HIGH UP ON THE SECOND mast Sian wriggled on her perch, trying to get some feeling back into her numb ass.

'Pix!' Daron bellowed from the foot of the mast, standing close to Sito's stomach. 'Don't you think you should come down now?'

Sito, stretched out around the base of the mast, glanced quizzically up at her.

'Why is he so bothered?'

'Probably because we're so close to land, he's worried I'll do something silly like fall.'

'Oh,' Sito went quiet ...