. She needed less sleep that he did. Some inner dynamo kept her going non-stop. And it wasn't tea or coffee. Like Lukas, she didn't drink any. Radica just could not understand how he and Helena had so much energy, all the time.

Radica's map was repurposed to show the schematics of their new catamaran. The other day, Jessica had sent them over, with a new simulation, and they were surprised by how she just knew what they'd like. And Jessica had an eye for detail: she specified things like woods for the deck and cabinets and accents; the stenciling of the hulls and sail; vendors for the equipment; even the builder and place and date of manufacture (she said something about weather and sunlight during construction). There were also parts that could only be assembled through multi-material 3D printing; this was especially so in many places she had made normally bland functional parts into extremely beautiful designs.

Jessica also added some interesting touches, such as a greenhouse for herbs and small vegetables, a underwater viewing window in each hull, the latest in solar-thermal heating and power, and a snuggle nook on deck that had a nice view but kept the wind out. Radica was dumbstruck with the snuggle nook, it was not only beautiful and clearly built for a loving couple, but had a configuration that included two small children.

Radica pointed out other things that required that this be a two person vessel – a special cabinet here, a trap door there, the width of the galley – it all pointed to a boat that begged for two people to work together, cook together, make love in all the nooks, show the world their love together. For example, the running flags could not be lifted alone. She built the system that required two people to haul the flags. And in the plans (of course she specified the quality and provenance of the flags) she'd also designed a flag to represent Radica and Lukas.

They could not find anything they'd change. And the only thing Jessica did not specify was the name of the boat. She left the agony of that decision to Radica and Lukas. While Jessica wanted the name so she could tweak the extensive designs on the hull and wing, she was fine leaving the designs untouched, should they only decide on a name as the hull was put in the water.

It was nothing short of an amazing boat, which is what Lukas expected from Jessica. It was not surprising that Jessica refused to be paid for the design, so they gave an equivalent sum to the charitable foundation Jessica had run since she was a teenager.

Of course, talk of a new boat made Radica a bit more protective of her current boat, almost pre-nostalgic. She was extra careful not to damage anything, started sweeping and wiping down more, and kept picking up or caressing objects and sighing. And it didn't matter that delivery was many months away.

Also, they hadn't told Helena yet, but they both agreed to give her the boat, should she ask. They had no need for a second boat. But it added to Radica's pre-nostalgia.

Lukas was napping on deck when Radica nudged him with her foot and then sat down with him, then made head and eye motions for him to look at the bow. He sat up and looked. Helena was holding on to the forestay with both hands, leaning out ahead of the boat, hair completely undone, chest out, face turned up, like a bow's figurehead.

"How do you think she'll do going back to work?" Radica said quietly.

"Don't you remember how she'd spend hours like that, listening to the bow cutting the water, the wind in her hair, the sun on her face? That's the young girl we knew."

"Was she ever gone?"

Lukas shook his head. "No," and put his hand on Radica's. "We have so many schooler children, don't we?"

"More you than me. You have a way with them, knowing when to push and when to step back. You always bring the best out in them. In any of us. And we thank you for that." She kissed him and whispered in his ear, "Your gift is your love."

He didn't know what to say and put his head next to hers.

Helena came back to them, trying to put her hair in order. "Guys," Helena said, "we need to think of how I wrap up my visit with you."

"You don't have to leave because of him," Radica protested.

Helena laughed, "No, that's not why. I need to get back to my job, fold in all the great things you've taught me, figure out how to move all the fisheries I work with towards a model like yours." She started making a rough braid.

"We're happy you have seen another way," Lukas said.

"And I'm happy you realize that I have something to add to the model," Helena said, sitting down next to them, close, almost on top of them, like a young child with her parents.

"Are you going to be OK going back? Do you think there will be any repercussions for you coming here?" Radica asked.

Helena shrugged. "I'll be fine. The various boards I chair know where I am, gave me an open ended sabbatical – they value me. Perhaps some of them even understand what you are trying to do.

"I think I'll stick around for a few more days, maybe a week, and then get off when we are in a port that has an airport nearby." And then she frowned, sad. "How do you think Maelström will take it?"

"We'll take care of him," Lukas said.

"You will come back for our wedding?" Radica asked.

"Definitely. Whatever celebration you should have, I'd like to be there."

