''Did you see that?''
''It's not good luck to stare into the sea. You might see one of the mer people and have your heart stolen away and go to live under the sea. Or maybe its an old tale to make it easier when people drown.'' Kris saw pain there and remembered how Afa's parents had died.
''I think I saw something long and ugly eat one of your smaki. What's a shark thing look like?''
''Long and ugly about fits it,'' Afa said, and yelped as his line went taut. ''I've got one.''
He held his line for a moment, then let it unwind fast. Still, the canoe took off as if both Kris and Afa were paddling with the tide. Kris knelt at the steering paddle, waiting for instructions, as Afa held onto his stick with both hands and let it play out as fast as it could unwind.
''Ah, how many times have you done this?'' Kris asked, thinking it was a bit late to raise that issue.
''Many times,'' he answered.
''Many times as in too many to count, or many as in too many to count for this dumb girl on the fingers that I'm busy using.''
''Many times,'' he said through gritted teeth. He was reeling out the fishing line more slowly now, fighting it more.
Kris had read about this Nantucket sleigh ride. No, that was when you caught a whale. Bigger fish. She eyed the bow. It was down, digging into the sea, but not shipping much water even when they dipped after cresting a wave. She wished he'd suggest something. Absent any comments from him, she edged the canoe off a few degrees to the right of the course the fish was pulling them in, letting it drag the canoe a bit.
Wrong answer! The outrigger rose a good quarter meter out of the water. Afa leaned back, and the rig went down hard.
''The line needs to be on the other side of the bow. The helmsmen always keeps the fishing line between the bow and the outrigger,'' Afa said.
''Now you tell me,'' Kris snapped.
''Sorry, I didn't think.''
''You've caught some fish. You've never led the fishing.''
''Not before today.''
''Now you tell me.'' NELLY, IF WE GO INTO THE WATER, CALL JACK FAST AND GET A CHOPPER HEADED OUT HERE.
AND IF I COME LOOSE AND SINK?
HOLD ON TIGHT.
YOU KNOW I CANNOT DO THAT.
I'LL HOLD ONTO YOU, AND IF YOU DO COME LOOSE, POWER DOWN, AND WE'LL SEARCH FOR YOU.
YOU BETTER SEARCH FOR ME, OR … OR I WILL NEVER TALK TO YOU AGAIN. Nelly actually put feeling into that old threat.
Something long and dark and ugly shot through the water beside Kris. ''We got trouble, I think,'' she just got out when she had to make a grab for Afa. The line had gone slack so suddenly it almost shot him out of the boat. She grabbed him by his lavalava. Not a good handhold.
He came out of it, still headed over the side.
She made a second grab for around his waist and landed on top of him. Now, having a naked island boy all to herself might or might not have been one of Kris's teenage fantasies. But having the outrigger rising over her head, tipping them both toward a dip in the ocean, an ocean presently occupied by a toothsome monster ripping what was supposed to have been their supper to shreds, definitely did not qualify as fantasy.
Kris was grateful for Afa's arm pushing her off in the right direction, which helped them rebalance the canoe. As the outrigger splashed back into the sea, they both began to laugh. In the process of separating, Afa ran his hand down Kris's side, sending shivers through her. Getting back into his lavalava, he didn't afford Kris too many chances to steal peeks.
He did look nice.
But the momentum of the fishing run had carried the canoe up to a patch of water where bits of fin and flesh were surfacing. That was a solid reminder of how deadly their situation could be. As they sat catching their breath, they rode the waves up and down. From the tops they could make out Nui Nui in the distance. It looked like a long paddle.
''Papa always said, sometimes you win. Sometimes the fish win,'' Afa said, looking at the water, not at Kris. ''Today the big fish won. I guess I better set sail. The wind is changing, and the tide as well. Don't worry. We'll make dinner.''
And they did, though it took a lot of paddling, and there wasn't time to change. It didn't matter; a swimsuit was just as proper as anything else. The elders enjoyed the story of the shark robbing them of their smaki smaki just as much, if not more, than the fish itself. So Kris got several tales of how you really fished for smaki. By the fifth variation, none of which agreed much beyond using a hook and line, Kris winked at Afa. Clearly, everyone did it their own way … and sometimes you won and sometimes the fish won.
When stomachs were full, Kris asked how their day had gone. Aholo looked at where her grandmama lay on cushions and spoke for her. ''It is time for me to go to the Big Island. I and most of Grandmama's counselors. Vea Ikale called the city councils to see when they can meet with us. The elders think that if we start with the most willing, and then those less happy with the prospect, we can slowly build a wave that no one can resist.''
''Any answers?'' Kris asked.
''No surprise, Port Stanley agreed immediately,'' Vea Ikale, a tall, round chief with sailing tats said. ''Others are still thinking about it. Port Brisbane says they have to call a council meeting before they'll answer our call.''
''No surprise there,'' said a grandmother.
''So we need to get things moving quickly,'' Kris said.
Heads nodded. ''Nelly, raise Commander Santiago on the Halsey, give her my compliments, and ask her to call me.''
''Yes, ma'am,'' was followed by a brief pause. ''Commander Santiago sends her compliments and is available to talk now.''
''Captain, this is Princess Kristine.''
''It's good evening there, if I'm not mistaken.''
''Yes. I was wondering if I might impose on you for the loan of your gig.'' Kris glanced around at the entire collection of elders. ''Or maybe your longboat and gig.''
''You starting a war?'' came dryly.
''Actually, I'm starting a peace. Specifically, I want to quickly transport a negotiating team to get talks going to settle a long-running problem.''
''Doesn't sound at all like a Longknife gig.''
The queen snorted. Several elders grinned; Aholo looked puzzled. Kris sighed. ''We're trying to turn over a new leaf. Seems like a good idea just now. I promise to return the gig and longboat to you in good order and with no new dents.''
''That'll be a first. When do you need them?''
Kris ignored the comment and passed the question to the queen with her eyes. Queen Ha'iku'lani passed it, too. Several elders found themselves tossing the hot potato back and forth and settled, to their surprise, on, ''Tomorrow?''
''Could you have the gig and longboat on the beach at 7:30 a.m. to load out?'' Kris said, pushing things to the limit. ''That should put us on the dock at Port Stanley by 9:30 at the latest, with a whole day to devote to greeting, meeting, and talking.''
''You want Marines?'' Commander Santiago asked.
''This is a local issue. We're not involved. Not even sure I'll be going, since I don't have an invite at the moment,'' Kris said and signed off.
''I was kind of hoping you'd go fishing with me some more,'' Afa said, his eyes more bedroom than fishing.
''It was fun.'' Kris swallowed hard.
''I hope you will come with us to the Big Island,'' Aholo said.
''I was only waiting for an invitation,'' Kris said, then gave Afa a raised eyebrow. ''Why don't you come to the Big Island?''
His face fell as he shook his head. ''I fish. Aholo speaks for us.'' The elders made noises about packing for travel and took their leave; Aholo did the same. Kris realized she needed to pack up, maybe not the entire seven steamer trunks, but a big chunk of them, and bowed out as four strong men brought in a sedan chair to take the queen back to her room.