Not Giving Up

Writers: AL, Avery, Jelena, Suzee
Date Posted: 2nd May 2016

Characters: Irabel, Naton, Kirten, Talern
Description: The dolphineers discuss the on-going search for Lord Zathris and Master Thayde.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 5, day 15 of Turn 8

~*~Flashback~*~

The advanced Search and Rescue team had been dispatched to Topaz Sea
Hold via dragon, thanks to the assistance of the Dolphin Cove riders.
All members were present, and their equipment was with them. Now
Talern finished suiting up into his wetsuit, checked his equipment,
and walked out to join the other members of the group.

Gathered with the others, Irabel's expression was grim. The longer
they took to find Zathris and Thayde, the less likely they would be
found alive. As it was, that probability was extremely low and the
thought didn't settle well on her stomach. She tried hard to take a
more optimistic approach, but Irabel was well aware of how vast the
ocean was and how unlikely it was they would be found at all, much
less alive. If she thought too long about it, her throat tightened
and tears stung behind her eyes. She buckled down and attempted to
focus on the task at hand. "The equipment is ready, vessel is sound,
we're ready to ship out."

Kirten followed his Master toward the gathering carrying another box
of their gear and the search lights. He knew this was important but he
was only an apprentice and the least important of those gathering.

Though Irabel's expression mirrored exactly how Naton was feeling on
the inside, he kept up his usual airy demeanor, albeit dimmed a little
so as not to be inappropriate. Having one of their own involved in
this mess made the matter even more serious and he felt the grimness
in the team of rescuers. So, remaining optimistic and purposeful was
the least he could do in favor of those disappeared, knowing it could
help heighten moral and focus in the group. "Let's do this then," he
nodded. "Let's go bring them home."

Kirten simply ducked his head and carried the box to where the others rested.

Talern gave the others a nod, after mentally counting everyone else
and knowing they were all ready. "Then let's head out on the ship."

He assisted in the carrying of the last pieces of equipment to the
vessel. Once they were all boarded, he turned to the others. "What do
we know about the wreckage location?"

"Not much still, we know the route they are supposed to take and an
approximate of how far along their journey the storm would have
struck. I suggest we go from there, have the dolphins search in a wide
sweep first to see what they can assess." Naton wasn't all too happy
about this situation. There was too little to go on. But they had to
give it their all and maybe, just maybe, they'd get lucky.

"It's a start." Irabel didn't like the odds, but they had to look.
They had to try. Thayde was too good of a dolphineer to give up so
easily to something like a storm. If he survived, they had to find
him. What if he was injured? Or ill? Shards, he couldn't be dead.
Irabel's face drained of its colour. "We should get under way."

Talern nodded. The boatmaster gave a signal and pushed off. It would
be a sail to the location and then take the look around Naton
suggested. Hopefully the dolphins would find something.

~*~

Once they'd arrived at the wreck site, they found dolphins waiting to
report in to them all.

Naton was one of the first to meet the dolphins as he lowered himself
to their level. "Alright, my friends, you know about the missing
vessel. Do a wide sweep of the general area and see if you can find
anything strange. Wreckage, human items, anything like that.
Understood?"

Irabel leaned over the edge of the ship as Kerchek chittered at her.
"Hear him Kerchek?" They would have to cover a long stretch of water,
and there were a few islands, hardly big enough to even bother putting
on a map, where people or debris could have washed up several clicks
off. They would search in between, first. "Have some of your pod
search deep while we search shallow." From their position, the see
was almost endless and the water stretched onward, meeting the sky in
the distance. Although there was nothing obvious on the surface, they
would need to execute a careful and thorough search to be sure. On
the horizon, dark spots appeared, more boats and ships that were
joining them to help with the search. "We'll head East." She called
to Naton, then motioned to the boats that steadily drew closer. "I'll
coordinate with the other volunteers."

After checking the horizon, Naton raised his thumb to Irabel and
nodded. Soon his assigned dolphins were off to search the deep end of
the sea.

Talern paired up with one of their dolphins and headed off to his own
section of the sea. Hopefully they'd find a sign that the men had
survived.

~*~

"And after that, everything happened like you just retold." Naton
looked sympathetically at Irabel, sitting across from him as he
finished his recounting of the start of their mission that
frustrating, fruitless day. Sometimes all a dolphineer could do after
a failed rescue attempt was to go over the story time and time again,
trying to figure out what they had missed. Even if it was sevendays
later. It still bothered him, it still bothered Irabel, so he couldn't
see the wrong in going over it once again. "I guess I still don't
think there is anything else we could have done."

Irabel didn't return Naton's gaze but sat starting at the Hallmaster.
She knew what was going to be said next. Although she had no doubt
what words would come out of both their mouths, she couldn't allow
herself to be party to that train of thought. He had to be out there
somewhere. He was alive. He had to be. Even though everyone else
might give up, Irabel wouldn't.

Last updated on the May 27th 2016

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Not Giving Up