Messages from the Deep

A TV programme is started, called ‘Life on Mars’, which generates the funding to send the first humans to settle on Mars. Mariada de Villiers, a South African physicist, is chosen for the first group to leave on this one-way trip.
While the settlement on Mars is developed, a break-through is made on Earth into faster space travel, and her group is replaced and they return to Earth after four years.
Alexander Zhivago is a marine biologist based at Plettenberg Bay on the southern coast of Africa. He has done extensive research into the languages and communication of dolphins and whales.
Break-throughs are made internationally as cetacean languages are decoded and understood, and humans begin to communicate meaningfully with these ancient and wise beings.
Humans overcome the barriers of travelling to deep space and other solar systems at a most opportune time, as it appears that life on Earth is increasingly tenuous and threatened.
A habitable planet, similar to Earth and called Earth 2, is found, while travelling to it in a few months becomes possible.
Once again, Mariada is chosen for the first group to settle there, and so is Alexander. Their friendship is finally able to grow much deeper. At the same time, they discover that the local dolphins have deep connections in space and time, and have very important messages to share.