TWO
Over four weeks ago a distress call was issued from the cruise ship the Blue Dolphin. The ship had struck an unknown object in the ocean. The impact from the object opened a hole in the ship's hull filling it with sea water. An emergency rescue team from the Japan Coast Guard in cooperation with nearby maritime rescue teams immediately responded to the S.O.S. When they arrived they found the ship half submerge and slowly sinking while life boats scattered around. They rescued as many passengers as possible, but when the passenger log was checked, all was accounted for except two. The situation as well as the ship's captain is under full investigation by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG).
Arriving at the JCG's Fifth Regional Coast Guard Headquarters in Kobe, Tris and Nana take seats in the back of the press conference while other reporters cloud the front. These two survivors were picked up by the JCG on Fiji. Once they landed, they immediately contacted the Japanese consulate. The JCG was sent to retrieve Japan's missing citizen and a press conference was issued for the media about the survivor's circumstance.
The two survivors are sitting behind a desk on top of a podium in the JCG's conference hall. Posted behind them is the large insignia of the JCG, a blue flag with a white multipoint star representing a Mariner's compass. A little distance below them, pictures are quickly snapped as bright flashes flicker on and off from reporters eagerly awaiting the Q&A segment. The captain of the JCG, Dara Kimiko steps on stage to address the audience.
"Ladies and gentle, before we start the questions let me provide an update on the situation of our survivors. As everyone is aware, the Blue Dolphin was on a trip from Japan to Hawaii. Unfortunately, midway to their destination the cruise liner struck an object in the ocean causing it to slowly submerge. We received the distress call and immediately left for the rescue. We are regretful to say, we missed two survivors. Behind me are Jiro and Ai Onishi. These two were lost for a period of four weeks before they were found by a fishing boat around Fiji. Once we received news from our consulate we immediately left to retrieve our two citizens. I'm also pleased to report Mr. and Mrs. Onishi was safe the entire period they were lost. Let me remind everyone, keep your questions to a minimal I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Onishi are exhausted from their ordeal."
Captain Kimiko gave the sign to begin the Q&A segment while he stepped aside to moderate, making sure to cut anyone off if their questions were too upsetting to the survivors. The room blared into loud sound and bright lights as reporters rushed to have their questions answered.
"Are we just going to sit back here while everyone gets to ask all the questions?" Nana asked.
"Yes, well at least I am. There's no point jumping in Nana. All of our questions are going to be asked by the others, I'm just going to sit back and reap the rewards without lifting a finger. Although, you could join the flock and take some excellent pictures," Tris said with a grin as he furiously wrote in his note pad.
"You're a jerk, you make me do all the work while you just sit here and relax."
"You're the best," Tris yells, as Nana walks into the crowd of the reporters.
Immediately raising their hands, Captain Kimiko pointed to a reporter dressed in blue near the center of the crowd to commence the Q&A.
"Can you describe what happened to you two after you found out the cruise liner was sinking?" he asks.
"We were in a frantic scramble. We weren't sure what was really going on, but my wife and I quickly took our backpacks and stuffed it with food and water," Jiro explains.
"After tumbling out of our cabins, we tried our best to follow in pursuit of our fellow passenger. But we lost sight of everyone because we spent too much time packing. That's when we noticed a lone life boat and my wife and I quickly climbed on and released the lines holding it."
"Your boat was not part of the rest of the passenger?" a female reporter asks.
"No I think we were on the opposite side of everyone else. I'm not sure it was very dark"
"Did you try to call for help?" another male reporter asked.
"We did call out."
"The Onishi's boat was dragged away by the ocean currents during the sinking of the cruise liner," Captain Kimiko interjected.
"Were you two scared at all when you were in the ocean?" a different reporter asked.
"We were very terrified. It took all our strengths to stay calm and rational in such a horrible situation as this. We just feel very fortunate to have survived this ordeal."
After about an hour of questions, Captain Kimiko raised his hands to announce the conference has ended.
"We thank everyone for being here and I believe it's time Mr. and Mrs. Onishi returned home. If everyone would please exit through the back," Kimiko continued gesturing to the door now held open for the reporters.
"What do you think of the survivors? Unbelievable huh?" Nana asked Tris as they both exit the JCG HQ.
"I can't believe they were floating in the ocean, then lucky enough to get spotted by a fishing boat near Fiji."
"Yeah, sounds unbelievable but they manage." Tris replied.
"Let's head back to the office, I have a lot of editing to do."
