Much of what we know about dolphins and their relationship with humans has been told to us by the dolphins. Although sea captains always looked on "shipfish" as good luck, and occasionally those rescued from the sea told the creatures "talking" to them, dolphins were usually ignored, until slightly before the end of the Ninth Pass. At that time, the AIVAS was re-discovered, and dolphin-human contact was re-established.

Both AIVAS and the dolphins told of a long history of human-dolphin relationships. The two species had occupied Pern for the same amount of time, with dolphins included as colonists from Terra. They traveled here together and worked in partnership to establish new homes on Pern.

However, circumstances combined to distance the two species. As humans moved North to shelter from Threadfall, contact with dolphins was less likely during the winter, due to the inaccessability of northern harbors and dolphin preference for warmer waters. In addition, epidemics decimated human populations, resulting in knowledge of the dolphineer craft dying with those who practiced it.

Over the turns, dolphins flourished, maintaining a rich oral history of their own species and that of man. The dolphins continued in their traditional responsibilities to man, though the human side of the bargain was not kept.

As the relationship of dolphins and humans was rediscovered, the dolphins eagerly undertook to instruct humans in their traditional responsibilities. With the help of AIVAS, the utilization of hand signals and bells was re-established, as well as more coherent vocal communication, and the Dolphin-Human Contract once again became an important part of life on Pern.

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