"The polar ice caps have melted, covering the Earth with water." "Those who survived have adapted... to a new world." "Bad luck, English." "But the Slavers are producing a good grade of poxy these days." "Cost you a handful of dirt-- or maybe that wind chime." " What are you doin' here ?" " Just waiting." "Take your hand off the sail." "Take it off !" "I've seen your boat before." "Haven't seen you." "Took it legal." "Previous owner was dead on the tiller when I found it." "You had another hour before I traded up again." "Just improving my means." " Well, I owe you then." " No, thanks." "I got all the supplies I need." "Just came from an atoll." "Eight days east, if you're interested." " Two drifters meet, something needs to be exchanged." " I know the code." "But I'll give you this one for free." "Nothing's free in Waterworld." "Ha-ha." "Yeah." "Smokers." "Just enough wind to get away clean." "Forget the bag." "It's not worth it." "You'll never make it with your sails down." "Hey !" "What can I say ?" " Joe, he's goin' for it." " What the hell ?" "Never seen that before." "Here we go !" "Go !" "Drive !" "Drive !" "Faster !" "Faster !" "Whoo !" "Come on !" "He's gonna get it !" "He's gonna get it !" " Pick her up !" " Get it !" "Get it !" "Oh, no !" "Inbound !" "Straight out from the gates." "English." "Flag's down, drifter." "We got enough traders." "Dirt." "Open the gates !" "Bones to berries." "Veins to vine." "These tendons to trees." "This blood to brine." "Too old she was." "This woman does leave us, recycled and enshrined... in the presence of Him who leads us." " What is that ?" "You know me ?" "I know what you are." "Good." "Then you know if you look for trouble while you're here, you'll find more than you can handle." "You got two hours." "I'll only need one." "He's comin' over here." " Me." " You each get one... if everything's here when I get back." " Pure dirt." "3.2 kilos." "How'd you come by so much of it ?" "Another atoll 30 horizons west of here." "Where'd they get it ?" " They didn't say." " We heard about that place-- that they was all killed." " That's why they didn't say." " Smokers ?" "Maybe Smokers, maybe Slavers." "So what's the word ?" "We trading' or not ?" "We'll tally it like, uh, pure hydro." "Works out to... 62 chits." "I want twice that." " I just want one sip of hydro !" " No, not 'til you tell me." "She got inkings on her back." "I seen her." "They say if you read the marks on the child, they'll lead ya all the way to Dryland." " Dryland's a myth." " Some still believe." "They say the Smokers even got an eye out for her." "Well, then, we'd better keep it to ourselves." " Help you ?" " Yeah." " Where's the store ?" " You found it." "You don't have much." "You the man with the dirt ?" "Skoal." " One more." " Make it two." "A man this rich will buy for a fellow outwater, I'm sure." "One." "That's an interesting pair of boots you got." " Trade ?" " No." "Shame." "Enola." "Hey, what are you doing ?" " No, you can't do that." " I need another piece." "I want to draw some more." "I'll get it to you." "Just stay in the back." "With all those chits, you could order up a bath." " Have you ever had a freshwater bath ?" " Why are you talkin' to me ?" "Just being friendly." " Is that a tomato plant ?" " Yeah." "You have a keen eye." "Saw one in a picture." "How much ?" "Half your chits." " I'll take them too." " Take what ?" " You bought everything." " I'll take them shelves." "So, what did you see out there in your 15 months ?" " Such as ?" " An end to all this water." "Askin' the wrong person." " The one they buried today ?" " Uh-huh ?" "She found the only end there is." "I've got a proposition for you, Mariner." " I'm not staying." " We're not asking you to." "All we want is your seed." "We can look to our own for impregnation, but too much of that sort of thing gets... undesirable." "When she's pregnant, you go on your way... with all the supplies you need." "You don't have anything." "You're dying." "No man stays out that long and turns down a woman." " He's hiding something." " Maybe he's a Smoker spy." "When the elders say so, you can leave, and not before." "Gills." " Mutation !" " He's a mutant !" "My hand !" "Throw the nets !" "By what right" "You pay me to keep the peace." "This isn't it." " He has killed one of ours." " He was defending himself." " He needs to be destroyed !" " Kill him." "Let's kill him." " That may be, but not here and not like this." "What is it ?" "Damn." "It's tied." "I can't get it off." "Open the gate." "Is it a map ?" " You'd tell me if you