"Heheh, well put."

She gave Radica a kiss and then got up and went below. They heard her curse and then she poked her head back up. "And can we stop somewhere? I'm getting tired of canned food and root vegetables." She pointed a finger at Lukas, "No jokes about German food. And I think the water filter could use a flushing out. The water is tasting blah."

So they set sail for a nearby port, which turned out to be the same spot in the Marquesas, Nuku Hiva, where the hearing was held and where they picked up Helena. The significance wasn't lost on her.

"I mention leaving you two, and you take me back to the beginning? Is that a hint?"

Lukas was pretty sure she was more than half-serious. "No, don't be silly. It just happened that way."

\--x--

Lukas thought it was funny how both women had changed their attitudes as they got closer to port. They were a bit distracted – Radica was talking apple recipes and Helena wanted a beer or wine, both having been finished off a while back – so he was stuck working up the shopping list for food and other supplies.

Helena took charge of the preparations to leave the school. She spoke to the pod and gave them instructions of what to do while they were ashore. Nami and Maelström were all excited to be able to come along with them into port.

When they arrived in port, it was late in the day, so they did a beeline to a small local eatery and pigged out on whatever it was that the cook plopped on the table. And the beer flowed easily as well.

"Pent up dryness," Helena said as she drained her second bottle. "I wonder if one could brew beer on a boat. I suppose if the fermenters were gimbaled, they wouldn't slosh around or fall over." She nodded pensively. "Of course, the cooking would have to be done when still – you wouldn't want liters of wort to get dumped all over you."

"I wonder," Lukas said, "how many things could you do on a boat, I mean, beyond the stuff we already can do, how many thing could you adapt to do on a boat? Did you see how Jessica integrated the waste and water and power together? She's a genius."

Radica nodded slowly, "Yeah, I bet if you ask Jessica to design a completely contained boat system, sort of like a space ship, I bet she could."

"Lukas," Helena asked, "what's the longest you've been out to sea?"

He thought for a bit. Really had no clue. "Alone? No idea. Weeks? But when I don't want to go to port, I usually trade with boats that I bump into."

"But they never have apples," Radica said, taking a bite out of her fourth that night.

His comment "What's with the apples?" had both women throwing their napkins at him.

Later, when they had their fill of beer, food, and, of course, apples, they stumbled back to their dinghy and then, silent, were pulled back to the boat by Nami and Maelström. They quietly showered, Helena in the cabin bathroom, and first Radica then Lukas in the main bunk bathroom, and were soon fast asleep.

Lukas and Helena woke early, as usual. Lukas showed her the shopping list and went over it with her. Helena added a few things, for a meal she'd prepare.

"Do you think this food will be enough for a run to Chile?"

"You mean the fresh food. I'm not sure. Not the way we eat." He smiled.

They took the dinghy in and went to the local market. They had to hire a kid to help them take all the stuff back to the dinghy. The boy came along with them to help them unload on the boat. The kid also came because he thought the dolphins were cool, and was beside himself when Maelström took him back, alone in the dingy, to shore. Lukas could see all the kids greeting the boy when he got to shore, animatedly speaking about the experience.

They had put all the things away when Radica finally woke up. "Good morning, guys," she said, turning on the kettle. "We have to remember to get provisions today. I don't want to hang around long on this island."

Lukas and Helena chuckled. "All set," she said. "Sleepyhead, everything's been put away."

And then the satellite phone rang. "Are you expecting a call?" Radica asked Helena. She shook her head and handed the ringing phone to Radica who looked at the identifier. "It's Fig," and then put it to her ear.

Suddenly the color vanished from her face, and her eyes welled up as she put her hand to her mouth in shock and then practically collapsed onto the couch. Helena and Lukas froze, not knowing what was going on. They could hear Fig talking slowly.

"When did this happen?" Radica practically sobbed. Lukas pulled a chair over and sat next to her. Helena sat on the edge of a chair, leaning forward, her elbows on her legs.

"Oh, God." The she looked up and had a hard time saying, "Jessica is dead," and started weeping, the phone practically falling from her hands.

Lukas tried his best to stay together and took the phone from Radica. Helena walked over, grim, but stoic, and put an arm around Radica, who was shaking with sobs.

"Fig?" Lukas asked.

