Dimensions
125 x 195 x 13mm
On board "The Polar Scientist", Antarctic "boffins" are being held for their scientific knowledge of a genetic mutation causing infertility which crosses from "beasties" to humans.
Kyle and his Spanish exchange-student girlfriend, Jade, get involved when Kyle gets a last-minute job for the Antarctic summer as a marine biologist, helping to count ele-seals. Activist Jade e-mails daily and is involved with the Red Herrings, an Internet cyber-protest group. She doesn't realise she is being used.
Like the ele-seal, Kyle is big, and not what you'd call handsome. He's not aware of the Rogues Gallery of dodgy ship owners, until e-mailed by Jade who wants him to protest against threats to pristine Antarctica. Jade, who has changed her name from Esmeralda, is his first girlfriend and he doesn't want to lose her . . . and, in icy isolation, e-mails matter. Jade starts e-mailing about illegal fishing vessels, Patagonian tooth-fish poachers and the Red Herrings web chat-line.
After a crazy haircut, which is an Antarctic ritual like ice-dipping nude, Kyle faces questions of mateship and the issues of who owns what and how far you will go to protect a friend, even one who calls you "Big K". And, on board, the "boffins" face the dilemma of whether their scientific knowledge should be shared if others will misuse it.