knew, wouldn't you, Enola ?" " Mm-hmm." " What are you drawing ?" " I don't know." "Helen, look." "Look at the prodigal child's latest vision." " How soon before we can leave ?" " I don't have any idea yet where we can go." "I haven't figured out the tattoo on her back." "I'm a stupid man." "The answer's right there." "It's just beyond me." "Maybe he knows." "Oh, yes, I see." "They are webbed." "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten digits." "That's wonderful." "They tell me, too, that you have gills." "Isotropic gills." "Are they merely vestigial or are they functional now ?" "My name is Gregor." "I've just come to pay you a little vi-- vi" "Oh, my God." "I'm sorry." "I'm not laughing at you." "I'm excited." "Your gills." "They're functional." "Icthyus sapien." "You can breathe in the water." "How deep can you go ?" "Look, I'm only here... because I want to learn more about you." "You don't like humans very much, do you ?" "I can't say that I blame you." "But tell me:" " Are all of your kind as bad-tempered as you are ?" " I have no "kind."" " Oh, fish rot." "I'd be surprised if there weren't others, and if there aren't, there will be eventually." "Anyway, I've come here because I need to ask you a question." "Where" " Where did your dirt come from ?" "Is it from Dryland ?" "Do you know what this is ?" "The ancients" " They did something terrible, didn't they ?" "To cause all this water." "Hundreds" " Hundreds of years ago." "If I tell you, will you open this lock ?" "I haven't a key." " There's a mooring cleat down there." " What ?" " Good as any key." " A mooring cleat ?" "I won't hurt anyone." "I'll just leave." " I'll be right back." " Gregor !" "What's your business there ?" " Move along !" " I'm not a brave man." "If you know anything about Dryland, please tell me." "Please !" "Don't let it die with you." "No, no, no, no." "Stop !" "Gregor !" "Move along !" "After considerable deliberation of the evidence at hand, it is our decision that this mute-o... does, indeed, constitute a threat." "Therefore, in the interest of public safety, he is hereby sentenced to be recycled... in the customary fashion." "Proceed." "I'm sorry." "Bones to berries." "Veins to vines." "His tendons to trees." "His blood to brine." "Too strange for life he was." "This mute-o now does leave us, recycled and entombed, in the presence of Him who leads us." "Smokers !" "Dead out of the sun !" "To your posts !" "Oh, my God !" "Oh, my God !" " Kill !" " There !" "We are safe behind these walls." " Aren't we ?" " Let me out !" "Let me out !" "I'll fight !" "Give me the key to the city now." "Let's go !" "Let's go !" "Let's go !" "Floor it !" "Floor it !" "Floor it !" "Swab it !" "Swab it !" "Goddamn !" "More ammo !" "Break down the door !" " My God !" "Ha !" "We'll have this atoll in no time." "Crank it !" "Crank it !" "Look !" "Look out !" "Oh, no !" "You get that goin' !" "Fill 'em up !" "Helen, come quickly !" "Helen !" "You're not supposed to go yet !" "Infernal machine !" "Gregor." "Gregor, wait !" "Helen, I tried." "There was an accident." "I can't make it stop." "Hurry !" "You can make it if you try." "Run !" "Up those stairs." "Run !" "Quickly !" " Wait !" "Wait !" " I'll throw you a rope." "Run quickly !" " Throw the rope now." "Run, Enola." " Slow down !" "Wait !" " Throw the rope." "No !" "No !" " Wait !" " Gregor, don't leave us !" " Oh, no !" "I'm sorry !" "It was an accident !" "Helen !" "Enola !" "Helen, I'm sorry !" "Shoot him." "Shoot him." "If I let you out of here, you're taking us with you." "Sure." "Enola, get down." "Here." "Get over here." "Get down." "Hurry !" "Come on !" "Get the gate." "Run !" "Hurry up !" "Kamikazes." "Come on !" "That made a hole." "Find her !" "Get the girl !" "There !" "Go get that guy !" "Go !" "Kill him !" " Wow !" " Enola !" " You're too slow !" " Run to the other side." " Come on !" " Grab on !" "Hold on, hold on." "I'm stuck !" "I can't make it through !" " Let her go !" "Just drop her !" "Turn the wheel." "The wheel !" "Turn it !" "That !" "Come on !" "Push it !" " I am !" " Hurry !" "Now pull !" "Push it !" "Push it hard !" "Push it hard !" "Okay, okay !" "Now pull this !" "Pull this !" "Pull !" "Pull it !" "Hurry !" " Enola, jump." " Look at me." "Jump !" "Now !" " Okay !" "Well, excuse me !" "Did I say anybody could leave before the battle was over ?" " Did I ?" " No !" "No !" "Well, do somethin'." "I hate sails." "Hey !" "Can you steer ?" "Can I trust you ?" "Answer me this, somebody." "Why is that boat still firing' ?" " What's that cousin's name ?" " Chuck." " Hey, Chuck !" "He's pulling him right into us." "Maybe he doesn't answer to "Chuck." Call him "Charles." Charles !" "Stop him !" "Stop him !" "Charles !" "Adios, cousins." "She's here somewhere." "Keep lookin'." "Stop it !" " What you got ?" " Couple of heartbeats over there." "Aren't sayin' much." "If you'll notice the arterial nature of the blood comin' from the hole in my head, you can assume that we're all havin' a real lousy day." "So here it is:" "I need to know about that tattooed girl." "First one that tells me lives." " I saw a girl." "I saw, I saw" " It was" " Sh-She had a big tattoo on her." "You won." "Start over." "I saw a girl." "I'm not sure, but I think she got on that boat with three hulls." " The boat that cost me a thousand G's of go-juice ?" " Yeah, the mute-o's boat." " Mute-o ?" " Yeah." "He got these slits here." "Like-- Like fish gills." "He wasn't really a man." "A fluke of evolution." "Oh, I'm sorry." "A fluke of, uh" " Evolution." " I know !" " No !" "No, you said you wouldn't kill me !" " Did I say that ?" " Witnesses, anybody, did I ?" " Yes, yes, yes !" "You said" " You said it." " Oh, I may have." "I may have." "We get to the 'Deez, tank up that sky boat;" "send it out on patrol." "We gotta keep an eye out... for that ichthy-freak." "You been there, haven't you ?" "Dryland ?" "You know where it is." "Yeah, I know where it is." "And, uh" " And we're going ?" "You and I are." "The kid we gotta pitch over the side." " What ?" " My boat's tore up." "I'm takin' on water." "I'd be lucky to get half a hydro ration out of that." "You know-- I said I won't drink." "For 12 days ?" "No." "It's better one of you dies now... than both of you die slow." "Wait." "Wait." "We saved your life." "We got you out." "No, you got me out so you could get out." "We're even." "She can cook." "She can fish." " So can I." " Then take my necklace." "Take my necklace." " I got better ones below." " No, look !" "Oh." "After what you went through back there on the atoll," "I can understand why you would want to." "But she's a child." "Is there something else then ?" "Enola !" "Go below." "Enola." "Yeah." "You said so yourself." "Been out there a long time." "Couple hours ago, I was potential dirt to you." " We're not like that." " You all are." "Know what I was really thinkin' ?" "Why I don't drop both of you in my wake right now." "You got nothin' I need." "You're taking us to Dryland." "Killing's a hard thing to do well." " Believe me." "I'm not the one to start on." " Both of us !" "How long you plan to hold that on me ?" "As long as it takes." " Okay." " No !" "Let me out of here !" "Where the hell are you ?" "Don't you touch my child." "Come here !" "Okay, now don't move, okay ?" "There." "Ohh." "Oh, lookin' real good, yeah." "There." "There." "All done." "Now, there may be some small problem in depth perception." "Well, it better not screw up my short game." " Well ?" " Looks good." "I like it." "Yeah." " I like it better than your real eye." " Much better." " What do you say, Toby ?" "The truth." " Looks like shit." "That's why I love children." "No guile." "It does look like shit." "And it feels like cold shit !" "Deacon ?" "What" "I'm sorry." "I-It's just that there's a problem in the pit." "Maybe you should come." " Let's drive." "The pit." "Don't bother with the scenic route." "Drive !" "Hey, it's drivin' better." "Get off !" "Get over there." "Get out of the way." "All right, all right, all right." "Okay, okay." "You guys are great." "Bless all you cousins over there." "Keep up the good work." "Growth is progress." "Growth is progress." "Somebody !" "Hey, up there !" "Take it off !" " Yes." " Your Deaconship." "Hello." "Good morning." "Or night, whichever the case may be." " What is it ?" "I'm a busy man." " I thought you should know." "We're down to exactly... four feet, nine inches of black stuff." " Thank you, sir." " How many G's is that after refining' ?" " Maybe three refuelers." " We'll burn through that in two lunars." " Sweet Joe !" "Will somebody please tell me what's happened to this place ?" "We outgrowed it." "All right, the only thing that is important is the tattooed girl." "We don't spare any go-juice finding' her." "We don't waste it anywhere else." "You cancel all those tractor pulls... and all that stuff until later." "You got it ?" "Dryland is the mother lode." "On your toes." "Excellent." " Hi." " Move." "Enola !" "Enola, come here !" "Come on !" "Enola, come over here." "Hey !" " What are ya doin' ?" " Decorating your boat." "It's ugly." " Where did you get this ?" " From down below." "This is mine !" "You don't touch anything of mine." " I drew it for you." " You don't draw on anything." "You understand ?" "What" "This is my boat." "I got it the way I like it." "You take up space and you slow me down." "You know, she's just a little girl." " She doesn't know your rules." " You wanna stay ?" "You teach her." "Enola, what'd I tell you ?" "You're not so tough." "You know that ?" "How many people have you killed ?" "Ten ?" "Twenty ?" " You talk a lot." " I talk a lot 'cause you don't talk at all." "Now how many ?" " Including little girls ?" " I'm not afraid of you." "I told Helen you wouldn't be so ugly if you cut your hair." "In fact, you talk all the time." " It's like a storm when you're around." " Enola !" "Hey !" "What are you doing ?" " Helen !" " You bastard !" "She can't swim !" "Help me !" "Helen !" "Helen, help me !" "Helen !" "Helen, help me !" "Helen !" "Helen !" "Hold on !" "Look at me." "Look at me." "Look at me." "Oh, please, come back." "Please !" "Please !" "Oh, please !" "Hey !" "Hold on." "Okay, almost... there." "Thanks." "I swear, if you ever touch her again" "You son of a bitch." "Look at me." "You will go to bed that night, and you will never wake up." " Shut up." " What ?" " Smokers ?" " Yeah." "Can't we outrun them ?" " Not with my sail down." " What are you thinkin' about ?" " That's a nice touch." "That's them." "Don't hit the kid." "Hey !" "Coward !" "Fuck !" "No !" "Cut it !" "Come on !" "Come on !" "All right." "Okay." "Oh, I'm really sorry." "I'm sorry." "But you didn't give me much choice." "Oh, I know." "But you ran away." "I" " What ?" "What are you do-- No !" "Please, no !" "No !" "Don't ever touch anything on my boat again." "She said she was sorry !" "That means you're supposed to say something back !" " Did you say somethin' ?" " Mm-mmm." "The child-- did he have the girl with him ?" " Uh-huh." " Seems to me if we launch now, we can cut him down just about here." " If he doesn't change course." " Ah, it's not likely." "He's a wily one, that ichthy-demon." "Yeah, if he knows he's been spotted, he'll expect us to expect him to change course, which is exactly why he'll keep his heading." "The important question is, where's he heading ?" "And does he know how precious his cargo is ?" "I say that he's headed here, and we take him here." " Drifter ?" " Mm-hmm." " Are we gonna stop ?" " Look at the flag !" " His flag's up." "I thought you all stopped for each other." "Well... maybe he has some food !" "Don't find many who follow the rules anymore." "Well, make it quick." "What's your business ?" "Trade." "You got any resin ?" "Resin ?" "He's gotta be out of his mind." "He's out of his mind." "I don't have any resin." " You been outwater a long time, haven't you ?" "Must be jokin' me, man." "Resin !" "You don't got enough." "How 'bout food ?" "Could you say that again, please ?" " How 'bout food ?" " Ah, yeah, food." "Yeah, that'd be good, eh ?" "I haven't eaten in, well, you know, forever." "Which one of you two is a cook ?" "'Cause I usually fall for the waitress." "Like you said, I don't have much." "Now listen, eh ?" "Let's see." "What do I have to do ?" "We can start with that wee orchard you got over there." " All right, hold it there." " We can talk." " Fair enough." "It's a nice rod, isn't it ?" "I like that rod." "It's a nice rod." "Got yourself a wee harem goin' here now, do ya ?" "What you want for the women ?" "We're not for sale." "Not for sale ?" "There's no such thing as not for sale." ""Not for sale" !" "Not for sale, eh ?" " Are they a pair or would you consider selling' 'em separate ?" " No." "Our business is done here unless you got some resin for sale you can part with." "I told you once already, I don't have it." "I-I-I don't have it." "Don't have it." "Don't have it." "Haven't seen neither for trade in lunars now." "Wait." "Wait, wait, wait." "I do have somethin' that'll make you change your mind." "Somethin' that you can't pass on." "I took it off an Atoller refugee camp." "The life savings of the entire clan." "Paper." "It's paper." "Have you ever seen paper ?" "Look at it." "Smell it." "I been savin' it for a special trade." "Don't you do it." "You know, maybe I'm talkin' to the wrong person here." "Whose boat is this ?" "Is it your boat or your boat ?" "No." "No, it's his boat." "But he doesn't own us." "Half an hour." "Out of his mind somethin' there." "I got two pages in here, man !" "I mean, I'd get half a dozen girls with this, you know." "Half an hour." " You trading' or not ?" " Don't." "Shut up." "Okay."