"Breathe free, Stormrider!"
"Fly high, David!"
With that, the man jumped.
"Sir! There's someone in the water!"
"Bring 'em in, son! I'll report it over the radio, and be right down!" the captain replied. He took off towards the communications room.
Ten minutes later, the rescue boat was lifted back up, level with the deck. The young woman was huddled in a ball and refused to leave the life boat. When the captain tried to ask her who she was, she grunted and rumbled a strange-sounding growl at him. A nurse came to take her temperature, and the girl scrambled back in fear. The captain was becoming exasperated.
"You won't be able to help her. She hasn't had contact with people from the outside before, so she must be beyond terrified. And she only knows a few select terms in English. Not enough for you to communicate with her." Someone said from behind him. The captain turned to see a young man in what appeared to be a military uniform, though unlike any he'd ever seen.
"Let me help her. I can ask her what happened, and I can get her home. To be frank, you couldn't do either." The stranger said. He didn't wait for an answer.
Kneeling to be level with the girl, he spoke in a strange tone: "Breathe free, Allosonta."
To everyone's surprise, she replied. "Seek peace, rider," She rasped. She sounded as if she had a sore throat and hadn't spoken in a long while.
The two then began to take turns rumbling, grunting, and growling to each other. After a particularly long articulation by the man, there was a pause. Then she made a short, deep sound, along the lines of chuck! The man nodded, and turned to speak to the captain.
"Lower the life boat. Take everyone but her off. She will ride a friend home. When she is on her way, I will explain as much as I am allowed to. Which isn't much." he added as an after-thought.
"What are you talking about? Why would I return her to the ocean just after saving her?" the captain demanded.
"Her only way home is to jump off and find her ride, or to be lowered in the boat. She is scared enough as it is; I don't think it would be a very good idea to have her jump. I can call the friend now, but you'll have to let her go either way. You may be in charge of this crew, but her life is my responsibility now." Although he didn't speak forcefully, everyone could tell he was serious. The captain was still clueless and uncomfortable with the 'plan' but he silently motioned for the crew to follow the stranger's orders. Nodding, the man watched as the girl was lowered down to the waters. When the boat was on the sea, he raised his hands as if addressing a great audience and began emitting loud clicking, whistling sounds.
To the captain's and crew's amazement, dolphins began rising all along the side of the ship, answering his calls. The girl grunted to the man, and he replied with a short series of grunt-rumble-growl-grunt. She nodded, and slid onto the back of the nearest dolphin. The aquatic mammal chattered as it slid along the surface, straight toward the raging storm. When it was gone from sight, the man turned to the captain, and suggested that they meet in an outdoor area and discreetly discuss what had just happened. The captain immediately agreed, hoping to learn as much as he could.
"The island on which Allosonta and I live exists outside of time," the stranger explained once they arrived at their on-ship destination. "The prehistoric animals and humans live together in harmony there. The storm, along with the great reef, keeps anyone from entering or leaving it purposely. Only a few people occasionally drift to the beaches by accident, or are rescued by the dolphins if they are deemed worthy. No one has been able to leave the island, except for one saurian many centuries ago, and Allosonta. She was searching for her Allosaurian brother and was swept out to sea. I was able to find her by riding my Skybax. You and your crew must promise to never speak of me or what I have told you. Peace is of the greatest value in Dinotopia, and we wish to keep it that way." A great screech echoed in the air and surrounded the ship. "I can not stay any longer; Stormrider is becoming anxious. Farewell, captain, and promise your secrecy." With that, the man walked briskly to the edge of the ship, and held his arm above his head, searching the sky. What appeared to be a great bird came into view and approached the ship. When it was just landing on the deck, the captain could see that it was no bird—it was a Pteranodon! The stranger leaped onto the saddle that sat upon the great flier's back, and gave one last greeting to the astounded captain:
"Breathe free, Captain!"
"And always seek peace, where ever you go!" The dinosaur spoke in perfect English, before disappearing into the clouds.
The captain was a man of honor, and no matter how much he wanted to report this shocking find, he never spoke a word of it to anyone.