Part 5 (1/2)
”Suwim, mans suwim, mans suwim ” and suddenly the ring about him parted, dolphins flipping up and overhead, out of his way.
Dragon and rider were at the water's edge, dubiously surveying the incredible scene.
”Member! ”Member! Oooo ring. Oo-ee come!” a dolphin shouted as Alemi waded out of the bay. ”Oooo do blufiss.”
He nodded his head enthusiastically as he turned, waving at the dolphins, criss-crossing each other as they made for deeper water. There seemed to an incredible number occupying the bay waters. Then, as the chorus was picked up by other voices, he cupped his hands. ”I ring. You come. I wait.”
T'lion looked at him in blank amazement. ”They were talking'?
Speaking to you'?”
Alemi nodded, slipping out of his soaking jacket at the same time as he worked his sodden boots off his feet. ”That's what I saw Aivas about - the dolphins. I never thought we'd get that sort of response, just tapping a bell.”
T'lion shook his head slowly from side to side. ”Me neither!' He let his breath out with a sigh and took Alemi's coat from him, draping it on the bell, as Alemi now stripped off his s.h.i.+rt and began wringing it out. ”I better go get you some dry clothes.
Even in the midday sun, it's going to take time to dry ”em and you can't go between in wet clothes.”
No, I can't, and i would appreciate dry things. Is that a problem?”
T'lion sized him up for a moment and shook his head. No. It'll only take a few minutes,' he said as he vaulted to his dragon's back. I'll borrow some from a rider your size. We always have spares.
Sand briefly showered Alemi as the young bronze leaped from the beach.
Shards!” Alemi said, diving for the Aivas papers in his jacket.
With shaking hands he opened the wet sheath but the writing appeared not to have suffered. Carefully, using pebbles to hold them down, he spread the sheets out on the sand to dry in the hot sun.
the old tales that she had learned from The Tillek in her time at the Great Subsidence, before she had swum cleanly through the Whirlpool and been considered worthy of beaHng dolphin calves. When mans had swum alongside dolphins, above and below the surface and accomplished many wonderfil things to get her. And now there wouM be mans to heal the wounded and keep the stranded from dying on llie sands. There would be good Work to be done. The sea had changed the land in the time since Humankind and DolphinMnd had come to diese waters.
Humankind should know. Dolphins could show mans where the sh.o.r.e had changed and llie Currents and where the biggest schools of fish were. And there might even be games to PIQY.
No' it was the turn of Flo, pod leader at Monoco bay to sound the news far and wide that the Bell had been rung. Not exactly as it should be rung, but it had been rung mid they had swarmed to answer, to prove to mans that they would reply when they heard the Bell. it had been so long since that sound had been heard upon the waters or under them. No member of the pod, even Teres who was the oldest and had to be accompanied when she fed in the schools of fish, had ever heard the Bell. But they had remembered to remember. Those at Pardisriv were not the only ones to talk to mans and use the Words.
The mans had been two and they had sent happy feelings to the pod. There had been scratches and pats that had long been denied the dolphins. The entire pod had been glad to answer the Bell. They had shown their appreciation with great leaps and tail walks and flips and deep divings. Mans had said they would sc.r.a.pe off the blood fish which was the best news of all.
That evening as they rested in the Great Current, Teres repeated
Chapter Four.
he n Alemi returned to Paradise Hold, he was bursting with his tidings and tracked Jayge down to make his report.
Perhaps what Jayge was doing - chopping down the verdant undergrowth that relentlessly encroached on the clearings about the holds; a sweaty, difficult job but one best done to inhibit growth during the coming hot season - made him sour. In any event, the Holder's enthusiasm for Alemi's new adventure with dolphins was less than appreciative.
Jayge paused in his labors, wiping the sweat that overflowed the band on his forehead.
”That's all very well and good, Alemi. I suppose,' and Jayge hesitated, ”it's good. We've got fire-lizards and dragons, why n~ intelligent life in the seas? The Ancients apparently,' and he stressed the adverb, ”knew what would combine to make a perfect world so these doll fins had their role to play - - He hesitated.
”But you're worried about Readis?”
Jayge let out an explosive sigh. ”Yes, I am. He's still talking about his maml . ”They are,' Alemi said, regaining his perspective on the matter, mam-mals,' he repeated carefully, not glottalizing the word into one syllable. Creatures who give birth to live offspring and suckle them.”
Jayge gave him a long incredulous stare. ”Underwater?”
Alemi grinned, appreciating his amazement. ”Saw moving picture records of a birth as well as the suckling so I can't doubt it.”
