Inspection

Writers: Ainsley1, Allison, Avery, Jane, Kaysea, Patrick, Paula, Roxanne, Vix
Date Posted: 1st July 2007

Characters: Mahantan, Ednan, Laram, Kouna, Kalesia, Arathisa
Description: Mahantan initiates a mandatory swim for all apprentice dolphineers to teach them the value of good equipment care.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 4, day 23 of Turn 4

Mahantan stepped into the corridor outside his office and pointed at an apprentice who was hurrying past. "I want you to contact the other apprentices. Most of them should be at breakfast now, so you should be able to catch them. I want all of them to report to the docks in one candlemark, fully equipped, for a mandatory swim."

The boy's eyes widened as he took in that information. "All of us? Now?"

"One candlemark - that's all the preparation you have." The Master of Apprentice's expression was at its sternest. "No exceptions."

"Yes. . . Yes, Master!" The apprentice hurried off toward the dining hall.

When he was out of sight, Mahantan smiled, though there was little mirth in the action. "Now we'll see what happens."

Seriand frowned when the message was delivered to his table. "Us _and_ the seniors? That's odd."

"Perhaps he wants to see who's ready for promotion, compare our groups," Iasion said somewhat arrogantly. He was one of the older junior apprentices and felt he should have already made senior.

"Not me," Seriand said with laughter in his tone. "I've hardly been an apprentice long enough to learn to spell dolphin," he said, quoting his grandfather's grumbled complaint. "But I suppose we'd better get moving. I've got chores to do before this mandatory swim."

"And I've a feeling that we'd better not shirk the chores to prepare," put in Hantala. She rose slowly, dreading this swim since she had no idea for the reason and if any were dissatisfied, it would be her father at the center of their complaints.

"I hope nobody's going to be looking at our gear," Seriand murmured thoughtfully. "Mine's not looking its best." He shrugged. "Oh well, no time to do anything about that now."

"Not looking its best, why?" Avia asked, a puzzled frown marring her face. She was careful with maintenance of her equipment and making sure it was always well rinsed after each swim. She had only been at the Hall a short time and was one of the youngest apprentices, still keen enough to take good care not to do anything to annoy the Masters, or to draw attention to herself.

"Been busy. It's not _bad._ Everything's still working all right. But if I rush through chores I might be able to clean it up a bit." He grinned. "Can't stop to talk about it," he added as he dashed off.

"Mine's in alright shape - almost," worried Tala. "I cleaned it well enough but should have grabbed a new strap for the goggles once they dried."

Arathisa finished her meal quickly as she listened to everyone discussing the state of their equipment. She had always put her equipment up nice and neat making sure that it was in good condition. She didn't think there was anything to worry about.

Laram smiled to himself as he heard everyone discussing the condition of their equipment. He'd hidden his in his dorm when this all happened and couldn't wait to see how the others reacted. He took one last bite of his food and slowly stood up and climbed over the bench he'd been sitting on. He whistled for Numbweed to come down from the rafters and started to walk to the dorms. Numbweed joined him halfway there, chittering in his ear. He went into the dorms and pulled his equipment out from his trunk, where he'd hidden it after helping Master Mahantan with his chore. He dressed out for the swim and headed over to the docks with his equipment in his hands and Numbweed flying circles over his head.

Ednan was bit puzzled about the unscheduled swim but didn't think more of it. He ate rest of his breakfast in peace. His equipment was well tended. All his things were. He had learned that in his childhood. His harper-father had been very strict with the children taking good care of their musical instruments and that habit had easily transferred to all of his other possessions too. After his breakfast, Ednan went to store to fetch his driving equipment and check them out. You could never been too careful.

"Aargh! Who's been dripping seawater on my airlung?" he complained when he found the tell-tale round stains. Luckily, they were fresh ones and easy to wipe off. But the carelessness of other people annoyed him greatly.

Mahantan stood at the edge of the equipment room, arms crossed. He noted the first apprentice gathering equipment with a nod, waiting for those who had been caught out to arrive.

Avia blushed slightly at the sight of the Master of Apprentices standing watch at the doorway, she ducked her head and walked quickly to where her swimming gear should be, but, she looked around, where was it? She'd left it stored in the lower locker after her last outing. She checked the other's as they were donning their gear, and pulling it out of lockers, making sure no one had her things by mistake.

She checked the empty lockers that were open for inspection, and frantically started checking the lockers that remained closed, opening and closing the small doors, flipping them closed again when her gear didn't appear in front of her. She could feel colour rising to her cheeks as her breath quickened, her gear - it wasn't here. She turned and glanced down at the Master, what would he say? She was normally so careful - where were her things?

"It's not here!" Tala checked the shelves - empty where usually there was so much apprentice equipment stored. "I left mine on this shelf, still draining, and it's not here."

The cry from Tala was an indication that something was going on, Avia looked at the other girl, "Mine neither." she said quietly, "It was here a few days ago - I know it was."

Arathisa found her equipment right where she had left it and was in the process of checking it once more while listening carefully to what was going on around her. She was thankful that she took such care with her equipment from the problems some of the other apprentices were having.

