Free Collecting by Viola Grace

 
     
     
    Chapter One
     
     
    With the seaweed gathered into her sample bag, Emharo looked at the tempting waves and debated continuing her search for vegetation with antiseptic properties versus taking a nice dip in the waves.
    Emharo looked up at the bright ball of the sun and smiled. It made her mind up for her. She carefully put her sample bag up where the shifting surf could not reach it and was slipping out of her shirt when a transport skimmed around the headland and came toward her.
    It must be the specialists from the mother ship of the Nine.
    The transport flew past her and up the beach. Its air cushion spewed sand left and right until it moved up to the ridge and approached the lab.
    “ Well, if everyone is over there, I think it is time for me to cool down. ” Her parents wouldn ’ t begrudge her a short swim, and she might find another sample to take back to them.
    She wore undergarments made of cured fish skin, and the leather made supportive and waterproof underwear. Em removed her outerwear and folded it neatly, tucking it up where it would remain dry. With a knife strapped to her thigh and a fishing spear in one hand, she went into the water to do some collecting.
     
    * * * *
     
    “Doctor Harold Baker, Doctor Emaline Baker, please allow me to introduce Morro Nefurik, biologist and Weelar Tish, chef. They have been invited by our government to run their own tests on native species in an effort to replenish some stores on their ship.” Daphne Leoraki smiled as she made the introductions.
    Morro cleared his throat. “ Rivvin Sequelar is also with us, but he required some time in the sea before joining us here. We dropped him just past the headland, and he is swimming in. ”
    “ Swimming? ” Emaline Baker blinked and frowned toward the headland with a worried expression.
    “ Yes, Dr. Baker. He is of the Water Folk, and he has been craving open water for years. The temptation was too much to resist. ”
    Emaline Baker looked to her husband. “ Call her. See if she answers. ”
    Harold Baker went to a primitive com unit and tried to make a connection. “ Em. Em, are you there? ”
    Dr. Emaline Baker covered her eyes. “ Something tells me that your associate is about to get an eyeful. ”
    Morro looked interested, Weelar was busy nibbling on a piece of seaweed and Daphne was left to figure out what was going on. “ What does she wear when she swims? ”
    Emaline sighed, “ As little as possible. ”
    With the penchant of the other races of the Nine to recognize their mates on sight, this would give Rivvin the ideal option to see if the Gaian Emharo Baker was the one for him. Daphne groaned and hoped that her friend was not as heavily armed as she normally was when she went into the sea.
    It was Daphne ’ s first time escorting men of the Nine around on her own, and she wanted to bring them all back alive.
     
    * * * *
     
    Em was on her ninth dive, looking for shellfish, large fish that got close enough to spear and anything that qualified as the object she had been sent out to collect.
    A pale silhouette approaching her got her attention.
    Em kept neutral buoyancy and moved carefully as she kept the incoming predator in her sights.
    It swam slowly toward her and paused, facing her.
    The tension in her chest reminded her that she needed to breathe, so she kicked up and away from the pale man with huge black eyes who was staring at her from a few meters away.
    She broke the surface and exchanged her air before looking down once again. The man was remarkably close, and he showed no signs of needing to breathe.
    He swam underneath her and up behind her as he examined her from all angles.
    She watched him as long as she could before she needed to breathe again. She slowly began to move toward the shoreline. He didn ’ t impede her in any way. Em staggered up the pebbled beach and whirled to look behind her.
    The man walked calmly out of the surf, and a small spray of water jetted from his neck. He