Men Of The Sea

We need to borrow a knife, says Terence.

May I ask what for? asks Mrs Sardine.

A bird and a fish, says Terence.

Your dinner? asks Mrs Sardine.

No, says Terence. We're scratching them onto the Nachoos.

What are Nachoos? asks Mrs Sardine.

Exploring ships, says Terence. 

I see, says Mrs Sardine, although she doesn't.

She goes into her tent and comes back with a knife.

Thank you, says Terence, holding his hand out to take it.

I'm not giving it to you, says Mrs Sardine. I'll come over and give it to one of the grown-ups.

Okay, says Terence.

And I'll have a look at the Nachoos, says Mrs Sardine.

Terence runs ahead of her.

Guess what! says Terence. It's Mrs Sardine.

Faith! says Denis.

From SARDI, says Gaius.

That's who I said, says Terence. She's bringing a knife.

Faith arrives with the knife.

Good afternoon, Faith, says Gaius. What brings you here to Point Lowly?

Cytobots, says Faith. We're sending them into the Upper Spencer Gulf to collect data.

Cytobots? says Gaius.

AI, says Faith. They generate high-res images of suspended particles, and send them back to us in real time.

I wouldn't trust AI, says Gaius. 

They're the latest technology, says Faith. I hear you have need of a knife.

Yes, good old technology, says Denis. I need it to scratch a bird and a fish onto these Nachoos.

Two cans of Red Bull? says Faith. Why, if you don't mind me asking?

In order to distinguish between them, says Gaius.

Faith looks into the Nachoos, and receives a surprise.

Oh! says Faith. There's a baby cuttlefish in each of these Nachoos.

I hope you don't think... begins Gaius.

I DO think, says Faith. It's unlawful to take sepia apama from these waters.

I know, says Gaius, but they'll be going back in as soon as we've made identifying marks on their Nachoos.

The crucial thing, says Denis, is that they've shown an interest in underwater botany. 

Pull the other one, says Faith.

What does that mean? asks Terence.

She thinks we're joking, says Denis.

Understandably, says Gaius. But let them come out of the Nachoos, and she'll see for herself. 

Come out, botomists! says Terence.

The botanists do not come out, having both forgotten that they needed to go in backwards.

Denis pulls them out.

What darlings! says Faith.

I am Jean-Botanist, says Jean-Botanist. And no one's darling.

I am Carl-Botanist, says Carl-Botanist.

As you see, they identify as botanists, says Gaius. We thought it worth delving into.

Botanists! says Faith. What gave them that idea?

Let them speak for themselves, says Gaius.

I wanted to learn mapping, says Jean-Botanist, but botany seemed more rewarding.

Let's admit it, says Carl-Botanist. We wanted the glory.

And underwater botany suits us, says Jean-Botanist. Because were are men of the sea.

Well said, says Faith. SARDI may have a job for you. Would you be interested?

Would they?