A Christmas Miracle on Dewdrop

Sirena felt two bodies rise slowly each side of her. She was a bit annoyed but at least they'd moved silently, she hadn't even heard them. She glanced and saw each had a gspear.

"Stay behind me," she whispered into Gerry's ear then repeated to Fergal and gave each a stern look. The Kringles had disappeared but as she led the boys down it only took her a moment to work out that they were still near their barge. She sent as quiet a 'follow' as possible and flicked her feet and moved forward at a walk. After a moment she felt the boys imitate her. The Sister lit the whole scene with a red glow. Sirena tilted her head as she watched the Kringles. It seemed one of them was... teaching? Two of them appeared quite clumsy. All of them had odd things on the ends of their legs. Were those... like feet? They hadn't had those on the ground. Were they drunk? Even Chelonia could walk better than these two. She slowed herself at about three lengths. It seemed they were unaware Sirena was there.

Then the one furthest to Sirena's right twisted and clumsily flicked those 'feet' and sped directly at Sirena.

"NO," Sirena's shouted and hooted order was loud as she threw her right arm out and knocked Gerry to the side as he lunged past her with his spear. The Kringle spun its arms and curled and bubbles blew out around its face. Sirena slapped the spear down and Gerry stumbled and fell back. She twisted and Fergal flipped his spear to vertical in his right hand and held his left hand palm up and hooted apologies.

Sirena turned back to the strangers at movement and two bursts of bubbles. The one in the middle had done much as she had and prevented the one on her left who had a metal knife in his hand. She looked at it before she looked at each face. The one on the left was wide-eyed, the one in the middle was kind. And... more. But he pushed his companion back and that man sheathed the knife and held his hands up, palms out.

She nodded and smiled before she moved to the third. Their heads were covered by the same hats as they'd had before. None had the black skin from before. She looked at the one on the right. She... was a woman? Sirena looked down. Yes. Her chest was swollen. And. Sirena turned to Fergal.

"Go get my pack and be fast about it and leave that," her voice was harsh but he hooted quickly and ran off at full speed, she glared hard at Gerry before she turned back to the Kringles, "I am sorry for my friend, he is young and impulsive."

The... the woman's eyes were too small but she seemed... pretty? Sirena looked back at the knife-wielder. His eyes had settled but his mouth was open. Only the one in the middle stood smoothly as the other two were so clumsy, were they drunk? It was said the Kringle liked rich food and strong drink, so why not.

Then the singer looked carefully at the man in the middle. Her mouth opened slightly and she released a hoot of surprise and confusion. She snapped a quick 'quiet' at Gerry when they responded to her.

It couldn't be. But his eyes. So blue.

At that moment Fergal returned with a hoot. She turned and opened it and pulled out a roll of the medical seaweed that had saved Sy. She gestured and the boy backed up slightly. She held up the seaweed and pointed at the woman's midsection.

"I am sorry, I will fix," she said and she sank slightly and pushed forward, all three Kringles backed up. Sirena stopped and looked at them. Then she pointed at the woman Kringle's midsection and unrolled an arm's length of the seaweed.

Apparently she hadn't realized she'd been cut. Blood oozed but fortunately it was shallow but it was a handspan long. Sirena's reaction had been just in time.

People and People

"Oxygen levels?" Franck received two 'ayes' in response, inhaled, confirmed his heads up. "Taylor?"

"Franck," Taylor's voice came back.

"We're ready. We'll drop in and we'll do the open water then I'll take them to tour that reef."

"Copy that, just stay out of that kelp."

"No worries on that, out," he checked to ensure his charges were seated on the starboard gunwale of the little motorboat and gave them a thumbs up. They nodded. He pushed himself to the other port side and dropped backwards into the water, flipped and quickly swam under and behind the pair and turned to face.

"Lui, drop," the woman on his right did so, form good if not perfect, "Jenkins, drop."

He and Jenkins quickly bobbed to the surface and rotated the light on its arm to allow it to shine down into the water but left it unlit for now. Dirtball was bright enough and the bay water clear enough they might not even need it.

"Okay," he spoke into his radio, "let yourselves sink slowly, just kick your flippers, lets balance about a meter under."

He was slightly behind and between them and used his flippers to slide forward slightly.

"Good job, Lui, now do a twist to face me," she started but overdid her kicks and her feet rose quickly and she shot past him. He reached and managed to catch her flippers and stopped her.

