Motoko fitted the straps of the tanks around her shoulders and tightened them, then took the ventilator in hand and paced to the water's edge. The redundant compressors for the un-inflated quick-rise flotation buoys packed into the outer harness were secure, the air supply was adequate.

She turned to give Sheeana a steady look, "Do you think you can swim without killing yourself?"

Once they went under, Motoko would have a lot of difficulty saving Sheeana's life, if it came to that.