The painful pause. "Lukas, I'm so sorry." Lukas could tell Fig had been crying, too. That just added to the pain. "It could have been a shipping accident, I don't know, but her ship was low in the water, pretty banged up. The weather was awful and it was hard to get into the cabin. She was inside, by the breach in the hull, near her bunk. I don't think she had much of a chance to save herself. There are some big tankers that pass through these parts, can't get through Panama. Her boat would have felt like a gnat to them. They would not have noticed."

"How did you know?"

And Lukas waited agonizing milliseconds for the reply. "I happened to be listening to radio chatter and heard that a ship had sighted her broken boat. When they said fixed sail cat, I knew it had to be her."

"Oh, Fig, so sorry you had to find out that way."

A pause to feel sorry. "I feel sorry for all of us she left behind. She was a wonderful person, a schooler's schooler. My whales have been slowly towing her boat to the closest port, so that we can salvage her belongings. I also had some of my whales reach out to her whales. They are pretty depressed. You know how whales can be.

"You guys are the first I've told," he continued. "I don't know how we are going to tell her parents.

They were both silent for a moment. "I have her with me," Fig continued, his voice cracking. "I'm on my way to bury her where she was born. Can you please come? She loved you so much. I'll wait for you."

"You're amazing, Fig. We'll meet you at the Straights." He put the phone down, hugged Radica, and then let himself quietly cry for a long time, Helena with her arms around both of them, tears trickling down her cheeks, too.

Departures

The first day was the hardest. They had to go back to shore to prepare for the trip, when all they wanted to do was sit and cry. And Radica had to leave Nami and Maelström with the pod and school for the extended absence. Maelström's and Helena's parting was particularly sad, too: they didn't know when they'd swim together again.

Lukas noticed that Radica was concerned about him, since she knew that of the three of them, he had the closest and longest relationship with Jessica. But it was Helena who was most helpful, she let Radica and Lukas mourn while she picked up the slack.

The trip to the Magellan Straights felt longer than it really was, and the weather wasn't helping. And, as it got colder and rougher, Lukas and Helena had to make due with whatever gear they were able to pick up before they left Nuku Hiva and Radica had in her closets.

Lukas spent a lot of time looking at the map, with the small blip of Jessica's boat, drifting northwest and Fig's boat heading for the Straight. He took longer to get re-engaged in life, but Radica's slowly improving dispositions, and some warm food from Helena, helped him begin to focus on what an amazing young woman Jessica was.

Then, when they were still a day out from the Straights, he said, "She rarely set foot on land. She was Mother Oceana herself."

Radica gave a weak smile, "I remember when I first met her. I thought she was such a cocky little twit. She was telling me all the places she'd sailed, some boats she'd designed. I thought she was showing off. But then I later realized that she was so remarkable, all those accomplishments were mundane to her. She had a totally different understanding of what was normal than any of us."

"I don't know what makes me the saddest," Lukas said. "She was so young, so vibrant. I never expected her to go before me. And I never expected her to go in a boating accident. She'll never see our boat sail, she'll never be able to fuss about its construction."

"I am sorry I never met this woman," Helena said. "She sure meant a lot to you."

"As do you, sweetie." Radica said. "Now you can see what wrecks we'd become if something were to happen to you."

Helena almost cried, but kept her composure. "I'm blessed to be loved by you two." And gave Radica a hug. "I don't mean to speak out of turn, but I'd like you to name your boat after her."

Radica looked at Lukas and they both nodded. "Thank you for that suggestion. We will."

\--x--

By breakfast time, things were a bit brighter, the conversation less morose. Radica and Lukas ate alone, with Helena sailing on deck. The waters they were in were best navigated by hand.

"She liked to sing with the whales," Lukas told Radica. "And she told the most wonderful stories." He told her the story about the whale who lost her calf. "She taught me about loss and love. Losing someone this close once again doesn't make it any easier. But she's showed me that what's happening now, and in front of me," and he looked straight at Radica, "is more important. Radica, she is the one who pushed me onto you."

Radica mumbled something about "not needed an excuse to push onto me."

"Stop. This is serious," he said, scowling half-heartedly.

"Yes, she's intricately woven into our lives, and I will forever be grateful for that." And stood over the table and kissed him.

Helena poked her head in. "I see Fig and he said we're still a few hours away from where he wants to bury her." Then she vanished.