"NO," he felt more than heard the word. Lui windmilled her arms and he grunted when she kicked him in the side but he pulled her back and managed to get her mostly upright. He felt and heard something, something ordered, regular... Like cetaceans on Earth and their 'cousins from other mothers' on Pacwah.

"Lui, stop," he said, her arms slowed but didn't stop but he pulled her back and twisted. His eye caught movement to his other side.

"NO," it was his turn to shout and he threw an arm out and caught Jenkins in the chest. The man wobbled hard but stopped. He had his knife in his right hand.

"Ensign, report," Taylor's voice in his ear was sharp, "what's going on?"

Franck looked. He heard a soft "oh, shit" from Jenkins, Lui's breath was hard and fast.

"Jenkins, at EASE, Lieutenant," Franck said, he needed that reassurance or rank right now, "that was... that was the... the singer. From the other night. She's... two, three meters in front of us."

He heard the pause, Lui's breath had slowed but wasn't relaxed. He imagined this was a movie, he was an actor, act surprised but calm. Yeah. Right. There's a freaking mermaid... right... there. And... she, oh, hell, she IS beautiful. It was obvious she looked intently at first Lui and then Jenkins. Tiny shifts of her lower body and tail and she moved liked... like water itself. Yes, this was her environment.

"She's not alone. Two males, both armed with... short spears. Obsidian points, I think. Well made obsidian points."

"Are they threatening you?" Her voice had the same stress as his.

"No. But they were behind us. She's checking us out."

"How'd she get here?" It was Jenkins.

"She swam, can it, encik," Franck said. Then he realized the mermaid's eyes were locked on his face. Her expressions shifted and her neck gills quivered.

"Go get my pack and be fast about it and leave that," the words were just out of Franck's understanding as she spoke to the male who hadn't lunged, then her tone softened as she looked at him, "I am sorry for my friend, he is young and impulsive."

"Did you get that," Franck said softly, "she said something and one of the males sped off toward the reef."

"We got it," Taylor said, "computer thinks it's definitely English. We've got the chief linguist too, N'Kono, but it's a minute comms round trip to him."

"Male's back," Franck narrated, "a backpack, she's pulled something out. A roll. Seaweed."

"I am sorry, I will fix," she said and she sank slightly and pushed forward toward Franck's team who backed up. Sirena stopped and looked at them. Then she pointed at the woman Kringle's midsection and unrolled an arm's length of the seaweed.

"Oh, shit," Lui said, blood had made it to her view and she looked down. The mermaid pointed to the wound then to her seaweed.

"Hell," Franck said, "Lui's hurt. The spear must've... hold."

Franck gestured and the mermaid looked at him. He pointed to the seaweed, then to the wound, then bent his hand at the wrist and hoped the gesture would be for her to move forward. She smiled!

"Hold still, Lui," he said and he and the mermaid moved in front of Lui and floated next to each other, "Taylor, wound is shallow, maybe 10 centimeters. Those spears must be razors, sliced the suit like it wasn't here. Not supposed to happen. The mermaid wants to bandage it, some sort of seaweed. Hold, everyone."

He toggled to activate the external speaker. Let's hope...

"Medicine?" He said slowly. The mermaid's head popped back a few centimeters and her eyes narrowed. He repeated the word but lisped the 'c' to more of a 'shin.' She smiled.

"Medashin," it was some sort of combination of her mouth and gills, but he heard. He pointed to the seaweed then to Lui's wound and used both hands to mime wrapping.

"What are you doing, Ensign?" Taylor's voice was strained.

"I'm help...," the mermaid reacted and he stopped, pointed at Lui and repeated the wrapping mime before he deactivated the speaker, "I'm helping the mermaid do first aid. I'm guessing this seaweed might have antibacterial properties, not unknown, right? Protect from whatever might be in the water. We'll get back as soon as possible, but I don't want an open wound."

"She'll have to go in quarantine," Taylor said, "but I agree."

The mermaid started and Franck took the roll and wrapped it around Lui's back then back to the creature and the two of them quickly covered the wound and the gash in the suit. The mermaid tore the seaweed and handed him the roll as she quickly tied the end off.

"Oh, hey," Lui said, "it's got some sort of analgesic effect, it's soothing!"

The mermaid straightened and smiled. Franck smiled as broadly as he could and offered the roll. She accepted it and turned, the male approached and she returned it to the pack and pulled a drawstring before she gestured for him to back off.

