Arkold wanders the beach of Gateway Island, in search of solitude. He encounters a fellow legionnaire, Kris (a mouse-like Skeed), who is speaking with Kawasaya – the mercat that has kept running into Arkold. Arkold, having his sword drawn at the time, scares off the Mariner, then sits down, and earns Kris' ire as he speaks ill of the mermaid – prompting Kris to wonder just what the mermaid might have done to cause Arkold so much grief.

The conversation is broken off as Scrimshaw the tiger-Khatta of questionable morals rides up with a group of three seaskippers – small water-borne vehicles – and the lech rat Whitehead gets flung from his mount. This leaves Scrimshaw with an extra vehicle, and Arkold takes the opportunity to try out these strange machines – but not before Arkold leaves a whistle with Kris, instructing the mouse to give it to the mercat for reasons unspecified.

Arkold rides out with Scrimshaw and his companions, and sees the mercat "playing" with the two other vehicles. Arkold stops his vehicle and balances himself precariously on his knees on his seat, looking down into the waters for any sign of the mermaid … and gets knocked off as the wake of one of the other craft rocks his vehicle. Arkold plunges into the water, and flounders about, then is lent yet another helping hand from the Mariner … but she doesn't stay around to give him yet another chance to show her his rude manners.