Da-dah And Oop-la!

Look at this! says Terence.

That's a serious can opener, says Denis.

It's a Pee-38 says Terence. 

P-38, says Captain Baudin. 

I said that, says Terence.

I thought you said Pee-38, says Captain Baudin.

I didn't, says Terence.

Never mind, says Gaius. The point is to use it.

Here's the Red Bull can, says Denis.

Where's my baby cuttlefish? asks Terence.

Here, says Ageless. 

Is it still spinning? asks Terence.

No, it's stopped, says Ageless. The egg box is collapsing.

Get it out! cries Terence.

Ageless tries to open the tranparent door.

The top of the egg box comes away, exposing the baby.

Terence lifts out the baby cuttlefish.

It stares up at him.

You're getting a Nachoo, says Terence.

The baby cuttlefish sneezes.

Did you hear that? asks Gaius. 

What? asks Denis, who is trying to manoevre the P-38 round the can and avoid jagged edges.

Terence predicted the cuttlefish would sneeze, says Gaius. And it did sneeze.

Power of suggestion, says Denis. 

Still, says Gaius. It's not a bad effort.

The Nachoo is the name Terence chose for the Red Bull can, says Captain Baudin. Sorry to ruin your theory.

The Nachoo! says Gaius. Why that?

Isn't the term Nacho? asks Denis. Those corn chip things, smothered in salsa and cheese?

Why yes! says Gaius. Why did you choose that name, Terence?

Captain Baudin's ship was a Nachoo, says Terence.

The Naturaliste, says Captain Baudin. And it wasn't my vessel, mine was the other one.

What other one? asks Denis. Ouch! I'm bleeding! 

He has not been paying attention.

You need to give a P-38 your full attention, says Captain Baudin.

A band-aid, Denis? asks Gaius. I probably have one.

No thanks, I'll just suck it, says Denis. Can you finish the job?

He hands Gaius the Nachoo and the P-38. 

Gaius starts sawing, avoiding the jagged edges.

The Géographe, says Captain Baudin. That was the name of my vessel.

A fine name, says Denis. I assume you were mapping?

We were, says Captain Baudin. I led the expedition to map the coast of New Holland. 

Done! says Gaius, raising the can. 

Can the baby go in now? asks Terence.

First let me fill it with water, says Gaius.

He dips the can in the water and hands it to Terence.

Terence now has the Nachoo in one hand and the baby cuttlefish in the other.

Everyone is looking.

Da-dah! He drops the baby cuttlfish into the Nachoo.

Oop-la! It shoots straight back out again

Tattoo Sort

Terence and Captain Baudin are not back yet.

Ageless is minding the hatchling.

Gaius is looking for a pencil.

Denis takes out his phone.

This would be a good time to reply to Henriette's message.

He looks at the photo she sent him, of her feet with the cuttlefish tattoos on the soles.

He starts tapping:

News! The lobsters collected a number of cuttlefish eggs in a croissant packet, and then let them go, because they were hatching. Terence found his egg box. He is keeping one baby behind. The baby is revolving inside the egg box which is falling apart, but the plan is to transfer it to an empty Red Bull can, as soon as a can opener is found. I will send you a picture of the spinning baby. You might like to compare it to the tattoos on your feet. At first I believed they were words. But no, they were cephalopods! And well executed. I am sitting on a wet rock. What are you doing?

Writing to Henriette? asks Gaius.

Yes, says Denis. I hope I have struck the right tone.

Read it aloud, if you'd like a second opinion says Gaius. 

Denis reads it aloud.

The lobsters? says Ageless. 

You and Baudin are lobsters, says Denis. What's wrong with that title?

Proper names would have been more repectful, says Ageless.

What about the rest of it? asks Denis.

Was it wise to leave the comment about her tattoos to the end of your missive? asks Gaius.

I don't like to gush, says Denis. Our relationship is not of that kind.

Females like compliments, says Ageless.

And she has gone to a great deal of trouble, says Gaius. Getting tattoos can be painful.

Maybe they were just drawn on, says Denis. And have now been washed off. She didn't seem like a tattoo sort of person.

Then you are wise to make little of it, says Gaius.

That's what I thought, says Denis. So I'll send it.

What about the photo? asks Gaius.

Yes! Thanks for reminding me, says Denis.

He takes a photo of the spinning baby through the transparent door of the egg box.

It's a bit blurry, says Denis. 

I could stop it spinning, says Ageless.

How? asks Denis.

But that won't be necessary. 

Terence and Captain Baudin have arrived with the can opener.

Soon To Become The Nachoo

Denis finds the can of Red Bull.

He opens it with the ring pull and hands it to Terence.

Terence drinks it.

Buuurp! Now what? asks Terence.

Force your hatchling inside, says Ageless.

It won't fit through the hole, says Captain Baudin. But there's a can opener back at the light house.

Let's go and get it, says Terence.

D'accord, says Captain Baudin.  