She approached Franck and reached out, he fought to stay still. She touched his helmet and felt it, then the hose. Were she human he'd read her look as confusion but also deep curiosity. Then again, she sang Christmas songs in English. Then she traced her hand down his chest and abdomen. Meanwhile, Lui slid behind him to float next to Jenkins. The mermaid continued to look hard at Franck. Then she flicked her tail and was alongside him then bopped her head and took off.

Holy hell. She was fast. But Franck stopped the thought. He angled and kicked himself off to follow. She went twenty yards and with a ridiculous curl did a one-eighty and zipped past just below him. He imitated her turn and sped back before he pulled up short to be within centimeters of her. She smiled broadly at him and used both hands to caress his chest.

Shit. His cock was...

"Franck," Taylor said, "what are you doing?"

"He's flirting," it was Jenkin's voice, "you won't believe how fast she can swim."

"I'm... not," he managed. But he reached and touched her shoulders. Damn. Gloves. He ran his hands down the sides of her torso. Her muscles were firm, her ribs in the 'right' places. She had a navel, just above where her skin morphed to 'scales.' Then she grinned and her hands went to his crotch and he fought to not jump, she flicked her tail and spun in place in front of him and he felt and heard what had to be laughter. But then she put her arms around his shoulders and kissed his mask right in front of his mouth.

"Teeooh," she said and nodded, "Teeooh."

Then she flicked and floated backwards.

"Oh... hell," he said, he kicked and she swam backwards as he approached. They twisted and he pointed to Lui's wrapped body then at the boat. He toggled the speaker.

"Hoshpital, medishin," he repeated the gesture, her face worked through expressions before she nodded. She sped forward and grabbed Lui at the hips and rose quickly.

"Shit," the woman said, echoed by both men, but she surfaced alongside the boat.

Franck toggled the speaker. "Jenkins, other side, balance it," the man obeyed and once he was in place Franck surfaced alongside the mermaid. He hurriedly stowed the light and hopped up and pulled himself on board. The mermaid rose and literally handed the short woman to him and he helped her into the boat.

"Oof," Lui said.

"You okay, Chief?" Franck looked at her.

"This seaweed is amazing, but not everyday a fricking mermaid picks you up," she said and offered a soft smile. He nodded.

Jenkins followed less smoothly and moved to retrieve the anchor. Franck toggled the speaker.

"Morning," he said as the mermaid looked at him and he pointed to the beach, "tomorrow. Light."

She turned to look then back at him, did that nod again, turned and pointed at a large, flat rock at the edge of the water. A rock. Of course. He smiled and nodded and she smiled. She grabbed his helmet and kissed him again then she backed up quickly and disappeared under the water.

"Damn, Ensign," Jenkins said, "you have a girlfriend."

"Shut up and drive, Jenkins," Franck said. He felt something, saw a scale stuck in the seam between his glove and sleeve. The electric motor kicked in and Jenkins steered them into a quick turn.

Franck heard the singing while he was still in the jungle. He stopped and listened. It was another dirge, this one a bit slower than what she'd done at the concert. He suspected it didn't really have words but knew it was being recorded and hoped the AI or N'Kono could work it out. He walked on and continued down the path they'd cut to allow access to the beach. They'd kept it behind a screen of vegetation but somehow that hadn't prevented the locals from discovering them. But the locals were friendly. Mostly. They'd not broadcast the video live but his teams' body cameras had caught the show. Her agility and obvious natural skill in the water. And those wicked spear points.

They'd had no info on obsidian weapons so they'd asked the Endymion and due to the earlier efforts of the newly-minted LTJG Lucinda Harris it'd already been pulled from archive storage. But Gravesen had passed the best photo of the spear to that newest Lieutenant, who was already on Dirtball. All Franck had really understood from her response was her deep admiration of the skill to craft it and the phrase 'sharper than surgical steel.' And that if they didn't get her a sample to study she'd feed every one of them to dinosaurs, wrong planet be damned.

Had the mermaid not intervened, the... merman, would've likely killed Lui. The suits were tough but that point had made easy work of it. His teammate had made a motion that could've been interpreted as aggression, but they owed much to that mermaid. His discussion with Taylor had been tense, but he'd finally won out to avoid an armor layer over his environment suit. He doubted the locals knew about kevlar but it would change his appearance. In any case, he was certain a spear wasn't going to be the biggest danger he'd face.

