To Kalico’s way of thinking, that kind of forethought upped the Maritime Unit’s chances of success fourfold.

As the seatruck skimmed along a mere two meters above the wavetops, Kalico savored the sight of endless water. She’d missed having a vista that wasn’t through chain-link. And in the bush, vegetation created a constant visual barrier.

“What are those?” She pointed to the triangular shapes that had appeared on the horizon to the northeast.

“We call them seaskimmers,” Shinwua told her. “We haven’t managed a close look at one yet. Best we can tell, they’re like a living sailboat.”

As the seatruck closed the distance, the triangular sails shifted colors, patterns of orange, yellow, and dark blue scrolling across the sails. The seaskimmers reversed course in unison, tacking off to the east and away from the seatruck’s path.

Kalico said, “You saw that patterning? The different colors? That’s communication. Just like quetzals use on land. When you get the chance to watch these seaskimmers for long enough, you’ll be able to read what they’re saying, at least on an elementary level.”

Shinwua said, “I’ll take your word for it.”

Kalico asked, “Want to bet a couple rhodium bars?”

“What’s a rhodium bar?”

“Call it the most valuable metal on Donovan. A two-kilo bar would buy you the premium penthouse at Three Spires and let you live in whatever fashion you wished for the rest of your life. Oh, and your kid’s lives. A couple of bars? Well, I guess they wouldn’t buy you a seat on the Board, and maybe they wouldn’t buy you a Boardmember, but you could sure rent one for rest of his or her life.”

“And you’re betting two of these bars?” Yoshimura rose from his seat and came to stand just behind Kalico’s shoulder as he stared at the fleeing seaskimmers. The creatures were now flashing patterns of red, pink, blue, and violet as they caught all the wind they could to escape from the seatruck’s path.

“You my taker?” she asked.

Yoshimura raised his binoculars, studying the patterns on the sails as the seatruck passed to the seaskimmers’ right. “Not me. Like you said last night. This is not Earth.”

“So, if there’s all this intelligence,” Shinwua asked, “what does it do?”

“What do you mean, do?”

“Okay, granted, I’m a programmer and engineer. Humans are the only major intelligence on Earth, right? I mean, yeah, dolphins, ravens, and apes are pretty smart, and they make some stuff. Simple stuff. If even the molecules are smart here, what have they done with it?”

“I’m not following you,” Kalico replied.