"Do you think he has the coordinates?" Radica asked.

Both of them got dressed to go out in the whipping wind and cold seas. When they came up, they saw that they were deep in the channel, passing numerous fjords and islands. And they looked around at the majestic beauty, such a different view than the Pacific islands they spent so much time around.

Helena reached Fig around the time he started taking down his sails. She also did the same and they coasted closer. This part of the Straight was calmer, and the wind weaker, enough for them to tie the two boats together.

Fig came over and hugged Radica and Lukas. Helena stood back. Fig then walked over to Helena. "We meet again," and gave her a hug as well. Helena was a bit stiff and then relaxed and hugged him back. "Thanks for being here."

Lukas followed Fig onto his boat to help him carry Jessica on deck. She was wrapped in a white sheet, lying on the guest bunk. Lukas went to look at her and Fig stopped him. "Don't do this to yourself." But Lukas moved the sheet so he could see her face.

Peaceful, like she was dreaming of sailing and breaching whales. He caressed her cheek, it was ice cold. A strand of hair was out of place and he pushed it back. Then he leaned and kissed her forehead. "This isn't the first child I have buried." Fig put a hand on his shoulder.

The men bound the sheet and body with rope and carried her up on deck. The women crossed over to Fig's boat, Radica looking distraught. She knelt down and put a hand on the sheet then stood up again. "Is this where she was born?"

Fig looked around, "Around here. It was a dark and stormy night, of course. The only kind of night to match the energy with which Jessica would live her whole life."

They stood quietly for a moment around Jessica, in a circle, holding hands, each to their own thoughts. Lukas tried not to think, afraid that long closed wounds would burst open.

Fig picked up the anchor from his dinghy and attached it to the rope and, with Lukas, took her to the stern. Together, the four of them slid her silently into the water and watched her quickly vanish as she sank into the dark water.

Then, like zombies, Radica, Lukas, and Helena returned to their boat and followed Fig to Punta Arenas. They mostly used the motors, electric of course, which they could hear churning away in their silence.

By the time they arrived, it was dark and the city lights were twinkling. Lukas thought he saw Radica give a faint smile when they were tying up.

They took adjacent berths at the dock and Fig came over for dinner. Helena cooked a varied and light meal. She pulled out a hidden stash frozen maguro, too, and served it as a Carpaccio. And there was a lot of toasting in honor of Jessica.

"Fig," Radica said, placing a hand on his arm, "thank you so much for this touching ceremony." And she picked up his hand and kissed it.

"It's the least I could do. I feel bad that I couldn't find her parents. Like her, they are constantly at sea. I'll do some asking around to find them and tell them the bad news."

Lukas said, "When she did speak of her parents and siblings, she only had wonderful things to say. It must have been a great family. I never met them. Fig, I'll find out where the parents are. I'm sure Jessica's foundation knows where they are. Also, I'd like to call the parents, tell them about her, share her stories."

Fig nodded, then turned to Helena, "It stinks that we have to meet again under shitty circumstances. I was hoping to hear about your experiences with Radica – without Radica around. But I guess that'll have to wait."

Helena looked at Radica, "I suppose we could just go to a bar nearby. After today, no offense to present company, I could use the noises of a merry crowd."

"We'll come, too." Lukas said.

They walked to a bar that was a bit in from the port. The bar was hot, and humid, and loud, full of locals, emotional discussions everywhere with much hand movement. Lukas ordered a round of pisco and they took a table in a corner.

The noise and excitement of the crowd slowly wore down their coldness, and sadness, until there was just a residue left to remind them of what they did that day. They discussed the logistics of what to do with Jessica's whales, the process of going through her stuff, should the boat still be floating, any potential investigation. And then they told Fig about the new catamaran.

"Oh, my, you two are blessed. Do you have a name for the boat?"

"'Jessica', of course," Radica said. "It was Helena's idea."

"When is the maiden voyage?"

"We don't know yet, we have a wedding to figure out."

"What wedding? Who's getting married?"

"Me and her, you fool," Lukas said, playfully punching his arm.

"You're joking, aren't you? Really? That's wonderful." He started to get up, "That calls for another round of this delicious stuff."

Lukas stood and motioned for Fig to sit back down. "I'll get them. I'm the one who speaks Spanish."

"I'll go with you," and Radica got up, too.