Iasion entered with a bit of a sneer for the overexcited female apprentices. What were they going on about? He dropped the look soon enough when he realized that his own equipment was missing. It had been rather spread out on the shelves but he knew right where he had left it. He had been planning on giving it all a good cleaning when he'd found the time. "Whose been messing around with the equipment in here?" he asked his voice full of annoyance.

"I suppose that would be me." Mahantan stepped forward, glaring at the apprentices. "It seems that many of you need additional lessons in care of equipment."

Tala shrank back against the shelves. It was bad enough that the other apprentices would be complaining about her father, but to be caught out in this way as well, especially when she had thought her equipment in adequate condition?

Iasion's face turned red and he tried to sputter out a reasonable explanation. "Master it, well, isn't what it seems. Ah, sir, you see, that is with extra duties because of the storm..." As one of the oldest of the junior apprentices it was unthinkable to have made this kind of blunder, but he had gotten lax in the last few months.

"The storm should have made you more conscientious of your equipment and how much you depend on it," stated the Master of Apprentice sternly.

Avia looked aghast at the Masters words, her equipment had been in good condition, she had only been issued with it a few short months ago, surely he was wrong about it. "Excuse me Sir." she tried hard to control the shakiness of her voice, and the visible shaking of her hand as she raised it.

Ednan actually felt rather smug. _His_ equipment were pristine condition.

Mahantan turned to the girl who had addressed him. "Avia, isn't it? I see that you haven't found your equipment."

"I haven't either." Tala stepped forward to address her father. "Sir." She had to force herself to call him that rather than the more familiar 'Da,' but this was definitely not a family matter. "I left it here - clean and draining. It was on that shelf with no other items around it." She pointed to the shelf where she had last seen her suit, goggles, flippers, snorkel - all of those items and others that were tools of the dolphineers' craft.

"I did as well, Sir, but mine... well it _was_ down on this shelf, clean and dry." Avia looked in askance, she could have understood if hers had been up on the top shelf, but surely it would have been safer in her locker.

"When I inspected this room, that entire bank of shelves was a mess of equipment, piled high and disorganized," stated the Master dolphineer, wanting to show no favoritism to his daughter and yet wanting to believe her. "The conditions were intolerable and I felt that all of you needed a lesson." He glanced toward those who were holding their diving gear. "Including those of you who were not caught this time."

Kouna looked up from her place on the dock adjacent as she watched the apprentices pile out onto one of the only three intact docks. She knew of the Apprentice Masters little plan, she'd read the note left on her desk. She looked down to tie the final knot on her ships mooring line then stood. She had a moment, she felt that maybe the Hallsecond's appearance would be good for the young dolphineers.

Haruhi gasped as he rushed in, hearing the Master's final words. He quickly glanced to where his equipment had been stored and sighed in relief as he saw the familiar wetsuit, goggles, and airlung. He grabbed them quickly and attempted to dodge around the Apprentice Master. Maybe if he was careful he could sneak through while the Master was occupied.

Kale had responded immediately to the word. She'd been one of the first arrivals, but not the very first. Her gear was all in its locker, which was fortunate, she reflected as the others came in and discovered problems. She _knew_ the importance of the right equipment on the sea. She wouldn't make careless mistakes. Still, she felt pity for the others.

Seriand knew his own gear was missing, and more than likely responsible for some of the other missing items since he had just shoved everything in where he could, rather than wandering down to his own shelves. What could he say? He'd been in a rush to get to dinner on time. He hoped that with so many apprentices in trouble he wouldn't be singled out by the new Master of Apprentices.

"Those of you who cannot find your equipment will report immediately to my office," stated Mahantan. "There you will have your gear returned to you and will be expected to clean and repair it for my inspection before lights-out tonight. Those of you who have their equipment will meet me at the dock to have yours inspected. If it's not up to my standards, you will be joining your fellow apprentices in my office." He gave a nod to indicate that they were dismissed to follow his directions.

With a sigh, Tala started for the interior door and the corridor that led to her father's office.

"How badly damaged is the equipment you took, Sir?" Avia asked, nervously.

Seriand shook his head as he slunk out of the room. If Avia was going to ask questions she might distract the Master of Apprentices. And cleaning his gear shouldn't be too difficult. He'd finished his last chores for the day.

"Any damage is enough," stated the Master, "and _all_ of you will work at it until it is completed. I intend to oversee the work so that no one is able to shirk what should be done."

Haruhi's insides began to churn anew. He looked down at his gear and gasped. He'd been in a rush last time, and though he'd put his gear away properly he hadn't exactly cleaned it thoroughly. He grabbed the end of his tunic and began to wipe off the salt stains quickly.

Arathisa headed down to the docks with her equipment hoping that it would pass the Apprentice Master's inspection. She always cleaned her equipment, but she didn't know exactly what Master Mahatan's idea of clean was.

Kouna grinned at the Masters handle on the apprentices. Her Apprentice Master had been exactly the same way. And she was often the one caught with dirty equipment. Not that she would tell anyone that now, especially apprentices. She leaned against the doorframe of the equipment room, so she could se both inside and out. Via took a perch on her shoulder, looking about at the apprentices like they were under her care.

Abashed at the presence of the Hallsecond as well as the Apprentice Master, Iasion slipped out quickly behind Seriand, frustrated and wishing there were somewhere to lay the blame.

Last updated on the July 1st 2007

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Inspection