Rolling Like Animals

Katherine pops her head through the hatch.

Jinjing! Come down here, Arthur wants you.

Jinjing brightens, and flies along the pontoon across the deck of the Recherche and down to where Arthur is eating his second burger.

Not angry? asks Jinjing.

No, says Arthur.

I would waste away if you were angry, says Jinjing. How is your knee?

Knee? says Arthur. Okay.

He raises his knee, with it's fish-smelling bandage.

That will go nasty, says Jinjing.

Which could be an advantage, says Arthur.

Oh? says Jinjing. Well anyway, I'm sorry.

No need to be sorry, says Arthur. Just answer this. Are you a drone robot?

I haven't looked at my program, says Jinjing.

I think you are, says Arthur. And so you're the best one for the job.

What's the job? asks Jinjing.

GPS, says Arthur. Follow Terence in the dinghy. If he drifts too far off course, drop down and tell him.

That will upset him, says Jinjing.

Better he knows, says Arthur.

......

Jinjing flies off in the darkness, towards Bruny Island.

The waters are dark, rolling like animals.

He flies on, looking out for a dinghy.

Jinjing flies fast. Perhaps he really is a drone robot.

Or perhaps it's the power of suggestion.

Whatever it is, he soon catches up with P. krameri.

P. krameri keeps flying, but turns his head slightly.

What are you doing here?

Arthur sent me, says Jinjing. I have a GPS function.

Pish! says P. krameri. ALL real birds do.

And a robot function, says Jinjing. You do your thing, I'll do mine.

I know exactly where Terence is, says P. krameri.

He'll have floated to a different position by now, says Jinjing.

I've taken that into account, says P. krameri.

They fly on together, both looking for Terence, but distracted by each other's presence.

Until they reach the coast of North Bruny.

O no! They've missed Terence. Embarrassing.

They will have to turn back.