At the edge of the jungle he stopped. She was on the large and flat rock. Truly, just like so many fictional portrayals they'd pulled down from the Endymion. A mermaid on the rock.

No. A singing mermaid on a rock.

He left the cover of the trees but it was obvious she'd already seen him. Where were the other two? It'd been clear in the water she'd been in charge. But, was that formal? Or something else.

Her song changed. What had been a sad lament had turned to... something else.

"Dude," it was Jenkins' voice in his earpiece, "she is soooo your girlfriend. Gonna get some!"

"Jenkins," Taylor's voice was sharper than even that obsidian spear, "one more word and I'll find out what their favorite fish is to eat and I'll tell them you're one. Shut up."

"It is a love song," Lui said, "um, kinda. Right now she's singing about, computer thinks, her, um, sexual stamina when she... um. she sees her lover."

"Fuck this," Franck muttered and he stopped about thirty meters from the mermaid. He reached up and undid the helmet's snaps. He'd depended on only suit's filters, had not brought the external air supply.

"What are you doing, Ensign?" Taylor's voice had softened. To steel.

"The workups are clean, eating might be dodgy but other than that...," he said, "I'm going to hear and see her without electronics. Lock me in quarantine."

She tilted her head as she sang. Franck pulled the helmet off. Oh, holy fuck, he managed to think, over 200 light years from Earth and the myth of the sirens singing on the rocks... if he'd been on a fog-bound boat and heard this? He'd slam into the rocks at flank speed.

She was human and inhuman. Gills ran down each side of her neck from just below her ears to her shoulders. Her eyes were luminous and green, larger than they should be, like her ears. But her mouth and lips were very human, if her teeth had a bit more chisel to them. It was doubtful they had fire to cook with so not a surprise. Her hair fell around her shoulders down to the middle of her back. Hair. It hadn't floated in the water. Their analysis said it was actually some sort of muscle, something that she could control. And yes. Without using her hands or arms as she sang her hair moved to expose her breasts.

He waited another moment so that he didn't simply stumble and fall into a hole. Her breasts were full and round. He didn't know what cup size but... how did they not sag? He exhaled slowly and walked again. He knew a pair of teammates were up the hill with a weapon, but if they had it actually aimed he'd murder them himself. He reminded himself ascribing human emotions to her actions and expressions might be a mistake but even at Taylor's most pessimistic view, the video analysis seemed to agree.

He arrived at the rock and she finished her song. For better or worse, thought Franck, it was big enough for both of them to sit and it offered a bit of a 'L' shape. He set the helmet on a small rock and looked down. She smiled and shifted slightly so they could both sit and face each other with twisting their heads.

"Good morning," he said slowly and tried to pronounce each word clearly as he pointed at his chest, "I am Abraham Franck."

Her head tilted one way than the other a couple of times. He repeated the speech.

"No," he was pretty sure she said, "you are Teeooh." Then she grinned and laughed. She laughed!

"Vrank," she said and nodded, damn, she nodded too, "Ehbrhim Vrank. Eh am Shirena Shantuse."

She reached out and touched his cheek. Her fingers had webbing. Or course they did. But they were human fingers. Ridiculously human fingers. Her skin was cool. She looked at the helmet then at his head.

"Shay" she pointed at the overgrown kelp patch, "call may de Orka Werrior."

"The males are hiding in the kelp," Taylor's voice in his ear, "now we know what to look for. No weapons visible."

He reached up toward her hand and she pulled it back slightly but he stopped. "Wait," he said.

He reached and disconnected first his right glove then his left. He pulled them off and set them on the rock. She nodded and picked up a glove and held it and stuck her fingers into it, until the webbing hit the fabric. She held the glove and used her other hand to take his now bare right hand in her left and held it up and turned it around to study.

"Her name is Sirena Chanteuse, Franck," Lui said on the radio channel, "or is that her profession? It's an old word for singer! But, Orca Warrior? What is that?"

"Found it," said Jane Cuthbert, the team's ichthyologist who'd signed on since the long range scopes had strongly implied a watery planet and had been wakened specifically to be offered this position which she'd readily accepted, "there's a large black and white fish the drones have seen. Predatory. Travel in packs, but fish, not whales. Them?"

"But the name... Ok, quiet on the line," Taylor said.

"The Orca Warrior? You are a soldier? A fighter?" Franck hoped that got through.