I suppose you want us to look after your hatchling, says Gaius.

Terence looks into the egg box, where his purple baby cuttlefish is revolving while staring out through the transparent door.

Stop that! says Terence.

What's it doing? asks Gaius.

It's turning round and round in the egg box and staring, says Terence.

Then there's no time to lose, says Gaius. Off you go to find that can opener.

Captain Baudin and Terence climb up the rocks to the trail, and head for the lighthouse.

We should have brought the Titanic, says Terence.

To what are you referring? asks Captain Baudin.

The can, says Terence. It's going to be a Titanic.

That name presages bad luck, says Captain Baudin. May I suggest a better one?

What? asks Terence. 

La Fortuna for example, says Captain Baudin.

That's no good, says Terence.

Why so? asks Captain Baudin. 

It's not for a tuna, says Terence.

Ha ha, laughs Captain Baudin. 

What's another name? asks Terence.

I had two ships, says Captain Baudin. One was the Géographe and one was the Naturaliste. Do you like either of those?

I like the Nachoo, says Terence.

Then Nachoo it is, says Captain Baudin.

They have now reached the lighthouse. They go in.

Captain Baudin finds a can opener.

It's an old P-38, with a sharp cutting tooth. 

My trusty P-38, says Captain Baudin.

Can I carry it? asks Terence.

Certainement, says Captain Baudin. But take care not to pierce yourself.

I can't pierce myself, says Terence.

I suppose not, says Captain Baudin.

They start back down the trail to where the others are waiting, with the purple baby in the egg box. 

And the Red Bull can, soon to become the Nachoo.

Magic Word

It doesn't want me to do it, says Terence.

How do you know ? asks Ageless.

It's looking at me like it doesn't, says Terence.

Then it must want to die, says Ageless. 

It DOESN'T!, says Terence.

What's going on? asks Gaius.

Ageless kicked them all in the water, except this one and this one doesn't want to go in the water, says Terence.

I didn't kick them, I flicked them, says Ageless.

Gaius looks at the purple drying-out baby cuttlefish.

See? says Terence.

It needs water, says Gaius. 

But not big water, says Terence.

Put it back in the egg box, says Gaius. Then we'll dip it into the water.

Okay, says Terence.

He picks up the purple drying-out baby cuttlefish and places it back in the egg box.

Will you lower it in, Ageless? asks Gaius.

Carefully, says Terence.

 I'm always careful, says Ageless. He lowers the egg box into the water.

How will this work? asks Denis. The box will become soggy.

A temporary solution, says Gaius. 

The egg box fills with seawater,

The purple dried-out baby cuttlefish regains its shimmer.

Ageless lifts the egg box out of the water and places it on the rock beside Terence.

You're saved! says Terence.

 The purple less-dried-out baby cuttlefish stares at him with its usual imploring expression.

Now what? asks Terence.

It's still not happy, says Gaius.

Maybe it was born with that expression, says Ageless.

Captain Baudin comes over.

What do you think, Baudin? asks Gaius.

The others are starting to hatch, says Baudin. The croissant bag is splitting.

Then we must let them go, says Gaius. 

All that collecting for nothing, says Captain Baudin.

Nothing is ever for nothing, says Gaius. We have learnt a great deal today. 

Want me to take a  few photos? asks Denis, before they all swim away?

Wonderful, says Gaius. Good thinking Denis!

What about this one? asks Terence.

The egg box is already getting soggy.

You may keep this one, says Gaius. But you'll need a better container.

A Titanic, says Terence.

Where would we get a Titanic? says Gaius.

Did Terence ever drink his can of Red Bull? asks Roo-kai.

Of course! says Gaius. An empty can would be just the right size, and it wouldn't get soggy.

So where is it? asks Roo-kai.

It may be in my backpack, says Gaius.

It isn't, says Terence. I took everything out, remember?

Yes, and I put everything back in, says Gaius.

It may be back at the lighthouse, says Roo-kai.

Go and see, says Terence. 

Roo-kai waits for a please.

Luckily, as it happens. 

Because Denis has come across to show a series of photos to Gaius, and wondered at the silence.

Why is everyone so quiet?asks Denis.

Roo-kai is waiting for the magic word, says Gaius.

The magic word? asks Denis.

Gaius explains that Rookai is going to look for Terence's can of Red Bull, as soon as he hears it.

No need for the magic word, says Denis. 

The Red Bull's in my backpack.

Not The Titanic

Now how many have I got? asks Terence.

Five, says Gaius. Six less one.

That's more than I had to start with, says Terence.

It's one less, says Gaius.

So why did you say five six less one? asks Terence.

I was explaining the mathematical logic, says Gaius.

Yes, says Denis. And you confused him.

No I didn't, says Terence.

I think Denis meant I confused you, says Gaius.

Terence looks into his egg box at the remaining five eggs which are all now dark purple.

I'm letting them out, says Terence.

That's seems the best option, says Gaius. 