"I feel so stupid not telling him about the boat or the wedding," Radica said as they walked to the bar.

"These last few days have sort of taken precedence, so you're forgiven for forgetting."

They stood at the bar waiting for the bartender to come over. "Look," Radica said, pointing back to their table. Helena and Fig had moved closer and were animatedly talking. "Seems like she has only good things to say about us."

"Nah, she's probably just telling him about me."

Radica gave him a nudge. "You don't know Fig, but he's quite smart, in many of the same ways Helena is. They both have the ability to understand the motivations of, not a crowd, but a complex web of a large number of people. I think you and I are too simple to play the politics."

"Oh-oh, I think we are seeing something," Lukas said as Helena placed a hand on Fig's arm and left it there.

"Well, I did talk him up," she said and tapped him to turn, the bartender was waiting.

Lukas held up four fingers, "Cuatro piscos, por favor." But as the bartender started to turn, "No, una botella." The bartender smiled.

As they waited, they turned to watch the dynamics between Fig and Helena. It was clear, from their body language, that each was eroding the formality of the other, that their earlier confrontation at the hearing would be something they'd cherish as a defining moment in their friendship.

"You know," Lukas said, taking the bottle from the bartender, but not leaving the bar, "between the two of them they lead all the essential players in this game. It would be interesting to see what happens if those two get along and work together. Those two are the future of schooling."

"No, they are the end of schooling. What they will do will be as different to us as we were to the folks who came before us."

"Hm, do you think we should retire?"

"Perhaps, have you seen how tired Nami and Tsu always are? I think we could all learn to sail for sailing's sake. Don't you think? I think we can find someone to take over our schools. And between the two of us, even after paying for the cat, we have enough money for a while. What do you think?"

He turned to her and hugged her and smiled. Then he indicated with his head for Radica to look over at the table.

Fig and Helena were deep in a kiss.

And the skies parted

There was a big battle in Heaven. Huge cracks of thunder and lightning flashed in the dark roiling clouds over the city. Of course, I did not know there was a big battle in Heaven. I was just crossing the street at Times Square.

Suddenly, something huge fell from the sky and pounded a crater in the middle of the street. I didn't know what I was thinking, but as folks started running away, I ran towards the crater, drawn to what might be in it.

Standing at the edge, I could see two huge winged men, dressed in armored battle garb, slowly disentangle themselves from each other and get up, both holding huge glowing swords.

I do not know how I knew them, but one was Gabriel; the other was Shamsiel. I remembered a time when they were as close as brothers.

Gabriel was not getting up so fast, and before I could warn him, Shamsiel brought his sword down, killing Gabriel in a flash of heat and light the hurt my head. When my vision cleared, I saw Shamsiel crouch then leap into the sky, kicking up wind and dust, a cold breeze, like an open freezer, followed.

"What happened?" someone said. I turned. A crowed was starting to form around the crater. The woman next to me repeated her question, "What happened?"

I didn't know what to say that would make her believe me. But she beat me to it: "Did you see the angel and daemon, too?" It was clear from the chatter of the crowd that they didn't see the winged men, only the effect they had on the environment.

I nodded and she took me by the arm, "We should get out of here before the police start questioning us. We'll be such quack-jobs that they'll think this was caused by us."

She led me away from the crater and out of Times Square. I could hear the sirens and passed a few cops running in the opposite direction – towards the crater.

The sounds died down as we urgently but silently walked a few blocks away. She then stopped by a quiet doorway.

"What did you see?" she asked me.

I finally got to get a good look at her and she took my breath away. It was an odd feeling, falling for someone I didn't even know.

"I not only saw two angels fall from the sky, but I recognized them – Gabriel and Shamsiel."

She was frightened and surprised, "It can't be. It can't." She grabbed both my arms, "Which one flew back up, I only saw one fly back up, which one was it?"

"Shamsiel."

She was on the verge of tears, and shifted from foot to foots, nervously, "Oh, God. Oh. God." And then looked directly into my eyes, "The Battle has begun. They had thousands of years and now decide to choose a time I'm living in."

"What battle?"

"The battle for Heaven." She led me towards a train station. "Come with me. Please." So I followed her, not really knowing who she was and why the two of us saw the angel and the daemon.

We caught a train uptown. "I'm Radica," she said, extending out a hand.

