An Unavoidable Part of the Job

Writers: Eimi, Heather
Date Posted: 14th August 2017

Characters: Naton, Endarin
Description: Naton gets his marching orders from Endarin.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 12, day 23 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentions: Thayde, Jylanya

Naton

Naton tapped the door with his knuckles a couple times before peaking his head inside the door. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

Endarin didn't look up, "Yes, come in, have a seat." So much damage had happened when the tsunami had hit in the River Bluff area that they were constantly receiving requests of dolphins to help search and salvage. The Dolphin Hall at Dolphin Cove was still rebuilding its numbers back from when the Hall had been forced to move from Topaz. Not all of the dolphineers had left there home there, and from history records, the Hall had struggled with numbers for a while and was only recently really gaining ground again.

Rocking back in his chair, the Hallmaster looked up at Naton, "I suppose you have heard that with River Bluff's destruction Dragonsfall has taken in Sunstone and its territories?"

"I have," Naton nodded, and had suspected as soon as word came in that masters of salvage and rescue would be called down to the Hallmasters office. "Any idea how we didn't know about this? Surely an eruption of this magnitude should have caused some changes to the seabed floor or tremors, or _something_ to alert the dolphineers in the area that something was up."

"We honestly don't have many dolphineers in that area. Being here at Dolphin Cove puts more than half a continent between us and the River Bluff area. Even though Sunstone is beholden to Dragonsfall now, and we're here at Dolphin Cove, they're requesting rescue and salvage. The trouble will be getting dolphineers and supplies that far. It would take days to sail northwest through the barrier islands and then along the coast until reaching the Sunstone port. It would be faster going dragonback, but then that would still leave our dolphins that far to travel." The Dolphin Hall in the South just wasn't as expansive as the one in the North, they couldn't canvas the entire Southern Continent, they just didn't have the man power.

"There are some local pods in the area that could help. I met them when I was working with the Hallmaster on my lights at the Seacraft Hall." Naton had heard reports that things were bad with the Hall there, though not the Hold itself. Still, the Hall was beholden to the Hold, and therefore their responsibility. Perhaps that was why Sunstone was requesting aid. Naton hoped so. He had spend some time with the people there and was itching to help them if he could.

Endarin wondered why those local pods hadn't given the Weyr a better warning about the tsunami then, it was usually an easy thing for the shipfish to detect. **It's water under the bridge now,** he told himself. He had met the Seacraft Hallmaster before and the old man had seemed tough, and sharp as a tack. It was a shame to lose him. "Good, then you are familiar with the area, I was going to suggest talking to Thayde if you weren't as he was stationed at Jade Harbor several Turns." Which lead him to why he'd asked the Master Dolphineer to his office. "I would like for you to lead a rescue and salvage crew at Citrus Bay and the Seacraft Hall."

"I'd be happy to." Though it would mean a considerable amount of time away from Jyls and Tonja. Still, maybe that's what his wife needed right now after Veerona's sudden departure - time and space. "Are there _any_ dolphineers in the area who can assist me? Or are they all down at the Weyr and Jade Harbor?"

The Hallmaster took a deep inhale, "That's what I was looking at when you came in, dolphineers that we have stationed in that direction that could be pulled to help. There's a few we can pull from Coral Bay and Vista Point."

"I know a couple of the Dolphineers at Vista Point. If Absyter and Pheilan are available, they would be really big help. They the pod in the area pretty well." Truthfully, Naton wanted to ask for Parba, too, but Sunstone territory was not as fond of female crafters.

"Take those you feel most helpful." Endarin said, it mattered little to him which dolphineers went, as long as they were able to send some. Perhaps being visible to the other side of the continent would encourage some new blood into the Dolphin Hall.

"I'll assess the situation and decide who I need then." If possible Naton didn't want to pull too many people away from their families at Turns End. Sometimes it was an unavoidable part of the job, but still, it was a pretty lonely time to be away from home.

Endarin gave a sharp nod, "Good. Send me a message once you get there, I'd like to know what kind of damage you see." Since taking over the Dolphin Hall, Endarin hadn't been out on a salvage sight, apart from things near to Dolphin Cove, in a while. He'd never specialized in anything as a dolphineer, but enjoyed many aspects of the rescue and salvage area.

"I'll send you a full report," Naton assured him. "When do I leave?"

"Will the day after tomorrow give you sufficient time to say goodbye to Jylanya and ensure that she doesn't poison my porridge for assigning you half a continent away?"

Naton snorted softly. "Yes, that will do. Don't worry, Hallmaster. Your porridge is safe. Jyls knows what my job is."

"Then good luck, and dolphin speed."

Last updated on the September 2nd 2017

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An Unavoidable Part of the Job