Terence starts taking the eggs out and placing them in a row on a rock near the water

Now the problem remains, what to do with the eggs that Captain Baudin has collected? says Gaius.

We could anchor the croissant packet here, and observe them, says Denis.

With what? asks Captain Baudin. They could float away en masse.

Like an underwater Titanic, says Denis.

An interesting thought, says Gaius.

What's a Titanic? asks Terence.

A big ship that hit an iceberg and sank, says Gaius.

Many passengers were drowned, says Denis, but of course that won't happen in this case.

True, says Gaius. All the passengers in the croissant packet are at home in the water.

The five purple ones on the rock are drying out because Terence has been listening to the Titanic story.

They are shrinking and losing their shine.

Only Ageless has noticed.

He flicks one into the water to see if it helps. 

Yes. The baby cuttlefish revives, and shimmies away in the water.

Ageless flicks another one in, and another and another.

Terence has noticed.

Only one dry purple baby is left on the rock now.

Before you say anything, says Ageless. I did it. 

I was going to do it, says Terence.

Do it to this one, says Ageless.

But there is something different about this one.

It is gazing at Terence with an imploring look in its eyes.

Which Terence takes to mean: Please don't do it!

Enough Interventions

Gaius comes back with the back pack, and Roo-kai.

NO ONE'S allowed to eat any more of these eggs! says Terence.

Who else has been eating them? asks Gaius.

Ageless had one, says Denis.

It was expiring, says Ageless. 

It wasn't, says Terence. I was going to give it some water.

It's expired now, says Denis, but there are plenty more where it came from.

Thanks to me, says Captain Baudin. And I'd like that to go on the record.

It will be in my notes, when I make them, says Gaius.

So what happens next? asks Denis. 

We decide where to keep the cuttlefish eggs, until they hatch, says Gaius. 

The croissant bag is jam-packed, says Captain Baudin.

Lucky I took some out, says Terence.

Lucky someone ate one, says Ageless.

And someone ate two, says Roo-kai.

So you've taken some out, Terence? says Gaius. How many are in your egg box?

I'll count them, says Terence.

He looks in through the transparent door, and appears to be counting

Let me count them, says Gaius.

He also looks in through the transparent door.

These cuttlefish eggs are pulsating, says Gaius. 

That sounds bad, says Denis.

 It may be a sign that hatching is imminent, says Gaius. 

Yay! says Terence.

There are six, says Gaius. And the biggest one is turning dark purple in patches.

Six, says Terence. Correct. Which one is purple?

That one, says Gaius. I suggest we take it out of the egg box and place it in the water.

It might swim away, says Denis. Then what will have been the point of our actions?

We will have gained information, says Gaius.

But we won't have protected it from the toxic algae, says Denis.

The purple egg now looks more like a baby cuttlefish than an egg.

It does not look happy in the egg box.

I'm taking it out, says Terence.

He opens the door and picks it out with his fingers.

The baby cuttlefish gasps and wriggles. 

Terence drops it on a rock near the water.

It shivers, shimmers, rolls over and flops into the water.

It starts swimming away.

Want me to recapture it? asks Ageless.

I think we've done enough interventions, says Gaius.

Eet-en-ee-ten

At least keep it out of the sun, says Denis.

Terence moves the egg box into Denis's shadow.

Don't worry, eggs, says Terence. You won't dry out straight away.

Do you think they're listening? asks Denis.

Yes, says Terence. If I was an egg I'd be listening.

What with? asks Denis.

My egg ears, says Terence.

Ha ha, laughs Denis. Egg ears. Where are they, on an egg?

Inside, says Terence. Where everything else is.

Keep talking, says Denis. 

Terence keeps talking to the eggs in the egg box. He tells them about his original idea for an egg box where each egg had its own little cabin.

The eggs are listening, with their egg ears, but their egg brains don't get what they're hearing. What is a cabin?

Perhaps it's best they don't know what it is they're not getting.

Denis gets his phone out to reply to Henriette, regarding her tattooed feet photo..

But now Ageless clambers out of the water, followed by Captain Baudin.

Did Roo-kai deliver the cuttlefish eggs? asks Captain Baudin.

Yes, and he's eaten two of them, says Denis.

He says they taste like jelly, says Terence.

The egg ears are still listening. Jelly? What's jelly?

I found my egg box, says Terence.

Ageless picks up the egg box and looks in through the transparent door.

These ones are going to dry out, says Ageless. 

They won't, says Terence. I'm going to give them some water.

When? asks Ageless. Look at this one, already expiring.

He opens the door, picks out a cuttlefish egg and waves it around.

Wet it, says Terence.

Agelss lowers himself into the water, with the egg in his claw.

He disappears for a moment or two, and comes back up without it.

Roo-kai is right, says Ageless. They do taste like jelly.

Wah! says Terence. Another one got eaten.

The egg ears in the egg box like the sound of the word EETEN.

Eet-en-ee-ten

But only because they can't yet make connections.