I shook her hand, "I'm Lukas. How come we saw the angels and the others did not?"

"I have no idea. Has this ever happened before, I mean, seeing angels or daemons?"

I shook my head, "No. You?"

She also shook her head. Sort of.

We were quiet for a bit, I, wondering what was going on and what was next. Then she took my hand and stood up, "This is our stop."

She led me by the hand all the way, going a few blocks from the train station to a quiet street of brownstones. We climbed up the steps and she let go of my hand to swipe her key. Then she took my hand again and led me up the stairs and into her apartment.

The first thing I noticed was that the apartment was very warm. That's when I noticed she was a bit overdressed for the weather. And despite the warmth, the first thing she did was check the thermostat.

"Please. Sit down," she said as she went into the kitchen and came back with some water and snacks. "Would you like some water, beer, wine?"

"Whatever you are having," I said, as she handed me water and set the cheese and crackers on the living room table.

"It's stupid for me to ask if you believe in angels."

He chuckled, "I didn't until those two landed in front of me. And I have no idea why I knew who they were."

Radica was serious, leaning forward and looking at the table. "For as long as I can remember, I have hoped there were angels, that God was real."

I shrugged, "I don't know. For me, I think the world has just become more complicated."

She looked up at me. "Do you think this is the first exchange in this battle? What do you think will happen next?"

I wanted to reply, but I just looked at her, examined her features, her hair, her eyes – her eyes were mesmerizing. She was one of them, an angel. Did she know? That explained the heat – she was used to the heat of God, or whomever the Supremo was.

"Lukas?" she said, snapping me out of it. "Who are you? Did I make a mistake bringing you here?" she asked, a bit frightened.

I put my hands up, "No, you didn't. I think there's a reason we met."

"How so?"

"I don't know. But I am sure we'll find out."

Suddenly she jumped up and started looking for something on her bookshelves. "I have a book. It mentions all this." She pulled out a thin, worn, composition notebook, and sat down next to me. My heart skipped a few beats. I could not explain why I was so in love with her.

"Look," she said, opening the book. She had filled it with writing. And there were elaborate drawings on some pages and in almost all the margins. The drawings moved and interacted with each other.

"Did you make this?"

"Yes, when I was a teenager," she said, flipping through the pages. "It's based on ideas I had of angels and daemons and God and Lucifer. To me, it was just a crazy fantasy – I never dared show this to anyone before.

"There," she said, pointing to a drawing in the margin. "Shamsiel." It was the one I saw with Gabriel and he was looking back at me, bored. "He's Uriel's lover and standard-bearer. He fell with Lucifer, preferring to be with humans." She then turned to me. "My Uriel is female. So is Michael. Rafael and Gabriel are male."

"And God?"

She looked at me, then looked away, ashamed. "I always thought I was God."

"And the Devil?"

"Lucifer. Male. Challenged me and I banished him. Along with all the others who dared question my plans."

"Plans?"

"For humanity." She closed the book for a moment. "I – I admit that I was jealous of their love." She looked up at me. "Remember, this is how I feel things went. This is my fantasy. The only way I could keep sane was to write it and draw it." I nodded. "I was jealous that they loved humanity more than I could love humanity. Casting them out was the most selfish thing I have ever done. And I almost destroyed humanity in the process."

"So what do you think is going on?"

"I'm not up there. The archangels are running things and the daemons, the fallen angels, are trying to take over."

I nodded and took the book from her, flipping through the pages. The faces she drew were all familiar to me. Why? I stopped on a full page drawing of the four archangels. They frowned when they saw me and then looked at her, smiling.

"Wow. I haven't looked at this page in years," she said, caressing the drawing. "See, Uriel and Michael are female."

I don't know where it came from, but I blurted out, "Ariella and Michaela. I had forgotten how beautiful they were. You captured them well." I could remember a kiss from Ariella, a caress from Michaela.

She practically jumped back, then reached over and snatched the book, holding it to her chest. "Who are you?"

"I'm as normal as you," I said, trying to reassure her. "But it seems both of us know more than we think we do."

She relaxed. "I know what you mean," and scooted back over to me, opening up the book again.

"Do you have anything related to whatever battle is going on?"

She shook her head, "I don't think so." She flipped a few more pages. One thing caught my eye.

