What's Going On?
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Jane, Vix
Date Posted: 2nd January 2009
Characters: Mahantan, Leisenn
Description: Leisenn asks Mahantan if he has any idea what Mosler might be up to.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 1, day 1 of Turn 5
"Mahantan, do you have some time to talk?" Leisenn asked as she knocked on the open door of the office of the Master of Apprentices. The problem that was bothering her had been doing so for three sevendays and it wasn't urgent enough to disturb the man if he was busy.
The dolphineer glanced up from the hidework that had been occupying him with a look of confusion, his mind still on what he had been writing. "Oh ... Hallmaster." He flashed a quick smile. "Just give me a moment." He finished penning the sentence he had started and shoved the papers to one side. "Now - have a seat."
The elder dolphineer moved into the room and shut the door behind her before settling the chair nearest the desk. "I don't want to cause worry or alarm - or worse, gossip - so I'd like this kept confidential, please."
Mahantan frowned at the seriousness of her words. "Gossip is always a concern in the Hall," he agreed. "What's going on?"
Leisenn sighed. "I don't know what's going on, that's the problem. It's Mosler. You may have noticed he hasn't been around these last few sevendays?"
"He faded into the background quite a bit after stepping down," the Apprentice Master conceded. "And I don't remember seeing him in a few days." His forehead creased in thought. "Or longer."
"He jumped on a ship. That man who didn't want to be Hallsecond and seemed set to spend his life looking around the beaches for shells - just _left_."
"Oh." Mahantan sat back in his chair. "Did he say where he was going?"
"No, he didn't," Leisenn said, her tone a little curt. "I know which ship he caught, so I know the direction, but he hasn't sent a message or anything. I don't know whether to be worried or angry." She didn't know whether she had the right to be either, given that the man wasn't technically part of her staff apart from having courtesy accommodation at the Hall.
"Have you asked the dolphins if any have seen him?"
"I've asked ... Not asked them to look, just asked if they've seen him or Calla. And they have. Seen Calla. She's still heading east, so I assume Mosler is, too. But what's he _doing_ is my question/ Do you have any idea?"
The other dolphineer shook his head. "Mosler was never in the habit of confiding in me. I arrived here at the Hall shortly before his first attack and was busy adjusting to my new position. After that, there was much concern about tiring him and I kept my reports short and to the point."
"I was afraid of that." Leisenn sighed. "I don't want to run around asking the all and sundry about his business - the man has a right to some privacy, so I'd hoped you would know ... It's times like this I realise that the lack of a Hallsecond is more than just an administrative annoyance." She eyed the other dolphineer. "I don't suppose -?"
Mahantan frowned at her and tapped a stack of papers. "These are the reviews of current apprentices." He tapped an even larger stack. "These are letters from various individuals and families all of whom think being a dolphineer might be a way out of wherever they are now." He glanced back at her. "Trust me, you don't want to try to find someone to sort through these."
"Oh," the Hallmaster said, giving up the idea with obvious reluctance. "I suppose it would be silly to let the Master of Apprentices position become vacant. That's just moving the problem around.
"As to Mosler," the Apprentice Master mused, "there was something shortly after I arrived here, some problem." He thought it over and shook his head. "No, I can't figure what it might have been. I don't think I was in on the discussions of that."
"A Hall 'something', do you think? Or a personal one?"
"Hall," Mahantan replied. "I'm pretty sure of that. Kouna knew about it, whatever it was."
"And Kouna's left, too." Leisenn got to her feet with a sigh. "I _am_ going to have to follow this up - this disappearance - in case it is Hall related. I'll start with more questions for the dolphins. At least they don't gossip _quite_ as much as masters in a Hall."
"The problem with asking the dolphins is knowing what questions to ask," the other dolphineer remarked. "You can't ask them 'why' because to them reasons are evident or irrelevant with no in-between. Good luck."
"Sounds like I might need it."
Last updated on the January 4th 2009