Dolphin Report

Writers: Ainsley, Cali
Date Posted: 16th February 2009

Characters: Cervil, Loki
Description: Cervil gives Loki the chance to meet and swim with a dolphin.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 1, day 16 of Turn 5
Notes: Silver Sails

"So are you coming with me this morning?" Cervil asked in an uninterested voice as he strapped his long fins on next to where Loki was mopping the deck. Loki had been asking for sevendays go accompany the quartermaster into the water to swim with the dolphins, and frankly, he was getting tired of his continuous yapping about it.

"Really?" Loki's blue eye's lit with excitement, a huge grin on his face as he set his mop aside. The chore was one he could finish later and as he would be with the quartermaster nobody would take him to task. "Yeah! I'm comin'!" Loki was quick to pull his shirt off and cast it aside.

Cervil hid his smile, turning towards the small dolphin bell he always left hanging when they were anchored in case a dolphin had a warning for the ship. "I don't have fins that fit you, so if you get tired, let me know."

"Aye, sir," the boy said with a grin, diving into the water with the abandon shown by young boys everywhere. He never doubted his ability to handle himself in the gentle swells of the open sea, any more than he had doubted his ability to climb the mainmast, help service the forestay, or man the rigging. It was because of this youthful brashness that he had been strictly forbidden to put so much as a toe into the water without permission and/or supervision.

The quartermaster saw the male rogue approach the boy curiously, swimming first underneath him and then come up along side where he could get a good look at him. Cervil tossed his float bag filled with various tools he might need while in the water, over the side and then dove in himself. When he emerged he swam over to the boy, noticing that he wasn't afraid now that he was up next to the large dolphin. "This is Loki, Affa. He wanted to meet you."

"Ooooh! Hi Affa!" the boy was so impressed he could not have said more if he wanted to. When he felt the dolphin come up underneath him he'd felt just a bit afraid, but that quickly changed to exhilaration.

"Loki apprentice?" Affa inquired, his large black eye never leaving the boy.

"No," the boy laughed. "I'm jest, well," he paused to consider his position aboard. He was the cabin boy. Would Affa know what that was? "I'm one of the crew," he stated proudly.. Wouldn't it be grand to be a Dolphin Hall Apprentice! Loki had never considered that at all, of course until several months ago he had never considered anything beyond his next meal.

Affa splashed water playfully at the boy with his nose and gave a happy click, "Ship crew nice.. Ship crew play with Affa."

"We'll play later Affa," Cervil brought the dolphin's attention back to him. There was time later for play, but now he needed information. "Do you have anything to report today?" He'd asked yesterday for the dolphin to keep an eye out for ships, but sometimes the dolphins got distracted and forgot.

"Report! Report!" the dolphin squeed excitedly. He didn't often get the chance to report to a dolphineer, so this was a very fun game to play. "No big ships, far far away. Many small ships far away."

"Very good Affa, well done." Cervil praised the dolphin and took out a large fingertail from a side pocket of his pouch and offered it to him. While the dolphin was more than capable of getting his own fish, it was the accepted reward for giving a report and it was always good to keep in the good graces of the dolphins.

"Wow! Affa's really smart isn't he?" Loki said excitedly, ducking his head under the salty water and then coming up again.

"Yes he is." Cervil replied, distracted as he thought about what the dolphin had said. Dolphins didn't give distance the same way people did, but there was an important distinction between far and far far way that Cervil was uncomfortable with.

The ex-dolphineer took a few short strokes to the rope ladder he'd released earlier and looked back at the boy and dolphin. "Affa, take Loki for a swim around the ship then he has to get back to work. No more playing this morning."

Though pleased at the prospect of swimming with Affa, Loki was disappointed that the fun had to be cut short, but he knew better than to argue with the quartermaster.. He'd end up with no swim at all most likely. Maybe he could squeeze in just a bit more play time before his absence was noticed. "Come on Affa! I've never had a swim with a dolphin!"

"One lap Loki," Cervil reminded the lad sternly as he started to climb the rope, "We're most likely going to be pulling anchor soon."

"Shells!" The boy swore wondering how it was the adults on the Silver Sails always seemed to know just what he was thinking. Grabbing the dolphin's fin as he had seen Cervil do he held on tightly intent on enjoying this bit of fun before he had to go back to work and lessons.

Last updated on the February 20th 2009

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Dolphin Report