”Aivas wastes time on such things?”
”I wouldn't call it wasting time,' Alemi said in a wry tone, ”if the result is dolphins ready to rescue the s.h.i.+pwrecked.”
Jayge had the grace to flush and concentrated on honing the edge of his wide blade.
”Look, I'll keep my findings to myself then. You didn't mention my interview with Aivas to Readis, did you? No. All right.
I certainly won't but I'd like your permission as my Holder, to discreetly pursue a closer a.s.sociation with these creatures.
With squalls like the one Readis and I were caught in, those at sea in these waters need all the help available.”
”And these doll fins would always help?”
”According to what I saw and what Aivas said, water rescues are a dolphin's responsibility and duty.”
”Humph. What does Master Idarolan say to this?”
”I'm only just back, Jayge. Haven't told him yet but I certainly shall. Most s.h.i.+ps carry bells. If masters know what sequence summons dolphins to their a.s.sistance, we'd have just that much more of a chance in the water. You can't deny that, can you?”
”No,' Jayge said for he had been vividly recalling the storm that had tossed himself and Aramina overboard, and the s.h.i.+pfish who had rescued them. ”I can't. Ah, very well. Just be sure, Alemi, that Readis doesn't get wind of all this. He's much too young.
Alemi nodded, perversely pleased that he could try to establish himself with the dolphins without having to share the experience. After all, they had that jetty now on the sheltered cove just around the headland. He could rig a bell there, and a float like the one he'd seen in the pictures, where he could meet the dolphins on the same level.
”I'll take some of this heavier bamboo away for you, Jayge, Alemi offered, noting the size of the stalks the Holder was cutting.
”Your doll fins eat vegetation?”
”No, but I've uses for this,' Alemi said, gathering up the lengths that were suitable for his purpose. With airbladders to increase their flotation, he'd have a platform similar to the one that used to ride the water at Monaco Bay; smaller but adequate for one man. ”Have you had any further word from the Benden Weyrleaders when we can expect the new settlers?”
”I should hear by the end of this sevenday, and Jayge paused to wipe his brow. ”So they'll probably be grateful for fish to lay in as supplies.”
”No problem there,' Alemi said, grinning, as the delicious white fish were running. They could be salted, pickled or smoked and retain their flavor.
He knew that Jayge was looking forward to having a new hold further down the river. He was, too. Jayge's boundaries were confirmed and he, Swacky, Temma and Nazer had helped the dragonriders survey the new one, a hold which would start on the eastern side of the river below the bend that marked the end of his, down to the origin of the river. The best site for the holding would be in the foothills. They were farmers and craftsmen; they would round up and protect the wild runner and herdbeasts, and grow the grain crops in the higher lands that did not grow along the coast.
He'd met the Keroon leaders, a large family complete with aunties and uncles, who had applied for the holding. Good solid men and women. He looked forward to having them as neighbors. There was talk of another group interested in settling the south-western bank of the Paradise.
Alemi didn't have as much time for his new enthusiasm as he would have liked. He'd have to a.s.sign sailors to help s.h.i.+p the settlers' belongings down the Paradise to the Bend so his fis.h.i.+ng crews would be short-handed. With the whitefish running, he wanted to net as much as possible. He and the remainder of his crews were out all the hours of the lengthening days, trawling and long-lining. Alemi was mindful of some of the precautions which Aivas had mentioned in their interview which Fishmen had - fortunately - always observed: the size of the nets being critical as well as the old warnings of the ”sin' of netting a s.h.i.+pfish. Even his father, who hadn't the imagination to be superst.i.tious, followed that precept - though he probably didn't know why, Alemi added to himself. Now he knew but he doubted his father would ever admit to the reason behind the prohibition. Much less that dolphins could talk and were intelligent. One more of the many gulfs between then and now.
Armed with Aivas' confirmation of the intelligence of s.h.i.+pfish/ dolphins, Alemi did inform Master Idarolan of his investigations and his plan to renew the partners.h.i.+p to mutual benefit. Though he wasn't sure what benefit the dolphins might derive. As he respected the Master Fishman and did not wish to lower himself in his Craftmaster's estimation, he qualified his interest by virtue of his and Readis' escape and the turbulence and unpredictability of these tropical waters. He sent that message off by Tork, his bronze fire-lizard. The creature's speedy return pleased him as he'd used Menolly's sensible suggestions in training the creature and Tork had proven responsible. Alemi felt that if he had handled fire-lizard's instruction, he could certainly deal with the more intelligent dolphins.