A violent gust hit her, fluttering her coveralls, causing her to stagger. She ran a hand over the tight curls of her short black hair. “We’ll be fine. All of us, we’ve trained for this. We’re the best Solar System had to offer. Wind, waves, wildlife, we’re the experts. If anyone can make a go of it, it’s us.” A beat. “We just need to get out there, Shin. Get our hands dirty, start doing research, and everything will fall into place.”

Shin studied the waves with shining eyes. “You’re right. Once we start exploring, get the subs and UUVs out, I think the nightmares and fears will fade away. It’s just knowing that if anything goes wrong, there’s no Corporation a com call away. No Coast Guard. No other ships. No search and rescue.”

A large swell—one that almost reached the deck—swept beneath them, crashing on the Pod’s duraplast pilings. To Michaela’s relief, she didn’t even feel its impact. The Pod was solid. Dreams of drowning in the darkness were just plain silly.

Then, as if spiraling out of the back of her mind, the words of Wejee Tolland—who’d been on guard at the Mine Gate back in Port Authority—repeated in her head: “But if an old hand can give you any advice, Dr. Hailwood, you’ll live a lot longer if you’ll take for granted that everything on this planet is trying to kill you.”

Damn it, they had to get out there, start cataloging. Of course, it would be different than being on Earth, but if they couldn’t figure out Donovan’s oceans, no one could. They’d be careful; they’d been dealing with sharks, rays, eels, sea snakes; and they had the best technology available.

“What’s that look?” Shin asked, fixing on her expression.

“Nothing.” She pointed where the colorful seaskimmers were tacking against the stiffening wind. They’d passed over the horizon now, their triangular sails fading behind the line of rising and falling swells. “No matter what Supervisor Aguila tells us, how could something that beautiful be dangerous?”

“Michaela,” Shin chided, “the situation here, it’s not like life on the mainland. We’re in the Pod. Not directly exposed to the wildlife. In the sub—which is a pretty tough piece of equipment—we’ll be perfectly safe. It’s made to withstand pressures down to thirty thousand feet. Nothing on this planet could crush it. And most of our work is going to be with the UUVs.” UUV stood for unmanned underwater vehicle, the AI and remote-controlled drones that would be doing the majority of the underwater survey and exploration.