"Stop," I said, flipping a few pages back. There was a full page drawing of God, all the hosts of Heaven, assembled in beautiful glory. It seemed to be a concert. I saw that God was her, Radica. Even though she'd already said that, it was moving to see her in the drawing.

Then I saw something that shocked me. I was in the drawing. With the archangels. And I saw Shamsiel nearby, and other angels I knew were fallen. "Who is this?"

"That's Lucifer," she said. "I've never seen his face before. He's the only one that seems to hide from me," she said, not recognizing it was me she drew. Or maybe it was my imagination. But she quickly flipped back and forth through the book. "He's here," she said pointing to a margin drawing, then flipping some more before I could read the adjacent text. "Hm, showing his face again. And here, also showing his face" pointing to another margin drawing. "And," she stopped on a full page drawing of God and Lucifer, in each other's arms. It was very clear that it was the two of us. They – we – were in each other's arms, smiling, in love.

"I never understood this drawing. Lucifer and God never were looking at each other. And," she stared wide-eyed at the page, "I – I could never see his face." She turned to Lukas. "How could I draw you as Lucifer?" She just stared at me, puzzling at what we've been discovering.

And I knew that I was not evil, nor Lucifer, nor God's lover. But then how did she draw me so accurately.

She let slip a frightened squeak. "This text. It seems different," she said, running her finger across the page as she read. I could make out a few words: "And Her jealousy of His handiwork, handiwork she filled with her love and life..." "...the imprint of His hands, the force of her love..." "...and so humanity loved Him more as maker than Her as spirit."

Radica started crying. I pulled her close to comfort her. "I'm confused," she whispered. "It was all a fantasy until I saw you in this. Do you believe this?"

"The past few hours have been a stretch of believability for me. In all fairness, I have to believe anything could be true."

"I don't remember writing some of this text, and I don't remember ever drawing you in this. But it is you. And it changes everything." She turned to me and kissed me and then hugged me. "You made humanity, the Universe, and I filled it with love, life, spirit. We both were contributors in the Creation. And I became jealous of your closeness to our greatest creation – humanity."

"Radica," I said, stroking her hair, "it's the story you wove. That Lucifer doesn't even look like me," I lied.

"Lukas, why can't my story be real? As real as any that some Jew or Muslim or Christian might weave? Why does Lucifer have to be evil? Who spins the story?"

"I've been brought up to think Lucifer is the Devil, Evil, Tempter, Destroyer of Mankind, Satan."

"That's someone else's story. You and I know the truth."

"You didn't send me away," I remembered. "I left because I wanted you to be happy. I thought I was not worthy of you, that you didn't deserve me. I left for you."

"Oh," she said, nodding, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I was so jealous. I was so stupid. I should never have let you go."

"We were happy with humanity, me and the fallen ones. We walked among them. As equals. That's all we wanted. You wanted them to be better than us – pure, honest, kind. But they came out with all our foibles and short-comings. And I liked that. And I understood that."

"But I never did."

"And now you have followed me. You, yourself, have become a fallen angel, to live and learn among your creation."

"And I have learned – love and loss; pain and relief; courage and fear." Her eyes were wild. "It's been amazing."

"Will you stay with me?" I asked her.

"I cannot," she said, kissing me with little kisses all over my face, like little explosions of stars. "I do not know why the angels are fighting again, but I think it is because I am no longer there. And with the fallen ones also fighting, you need to come with me as well. It will take both of us to heal this rift, to praise our fallen ones for their empathy for humanity, for you to return to my side, for us to write a new story of God and Lucifer."

She was right.

####

About the author

Charlie Schick takes nothing seriously except for Love and Honesty (from which all Happiness springs forth). He is the product of, and has been influenced by, multiple cultures; he has had a varied life, from doing science at the bench to science on the ocean, from running his own words business to being the word man for a multi-billion dollar company. His adventures have taken him, and sometimes his family, to most of the continents, and he's looking forward to more. Like most writers, he's driven by the storyline of Life and seeks to bring it forth in many insightful and entertaining ways. Enjoy.

Charlie's interview on Smashwords: <http://www.smashwords.com/interview/cschick>

For Charlie's other works on Smashwords: <http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/cschick>

Follow Charlie on Twitter: <http://twitter.com/molecularist>

Read his other writings: http://molecularist.com
