Here, we see the reoccurring motif of birds and birdlike behaviors as being elusive but controlling. This time, it is describing the men on the ship:

“Occasionally Maelstrom barks order and observations in some particularly inscrutable dialect of nautical language, but more often the crew’s communication takes the form of birdlike whistles . . . that send the men into action”

Maelstrom comments on Sola, then S. begins to feel ill from the movement of the ship.

Jen says, 

“Could read this as seasickness, but also as anxiety—a reaction to The Thought of Sola. Like when you’re crushing on someone really hard.”

Through this comment, Jen draws a direct parallel between their relationship and S.’s relationship with Sola.

Jen asks Eric ,

“Do you know what I look like?”

“I swear I don’t.”

“Really? You haven’t tried?”

“I don’t think one of us should know if the other doesn’t.”

The fact that Jen and Eric are partially unsure of each other’s identities seems to be comforting to them in such a time of personal questioning. In addition, their resistance to spying on each other begins to build a sense of trust.